Cider roasted pork belly

Pork belly, fat scored
1 bottle of rekorderlig apple or pear cider
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of crushed ginger (from a jar)
small bunch of thyme
1 tablespoon salt

Heat oven to very high heat (220-230c).

Pat dry the pork fat with a paper towel.

Run your finger along 2 sprigs of thyme to remove the leaves. Add the leaves to 1 tablespoon of salt and rub with the back of a spoon to release the oils from the leaves.

Rub the thyme salt into the scores of the pork belly skin.

Place the pork belly into a baking dish or casserole dish.

Pour cider around the pork belly to just below the level of the fat. Do not wet the fat.

Put the crushed garlic, ginger and thyme into the cider.

Place in oven, leave for 15 minutes to start the fat crackling, and then turn the heat down to 160c.

Bake for an hour to an hour and a half depending on the size of your pork belly.

Serve with roasted winter fruits and vegetable e.g. potato, parsnip, carrots, pears, apples.



You can make a gravy from the sauce by removing the pork belly from the cider to rest.

Put the baking dish on the stove to heat.

Mix together 2 tablespoons of corn starch, 1/4 cup of water, and a tablespoon of chicken stock until it's a smooth paste.

Mix the corn starch paste into the pan juices and constantly stir with a whisk until the gravy starts to thicken. Thicken to your liking.