ROAST PORK BELLY
Roast pork belly is one of my favourite indulgent meals. This is the quicker, weeknight version, served with a sweet potato mash and easy homemade apple sauce. Yum!
I’m not promising tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly with this meal (it is the quick weeknight version after all); however, it still makes for a pretty delicious dinner! The crackling is super delish too, and better than what you see in the photograph. I took the photo before I tried the boiling water technique (thanks mum!) and it really does make a difference.
ROAST PORK BELLY
Roast pork belly is one of my favourite indulgent meals. This is the quicker, weeknight version, served with a sweet potato mash and easy homemade apple sauce. Yum!
Ingredients
PORK BELLY
- 650 g boneless pork belly (1lb 7oz)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
MASH
- 500 g orange kumara (1lb 5oz)
- 400 g potato (14oz)
- 2 Tbsp butter
APPLE SAUCE
- 2 green apples (i.e. Granny Smiths)
- 1/3 cup water (80ml)
- 5 tsp caster sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
VEGGIES
- 250 g green beans (8.8oz)
- 1/2 small green cabbage
- 1/2 Tbsp butter
Instructions
COOK PORK
Preheat oven to 220ºC (430ºF) fan bake. Score the skin of the pork belly (don't cut through into the flesh). Place the pork, skin side up, on a rack in the sink and pour a kettle full of boiling water over the top. Carefully remove pork onto a board and pat the skin as dry as you can. Rub all over with salt and pepper, then cut pork into quarters. Place in a roasting dish and roast for 20 minutes, until skin is starting to blister and crackle.
Reduce heat to 200ºC (390ºF) fan bake and roast for a further 20-25 minutes. If skin has not blistered completely, grill for 2-3 minutes, watching very carefully to ensure it doesn’t burn. Remove from oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
MAKE MASH
While pork is cooking, peel and roughly dice kumara and potato. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 20 minutes, then drain well. Add butter and mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and return to a very low heat to keep warm.
MAKE APPLE SAUCE
Meanwhile, peel, core and dice apples. Place in a small saucepan with water, sugar and cinnamon. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, until apples are soft. Mash with a fork and keep warm on a low heat.
COOK VEGGIES
Trim ends off the beans and shred the cabbage. Heat butter in a large frying pan and cook the beans and cabbage for a couple of minutes, until tender. Season with a little salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can steam veggies in the microwave.
SERVE
Slice pork belly and serve on top of mash, with a generous dollop of apple sauce and veggies on the side.
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: Go for a Riesling.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: This meal is naturally gluten-free.
INGREDIENT NOTES / SWAPS: You could just use either kumara or potato in the mash. For a healthier version, trying replacing the regular potato with cauliflower. Use any veggies you like – broccolini would be a good alternative.
STORING AND REHEATING: Store individual servings in airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave. For extra crispy cracking, you could separate this from the pork and reheat in the oven.
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