Pork and apples pair beautifully in this simple and flavoured packed recipe that also gives you plenty of fabulous, salty crackling that everyone loves.
Serves: 8–10
INGREDIENTS
1½ kilograms boneless pork belly, skin scored at 1 cm intervals (I used free-farmed)
2 pork sausages, skins removed
2 tablespoons chopped sage
1 clove garlic, crushed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Apples
6 small apples
olive oil
METHOD
Preheat the oven to its highest setting.
Pork: Lay the pork skin side down on the bench and season.
Combine the sausages with the sage and garlic.
With the long side of the pork facing you, spread the mixture over half its surface in an even layer. Fold the other side over and loosely secure the roast with kitchen string. If tied tightly, the stuffing has no room to expand and will be squeezed out the ends.
Rub the skin with a little olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt.
Place the pork skin side up on a rack set over a baking dish with a little water in the bottom. Keep topping the water up during cooking.
Apples: Halve the apples and brush both sides with olive oil. Place cut side up on the rack next to the pork. Roast for 30 minutes, taking the apples out when they are tender but not collapsing.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160˚C. Cook the pork for a further 1½ - 2 hours or until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a skewer. If the skin is not well crackled, place under a hot grill for a few minutes, but take care it doesn’t catch and burn.
Rest, loosely covered, for 20 minutes.
To serve: Remove the string from the pork. Cut between the scored crackling into thin slices and arrange on a serving platter with the apples.
The pork is delicious served cold and any leftover meat is perfect for sandwiches.
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