Slow-roast pork belly with sherry gravy and mint relish

Slow-roast pork belly with sherry gravy and mint relish

It’s impossible to resist the crunchy-salty crackling and tender meat of slow-cooked pork belly. Cooked for six hours and served with zingy mint relish, this dish is perfect for a relaxed Sunday lunch or as a special Easter roast. Here’s our handy video of the whole recipe.

Slow-roast pork belly with sherry gravy and mint relish

For more Easter roasts, check out our Easter recipe collection.

  • Serves icon Serves 6-8
  • Time icon Hands-on 45 min, oven about 6 hours

It’s impossible to resist the crunchy-salty crackling and tender meat of slow-cooked pork belly. Cooked for six hours and served with zingy mint relish, this dish is perfect for a relaxed Sunday lunch or as a special Easter roast. Here’s our handy video of the whole recipe.

For more Easter roasts, check out our Easter recipe collection.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
886kcals
Fat
50.8g (17.6g saturated)
Protein
76.9g
Carbohydrates
12g (6.9g sugars)
Fibre
2.3g
Salt
1.5g

For 8

Ingredients

  • 3 onions, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 500ml dry sherry (such as fino), plus an extra glug for the gravy
  • 
750ml chicken stock
  • 
2kg British free-range pork belly, with bones, skin deeply scored (ask your butcher to do this for you)
  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 
1½ tbsp sea salt

For the relish

  • 
½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 
20g bunch fresh mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • 20g bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked and finely chopped

To serve

  • 
Roast or mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables
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Method

  1. Heat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9. Put the onions in a large, deep roasting tin with the garlic, sherry and stock. Put the pork on top, skin-side up, and pat the skin dry with kitchen towel, then rub the fennel seeds and sea salt well into the grooves of the scored skin.
  2. Roast the pork for 15-20 minutes until the skin starts to puff up and looks like it’s about to crackle. Turn the oven down to 140°C/120°C fan/gas 1. Cook the pork, uncovered, for 5 hours until the meat is tender and falling apart. Take it out of the oven, drain the stock/juices from the tin into a saucepan, along with the onions, then set the stock mixture aside.
  3. Turn the oven back up to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9, put the pork back in and cook for a further 30-35 minutes. Check the crackling after 20 minutes. The fennel seeds may start to brown a little; if so, brush off the excess and continue to roast until the skin has crackled properly.
  4. Meanwhile make the relish. Put the red onion into a small bowl with the vinegar and sugar. Set aside until you’re ready to serve the pork.
  5. When the pork belly skin has finished crackling, remove the roasting tin from the oven, put the meat on a lipped plate and leave to rest for 20 minutes. For the gravy, bring the reserved stock mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Add a glug of sherry to give acidity, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
  6. Just before serving, stir the chopped fresh herbs into the relish. Add any of the resting pork juices to the onion gravy, then carve the pork belly into chunky slices. Serve with the relish, sherry gravy and your favourite potatoes and greens.

Nutrition

For 8

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
886kcals
Fat
50.8g (17.6g saturated)
Protein
76.9g
Carbohydrates
12g (6.9g sugars)
Fibre
2.3g
Salt
1.5g

delicious. tips

  1. Watch the video below on how to  make this entire recipe:

  2. For the best crackling, buy top quality pork that hasn’t been vacuum packed (a good butcher is your best bet). Leave the pork uncovered in the bottom of the fridge (on a tray to catch any juices and away from food to be served uncooked) for up to 24 hours. This will dry out the skin, which helps it turn into better crackling.

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