Ingredients
1 x piece of pork belly, skin scored (approx 2.5 – 3kg)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sea salt flakes (approx)
Ground star anise
6 small red apples, cut in half
FOR THE APPLE MASH
1.5kg potatoes, whole
200g butter
200ml pouring cream
1 jar Beerenberg Apple Sauce
Nutmeg, to taste
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Pat the pork belly dry with paper towel. Using your hands, rub some olive oil into the skin and where the scoring cuts are. Do the same with the sea salt.
Sprinkle the star anise over the skin.
Place into a baking dish lined with baking paper.
Cook for 35 minutes or until the skin begins to bubble.
Turn the heat down to 160°C and continue to cook for 50 to 60 minutes.
In the last 10 minutes of cooking time, place the apple halves around the pork.
In the meantime, to make the apple mash, place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water, cook until soft. Drain.
When cool enough to handle, push through a potato ricer. If you don’t have a potato ricer, peel the potatoes and push through a fine sieve.
Add the butter, cream, apple puree and nutmeg and stir into the mash until the butter melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Beat together with a wooden spoon until soft and creamy.
To test that the pork is ready, the crackling should sound hollow when tapped and the juices of the pork belly should run clear.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for approximately 10 minutes before cutting.
