Slow-Roasted Pork Belly & Chicory

A relaxed roast to feed a crowd - the tender chicory and delicious juices mean you needn't cook separate veg and gravy

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 3 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  751

• Protein

  60g

• Carbs

  10g

• Fat

  52g

• Saturates

  20g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  0.74g

Ingredients

• 2kg pork belly piece, skin scored
• 4 tsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 6 heads chicory, red or white or both
• 3 garlic cloves, halved
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 300ml cider
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to its highest temperature. Lay the pork on a board, skin-side up. Rub the skin with a little oil, then season with crushed pepper and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.
2. Lay the pork in shallow roasting tin, skin-side up (the skin should be higher than the edge of the tin). Place the pork in the oven and cook for 30 mins, then turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and roast for 1 hr more until the skin has crackled.
3. Meanwhile, halve the chicory lengthways. When the pork has had its time, remove from the oven and use a pair of tongs to lift it to a chopping board. Pour off excess fat. Lay the chicory in the tray, cut-side up. Scatter over the garlic, tuck the thyme around the chicory and pour over the cider. Drizzle with olive oil, blob on the mustard and sprinkle with sugar. Lay the pork on top and return to the oven for 2 hrs more.
4. Lift the pork off the chicory and transfer it to a board. Cover and rest for 20 mins. Carve into thick slices and serve with the chicory and the delicious juices spooned over.

Categories: All Christmas, Meat