Pork Belly with Apple Sauce and Crackling

Roast pork belly

• 1.2 kg Pork belly, skin on
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 2 Bay leaves
• 250 ml Water

Apple sauce

• 700 g Apple, firm, tart apples
• 40 g Caster sugar
• 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 60 ml Water

1. Heat the oven to 240°C (465°F). Pat the pork skin very dry, then score it with a sharp knife in shallow lines, taking care not to cut into the meat.
2. Rub the pork all over with the salt, fennel seeds and black pepper, working the seasoning well into the scored skin. Sit the bay leaves in a roasting tin and place the pork on top, skin-side up.
3. Pour 250 ml water into the tin around the pork (not over the skin). Roast for 30 minutes until the skin starts to blister and colour.
4. Reduce the oven to 160°C (320°F) and roast for 75 minutes until the meat is very tender. If the tin looks dry at any point, add a splash more water to keep the juices from burning.
5. Meanwhile, peel, core and cut the apples into chunks. Put them in a saucepan with the caster sugar, apple cider vinegar and 60 ml water, then cover and cook on a low heat for 12 to 15 minutes until the apples collapse.
6. Uncover and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Mash for a rustic texture or stir well for a smoother sauce, then set aside.
7. Turn the oven back up to 220°C (430°F) and roast the pork for 10 to 15 minutes until the crackling is crisp and deeply golden. Rest the pork for 10 minutes before slicing.
8. Slice the pork belly through the crackling with a sharp knife. Serve with the apple sauce on the side.

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