Creamy Pork And Apple Casserole With Cider Recipes

NORMANDY PORK WITH APPLES & CIDER

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large pan and brown the meat in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan, and only turn the meat when it has a deep brown crust on the underside, as this will add lots of flavour to the stew. When one batch is cooked, tip it into the slow cooker and continue with the next batch, adding more oil as you need it.
• When all the meat has been transferred to the slow cooker, add the onion, carrots and celery to the pan and cook for 5-10 mins to just soften, scraping any meaty bits up from the bottom of the pan. Tip the veg into the slow cooker. Add the lardons to the pan and fry until crispy. Pour in the cider, bubble for 1 min, again scraping the bottom of the pan, then tip the cider and lardons into the slow cooker too. Add the apples, stock cube and herbs to the slow cooker, pour in 400ml water, season well and turn the heat to Low. Cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 hrs until the meat is very tender. (If you don't have a slow cooker, tip all the ingredients back into the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 3 hrs over a low heat, stirring every now and then to prevent it from catching on the bottom. You may have to add a splash of water during cooking if the sauce looks dry.)
• Turn your slow cooker up to High. Add the crème fraîche and mustard to the stew and check the seasoning. If the sauce is thin, you can thicken it with the cornflour - ladle 2 spoonfuls of the sauce into a pan and bring to a simmer, mix the cornflour with 1-2 tsp cold water to make a paste, then stir it into the sauce. Once thickened, return the sauce to the slow cooker and cook for 10 mins more on High, stirring occasionally (or for 5 mins on the hob). Serve with mashed potato, greens and extra mustard and thyme, if you like.

PORK CASSEROLE WITH APPLES AND CIDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
• In a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Working in batches to avoid crowding the meat, add the pork chunks and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the pork to a bowl, cover, and repeat with any remaining pork, adding oil if needed.
• Add the bacon to the pan and cook, stirring as needed, until crisp, about 12 minutes.
• Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pan and stir to ensure it's well incorporated into the onion mixture. (If you prefer a thinner sauce, use 1 tablespoon flour; for a thicker sauce, use 2 tablespoons.) Then pour in the cider.
• In a spice bag or a cheesecloth pouch, combine the thyme, bay leaves, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.☞TESTER TIP: The spice bag or cheesecloth isn't essential. It simply makes for easier removal of the spices and herbs later on. If you don't have one, don't worry, just toss the herbs and spices into the pan...just don't forget to retrieve them later.
• Add the vinegar, apple, mustard, maple syrup, and spice mixture to the saucepan. Return the browned pork to the pan, pouring in any cooking juices that accumulated in the bowl, and stir to combine.
• Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the pork is very tender, about 90 minutes.
• Remove and discard the spice pouch or cheesecloth and season the casserole with salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY PORK CASSEROLE WITH CIDER AND APPLES

Steps:

• Season the pork with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in the pot using the Sauté function and brown the pork in batches until nicely coloured. You might want to do this in a large skillet over medium high heat instead. Don't overcrowd the pork as it will stew rather than brown.
• Set the pork aside and cook the lardons over high heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl.
• Deglaze the pot with a splash of cider or stock, scraping in any browned bits.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add a bit more oil and the onions and sauté on the medium setting for five minutes until softened.
• Stir in the sliced garlic, parsnips, apples, salt, sage (if using), cider and stock. Bring to a simmer.
• Return the bacon and pork to the pot and stir to combine.
• Cover, set vent to sealing and cook for 30 minutes at high pressure. Release the steam manually.
• Select Sauté again and stir in the cream and cornflour slurry, heating it through for 3-4 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
• NOTE: this method needs more stock and cider.
• Season the pork with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a Dutch oven or cast iron lidded casserole. Brown the pork, in batches, over medium-high heat. Don't overcrowd the meat as it will stew rather than brown. Set the pork aside
• Add the lardons and cook until they colour and start to render some of their fat. Deglaze the pot with a splash of cider or stock, scraping in any browned bits.
• Lower the heat, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
• Stir in the sliced garlic, parsnips, apples, salt, sage (if using), 1 cup (250ml) cider and 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
• Return the pork to the pot and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook in a 180°C (350°F) oven for two hours until pork is tender.
• Take out of the oven and bring to a low simmer on the stove. Stir in the cream and cornflour slurry, heating it through for 3-4 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
• Follow 1-5 steps for stovetop method then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or 5-6 on high.

CREAMY PORK AND APPLE CASSEROLE WITH CIDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170c/325f.
• Add the 2 tbsp of oil to a large casserole pan and heat over a medium-high heat.
• Add the chunks of pork and sprinkle over the 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Brown the pork on both sides - this should take about 5-6 minutes altogether.
• Turn the heat down to medium and add in the diced onion and 12 button mushrooms that have been sliced in half. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens.
• Add in the 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for a further minute.
• Sprinkle over the 2 tbsps of flour and stir it all in to coat the meat, onion and mushrooms.
• Pour in the 240ml (1 cup) of cider and the 420ml (1 3/4 cups) of chicken stock. Add in the 1/2 tsp of dried sage.
• Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, scraping up any bits that might have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
• Place a lid on the dish and place in the oven for 90 minutes. Check a couple of times towards the end of cooking and add a splash of water or stock if it's starting to look a little dry.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and add in the sliced apples and the 80ml (1/3 cup) of cream.
• Stir together, place the lid back on the dish and place back in the oven for 25 minutes - until the apples are tender.
• Remove from the oven and serve. I like to top mine with a few fresh sage leaves and some very thinly sliced apple for a bit of crunch. I love to serve this dish with mashed potatoes, cabbage and roasted radishes.

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND CIDER

Steps:

• Make the spice salt: Put peppercorns, cloves, allspice and sage in a spice mill or mortar and grind to a powder. Remove to a bowl and stir in salt. Season pork chops on both sides with salt mixture. (There will be some salt mixture remaining; use it to season the sauce, Step 4.) Cover and leave chops at room temperature to absorb seasonings for at least 30 minutes.
• Peel, quarter and core apples, then cut each apple into 12 wedges. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide skillet and raise heat to medium-high. Add apple wedges in one layer and brown gently on one side, about 2 minutes. Brown on the other side and cook for 2 minutes more, or until apples are cooked through but still firm. Remove apples from pan and keep warm.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan and swirl to melt. Dust pork chops with flour, and place in pan and brown gently for about 4 minutes per side. Adjust heat if necessary to keep pork from cooking too quickly. Remove chops and keep warm on a platter in a low oven. Discard remaining butter.
• Add ½ cup cider to pan, raise heat to high and cook down to a syrup. Add mustard and chicken broth, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add potato starch and stir with a wire whisk as the sauce thickens. Stir in crème fraîche. Season to taste with remaining spiced salt. Add 2 tablespoons cider and the Calvados, if using. Cook for 1 minute more.
• Spoon sauce over the chops, then spoon the apples around the platter. Sprinkle with chives and parsley.

SLOW COOKER PORK CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat your slow cooker. Drizzle the oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Season the pork, then add to the hot pan. Avoid overcrowding the meat - you may want to do this in batches. Cook until deep brown all over, then transfer to the slow cooker. Add the onion and leeks to the frying pan and cook for a few mins, until they soften. Add a splash of water and scrape any tasty bits from the bottom, then tip everything into the slow cooker. Add the carrot, herbs, stock cube, mustard and vinegar, season, then add enough water to just cover the ingredients. Stir, then set your slow cooker on low for 6-8 hrs, or high for 5-6 hrs.
• In a saucepan, mix the cornflour and honey with 1-2 tsp of liquid from the slow cooker, until you have a smooth paste. Add 100ml more liquid, bring to a simmer until thickened, then stir back into the casserole. Serve with mash or dumplings, scattered with thyme leaves.