Top | RSPCA Think Pig Christmas Recipes

Cider Pork Casserole - £1.70 per serving!

(recipe, RSPCA United Kingdom)


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Introduction

This dish is ideal for days when you do not want to spend hours in the kitchen – prepare earlier and then cook for a few hours. Published as part of the RSPCA’s Think Pig Christmas Recipes. The RSPCA are are encouraging everyone to ‘Think Pig’ by buying higher welfare pork. You can see more recipes and join the campaign on the RSPCA Think Pig Facebook Page in the Notes section at http://bit.ly/gE65tZ.

Ingredients

  1. 55 g butter
  2. 2 Tbsp. oil
  3. 1⅕ kg shoulder of higher welfare pork, cubed, which is labelled Freedom Food, outdoor reared, outdoor bred, free-range or organic
  4. 150 g thick streaky bacon, chopped roughly
  5. 1 onion, chopped
  6. 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  7. 12 shallots, peeled
  8. 350 ml dry cider
  9. 350 ml chicken stock
  10. 2 Tbsp. cornflour
  11. 3 Tbsp. wholegrain mustard
  12. 1 Tbsp. dried tarragon
  13. 2 Tbsp. ready-made applesauce
  14. 125 ml crème fraiche

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C, Gas 3, 325°F.
  2. Heat a large ovenproof casserole over a medium heat. Add half the butter and 1 tbsp oil, add the pork and cook for 10 minutes until golden and brown, stirring from time to time. You may need to do this in batches if easier. Remove the pork from the pan, wipe the pan and add the remaining butter and oil.
  3. Add the bacon and cook until lightly brown. Remove and keep to one side.
  4. Add the onion, celery and shallots in the same pan and cook until slightly soft. Return the pork and bacon to the pan add the cider and stock, bring to a gentle simmer then cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours or until the pork is tender.
  5. Check from time to time to make sure the liquid hasn't dried out. When cooked remove from the oven.
  6. Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp water to form a thick paste. Add the paste plus the mustard, tarragon, apple sauce and creme fraiche to the casserole dish and stir thoroughly. Gently cook on the hob until the sauce has thickened slightly. Serve with shredded Savoy cabbage and leeks.
  7. Don’t forget to Think Pig: http://bit.ly/rspcathinkpig and find out more about the labels you should be looking for to help improve pig welfare.