Norfolk Pork and Apple Casserole
Tender chunks of British pork shoulder braised with tart local apples, dry cider, and fresh sage in a rich, warming gravy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 95 min
- Total
- 115 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Equipment
- •Large flameproof casserole dish with lid
- •Chopping board
- •Chef's knife
- •Wooden spoon
- •Measuring jug
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- fat
- 26 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 520 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your fan oven to 150°C (170°C conventional or gas mark 3).
- 2
Toss the diced pork shoulder in the plain flour with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 3
Heat the oil and butter in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat on the hob.
- 4
Brown the pork in batches until golden all over, then transfer to a plate.
- 5
Add the sliced onions and carrots to the dish and fry gently for 5 minutes until softening.
- 6
Stir in the chopped sage leaves and wholegrain mustard for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 7
Pour in the dry cider and hot chicken stock, scraping up any caramelised bits from the bottom.
- 8
Return the pork and resting juices to the dish, bring to a simmer, and cover with the lid.
- 9
Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake for 1 hour.
- 10
Stir in the apple wedges, cover again, and bake for a further 30 minutes until the pork is tender.
Chef's tips
Bramley cooking apples provide the best sharp contrast to rich pork, breaking down slightly to thicken the sauce. If using a sweet drinking cider, add a teaspoon of cider vinegar to keep the dish balanced.
Ingredient substitutions
- dry cider → cloudy apple juice with 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- Bramley cooking apples → Cox's Orange Pippin or Granny Smith apples
- fresh sage → 1 tsp dried sage
Storage
Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan on the hob over medium-low heat with a splash of water until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Crowding the casserole dish when browning the pork, which steams the meat instead of searing it.
- •Adding the apple wedges at the start of cooking, causing them to dissolve completely into mush.
- •Using very sweet commercial cider, which makes the finished gravy cloying.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Norfolk Pork and Apple Casserole?
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