Recipes › Cabbage (Red) › Slow-Cooked Pork Belly with Red Cabbage and Juniper
Slow-Cooked Pork Belly with Red Cabbage and Juniper
Pork belly and red cabbage is one of those pairings that feels made by geography — both are at their best in autumn, and they cook together into something deeply rich and satisfying. The red cabbage braises in red wine with juniper and allspice while the pork rests on top, absorbing all those aromatics. This is a weekend centrepiece dish that requires very little active attention once it's in the oven.
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Ingredients
- 800 red cabbage, core removed, shredded into 1cm strips
- 800 g pork belly slices, skin scored at 1cm intervals
- 2 red onion, halved and finely sliced
- 200 ml red wineor use extra stock and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 200 ml beef or pork stock, hot
- 8 juniper berries, lightly crushed
- 4 allspice berries, lightly crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Contains: sulphites.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Pat the pork belly slices completely dry with kitchen paper. Season generously on both sides with half the salt and pepper.About 5 min
- Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole over a high heat. Sear the pork belly slices skin-side down for 4–5 minutes until golden and beginning to crisp. Turn and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Remove the pork and set aside on a plate.About 8 min
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced red onion and garlic to the casserole and cook in the rendered pork fat for 5 minutes until softened.About 5 min
- Add the shredded red cabbage, juniper berries, allspice berries, bay leaves, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt.About 3 min
- Pour in the red wine and hot stock. Stir, then season the cabbage with the remaining salt and pepper. Lay the seared pork belly slices on top of the cabbage, skin-side up, pressing them down slightly.About 2 min
- Cover the casserole tightly with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours, checking once halfway through and adding a splash of water if the cabbage looks dry.About 120 min
- Remove the lid and increase the oven temperature to 200°C fan / 220°C conventional. Cook for a further 20–25 minutes until the pork skin is crackled and golden. Remove the bay leaves, allspice, and juniper before serving.About 25 min
Tips
- Drying the pork skin thoroughly before searing is the single most important step for good crackling — moisture is the enemy.
- Ask your butcher to score the skin if you don't feel confident doing it yourself; it makes a real difference to the crackling.
- The braised cabbage underneath will be intensely flavoured from the pork fat that drips down during cooking — don't discard any of the cooking juices.
Ring the changes
- Swap the pork belly for skin-on pork shoulder steaks if you prefer leaner meat — add an extra 20 minutes of covered braising time.
- Add 100g of dried cranberries to the cabbage for a more festive, fruit-forward version suited to Christmas.
Keeping it
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the pork in a 180°C oven for 15 minutes to revive the crackling. The cabbage reheats well on the hob with a splash of water.
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