Cranberry Stuffed Organic Pork Belly
The Organic Butchery pork belly is a really special roasting joint. Richly flavoured meat is topped with a generous layer of sweet, melting fat that is in turn crowned by a glorious layer of crisp-as-can-be crackling, filled with cranberry stuffing, this is a real Christmas crowd-pleaser.
Cranberry Stuffed Organic Pork Belly
The Organic Butchery pork belly is a really special roasting joint. Richly flavoured meat is topped with a generous layer of sweet, melting fat that is in turn crowned by a glorious layer of crisp-as-can-be crackling, filled with cranberry stuffing, this is a real Christmas crowd-pleaser.
- Serves: 4
- Prepare: 25 Minutes
- Cook: 1 Hour
- Difficulty: easy
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC PORK?
We rear organic pigs that are a cross of traditional, native breeds. Reared outdoors, they have plenty of space to express their natural instincts - they love to wallow, rootle and forage in the grass for bugs. Growing our animals slowly ensures their meat has great flavour and texture, balanced by just the right amount of fat.
Ingredients
- 1.2kg organic whole belly of pork
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- salt and black pepper to season
- ½ cup of homemade breadcrumbs
- ½ organic chicken bone broth
- 1 cup of green apples, peeled and chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon organic dried rosemary
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan, 160°C/gas mark 4
2. Unroll your boneless organic pork belly and thoroughly dry the skin and score it with a sharp knife. This will ensure the crispiest crackling. Rub the olive oil into the pork skin and season with salt and pepper. Set aside the pork belly and make your stuffing
3. Place the breadcrumbs and organic chicken bone broth in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the chopped apples, walnuts, cranberries, chopped shallots, maple syrup and rosemary, and stir again, ensuring all the ingredients have combined
4. Onto a clean surface, lay a sheet of cling film double the size of the flat pork belly, place the pork belly skin side down on the cling wrap and spread the stuffing over the surface of the pork, ensuring you don’t spread it all the way to the edges
5. Now start to roll up the pork belly, starting with the long edge of the pork, until it forms a sausage shape. Secure the pork with kitchen string, tying the roast at 1-2 inch intervals
6. If making ahead of time, simply pop the pork in the fridge until you are ready to cook. If you are ready to cook the pork, lightly grease the bottom of a baking tray with olive oil, transfer the pork to the baking tray and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 30 minutes until the skin is fizzing and sizzling. Turn the heat down to a low and cook for a further two and a half hours before cranking it back up again for the final fifteen minutes. To maintain the crispness of your crackling, If the crackling isn't quite as brittle and crunchy as you'd like, give it a quick blast under the grill before serving
7. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Remove the kitchen string and slice into ½ thick slices to serve
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC PORK?
We rear organic pigs that are a cross of traditional, native breeds. Reared outdoors, they have plenty of space to express their natural instincts - they love to wallow, rootle and forage in the grass for bugs. Growing our animals slowly ensures their meat has great flavour and texture, balanced by just the right amount of fat.
Frequently asked questions
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When choosing any meat to purchase, it is worth carrying out some research. There are a number of studies that suggest organic pork is a healthier option – higher in Omega 3, Amino Acids and Healthy Fats. There are also several other reasons why choosing organic pork is a good idea. They range from the contribution of organic pork to climate change, animal welfare and the use of pesticides and medicines used in the farming of conventional pork animals having a detrimental effect on our health.
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Pigs cannot survive only on grass, they also need some grain in their diet, this is why you will not find ‘grass fed pork’ on meat packaging, unlike beef which can survive on grass alone. Our pigs are raised on a diet of grass, hay and concentrated food that helps them grow at the rate nature intended.
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Organic pork comes from organic pigs that have been reared in accordance to high welfare standards, we there are raised a nature intended, they live active lives outdoors, foraging and exercising freely. Our pigs are slow grown unlike intensive farming, this gives their muscles deep colour and robust flavour.