British Pork and Cider Casserole Recipe

Name: British Pork and Cider Casserole Recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 160 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 ounces/55 g butter; 42 ounces/1.2k g pork shoulder (cut into large cubes); 7 ounces/200 g bacon (thick-cut, roughly chopped); 1 onion (roughly chopped); 2 celery ribs (roughly chopped); 12 shallots (peeled and left whole); 12 ounces/350 ml dry cider (use apple juice for a non-alcoholic version); 12 ounces/350 ml chicken stock; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 tablespoons water; 3 tablespoons wholegrain mustard; 3 tablespoons French tarragon leaves (chopped); 4 ounces/125 ml creme fraiche (or sour cream if not available)

Prep: 40 mins

Cook: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 40 mins

Servings: 6 servings

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This recipe for pork and cider together with a little mustard and cream makes a delicious, lovely, and light casserole that is very easy to prepare. It's an excellent lunch dish or main course for dinner or an alternative Sunday lunch. Serve with seasonal vegetables and new potatoes—it's delicious.

A hefty dose of French tarragon is a nice addition here as it balances very well with the punch of the cider and the bite of the mustard. Feel free to change the herbs in this dish but read the note at the end of the recipe first.

55 grams (about 2-ounces) unsalted butter
1.2 kilograms (about 42-ounces) pork shoulder, cut into large cubes
200 grams (about 7-ounces) thick-cut bacon thick
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium celery ribs, coarsely chopped
12 medium shallots, peeled
350 milliliters (about 12-ounces) dry cider, or apple juice
350 milliliters (about 12-ounces) chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons fresh French tarragon leaves, coarsely chopped
125 milliliters (about 4-ounces) crème fraîche, or sour cream

Heat the oven to 325 F / 170 C / Gas 3.
Heat a large flameproof casserole over medium heat. Add half of the butter and heat to foaming. Add half of the cubed pork and fry for 10 minutes until golden and brown, stirring from time to time. Take care not to burn. Remove the cooked pork and repeat with the remaining butter and pork.
Heat a frying pan until hot and dry fry the bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. Fry the onion, celery, and shallots in the same pan until slightly soft.
Place all the vegetables, bacon, and pork in the casserole. Add the cider and stock, bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop then cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the heated oven. Cook for 2 hours or until the pork is tender. Check from time to time to make sure the liquid hasn't dried out. When cooked, remove from the oven.
Mix the cornstarch with the water to form a thick paste. Add the paste plus the mustard, tarragon, and crème fraîche to the casserole dish and stir thoroughly.
Gently cook on the stovetop until the sauce has thickened slightly. Serve.

Note: This casserole is flavored with tarragon, a lovely combination with pork, but use the softly flavored French tarragon variety or the dish will be overpowered. You can substitute the tarragon with your favorite herb although, if using stronger herbs, you might want to reduce the quantity, especially if it's sage or rosemary, as these also would overpower the dish.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1022	Calories
71g	Fat
26g	Carbs
62g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	1022
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 71g	92%
Saturated Fat 30g	150%
Cholesterol 259mg	86%
Sodium 923mg	40%
Total Carbohydrate 26g	10%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 62g
Vitamin C 13mg	64%
Calcium 120mg	9%
Iron 5mg	25%
Potassium 1296mg	28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.