Roasted Belly Pork Dinner

An easy, comforting dish that packs a flavourful punch!

Combining honey roast parsnips, carrot and swede mash and other mouthwatering ingredients, this makes a hearty dish in itself or can be paired with succulent, roasted meat.

  1. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C).
  2. Lay the belly pork flat on a chopping board and score the skin evenly in a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife. Turn the belly skin side down, cut a slit through the thick end of the pork and open it out like a butterfly. Massage all over with salt, pepper and a drizzle of oil.
  3. Place the garlic, halved side up, on a lightly oiled roasting tray and scatter over the thyme sprigs. Lay the belly pork on top, fat side up. Add a splash of white wine around the pork, cover with foil and bake for 1 ½ hours.
  4. Remove the foil and baste the pork with the juices. Place back in the oven, uncovered, for ½ - 1 hour until the meat is tender. Continue to baste the pork occasionally with the pan juices.
  5. Transfer the pork to a clean chopping board and leave to cool slightly. Whilst warm, weigh down the pork with another tray and a few heavy tins. Leave it to cool completely, then chill for four hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
  6. Pour away excess oil from the roasting tray and place over a high heat. Deglaze the tray with a generous splash of white wine, scraping the bottom and crushing the heads of garlic with a wooden spoon to release the sediment. Boil the liquid until reduced by half, add the chicken stock and bring to the boil for a thicker consistency. Pour the stock through a fine sieve, pressing down on the garlic pulp with the back of a ladle. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
  7. Cook all Aunt Bessie's products, following instructions on the packs.
  8. Heat the oven to the highest setting, about 450-500°F (250°C).
  9. Cut the pressed pork into individual portions and pat the skin dry with kitchen paper. Place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil and and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.
  10. Rest the pork for 5 minutes, then serve with light gravy and accompaniments.
  • 1 piece of pork belly, approx 1kg
  • 2 heads of garlic, halved horizontally
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Handful of thyme sprigs
  • Olive oil, to drizzle
  • Generous splash of white wine
  • 2 cups / 450ml brown chicken stock
  • Aunt Bessie’s Homestyle Roast Potatoes (4 per person)
  • Aunt Bessie’s Carrot and Swede Mash (50g per person)
  • Aunt Bessie’s Honey Glazed Roast Parsnips (3 per person)
  • Aunt Bessie’s Golden Yorkshire Puddings (1-2 per person)
  • Birds Eye Peas (25g per person)