Description
This Cozy Slow-Cooked Pork, Cider & Sage Hotpot is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for chilly evenings. Tender diced pork shoulder is slow-simmered in a flavorful cider and chicken stock broth with aromatic herbs like sage and bay leaves. The rich mixture is topped with thinly sliced maris piper and sweet potatoes, baked until golden and crispy. This rustic hotpot combines traditional British flavors with a creamy finish for a delicious, filling meal that serves six.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Oils
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 800 grams Diced Pork Shoulder
- 50 grams Unsalted Butter
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 Leeks
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 leaves Bay Leaves
- 2 tablespoons Chopped Parsley
- 1 tablespoon Sage
Liquids and Thickeners
- 3 tablespoons Plain Flour
- 500 ml Dry Cider
- 500 ml Chicken Stock
- 150 ml Single Cream
Potatoes
- 600 grams Maris Piper or King Edward Potatoes
- 300 grams Sweet Potatoes
Instructions
- Sear the Pork: Heat half of the olive oil in a deep ovenproof frying pan. In batches, sear the diced pork shoulder until golden brown on all sides. Remove the seared pork from the pan and set it aside.
- Sauté Leeks and Garlic: Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the pan. Sauté half of the sliced leeks with a pinch of salt until tender and softened. Add crushed garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its aroma.
- Create the Base Sauce: Sprinkle the plain flour over the sautéed leeks and garlic, stirring well to coat. Gradually pour in the dry cider, scraping the bottom of the pan to release all the flavorful browned bits. Then add the chicken stock, bay leaves, and the seared pork back to the pan. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, and cook gently for 1 to 1.5 hours until the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Prepare Oven and Add Final Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Stir in the chopped parsley, the remaining leeks, and the single cream to the pork mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Layer Potatoes and Bake: Peel and thinly slice both the maris piper (or King Edward) potatoes and sweet potatoes. Arrange these slices evenly over the pork mixture in the ovenproof pan, dotting with additional butter for extra richness. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the potatoes are tender and the topping is golden and crispy.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the hotpot from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before serving to let the flavors settle and the hotpot to cool slightly for easier serving.
Notes
- Substitute pork belly for the pork shoulder if you prefer a fattier cut.
- Onions can be used instead of leeks for a slightly different flavor.
- Dry cider can be substituted with apple juice for a non-alcoholic version.
- Vegetable stock can replace chicken stock for a lighter or vegetarian alternative (omit pork in that case).
- Garlic powder can be used instead of fresh garlic cloves if needed.
- Butternut squash can substitute sweet potatoes for the topping.
- Letting the hotpot rest before serving helps the topping crisp up and the flavors meld.
