Crackling pork belly with roasted apples and maple-mustard sauce

Step 1

Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). With a sharp knife or box cutter, deepen any scoring in the skin and fat of pork (do not cut through meat). Rub 2 tsp sea salt flakes into scored skin and fat. Season the rest of pork meat with more salt.

Step 2

Fold a 30cm x 60cm piece of aluminium foil in half crossways to make a double layered 30cm square. Place thyme in centre of foil and place pork on top. Crimp edges of foil so that foil goes up sides of pork but below the level of the pork skin (this allows pork to cook in its own juices). Place on a large heavy-based, rimmed baking tray.

Step 3

Roast for 2 hours or until pork is fork-tender. Remove from oven and carefully lift pork from tray. Pour off accumulated fat in foil packet. Discard fat and foil. Carefully remove thyme sprigs from below pork and discard thyme. Increase oven temperature to 250°C (230°C fan-forced).

Step 4

Return pork to tray and roast for 15 mins. In a medium bowl, toss apples with 1 tbs of the maple syrup, 1 tbs of the vinegar and ¼ tsp salt. Place apples, cut-side down, on the baking tray with pork. Roast for 15 mins or until pork skin is crackled and apples are caramelised and crisp-tender.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, whisk mustard with remaining ¼ cup (60ml) each of maple syrup and vinegar. Season maple-mustard sauce with salt.

Step 6

Slice pork belly and serve with watercress, roasted apples and maple-mustard sauce.