Crock Pot Normandy Pork With Apples Shallots Cider Food

NORMANDY PORK WITH APPLES & CIDER

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large pan and brown the meat in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan, and only turn the meat when it has a deep brown crust on the underside, as this will add lots of flavour to the stew. When one batch is cooked, tip it into the slow cooker and continue with the next batch, adding more oil as you need it.
• When all the meat has been transferred to the slow cooker, add the onion, carrots and celery to the pan and cook for 5-10 mins to just soften, scraping any meaty bits up from the bottom of the pan. Tip the veg into the slow cooker. Add the lardons to the pan and fry until crispy. Pour in the cider, bubble for 1 min, again scraping the bottom of the pan, then tip the cider and lardons into the slow cooker too. Add the apples, stock cube and herbs to the slow cooker, pour in 400ml water, season well and turn the heat to Low. Cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 hrs until the meat is very tender. (If you don't have a slow cooker, tip all the ingredients back into the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 3 hrs over a low heat, stirring every now and then to prevent it from catching on the bottom. You may have to add a splash of water during cooking if the sauce looks dry.)
• Turn your slow cooker up to High. Add the crème fraîche and mustard to the stew and check the seasoning. If the sauce is thin, you can thicken it with the cornflour - ladle 2 spoonfuls of the sauce into a pan and bring to a simmer, mix the cornflour with 1-2 tsp cold water to make a paste, then stir it into the sauce. Once thickened, return the sauce to the slow cooker and cook for 10 mins more on High, stirring occasionally (or for 5 mins on the hob). Serve with mashed potato, greens and extra mustard and thyme, if you like.

SHORTCUT SLOW-COOKER APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash and dry the apples. Cut each apple into 8 wedges (skins, seeds and stems included) and transfer to a 7-quart slow cooker. Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks and 12 cups water. Cook on high, covered, for 4 hours.
• Remove the lid and carefully crush the apples with a potato masher. Cover again and cook on high for another 2 hours.
• Set a large, fine-mesh strainer over a large stockpot. In batches, ladle the apple mixture into the strainer and use the back of the ladle to press down on the apple pulp to extract the liquid. Discard the pulp. Stir in 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until completely dissolved. Taste and add additional sugar if needed.
• Serve the apple cider hot or allow it to cool fully, then serve it chilled over ice.

CROCK POT NORMANDY PORK WITH APPLES, SHALLOTS & CIDER

Steps:

• Trim the pork of any thick fat. Cut into large cubes of about 4" square or even bigger - it shrinks with cooking & works better with larger pieces of meat.
• Peel the shallots and set to one side.
• Halve & core the apples and set to one side with the shallots.
• Turn the crockpot onto High. Mix the cider, cider apple vinegar, creme fraiche, salt & pepper, thyme & thickened chicken stock together in a large pouring jug & pour into the crockpot.(If using fresh thyme - leave to last.) Add the cored and halved apples and replace the lid whilst you brown the pork & shallots.
• Heat up half the butter & half of the olive oil in a large skillet or wok-type pan, one with fairly high sides.
• As soon as it is smoking but not burning, brown the shallots in batches - you want a deep caramelised colour & the shallots just softened on the outside. When all the shallots have been done, put them all back into the pan - turn up the heat & add the balsamic vinegar and stir briskly making sure all the shallots are well coated.
• Add the shallots & Balsamic vinegar mixture to the crockpot.
• Heat up the remaining butter and oil, adding more if necessary & start to brown the pork pieces, again do not overcrowd the pan - they need to be well coloured & seared to seal in the juices. As the pork pieces are browned, add them to the crockpot.
• When all the pork is browned & added to the crockpot, give all the ingredients a good mix around in the crockpot with a wooden spoon. If using fresh thyme, pick about 4 large sprigs and place on top of the Normandy Pork - the leaves fall off during cooking & leave the bare branches for throwing away!
• Cook on high for between 6 - 10 hours.
• Just before serving, pour in Calvados and mix through. Serve each person with 2 -3 pieces of pork, a cooked apple half & 1 or 2 shallots; add a dollop of creme fraiche on the side & garnish with Thyme & a fresh Apple sliver if desired. Decant the excess sauce into a gravy boat for extra saucy bits!
• Great with spiced red cabbage, fluffy mashed potatoes or pommes Dauphinoise.
• To cook in an conventional oven, follow recipe as above, but cook in a La Creuset type oven proof dish; pre-heat oven to 175 C or 350 F and cook slowly for about 6 hours, checking after 4 hours. It will cook quite happily for up to 8 hours if this helps in your time management, you may have to turn the oven down to about 125 C, 250 F after 4 hours for a long slow 8 hour cooking time.

SLOW COOKER CIDER PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 of the onion, 1/2 of the apple, and the garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to slow cooker along with the apple cider and water.
• Season the roast with salt and pepper. Combine the ginger and flour in a shallow container. Gently press the roast onto the flour mixture to coat all sides. Brush off any excess flour. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Brown the pork in the hot oil, turning until golden on all sides. Place the browned roast in the slow cooker and scatter the celery and the remaining onion and apple on top. Cook on low for 4 hours, then add carrots. Cook for an additional 3 hours.
• Remove the cooked roast and carrots to a heated platter. If desired, thicken the cooking juices from the slow cooker to make a gravy.

EASY SLOW COOKER APPLE PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Place the apples and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Rub the pork roast with salt and pepper, and place it on the layer of apples and onions in the slow cooker. Pour the applesauce over the roast, and dust the top with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Cook on High setting for 8 hours. Serve the roast topped with the sauce, apples, and onions.

SLOW COOKER PORK FILLET WITH APPLES

Steps:

• Heat the slow cooker. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, fry the pork medallions on each side for 2 mins until they pick up a little colour. Fry the onion for a few mins, then add the stock and mustard to the pan and stir. Tip the pork and sauce into the slow cooker.
• Core and cut the apples into quarters, add them to the pot with the sage. Season with black pepper. Cook on Low for 4 hours or until the meat is tender, then stir in the crème fraîche.

SLOW COOKER APPLE CIDER BRAISED PORK

Steps:

• Season pork with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear pork on all sides in the hot oil until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to the slow cooker.
• Reduce stovetop temperature to medium; cook and stir shallots and celery in the skillet until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in apple cider vinegar and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is nearly evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pour shallot mixture over pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Add apple cider, garlic cloves, and bay leaf. Cover, set slow cooker to Low, and cook until fork-tender but not falling apart, about 6 hours. Turn pork over every 1 to 2 hours. Remove pork roast to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
• Pour remaining liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a large saucepan; place over high heat. Discard bay leaf and other solids. Bring sauce mixture to a boil, decrease heat and cook, skimming fat from the top, until reduced to 1/4 of the original volume, about 10 minutes.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in Dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in cold butter until incorporated. Sprinkle in fresh herbs and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cut pork into 1/4-thick slices and serve with sauce poured over the top.