Apple and cranberry stuffed pork with spicy red cabbage

This is a great alternative festive meal or indulgent Sunday roast. Plus, it uses locally-sourced ingredients from our Love Local range.

Apple and cranberry stuffed pork  

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Ownsworth’s Rapeseed oil plus 1 tsp
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 400g Lincolnshire Quality pork sausagemeat
• 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
• Rind of ½ lemon, finely grated
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)
• 1 small eating apple, cored and grated
• 4 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries (optional)
• 1.7kg Lincolnshire Quality belly pork joint
• Butcher’s string
• 3 red eating apples, thickly sliced and tossed in 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Fresh thyme sprigs to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the sausagemeat, breadcrumbs, lemon rind, thyme (if using), grated apple, cranberry sauce and dried cranberries (if using). Season and cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6.
4. Unroll the pork belly and turn, fat-side down, on a clean work surface. Spoon about a third of the stuffing down the centre (shape the remainder into approx 18 walnut-sized balls and set aside to cook later). Roll up to enclose the filling and turn over. Place in a large roasting tin.
5. Pat the rind and fat dry with absorbent kitchen paper. Using a sharp knife, score the fat at close intervals (this will help it to crisp up during cooking). Using your fingertips, rub 1 tsp rapeseed oil into the fat, then approx 1 tsp salt.
6. Tie the pork joint with butcher’s string at regular intervals, approx 3cm apart. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4 and cook for a further 1 hour 45 minutes. Add the stuffing balls to the tin around the pork and spoon some of the fat and juices over. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, then add the apples and continue to roast for another 15 minutes or until the pork is crisp and golden outside and cooked through. Serve garnished with fresh thyme sprigs (if using).

Spiced red cabbage

SERVES 6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Ownsworth's rapeseed oil
• 50g butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 red cabbage (central core removed and discarded), leaves finely shredded
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• A pinch of ground cloves
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
• Finely grated rind and juice 1 lemon
• 150ml hot vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp Lincolnshire honey

Method 

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes over a gentle heat, stirring regularly until soft.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Serve straight away