Slow Cooker Pork Belly

Slow cooker pork belly is cooked with apples and onions for perfectly tender meat. Finished with a sticky maple mustard glaze for a delicious and easy dinner.

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 30

Servings servings

Calories 875kcal

Author Slow The Cook Down

Equipment

6-quart Crockpot

Ingredients

For the pork belly

2 pound pork belly (1kg) preferably with skin-on, but will work well either way.
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 large onions thickly sliced
2 apples (Granny Smith or another tart apple) cored and cut into large wedges
4 garlic cloves minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock (240 ml)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried sage optional

For the maple mustard glaze

2 tablespoons maple syrup
1½ tablespoons wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt

For the gravy

1 cup strained slow cooker cooking liquid, excess fat skimmed off (240 ml)
1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 to 2 tablespoons cold water
Salt and black pepper as needed

Instructions

Pat the pork belly dry. If skin-on, lightly score the skin, taking care not to cut deeply into the meat. Season well all over with salt and black pepper.
2 pound pork belly, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Add the sliced onions and apple wedges to the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork belly on top, skin/fat-side up.
2 apples (Granny Smith or another tart apple), 2 large onions
Whisk together the chicken stock, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, thyme and sage. Pour the mixture around the pork belly, avoiding wetting the top as much as possible.
4 garlic cloves, 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried sage
Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, until the pork belly is very tender but still holds together well enough to slice.
Stir together the maple syrup, wholegrain mustard, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt.
2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1½ tablespoons wholegrain mustard, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, teaspoon apple cider vinegar, Pinch of salt
Carefully transfer the cooked pork belly to a foil-lined baking sheet. Pat the top dry, then brush generously with the maple mustard glaze. Place under a high broiler for 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until the glaze is bubbling, sticky and deeply browned.
Tent the pork loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make the cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with a little cold water.
1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water
Strain some of the slow cooker cooking liquid into a saucepan and skim off as much excess fat as possible. Bring to a simmer. Gradually stir the cornstarch slurry into the cooking liquid. Simmer until thickened to a gravy consistency, adding more slurry if required. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
1 cup strained slow cooker cooking liquid, excess fat skimmed off
Cut the pork belly across the grain into thick slices. Serve with the gravy and the slow-cooked apples and onions.

Notes

Betty's Tips

Cook the pork fat-side up. Pour the stock mixture around the pork and keep the skin dry.
Don't overcook. The pork should be very tender but still hold together well enough to slice. Check for doneness around 6 to 7 hours.
Pat the top dry before glazing so the maple mustard mixture sticks and caramelizes well.
Watch closely under the broiler. The maple syrup can go from beautifully caramelized to burnt very quickly.
Skim the cooking liquid well before making the gravy, as pork belly releases a lot of fat.
Slice across the grain to serve for the most tender slices.
Taste the gravy before seasoning. The stock, Worcestershire and cooking juices already contain salt.

Nutrition