If you don’t want to slice the pork yourself, ask the butcher to do it for you. Either way, don’t use ready-sliced as it will be too thin and cook too quickly.
1.5kg/3lb 5oz pork shoulder
1 rounded tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1kg/2lb 4oz red cabbage, finely shredded
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
425ml/¾ pint red wine
200g pack vacuum-packed chestnuts
2 tbsp cranberry or redcurrant jelly
Takes 2½–2¾ hours • Serves 6
1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Cut the pork into slices about 3cm thick. Sprinkle the peppercorns and thyme over the pork.
2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large flameproof casserole, then fry the onions until lightly browned. Stir in the cabbage, add the apples and wine, and cook until the cabbage starts to soften. Add the chestnuts, 1 tablespoon of the jelly and some salt and black pepper, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for around 5 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, fry the pork on both sides until browned, then stir in the remaining jelly. Cook for a few minutes until the pork is deeply browned.
4 Arrange the pork in the dish over the cabbage. Pour a little boiling water into the frying pan, stir well, then pour the liquid over the pork. Cover the dish tightly, then cook in the oven for 1¼–1½ hours until the pork is very tender.
Per serving 770 kcals, protein 49g, carbs 33g, fat 48g, sat fat 17g, fibre 7g, sugar 21g, salt 0.48g