Wintergrass Maple Glazed Pork Belly with apples and shallots

I think I have really fallen in love with roast pork belly...aka Wintergrass slab bacon! If you are a crackling lover this is a great recipe for you, the maple glaze only enhances the taste and crispness! The apples and shallots become carmelized and add a new depth to the dish!

1 Wintergrasss slab bacon, thawed
1 bag The Farm B/B shallots (or 2 large sweet onions)
1/2 c Mill Hollow Maple, grade B
4 tbsp apple butter (homemade preferred) or thick applesauce
1 tbsp crushed fennel
1/4 c apple cider
4 lg baking apples (Jonathon, johnagold, Pippin)
ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 5oo-550 degrees F. Allow a good thirty minutes to fully insure it is at proper temperature.

Place syrup, fennel, cider and apple butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow boil (slightly more bubbles then a simmer, but not a full boil). Stir to prevent scorching, and let reduce by 1/3. Do not leave unattended, this will only take about 5-10.

Meanwhile, score hatch mark into the skin of the bacon. Be sure to use a VERY sharp knife.(diagonal slices one way then the opposite). Use care not to cut to far into the fat layer. Season with black pepper.

Peel shallots (peel and slice whole onion) and spread in bottom of a large roasting pan. Place belly on top. Place belly in preheated oven for 15 minutes. (some smoking may occur, turn on fan or slightly open a window). Core and cut apples into wedges.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Quickly add in apples. Let roast for 30 minutes. Baste slab generously with maple glaze. Continue to roast for 1 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes, before slicing. (you can at this time slice of the top crisp layer, then slice meat, the crackling can be difficult to cut through.) When meat is slice, plate surround with apple, shallots and crackling. Serve any remaining glaze to the side.

This dish goes well with any of the following: garlic greens, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted fennel.