A comforting, slow-cooked pork casserole braised in cider and stock, finished with a splash of cream and scattered with crispy bacon lardons. Serve with creamy mashed potato for a dinner everyone will love.
“Fabulous! So tender and so tasty. I was unsure about not putting the bacon in until the end, but it really worked. Served with mashed potatoes and leeks cooked in the same cider – delicious! I cooked the full recipe for two of us so there is enough left for another day…..”
– Jane Cheeseman
Nicky’s Notes
This is my go-to comfort dinner when the weather is grim and you need something warming. The pork is browned, then slow-cooked in cider and stock until meltingly tender. I add a few vegetables for balance and finish the sauce with cream and crispy bacon lardons.
Depending on the cider and additions, variations of this dish are known as Somerset Pork casserole (dry Somerset cider and apples) or Normandy-style pork (French cider or brandy, crème fraîche and mustard). My version borrows from both:
- Use dry alcoholic cider for depth; swap for dry apple juice plus extra stock if you prefer non-alcoholic.
- I use double/heavy cream rather than crème fraîche to reduce the risk of splitting — full-fat cream works best.
- Fry the bacon lardons separately and sprinkle them on at the end so they stay crisp.
- If you want apples, add sliced apples in the last 15–20 minutes so they hold their shape.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 What do we need?
- Recipe Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Creamy Slow Cooked Pork Casserole Recipe
- More Perfect Pork Recipes
- Equipment:
📋 What do we need?
- Pork shoulder steaks – they have some marbling that keeps the meat moist. Trim any large pieces of fat and cut into bite-size chunks. You can also use a boneless pork shoulder joint, diced.
- Dry cider – use an alcoholic dry cider for flavour. Substitute dry apple juice plus extra stock if you want an alcohol-free version.
- Mushrooms – chestnut mushrooms or your favourite variety work well.
- Bacon – use lardons, pancetta or chopped streaky bacon. Fry separately and add at the end for crispness.
Recipe Tips
Cook and crisp the bacon separately and add it just before serving so it keeps its crunchy, salty texture. The casserole’s heat will warm the bacon without making it soggy.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Potatoes: creamy mashed potato is perfect, but sautéed potatoes, crispy roasties or baked potatoes all work.
- Greens: garlic green beans, roasted broccoli, or simply buttered kale are good choices.
- Bread: a slice of homemade bread or garlic bread is ideal for mopping up the sauce.
- The casserole also pairs nicely with rice or pasta if you prefer.
The main aim is to soak up every last drop of that lovely sauce — choose a side that helps you do that.
This casserole is excellent to make ahead: cook, cool, then refrigerate or freeze (leave the bacon to the end). It reheats well on the stove over low–medium heat or in a covered oven dish at 170C/325F until piping hot. You can also scale the recipe up: double the ingredients to serve eight, and allow the full cooking time so the pork becomes fall-apart tender.
📺 Watch how to make it
Click the stars to rate or comment
Creamy Slow Cooked Pork Casserole
20
3 20
3 40
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 500 g (1.1 lbs) diced pork shoulder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp celery salt optional – adds a savoury note
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 12 baby mushrooms halved
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 250 ml (1 cup) dry cider
- 420 ml (1+3/4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 150 g (1/2 cup) bacon lardons or chopped streaky bacon
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
To Serve:
- mashed potatoes
- steamed kale or other green veg
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F (fan).
-
Heat 1½ tbsp of the oil in a large casserole over high heat until hot.
-
Add the pork with the salt, pepper and celery salt and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes.
-
Turn heat to medium, add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
-
Add the mushrooms and cook a further 2 minutes.
-
Stir in the carrots, cider, stock and dried thyme. Bring to the boil, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan.
-
Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2½–3 hours, until the pork flakes apart with a fork. Check during the last hour and add a splash of stock or water if the casserole looks dry.
-
Shortly before the casserole is ready, heat the remaining ½ tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon lardons until crispy. Turn off the heat and set aside.
-
Remove the casserole from the oven. If needed, stir in the cornflour mixed with cold water to thicken the sauce.
-
Stir in the cream, taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle over the crispy bacon lardons and scatter with chopped parsley.
-
Serve the casserole with green vegetables on top of mashed potatoes, allowing diners to spoon the sauce over their plates.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was first published in March 2017 and updated in June 2022 with new photos and a video. It has since been refreshed for housekeeping reasons.
More Perfect Pork Recipes
Dinner
Smothered Pork Steak
Slow Cooked
Rich and Tender Pork Ragu
Asian
Sweet and Sour Pork
Pork
Pork Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce
Roast Dinner
Roast Pork with SERIOUSLY GOOD Crackling
Asian
Thai Style Peanut Pork
Some links in this post may be affiliate links which generate a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nutrition information is approximate. For details, see the site’s terms and conditions.
Equipment:
To make this Creamy Slow Cooked Pork Casserole you will need:
- A sharp kitchen knife
- A chopping board
- A casserole pan or Dutch oven
- Measuring spoons and cups
- A frying pan or skillet
- Wooden or silicone spoons
- A potato ricer (optional — it makes very smooth mashed potato)