Honey Garlic Pork Casserole

This rich and comforting Honey Garlic Pork Casserole brings together tender, slow-cooked pork belly in a sticky honey, garlic, and mustard sauce, finished with soft, juicy apple wedges for a subtle sweetness. Perfect as a family-style meal bursting with flavour, it pairs beautifully with creamy mashed potatoes or fresh crusty bread. Plus, the delicious leftovers make for fantastic tacos or toasted sandwiches the next day, a versatile dish that keeps on giving.

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Honey Garlic Pork Casserole

Ingredients:

1 brown onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 sprigs fresh thyme

⅓ cup liquid honey

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup unsweetened apple juice

1.3kg piece of pork belly (skin on or off, as preferred)

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each

Fresh thyme leaves, to serve

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Place the sliced onion, garlic, and thyme sprigs in the base of a slow cooker (around 4.5L capacity).

In a jug, mix together the honey, mustard, brown sugar, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and apple juice. Pour the mixture over the onion layer.

Lay the pork belly on top, ensuring some of the liquid surrounds the meat.

Cover and cook on High for 5½ hours or until the pork is very tender.

Add the apple wedges around the pork and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the apples are just soft.

Transfer the pork and apples to a large tray or dish. Trim away any excess fat or skin if desired, then use two forks to gently pull the pork apart.

Return the shredded pork and apple pieces to the slow cooker, stir through the sauce and warm through.

Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, and serve hot.

Alternative Cooking Methods:

Pressure Cooker (Electronic/Multi-Cooker): Set your pressure cooker to Sauté and cook the onion, garlic, and thyme in a small splash of oil for 2–3 minutes.

Add the honey, mustard, brown sugar, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and apple juice. Stir to combine.

Place the pork belly into the sauce, seal the lid, and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes. Allow 10–15 minutes natural release.

Add the apple wedges, reseal, and cook on High Pressure for 3–4 minutes.

Carefully release pressure, shred the pork, and return to the sauce. Simmer on Sauté if needed to thicken.