By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 4
494 cal · 380 min
Maple Mustard and Cider Braised Pork Belly
Recipe GLPRd86696f7fd30c3
Tender, succulent pork belly braised low and slow in a flavorful combination of hard cider, maple mustard sauce, and aromatic fresh thyme. The meat becomes fall-apart tender after hours of moist heat, infused with sweet, tangy, and savory notes. Serve sliced with the rich pan juices spooned over top for an elegant yet rustic dish.
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Ingredients
1 lb pork belly
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp lard for searing
12 oz hard cider
1 cup maple mustard sauce
1 large bunch fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
Directions
Rinse the pork belly under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. This ensures better browning during searing.
Season all sides of the pork belly generously with sea salt and black pepper, distributing the seasonings evenly.
Heat lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the surface shimmers lightly and smoke just begins to appear. Once at temperature, carefully place the pork belly in the skillet.
Sear the pork belly for approximately 1 minute on each side to develop a golden-brown crust. You may need to sear it on multiple sides depending on its shape. Once seared on all sides, remove from the skillet and set aside.
Transfer the seared pork belly to a slow cooker set to the low heat setting.
Pour the hard cider and maple mustard sauce into the slow cooker around the pork belly. Place the bundle of fresh thyme with kitchen twine directly into the braising liquid.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. After 3 hours, carefully turn the pork belly to ensure even cooking and even distribution of flavors.
After 6 hours of cooking, the pork belly should be very tender and easily pierced with a fork. Carefully remove the pork belly from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly.
Remove and discard the thyme bundle from the braising liquid. Slice the pork belly into your desired thickness.
Arrange the sliced pork belly on a serving platter and spoon the warm cooking liquid and sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately.
Comments
Pork belly braises for 3+ hours at low temperature, so the stated 380 minutes (just over 6 hours) is honest accounting—you're not cooking it fast, but most of that is hands-off time in the oven. Every ingredient here shows up routinely at any of Charlotte's major chains: Food Lion, Kroger, Harris Teeter, Walmart, and ALDI all stock pork belly, cider, and maple mustard year-round, and fresh thyme is standard produce. At roughly $12–16 for the pork belly itself, this lands around $3–4 per serving for a restaurant-quality braise that reheats beautifully and suits a family dinner or meal prep. The main caveat is patience and oven real estate on a long cook day, and the fat content means this is not a weeknight impulse—budget it as a weekend project.
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