Hard Cider & Maple Brined Pork Belly

First things first (’cause I know everyone is going to ask) . . . yes! you can cook with alcohol even during the elimination phase of the Autoimmune Protocol. You can take a look at what The Paleo Mom has to say on this here. However, if you think you’ll be too tempted to drink a bottle of hard cider at this point in your AIP journey, rather than bathe your pork belly in the flavorful goodness, simply substitute a mixture of water, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar. (See note in recipe.)

The next thing to know is how to choose a hard cider. I like traditional dry apple ciders from small, local ciderys, as they tend to be less sugary than mass produced hard ciders. This brine would still be good with mass produced ciders or with other flavors though, for instance a hard pear cider.

Finally, pork belly is an incredibly rich food, and is even more so with this brine. A little goes a long way. I like to serve it as a tapas-style dish at parties, because of that richness. Thanks to the aromatic addition of cinnamon and ginger, this recipe also smells incredible. My pork belly smelled just like cinnamon rolls while it was roasting! That got me thinking that it would make a very enticing dish to serve with a special weekend brunch. Everyone will be running to the kitchen to find out what you are serving!