Autumnal Recipes using Cider

We Brits love a cider at any time of the year, but with the Great British summer coming to an end and autumn rapidly approaching, it is the perfect time to use our Devon cider for more than just drinking!

There is a multitude of different recipes that you can make using our ciders, but we have included a few of our favourites below:

Roast pork with cider gravy

Pork and apple are the perfect pairings, so this roasted pork with cider gravy is the perfect dish for an autumnal evening:

1 boned and rolled hand and spring of pork*, skin scored (about 4kg)

2 tbsp olive oil

500ml Jack Ratt Vintage dry cider

500ml hot chicken stock

3 leeks, roughly chopped

2 carrots, roughly chopped

1 turnip, peeled and roughly chopped

3 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

1 sprig sage

Sea salt

25g butter

25g flour

*The hand and spring is the upper part of the pig’s foreleg. It is usually sold boned and rolled as a joint, so you’ll need to ring ahead to your butcher to buy it.

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Score the skin of the pork and rub in the olive oil and sea salt.
2. Place the pork, leeks, turnip, carrots, and herbs into a large, high-sided roasting pan and then pour in the stock and the cider.
3. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove from the roasting tray and cover tightly with foil. Return to the oven and turn down the heat to 150°C/130°C fan/gas mark 2. Cook for a further 4 hours.
4. After 4 hours, remove the foil and turn the oven back up to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7 and roast for another 30 minutes.
5. Take the pork out of the oven, remove the meat from the pan, cover, and set it aside to rest. Drain the cooking liquid from the pan, removing any excess fat as you do.
6. For the gravy, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour, cooking for two minutes. Then, gradually add in the cooking liquid, whisking as you do.
7. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, then serve alongside the meat and your choice of vegetables.

Cider baked apples

An easy, no-fuss dessert that results in a lovely cider syrup that you can pour over the apples once they have finished baking:

100ml Jack Ratt scrumpy cider

4 Bramley cooking apples

Juice of 1/2 lemon

4 tsp honey

15g butter, cut into four pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Peel and the core the apples, then place in a shallow ovenproof dish that has been lightly buttered.
2. Brush the outside of the apples with lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Place a piece of butter inside the apple and spoon the honey on top of it. Pour the cider into the dish.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Baste the apples several times while cooking.
4. Leave to rest for 5 to 10 minutes, spooning over the syrup to serve.

Cider caramel sauce

A rich, caramel sauce that tastes like a liquid toffee apple! Perfect as a dip for apple slices, or you could even try it drizzled over pancakes:

500ml Jack Ratt vintage dry cider

130g light brown sugar

5 tbsp salted butter

190ml double cream

½ tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

1. Add the cider to a medium saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a boil, then allow to reduce by about a third.
2. Lower the heat and add the brown sugar, cream, butter, and cinnamon, then increase the heat back to medium-high.
3. Cook for around 10-15 minutes until the caramel thickens and starts to become a bit darker in colour.
4. Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla and pinch of salt.
5. Set aside to cool, where the sauce will thicken a little more once it has cooled.

Parsnip soup with cider

A rich and warming autumn soup that can be made vegetarian if you used vegetable stock instead of chicken stock:

250ml cider

500ml vegetable or chicken stock

500g parsnips

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 large sprig of fresh thyme

1 tbsp olive oil

1 knob butter

50ml single or double cream (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil and butter over a medium heat in a large saucepan. Sweat the onion gently for a few minutes while you peel, quarter (and remove the core if tough) and roughly chop your parsnips.
2. Add the parsnips to the onion with the garlic, and sweat, occasionally stirring, for five to 10 minutes.
3. Pour in the cider and the stock, add the sprig of thyme, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes until the parsnips are soft.
4. Remove the sprig of thyme, then liquidise the soup, adding a splash of water if you think it needs it, but still keeping it thick.
5. Return to the pan and stir in the cream (if you are using it) and season to taste.

Have you got a favourite recipe that you make using cider? We’d love for you to get in touch, so why not share and tag us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

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