Hearty Slow-Cooked Pork and Herb Casserole

1. Browning the Pork

Begin by setting your slow cooker to the desired temperature. Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over a high flame. Season the pork steaks to taste and add them to the pan without overcrowding. Sear the pork until it has a deep brown color on all sides. Once done, transfer the pork into the slow cooker.

2. Sautéing the Vegetables

In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion and leek for a few minutes until they start to soften. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, ensuring all flavorful bits are scraped off the bottom. Pour the contents into the slow cooker.

3. Assembling the Casserole

To the slow cooker, add the chopped carrot, the bundle of woody herbs, crumbled stock cube, Dijon mustard, and cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in water just enough to cover the ingredients. Give everything a gentle stir, then cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. If you're adding apples, do so in the final hour of cooking.

4. Thickening the Sauce

Close to the end of the cooking time, prepare the thickening paste. Combine cornflour and honey with 1-2 teaspoons of liquid from the slow cooker in a saucepan to achieve a smooth consistency. Add 100ml of additional cooking liquid and heat to a simmer, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens. Fold this back into the casserole to integrate well.