Earlier this month I read that despite the ongoing heatwave there has been a somewhat unexpected increase in sales of ready-made meals like shepherd's pie due to an effect called reverse comfort eating. At the end of a hot-and-sweaty day, people are reaching for stews and casseroles rather than the salads you would perhaps expect. It doesn’t surprise me as after 20 years in pub kitchens I know how popular a Sunday roast was even on the hottest of days. Now, if you are craving something hearty and comforting, then today’s slow-cooked pork recipe will hopefully hit the spot.

The inspiration for this dish is a Belgian recipe called varkenskoteletjes op z'n Brussels or pork chops Brussels style. Browsing around the city you will often see this dish on the menu of cafes and brasseries – it is similar in style to my recipe last year for carbonnade à la flamande. However, I have made a couple of changes to the dish you might find while eating out on holiday. I am using slices of pork shoulder instead of boneless loin chops, which I believe have a superior flavour, and I am substituting a malty, dried fruit-flavoured Trappist beer for one of the UK’s most well-known pints.

Theakston has been producing beer in the heart of the Yorkshire dales for nearly 200 years. Famously the only family-owned brewery to have been sold to a much larger company and been bought back, Theakston produces a range of traditional beers as well as innovative collaborations such as Peculier Assassin, a blend of their flagship beer and Rooster's Baby-Faced Assassin IPA. Theakston Old Peculier, 5.6 per cent ABV, is perfect for cooking, its subtle banana and cherry notes alongside the prominent dried-fruit flavours work great in cakes and as a substitute for the flavours of a traditional Belgium beer in my recipe.

If you want, you can beer brine the pork shoulder before cooking. This will add flavour and help keep the finished pork moist and tender. You can make a simple beer brine with half a bottle of Old Peculier, an equal amount of cold water, 50g of soft brown sugar and two heaped teaspoons of sea salt. Heat until the salt and sugar are dissolved then cool completely. Place the pork in the cold brine and keep in the fridge between four to eight hours. Remove the pork from the brine and thoroughly dry before cooking.

Braised pork with beer and onions

4 thick slices of pork shoulder

2 large white onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 500ml bottle Theakston Old Peculier

100ml double cream

80g plain flour

50g butter

50ml oil

2tbs cider vinegar

1tbs dark brown sugar

1tbs wholegrain mustard

1tsp dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat half the oil and butter in a thick, heavy-bottomed pan until foaming. Generously season the meat and dredge in half the flour. Fry the pork shoulder on both sides until golden brown and set aside.

Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan, turn down the heat and sauté the onions for around 15 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.

Stir in the mustard, remaining flour and thyme before slowly pouring in the beer, stirring constantly. Add the vinegar and return the pork shoulder slices to the pan. Gently simmer for 45 minutes, stirring regularly until the pork is cooked through and tender.

Add the cream, stir and continue cooking for another five minutes before removing from the heat. Adjust the seasoning and serve with buttery mashed potatoes and vegetables and smother the pork with the sauce.