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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Nantes style pork and potato bake

This Nantes style pork and potato bake is a rustic dish from western France combining pork chops, fresh belly and liver, baked over a bed of onions and potatoes. It serves 4 people, takes 2 hours, rates as easy, and costs about €3.30 per person. The key is adding the liver only at the very end, so it stays tender.

Tonight, a rustic dish from western France with pork chops, belly and liver baked over onions and potatoes.

Nantes style pork and potato bake
Total time
2 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
820 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

This bake brings together three textures of pork in one dish, the chop that stays juicy, the belly that turns soft and rich, and the liver that adds a stronger, earthier note. The potatoes cook right in the broth alongside the onions, soaking up all the meat juices as they go. The result is a hearty, no fuss dish from western France that feels just right on a cold day.

This is the kind of dish to pull out on a fall or winter Sunday, when you have a couple of hours free and want the house to smell like a Sunday roast. It asks for very little hands on work, most of the magic happens inside the oven, leaving you free during the cooking time. Because of the liver, it's worth knowing your family's tastes before serving it to kids.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Pork chops 4
  • Fresh pork belly 400 g
  • Pork liver 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 4
  • Potatoes 900 g

Pantry

  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 50 cl
  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

The step by step recipe

  1. Slice the onions and spread them over the bottom of a large buttered baking dish.

    Choose a deep dish, the meat and vegetables need room to fit comfortably.

  2. Cut the potatoes into thick rounds and spread them over the onions with the thyme and bay leaves.

    Don't rinse them, the starch will thicken the broth.

  3. Lay the pork belly and chops on top of the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and pour in the broth.

    The liquid should reach about three quarters of the way up the potatoes.

  4. Bake at 180 degrees, then add the liver in thin slices near the end of cooking. 1 h 40

    Add the liver at the end, it cooks in just a few minutes and turns tough if left too long.

  5. Let the meat brown, baste with the pan juices, and serve straight from the dish. 10 min

    Baste two or three times for a nice crust.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the potatoes into rounds of even thickness, about one centimeter, so they all cook at the same rate.
  • If the liver tastes too strong for you, soak it in a little milk for a few minutes before slicing, this mellows the flavor.
  • Check that the pork chops are cooked through before serving, the meat should stay juicy without any pink left inside.

The variations

  • Swap the pork liver for chicken liver, which has a milder flavor, if you want a gentler version.
  • For a kid friendly version without liver, simply leave it out and add a bit more pork belly instead.
  • Add sliced carrots along with the potatoes, they cook in the same time and bring a touch of sweetness.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
  • Crusty country bread for the juices
  • A dry cider from western France

Storage

This dish keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze it without the liver, which loses its texture once thawed. Reheat covered in the oven or in a skillet, with a splash of broth if the potatoes have dried out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the meat and potatoes ahead and keep the liver separate. Add the liver only when reheating, so it stays soft and doesn't turn tough.

Can you replace the pork liver?

You can swap it for chicken liver, which tastes milder, or leave it out entirely. The dish still works well with just the chop and the belly.

Why add the liver only at the end of cooking?

Liver cooks very fast and turns tough if it stays in the oven too long. Adding it for the last ten minutes keeps it tender inside.

What type of potato works best here?

Pick a variety that holds its shape when cooked, like Yukon Gold or a similar waxy potato. Starchy potatoes tend to fall apart in the broth.

How long does it take to make a Nantes style pork and potato bake?

Count 2 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Nantes style pork and potato bake?

About 820 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Nantes style pork and potato bake cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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