Pork
Japanese Inspired Low & Slow Pork Belly
Loin of Pork with Apricots & Sage Stuffing
Loin of Pork with Apricots & Sage Stuffing
This recipe was inspired by my trip to Japan in October 2019. In particular, two great restaurants - firstly one in Nakagyo-Ku, Kyoto-Shi – Hiiragicho and the other in Nakagyo-Ku, Kyoto-Shi – Nishinokyonanseicho. Both use the BBQ in different ways and manage to capture so much flavour in the food.
Total barbecue time - up to 360 mins
Difficulty - 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Serves - 4
Loin of Pork with Apricots & Sage Stuffing
Loin of Pork with Apricots & Sage Stuffing
Loin of Pork with Apricots & Sage Stuffing
I first made up this recipe while on holiday in the South of France a few years ago. It was my turn to cook so I set off to the local le boucher where a bought a lovely loin of pork. Next I wandered through the market and saw that apricots were in season, I knew both ingredients went well together and had a dish forming.
As the country is currently in lock-down I can not get my hands on any seasonal apricots so have replaced them with dried apricots. That will not stop the pork being very moist with an abundance of flavour.
Total barbecue time - 120 mins
Difficulty - 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Serves - 4
Rotisserie Wet 'n' Dry Pork Loin
Loin of Pork with Apricots & Sage Stuffing
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Shoulder served with a Garlic, Lime and Chilli Dipping Sauce
When my friends at LumberjAxe Food Company asked me to use their new Sweet Barbeque Rub in one of my recipes I jumped at the opportunity.
This rub really compliments the pork with its sweet and zingy flavours.
Total barbecue time - between 45-60 mins
Difficulty - 🔥🔥
Serves - 4
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Shoulder served with a Garlic, Lime and Chilli Dipping Sauce
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Shoulder served with a Garlic, Lime and Chilli Dipping Sauce
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Shoulder served with a Garlic, Lime and Chilli Dipping Sauce
A traditional Vietnamese street food that can be grilled on skewers or in a meat net or just over the grill and be served with rice, noodles or as a salad.
Total barbecue time - 20 mins
Difficulty - 🔥🔥
Serves - 4
Honey and Mustard Double Brined Pork Belly
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Shoulder served with a Garlic, Lime and Chilli Dipping Sauce
Honey and Mustard Double Brined Pork Belly
Brining is an amazing way for treating food and is not used enough in cooking. Most people think of brining as a way of just preserving meat however the salt, sugar and herbs and spices penetrates the very core of the meat and gives it extra moisture.
Brining works by dehydrating the meat and the salt changes the structure of the protein. The salt allows the molecules to get bigger and to hang more loosely, so they end up retaining more water within each cell. When the meat is exposed to heat it retains the moisture making for an amazingly moist meat.
Total barbecue time - 90 mins
Difficulty - 🔥🔥
Serves - 8
Cuban Pork Shoulder with Mojo Sauce
Vietnamese Grilled Pork Shoulder served with a Garlic, Lime and Chilli Dipping Sauce
Honey and Mustard Double Brined Pork Belly
In Cuban cooking, mojo (pronounced mo-ho) applies to any sauce that is made with garlic, olive oil or pork lard, and a citrus juice, traditionally bitter orange juice. It is commonly used to marinate roast pork. Without oregano, the sauce is typically called 'mojito' and used for dipping plantain chips and fried cassava (yuca).
You will find this marinade in every house hold throughout Cuba and in fact you will now find it in mine as well.
Total barbecue time - 540 mins
Difficulty - 🔥🔥
Serves - 6
japanese inspired low and slow barbecue pork belly
What you will need:
1 kg pork belly, rind removed and fat scored
For the Shichimi Togarashi Rub:
[Shichimi togarashi is a common Japanese fiery spice mix usually containing 7 ingredients and is traditionally added to the finished dish as a seasoning rather than in cooking. You would usually cook these ingredients at a low temperature in the oven on parchment paper for 45 minutes before blitzing.
Try it on popcorn - it is outrageous!]
1 orange peel, grated
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
1 Nori sheet, broken into smaller pieces
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp black sesame seeds
1 tbs sea salt
For the mop:
125 ml soy sauce
200 ml sake
2 tbs miso paste
1 tbs honey
1 tbs sesame oil
100 ml rice wine vinegar
1. Place the Shichimi rub ingredients including the orange zest, chilli flakes, Szechuan peppercorns, ginger, sesame seeds and nori sheets into a spice grinder and blitz to a fine powder.
2. Place the glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Take half the glaze mix out of the bowl and add to a separate bowl and incorporate all the Shichimi rub.
4. Score the fat on the pork belly and add the (glaze and Shichimi mixture) all over the pork belly, making sure you rub in every nook and cranny.
BBQ – Make sure that you start the pork belly off fat/skin side up as this process helps the fat run out and skin to crisp. When you initially place your pork belly on the BBQ it needs to be at a very hot heat [240 – 260°C] cooking indirect with the lid down for at least 20-30 minutes. After this time, you will need to get the BBQ at a much lower heat [preferably about 120°C] so you can cook low and slow for a number of hours.
Pork belly needs a combination of short blast at a high heat to crisp up the skin plus slow and low heat to tenderize the meat. Every 45-60 minutes glaze the pork belly with the glaze you kept aside remembering not to have the lid off for too long (you don’t want to lose the heat).
Each BBQ is different so I can’t give you an exact cooking time it could take up to 6 hours or it could take 2 hours but you will know when it is done as it will be tender and almost falling apart. Make sure you let the pork belly rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
Cook's Note - I would serve with a Japanese Coleslaw including shredded cabbage, carrot, onion, edamame and mitsuba which will cut through the fat nicely.
Wine Pairing
Please click below to see which varietals and/or wine choices I have recommended for this dish.
loin of pork with apricots and sage stuffing
What you will need:
cooking string
For the pork:
2.5 kg loin of pork (butterflied)
2 tbs Dijon mustard
12 slices of pancetta
For the stuffing:
3 tbs apricot preserve or jam
6-8 sage leaves
10-12 dried apricots (halved) /fresh apricots (if in season)
salt & pepper
1. Put the loin on a board and, using a sharp knife, carefully trim off as much excess fat and sinew as possible.
2. Unfold the loin, spread the apricot preserve all over the cut side, then place the sage and the halved dried apricots in a line down the middle and season with salt and pepper. Move to one side.
3. Place a large clean sheet of cling film on a board or work surface and arrange the pancetta in slightly overlapping lengths on top; making a pancetta rectangle, so it is the same length as the loin.
4. Brush the pancetta on the side facing up with a generous amount of Dijon mustard.
5. Place the loin in the centre of the mustard pancetta. Bring the pancetta up over the top of the loin to enclose it completely, using the cling film to help you. Wrap tightly in more cling film to help hold the shape. Place the loin parcel on a small tray and chill in the fridge for one hour. (At this stage, the pork can be kept overnight in the fridge if preparing ahead.)
6. Take the loin out of the fridge and gently unwrap the loin. You need to keep the loin together during cooking, so tie pieces of string around it at 2cm intervals.
BBQ - Light the barbecue using the two-zone configuration (bank all the charcoal up on one side and leaving the other side clear) and get the temperature to about 200°C. Place a foil tray next to the coals and return the grill/grate back on the barbecue. Place the loin on the grill above the foil tray and close the lid.
Cook on barbecue for 20 mins until crisp and browned all over.
Reduce barbecue to 170°C and cook for 40 mins per kg more, which will be just under 2 hours for this amount of meat.
When ready, take the loin off the barbecue and cover tightly with tin foil. Leave for at least 15 minutes to rest before eating.
Cook’s Note – serve with grilled broccoli/asparagus, halved baked peppers with anchovy and tomatoes and roast potatoes.
Wine Pairing
Please click below to see which varietals and/or wine choices I have recommended for this dish.
vietnamese grilled pork shoulder
What you will need:
Pork shoulder off the bone (about 1kg)
Marinade
1 shallot (finely chopped)
2 spring onions (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
4 tbs fish sauce
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon grass (finely chopped)
4 tbs brown sugar
½ tsp chilli flakes
250 ml caramel water (see point 3)
Dipping Sauce
2 tbs white sugar
6 tbs warm water
1 Thai red chilli (seeds in and finely sliced)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 tbs fish sauce
½ tsp black pepper
1. Slice the pork shoulder into 2cm slices, the thinner the better.
2. In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
3. Caramel water – In a heavy pan over a medium heat add 50g of white sugar and leave for 3 minutes without stirring. When the sugar starts to foam and turn brown, lower the heat and stir. The sugar should come a golden brown colour and then pour in 250 ml of HOT water and stir again. Keep cooking until the caramel starts to boil then remove to cool.
4. Once the caramel water has cooled add to the marinade ingredients and then add the sliced pork.
5. Cover pork with cling film and place in fridge, preferably overnight.
6. Place the pork in a meat grill net by layering it inside and closing the net and grilling over direct heat for 10-15 minutes, turning frequently. The pork will char on the outside but will not dry out in the middle. If you do not have a meat grill net you can grill on skewers or directly on the grill, please ensure that the grill plate is spotless so that the meat doesn't stick.
7. Rest meat for 5 minutes on a chopping board and then serve with the dipping sauce.
8. Dipping Sauce - Dissolve sugar in warm water and once dissolved add all the other ingredients.
Cook’s note – Serve with steamed rice and bok choy.
Wine Pairing
Please click below to see which varietals and/or wine choices I have recommended for this dish.
Honey and Mustard Double brined pork belly
What you will need:
2 kg pork belly (thick end)
fresh thyme (bunch)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
Brine
2 ltr water
100 g sea salt
200 g honey
150 g Dijon Mustard
fresh thyme (bunch)
1. Place all brine ingredients in a saucepan and bring the boil stirring so all ingredients dissolve.
2. Once cooled take saucepan off the heat and allow to cool completely.
3. Place pork belly in a large plastic container that has a lid and cover with the cooled brine.
4. Refrigerate the pork for 24 hours.
5. Rinse the pork very well, dry and place on a plate and leave uncovered in the fridge for a further 4-6 hours.
6. Pull all the leaves from the thyme bunch and rub into the skin of the pork with oil, salt and pepper.
7. Barbecue pork for 30 minutes on an indirect medium-high heat (220°C ).
8. Reduce heat to a medium heat (180°C ) and cook indirect for a further hour.
9. When cooked the juices should run clear.
10. Remove the crackling and serve each person a large cut of pork and either a chunk of crackling or smash it up and use as a crumb to give a crunchy texture.
Cook’s Note – Serve with coleslaw and bread rolls.
Wine Pairing
Please click below to see which varietals and/or wine choices I have recommended for this dish.
rotisserie wet 'n' dry pork loin
What you will need:
1 pork loin (deboned)
Dry Rub
1 tbs LumberjAxe Sweet Barbeque Rub (or an all-purpose rub)
Wet Rub
1 tbs honey
2 tbs Dijon mustard
½ cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic (minced)
Glaze
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 ½ cup brown sugar
2 tsb Dijon mustard
2 tbs apple juice
1. Remove all heavy silver skin from the loin. Use the dry rub (LumberjAxe Sweet Barbeque Rub) and give the inside of the pork a good dusting making sure that it is spread evenly. Then use butcher twine to tie up the pork loin in a roll.
2. In a bowl add all the wet rub ingredients and stir well. Apply the wet rub making sure that you use it liberally and that all the pork is fully covered.
3. Then apply more dry rub (LumberjAxe Sweet Barbeque Rub) over the wet rub on the outside of the pork loin for more flavor and texture.
4. In a saucepan add all the glaze ingredients making sure that it doesn’t come to boil and mix well. Once all blended take off hob and allow to cool.
5. Place your pork loin on your rotisserie spit (if you don’t have a rotisserie place on grill on indirect method) on indirect method and cook at 200°C for about 45-60mins.
6. Start applying the glaze when the internal temperature of the pork hits around 50-52°C which will allow it to caramelize for the remainder of the cook.
7. Once the pork has an internal temperature of 61-62°C take off barbecue and place tea towel over pork and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
BBQ - Light the barbecue using the three-zone configuration (bank the charcoal on each side leaving the middle clear). Get the coals on the barbecue to a consistent heat of between 190°C to 200°C.
Cook’s Note – Serve with Brussels Sprouts Skewers and Roasted Butternut Squash (Recipes for this can be found on the "other" section of the website.
Wine Pairing
Please click below to see which varietals and/or wine choices I have recommended for this dish.
cuban pork shoulder with mojo sauce
What you will need:
2 to 3kg pork shoulder (with bone and skin)
Mojo Marinade
20 garlic cloves
1 tbs salt
1 tbs dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbs cracked black pepper
¾ cup orange juice
½ cup lemon juice
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup mint leaves
Mojo sauce
½ cup reserved Mojo marinade
1 small red onion, thinly chopped
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs orange juice
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1. In a food processor blitz the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and mint until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the juices.
2. Keep ½ cup of the mojo marinade and refrigerate for later. This will be used when making the mojo sauce.
3. Use a sharp knife to make incisions all over the pork. Using your fingers, push the remaining mojo marinade into the incisions and all over the shoulder. Then wrap the pork tightly in cling film, place skin side up on a rimmed oven dish (so it doesn’t fall over), and refrigerate overnight.
4. In the morning, take the pork out of the refrigerator unwrap cling film and let sit for at least 1 hour before cooking or until it reaches room temperature. Pat the skin dry with kitchen paper towel.
5. Place pork in an oven dish or a disposable barbecue tray skin side up and cover loosely (tented) with tin foil so that there is no exposed holes.
6. Put the oven dish with the pork on the barbecue and cook indirectly for 4 hours at a steady temperature of about 110-120°C, keeping the lid on the barbecue as long as possible, only take lid off when needed such as when topping up with charcoal or heat beads etc.
7. After 4 hours, take pork off the barbecue and remove tin foil. Place the pork back on the barbecue on the grill with the tray underneath the grill this time to catch all the fat. Cook pork indirectly for another 4-5 hours depending on the size of the shoulder at the same temperature range of about 110-120°C. During the second cook I added beach wood to the charcoal as it gives a consistent long burn and adds great flavour. You can use other wood such as oak which also has a long burn time or add other woods for flavour as the pork really takes on the flavour of the wood. The few times I added more wood/charcoal I also sprayed the pork with an apple cider and apple juice concoction (not essential) and also rotated the pork (do not flip over always keep skin side up).
8. You will know when the pork is ready as the meat will just pull off the bone, if you are unsure use a meat thermometer and when it reads between 87-90°C it is ready. Take off the barbecue and leave to rest for up to half an hour before serving.
9. In a saucepan combine the reserved ½ cup mojo marinade, the onion, olive oil, lemon and orange juice. Cook, stirring often over medium-low heat, until the onion softens, about 5 to 10 minutes.
10. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Remove the skin and scrape off and discard the soft fat underneath the skin, then cut the crackling into bite-size pieces. Transfer pull pork and crackling to a wooden board and serve with coleslaw, barbecue corn on the cob, fresh bread rolls and Mojo sauce.
BBQ - Light the barbecue using the two-zone configuration (bank the charcoal up on one side and leaving the other side clear) and get the temperature to about 110-120°C. If you are cooking with a kettle barbecue like me you will need to adjust the vents as needed to get a consistent temperature range. If you are using a gas grill, simples! The whole cook is done indirectly and is a labour of love but well worth it.
Cook’s Note – I would wear gloves when peeling the garlic as my hands still stunk of garlic two days later ! I served with coleslaw, barbecue corn on the cob, fresh bread rolls and the Mojo sauce.
Wine Pairing
Please click below to see which varietals and/or wine choices I have recommended for this dish.