Garden Chef

Grilled and roasted Pork Loin

Two weeks of rain, every minute of every day. At least that what it's felt like. Saturday didn't look like it would provide enough time for a fully fledged three hour outside cooking experience, so I opted for a recipe that involves finishing the main dish off in the oven. Of course, thats a cop out for which I will no doubt have to do penance, particularly since the weather did hold, and it could all have been finished off outside without a drop of rain falling.

By the by, we have Jamie Oliver to thank for this recipe. Its an Italian recipe known as maiale alla griglia e arrosto. (you can either read the rest here or flick over to Jamie's Italy where I got this..)

You will need:

• A couple of heaped tablespoons of fennel seeds
• 2 or 3 red chillies
• 1x2kg/4 1/2lb pork loin
• Olive oil
• Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 Tablespoons good quality red win vinegar
• a bunch of fresh rosemary

In brief, score the fatty side of the pork in a criss cross fashion. Smash/grind up the fennel seed, chillies and a good bit of salt and black pepper. Rub the pork with Olive oil and then rub in the ground mixture of spices into the fatty side of the pork.

Having got the bbq going about half hour before, make sure the coals are hot. Charcoal probably best for this, unless your gas bbq can get really hot.

Whack the pork on skin side down and watch the fun begin! As you can see below the fat really generates some heat so be careful to turn quickly to avoid incinerating the joint.

Once both sides have had the benefit of the bbq for about 10-15 minutes, enough to have acquired an authentic bbq look, transfer the joint to the tray it was originally marinaded in.

Put it in the oven at about 200C/400F for about an hour. After the first 30 mins add the vinegar and rosemary leaves, making sure all the meat is basted with the combination. Put back in the oven for another 20 mins and then take out to rest for the last 10 mins. It looked like this when done:

   

In keeping with the Italian theme of the evening we began with Prosecco. The bottle or two we shared around between the guests cost less than a fiver, as did the wine we served with the main course. Both excellent dinner party value.

The main was served with:

Followed by:

Which perhaps we should have served first. It was fuller than the Pinotage Cinsault, in fact quite a bit more going on. I need to get some more.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, there was roast veg and salad for the vegetarians...

Smoked shoulder of pork & one small chicken

Sometimes you just dont get to taking a photo or even registering the recipe until its all done. So a photo of a chicken carcass, and a third of a mid size shoulder joint of pork really only tells the end of the story. Hopefully, it looks like a happy ending..

This is what went into the mix (approximately):

Smoked shoulder of pork

• One shoulder joint of pork
• Steven Raichlen's 'Java' barbecue rub
• Head of garlic

Smoked Chicken

• One mid size free range chicken
• Rub, as above

Process

• Make sure the fat of the pork is scored all the way around
• Make a number (how much garlic do you like?) of deep slits in the pork and stuff them with slivers of garlic
• Pat the chicken and pork dry and apply the rub liberally to both
• Get the smoker going. I used Weber 'heat beads' this time as they seem to burn hotter and longer than the ordinary variety.
• Once the coals are ready to go, put the pork on the bottom grid, the chicken above (assuming you're using a ProQ smoker in a two stacker configuration, although this will work with any variety of vertical water smoker you may have).
• Sprinkle a good handful of Jack Daniels smoking chips over the coals
• Put the stackers together, pop the lid on, and sit back for the afternoon
• Add another handful of chips through the bottom door after about 45 mins/1hour of smoking time

I took the chicken off after 3 hours at a consistent 125C which was just about enough. The temperature gauge Ian gave me as part of my smoker starter pack is really useful here as it takes out all of the uncertainty around when its done or not. The thickest part of the chicken breast should be 75C.

Pork came off after 5 1/4 hours. This was by far my most successful smoked pork dish, beating my first attempt at the ribs (which were also good, but not stellar). Succulent, not overly smoked, but perfectly cooked through. Even the girls who normally eschew anything as 'fatty' as this particular pork cut (where is the flavour supposed to come from without it??) were able to get through a few slices.

Success!

Smokin'

Recently acquired a new toy! Or rather given to me by my brother Ian.. In an attempt to convert me to the joys of smoking he sent me one of the smokers he designed. It looks a bit like a weber, but  with the stackers in place it really comes into its own. Other than producing great tasting food, I thought it was kind of cool that it looks a bit like a small rocket.

The smoker is made up of a few separate sections: Coals in the base, a largish basin, usually filled with water when cooking, is suspended directly above the coals in the first stacking section. A grill rests above the water pan in the first stacker section. Another grill rests in the second stacker section, providing a huge amount of cooking space. Its possible I'm told to do pretty much anything and for my first gambit decided to do two chickens and a pork belly!

The beauty of the smoker is that once the coals are ready, pretty similar to usual grilling with a weber or bbq, filling the water pan, putting the chickens on the bottom grill, the pork belly on the top, closing the lid and adding smoking chips of your choice , just close the lid and leave it alone for three to four hours. No turning , basting or watching.

Actually I'm told that there's a lot more to it, but for first time around just though I'd keep it simple. 3.5 hours later it was all done. 4 hours later half a pork belly  and one chicken had disappeared.  And I'm going to have to do this again, the kids are begging for more chicken.. Beginners luck I think.