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The key to the crispiest crackling is leaving the pork uncovered to dry out overnight. Don’t be afraid of the high temperature— it’s crucial to get that bubbly crackling texture. 

Fennel-seed crackling clementine roasted pork belly

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5kg pork belly on the bone
1 cup coarse rock salt
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and crushed 
2 tsp salt flakes 
Milled pepper
7cm ginger, sliced
1 fennel bulb, sliced (reserve fronds for another recipe)
2 red chilies
2 cloves garlic
4 clementines, peeled and cut in half + extra for serving
2-3 Tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup rice wine vinegar 
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1½ cups fresh orange juice
½ cup vegetable stock 
1 packet (200g) baby fennel, halved and pan-fried
Fennel curls and flowers, for serving  

Method

1. Score pork fat, being careful not to cut through to the meat (a serrated knife works well for this). Pat dry and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place uncovered in the fridge and leave to dry for 2 hours, or overnight if the time allows.
2. Thoroughly brush off all the salt and pat rind dry with kitchen paper. 
3. Toast fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for about a minute. Crush using pestle and mortar, then mix with salt flakes. Rub salt onto rind and between any crevasses. 
4. Preheat oven to 220°C. 
5. Create a foil boat or parcel the size of the pork roast. (This ensures your meat stays covered while cooking, keeping it moist and juicy.) Wrap in foil in roasting pan. 
6. Place ginger, fennel bulb, chilli, garlic and clementines at the bottom of foil parcel.
7. Combine sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and orange juice, stirring to combine. Pour sauce into foil boat. Place pork meat-side down in the sauce, making sure to keep fat exposed as this will become crackling. 
8. Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until fat begins to bubble and turns golden. 
9. Turn heat down to 170°C and continue cooking for another 11/2 hours, or until meat is tender. 
10. Remove meat from parcel and rest for 10 minutes, while pan juices are reducing in the oven, creating a sauce. 
11. To serve, pan-fry baby fennel until golden and tender. 
12. Serve slices of pork belly with the pan-fried baby fennel, fresh clementines, fennel curls and fennel flowers.

By: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Pork belly with spicy cranberry sauce

The post Fennel-seed crackling clementine roasted pork belly appeared first on MyKitchen.

Whether it’s a weeknight dinner, comfort food or movie snack, the ever humble pork chop will fill you up in all the best ways.  

Jerk grilled pork chops 

Serves 4 (As a snack) 

Marinated in a classic Jamaican jerk spice, these pork chops are fabulous with a side of rice or braaied garlic bread.  

Ingredients

For the jerk seasoning  

1 Tbsp onion powder 
1 Tbsp garlic powder 
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried thyme 
2 tsp dried parsley 
2 tsp salt 
1 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp each ground cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon
2 Tbsp brown sugar 

For the pork  

4 (about 1kg) pork loin chops
¼ cup canola oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp lime juice 
1 Tbsp white vinegar 
1 tsp minced ginger 
2 jalapeno or serrano chillies, sliced  

For the salsa  

1 avocado, finely cubed 
½ mango, finely cubed
½ small red onion, finely chopped 
½ tsp ground cumin
10g coriander, chopped 
1 lime, zested and juiced 
4 spring onions, finely chopped 
2 jalapeno chillies, coarsely chopped  

Method

1. Combine jerk spice ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Pat pork dry, drizzle with half the oil and 2 Tbsp of the jerk seasoning. Massage remaining ingredients, except jalapenos, into chops. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. 
3. Combine salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Remove pork from marinade, discarding excess liquid.
5. Heat a griddle pan or place a braai grid over hot coals.
6. Grill or braai chops for 5-6 minutes a side, turning often until charred and cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes. 
7. Serve chops topped with salsa. 

Also read: Pork & prawn wontons recipe

Fried smoked paprika pork bites  

Serves 4 (As a snack)  

Bring the pub grub home with these cubes of crispiness. 

Ingredients

4 (700-800g) boneless pork chops 
4 potatoes, peeled
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
¼ cup cornflour 
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp fine salt 
1 tsp white pepper oil, for deep frying 
Deep-fried jalapeno slices, for serving  

For the chilli-lime salt 

¼ jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
2 limes, zested
2 Tbsp Maldon salt  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Cut potatoes into thin, even fries. Arrange on a baking tray, cook until dried out, about 20 minutes. 
3. Pat pork dry using paper towel. Slice into 3cm cubes. 
4. Combine paprika, cornflour and garlic powder. 
5. Coat pork in oil, salt and pepper, then toss through half of the cornflour mixture. Set aside. 
6. Combine chilli-lime salt ingredients. 
7. Heat a pot of oil and deep-fry chips in batches until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle immediately with chilli-lime salt and keep warm.
8. Toss pork in remaining cornflour mixture. 9. Deep-fry in batches for 4-5 minutes until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 
9. Arrange pork and chips on a platter and serve with deep-fried jalapeno slices for a pop of heat. 

Tonkatsu pork chops  

Serves 4  

Tonkatsu is a Japanese barbecue sauce made even more delicious when paired with the double-crumbed pork! 

Ingredients

4 (700-800g) boneless pork sirloin chops 
Salt and milled pepper 
1 cup flour 
5 eggs, whisked 
3 cups panko breadcrumbs (regular breadcrumbs work too)  

For the tonkatsu sauce 

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 
2 Tbsp brown sugar 
2 Tbsp oyster sauce 
5 Tbsp tomato sauce  

For serving  

¼ cup finely shredded green cabbage
¼ cup finely shredded purple cabbage 
Lemon wedges
Pickled red onion
4 tsp of each black and white sesame seeds, toasted  

Method

1. Pat pork dry using paper towel. Season. 
2. Place flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls.
3. Coat a chop in flour, dip in egg, then coat in panko breadcrumbs. Repeat to create second coating.
4. Repeat with remaining three chops.
5. Heat oil in a deep pan for shallow frying.
6. Fry chops one or two at a time, careful not to overcrowd the pan, for about 4-5 minutes a side or until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper. 
7. Stir tonkatsu ingredients in a pot over medium-high heat until almost simmering, then remove and decant into a condiment bowl. 
8. Arrange chops on a platter with sides of cabbage, tonkatsu sauce, lemon and onion. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds. 

Good to know
Double crumbing the chops creates a well-structured outer layer, but is not essential. If crumbing only once, use 2 cups of panko and 3 eggs instead. 

Pan-fried brown butter chops  

Serves 4  

Brining the pork ensures it holds onto as much tenderness as possible, decreasing the risk of drying out. Repeated flipping also keeps moisture in. 

Ingredients

For the chops in brine  

4 (1kg) bone-in pork rib chops
3 cups water
½ cup brown sugar 
½ cup coarse salt 
7 cloves garlic 
1 tsp black peppercorns 
1 sprig thyme, leaves picked
1 sprig rosemary, leaves picked  

For the mashed potato 

4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 Tbsp butter 
¼ cup milk 
1 tsp salt 
3 Tbsp canola oil 
Milled pepper 
4 baby onions, halved 
3 Tbsp butter 
3 sprigs thyme 
3 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs sage  

Method

1. Prick pork chops with a fork. 
2. Combine remaining brine ingredients in a pot over high heat and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. 
3. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup cold water. Decant into a large container. Set aside to cool completely.
4. Submerge chops in liquid, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight for best flavour. 
5. Place potatoes in a large pot of salted, boiling water and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
6. Return potatoes to the pot and add butter and milk. Mash mixture until smooth. Season with salt. 
7. Remove chops from the brine and pat dry with kitchen paper. Set aside for 15 minutes to come to room temperature. 
8. Heat a cast-iron pan on high heat. Drizzle steaks liberally with oil and pepper. 
9. Add steaks to the hot pan and cook for 10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes until they reach a deep caramel colour all over. 
10. Halfway through cooking chops, add the onions to the pan. 
11. About 1 minute before the pork is done, add butter and fresh herbs to the pan. Swirl around pan or use a spoon to coat the pork in bubbling butter as it finishes cooking. 
12. Remove pork and rest, covered, for 5 minutes. 
13. Slice and serve with mash and charred onions. 

Recipes & styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Pork belly bahn mi recipe

The post 4 tasty ways with pork chops  appeared first on MyKitchen.

This Asian sarmie traditionally gets a schmear of paté, as influenced by the British settlers that found themselves in Vietnam. The crusty bread with airy texture, combined with crispy pork fat and juicy meat, was more than enough to fill our plates. Convinced yet? 

Pork belly bahn mi

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

1.2kg pork belly roast
½ cup coarse salt
4 cloves garlic, sliced
5cm ginger, sliced
¼ cup sugar
⅓ cup soy sauce 

2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Top rice vinegar
1 Tbsp red chilli paste
1 cup beef stock
2 Tbsp Chinese 5-spice
2 medium baguettes
1 cucumber, sliced into ribbons using a veg peeler 5 carrots, cut into matchsticks
½ red pepper, sliced thinly
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sriracha
1 cup pickle mix vegetables 
Handful coriander, chopped 

Method 

1. Score pork fat, pat dry and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place uncovered in the fridge and leave to dry for 2 hours, or overnight if the time allows.
2. Preheat oven to 220°C.
3. Create a foil boat or parcel the size of the pork roast. (This ensures your meat stays covered while cooking, keeping it moist and juicy.) Place in a roasting pan.
4. Put garlic and ginger slices at the bottom of foil parcel.
5. Combine sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, chilli paste and stock over medium heat, stirring to combine.
6. Pour sauce into foil boat.
7. Rub meaty part of pork with spice and place in the sauce, making sure to keep fat exposed. (Add water if needed to cover meat.)
8. Roast for 20–25 minutes, or until fat starts to create bubbles and turns golden.
9. Turn heat down to 170°C and continue cooking for another 1.5 hours, or until meat is tender.
10. Remove meat from parcel and rest for 10 minutes, while pan juices are reducing in the oven, creating a sauce.
11. Place pork fat-side down on a chopping board and slice into 8cm-long strips.
12. To assemble, spread bread with mayonnaise and sriracha. Top with pickled veg and pork belly.
13. Top with coriander and a drizzle of the reduced pork belly sauce.

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen  

Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Al Pastor-inspired pulled pork tacos

The post Pork belly bahn mi recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

This is the quintessential dish you want at your fiesta. Traditionally made from spit-grilled meat, we’ve taken flavour combination inspiration and made it into a meal you can easily make at home. 

Al Pastor-inspired pulled pork tacos 

Makes 10-12 

Ingredients

For the sauce  

10 dried chipotle chilli halves 
2 cup boiling water
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice 
⅔ cup chipotle in abodo sauce
4 whole garlic cloves 
3 Tbsp brown sugar  

Salt and milled pepper 
1.5kg pork shoulder  

For serving  

10-12 flour tortillas, grilled
1 pineapple, peeled, grilled and sliced
Pico de Gallo salsa
1 cup pickled red onions 
Chopped fresh parsley or coriander  

Also read: Grilled hake tacos with whole kiwi salsa

Method 

1. Place chillies in a large bowl and cover with water. Set aside for 15 minutes to steep.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
3. Combine hydrated chillies in water with the remaining sauce ingredients. Blitz until smooth, using a jug blender or stick blender.
4. Season meat well and place in a heavy-bottom, oven-safe pot.
5. Add blitzed sauce to pot, top up with water to ensure meat is at least ¾ covered. Close with a lid. (If your lid isn’t tight, cover with foil.)
6. Roast for about 2 ½-3 hours, turning meat over every 30 minutes, until
   pork is very tender.  
7. Remove meat, cool until it can easily be handled, and shred meat finely. (Discard any bones, skin or gristle.) 
8. Reduce sauce in pot over high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until it reaches the consistency of tomato sauce. Return shredded meat to pot and toss through to coat evenly. 
9. Ladle grilled flour tortillas with about ½ cup pulled pork and top with pineapple slices, pickled onion and salsa. Serve immediately. 

Recipes and styling: Liezl Vermeulen 

Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Pulled-brisket tacos

The post Al Pastor-inspired pulled pork tacos appeared first on MyKitchen.

Packed with authentic recipes that are simpler than you think, master the art of Vietnamese cooking with Uyen Luu’s new cookbook – Quick & Easy Vietnamese!  

Pork & prawn wontons

These can be enjoyed as a snack or starter. They also make a fantastic topping for noodle soups or even instant ramen. I always save uncooked ones for the freezer, then steam them from frozen for 10 minutes. I love to fold with a friend, a cup of tea, so we can have a good catch-up.  

Ingredients

150g pork mince
200g peeled raw king prawns (shrimp), finely chopped
1 can (100g) water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp frozen edamame beans, defrosted
2 Tbsp oyster sauce pinch of sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
½ Tbsp cornflour
200g square wonton wrappers
2 tsp sesame oil + extra for drizzling
10g garlic chives or coriander leaves, to garnish 

For the dipping sauce  

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp black vinegar or cider vinegar
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp crispy chilli oil

Method 

1. First, make the dipping sauce by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Add the pork to another bowl with the chopped prawns, water chestnuts, spring onions, edamame beans, oyster sauce, salt, sugar and white pepper and mix well.
3. Lightly dust a plate with the cornflour and fill a cup with water. To form the dumplings, place a wrapper onto the palm of your hand and dollop 1 heaped teaspoon of filling into the middle. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the wonton wrapper over into a triangle while pushing the air out of the filling, then pinch the wrapper together to form a sack. Pinch and fan out the top to seal, then place on the prepared plate. Repeat until you have used up all the filling.
4. To cook the wontons, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then  gently drop in a handful of wontons (don’t crowd the pan) and let it come back to the boil. After 4–5 minutes the wontons will float to the surface.
5. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then lift them out of the water with a spider or slotted spoon and place on a plate.  
6. Drizzle with sesame oil and repeat until you have cooked as many as you need. Keep any extras for freezing. 
7. Garnish with the herbs, if using, then pour over the sauce or serve it on the side in dipping bowls. 

Cook’s note:
Can’t find a can of water or chestnuts in SA? Adding hazelnuts will deliver a similar flavour, although texture will differ – it adds a great crunch! For a cheaper option, use raw cashews.

Quick & Easy Vietnamese by Uyen Luu (distributed by Jonathon Ball Publishers) is available online and in all local bookstores.

Compiled by: Liezl Vermeulen 

Recipes & photographs: Quick & Easy Vietnamese by Uyen Luu: Published by Hardie Grant and distributed by Jonathan Ball 

Also read: Pork vindaloo recipe

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