Double cut pork loin chop.

[tedmus]

Just back from a holiday in southern Snowdonia and brought some bits back from the butchers at London House Stores in  Dyffryn Ardudwy. Amazing produce from here including award winning sausages (be having those later).

I bought a double cut bone in pork loin chop and fancied trying a recipe from Marcus Bawdons Food and Fire book. I made up some nduja butter using equal quantities of softened butter and nduja, chilled it for a bit in the fridge before rolling into a cylinder wrapped in cling film, set up in the freezer for half an hour then into the fridge. The chop still had the chine bone in so I cut through this using a hack saw so I could slice the joint into two for serving. Rubbed plenty of salt into the scored skin then rubbed the meat with A&O harissa rub.

I set the Weber kettle up for indirect cooking with lump charcoal, temp at around 350f (180c) and put a bit of pear wood in for smoke. Started the cook skin side down direct over the coals to get some crackling started and seared each side before moving to cook indirect until 60c internal. When rested I sliced into two chops, added a thick disc of the nduja butter to each chop before placing a piece of lit charcoal on top to melt the butter into each chop. I served these with a smoked potato salad (recipe from Fire Food by DJ BBQ), potatoes were cooked and cooled before before being tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper, then hot smoked at about 400f (204c) for around 45 minutes until smoky and golden. Then mixed with mayo, sliced spring onions, sliced chillies, lemon juice, and chopped coriander.

Crackling was ok but not great but the taste was amazing, nice and spicy from the nduja butter and a subtle smoky flavour. The potato salad is a regular for me, so tasty and easy to knock up.