With much thanks to the lovely people at Bord Bia and the amazing Donal Skehan of the Good Mood Food Blog I was the delighted recipient of a parcel this week containing a wonderful big loin of Irish pork.
The loin was approximately 6lbs in weight and, as there were only 3 of us here this weekend, I decided to cut the loin in to two equal portions which enabled me to cook two very different meals – the first of which was an aromatic, sticky, deeply glazed, roast pork char siu served with noodles. A 3lb joint will easily serve 4.
I trimmed the pork of any fat in order to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat, which was then marinated overnight in a freezer bag. I much prefer using freezer bags for marinating as the air can be squeezed out of the bag before sealing to ensure that the marinade is constantly in contact with the entire surface area of the meat – almost vacuum packed.
For the marinade:
- 200ml of hoisin sauce
- 100ml of dark soy sauce
- 100ml of clear honey
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely diced or crushed in a garlic press
- 1″ piece of ginger, finely diced or crushed in a garlic press
- 2 tablespoons of Chinese 5-Spice
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
Place all of the ingredients in to a large freezer bag and holding the top of the bag with one hand, use the other hand to squish all of the ingredients together through the bag. Place the trimmed loin (ensuring any ties or butchers string is removed so that the loin can take its natural shape) in to the bag and squeeze any air out of the bag before tieing it tightly – this should ensure that all of the meat is covered by the marinade. Leave the bag in the fridge for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
Remove the bag from the fridge a half an hour before you wish to cook it. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a roasting tray with tinfoil – this will be much easier when it comes to washing up! Carefully remove the loin from the freezer bag taking care to retain the marinade. Place the loin on the tinfoil ready for roasting. The meat should already have a lovely dark colour.
Place the meat in the oven and allow it to cook for approximately 1½ hours.
Place the marinade in a pan and heat on medium – allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes until it becomes thick and teacle-like, then turn off the heat and use it to baste the pork every 20 minutes or so to give a nice deep glaze. Once the meat is cooked through remove and slice thinly.
I served the char siu with some noodles stir-fried with spring onions and thin strips of carrot.
My favourite chinese pork ever. I am drooling reading the recipe and looking at the pics (and I’m stuffed from dinner, so that’s some achievement!!). The highest of compliments in our house is “that will be lovely in a sandwich tomorrow” and that pork definitely fits the bill!
p.s. PLEASE COME ON THURSDAY!
Heehee – I was just the same when I looked at your one! :) I think I might do a ‘Nigella’ and raid the fridge in the dark… but without the TV crew and black silky dressing gown. The meat was super quality though wasn’t it? So tender.
Going to check with Bord Bia about what time it goes on to – really hate to miss out and will be great to see you all.
This might be the best-looking piece of pork I’ve ever seen. Just saying.
Hey Aisling. Thanks for comment. Wait until you try it – so tasty. Doesn’t get any simpler than throwing a few ingredients in a bag and leaving it overnight!
This looks absolutely divine – am drooling!!
I’m laying the blame for my recent weight gain solely at your door!!
Since you started this blog I’ve become much more adventerous in my cooking – i’ve tried several of your recipes. Your recipes and instructions are so clear and easy to follow and the photographs are excellent!! Keep up the good work!!xx
Hello Velveteen. Good to hear from you. Delighted you are giving them a go. Thanks for the feedback on the instructions etc – sometimes I wonder if I am rambling! I am definitely a homestyle/everyday cook so nothing too difficult should appear on here :) So happy that you are checking in. Thanks a mill. xx
Hi there,
Would this marinade work on a joint of ham??? I’d be boiling the ham for an hour or two and then putting in oven. I normally do a honey & mustard glaze for the ham, but this one sounds delish?x
Hello miss. Yes it would definitely work on ham – I usually boil ham with a star anise now and this kind of glaze would be lovely when baking it. Yum… very hungry thinking about it :)
Thanks a mill. Having sis & her hubby for dinner on Saturday. Watching Lorraine Pascale last Saturday morning & she did a ham with a delicious looking glaze, but hers had a sh*t load of sugar in it. Your marinade/glaze sounds perfect!! And think I’ll be doing your Apple & Salted Caramel Tarts for dessert!! Thanks again!x
Oh yum. Seriously once you make those tarts you will keep doing them – they look quite fancy but are so simple and quick. Dying to hear how you get on!