Pleasing Pork Rack & Apple, Tomato Chutney
A thyme seasoned, perfectly salted pork rack is the perfect building block to layer with flavour.
We've paired this with an easy to make chutney (chop, into the pot and reduce) that's an unforgettable combination of sweet and savoury with just a hint of spice.
Pork Racks:
A criminally underrated cut of pork, pork racks are ideal for roasting as the bone acts as a heatsink allowing the flesh to cook evenly and raise in temperature slowly meaning jucier meat.
We're using a moisture infused pork rack today, which means the meat has been injected with a mix not dissimiliar to a brine - which adds flavour and juiciness.
Tied Roasts
These roasts are best trussed (tied with butchers twine) to keep the meat close together, ensuring an even cook. Our butchers are always happy to do this for you, if you're ordering online just add this to your order notes.
Feel free to score your rack to ensure the salt and flavour can penetrate the fat.
Chutney
A rough chop on your onions is essential here, as this will constitute the "Chunkiness" of the chutney as it reduces. If you want something closer to a more watery sauce, cut your onions finer. But a chutney is the perfect consistency to coat the meat and add body.
Doneness
A long time ago there was a turning point in the advice on cooking pork, it no longer needs to be well done to be safe to eat. As the standards of farms and producers (in Australia, at least) has increased dramatically - the risk of contaminants that cause serious illness and the diseases that were major worries at the time are no longer prevalent.
Pork is perfectly fine to be eaten blushing (around medium) and is far juicier than a bland, grey, well-done piece. That being said - cook it how you like!
Pleasing Pork Rack With Apple & Tomato Chutney
Adam Huffines
4
60 minutes
15 minutes
Pork Roast
Ingredients
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Truss or Field Tomatoes - 500g
Granny Smith Apples - 500g
Minced Garlic - 1Tsp
Minced Ginger - 1 Tsp
Brown Sugar - 100g
Brown Onion Small - 1
Apple Cider Vinegar (100mL)
Star Anise - 2
Salt - 1Tsp
1 Tsp Chilli Flakes
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Thyme (1 Bunch)
Olive Oil (1 Tbsp)
Twine (Optional)
Salt & Pepper (To Taste)
Directions
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Preheat an Oven or Barbecue to 180c
Roughly chop your onions and diced your apple and tomatoes into approximately 1kg (the onions will form the chunks in your chutney as they reduce).
In a large pot on low heat, add the onions and cook until translucent. Then add the tomatoes and apple to the pot.
Add the brown sugar, garlic, ginger star anise, salt and chilli flakes to the Apple and Tomato mixture.
Introduce the vinegar, bring the liquid to the boil and reduce heat to low.
Simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, with a preference for an hour or more. As the tomatoes cook, they will expel their water content - however if the liquid in the pot dissipates introduce a little at a time to prevent burning.
You will have reached the optimum flavour and consistency once the mixture turns glossy and exhibits a shine from the sugars in the fruit breaking down completely.Once the chutney has finished reducing, remove the star anise, let cool and serve or chill and bottle for future use. Consume within 7 days.
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Drizzle the pork with olive oil and rub your salt and pepper into the scored fat and the meaty flesh.
Tuck your time sprigs under the butchers twine to hold, if your roast is untied dice your thyme and season the pork.
Place the pork fat side up into a baking tray or BBQ tray and cook for approximately 45 minutes per kilogram - ideally until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 65c.
Rest the roast for a minimum of 15 minutes, serve with Chutney and your favourite sides.