Apple-brined ginger pork neck

Using a smoking machine, Adam shares this delicious pork recipe. This recipe is beautifully complimented by his grilled corn with hot sauce and lime butter. "What we have here is an unctuous, rich and utterly mouth-watering dish high in protein and high in flavour. If you like white wine, then a chardonnay could work well, but, for an even better match, we need some tannin to work with that protein. Given the range of spices in the dish, a medium-bodied, spicy red will help to accentuate the flavours without over-powering. Pinot Noir is a prime candidate in this area, so look no further than the Giant Steps Gladysdale Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010, which is packed with rich, velvety red and black cherry fruit and a hint of something funky." - Dan Coward

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  6 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Apple brine

• 500 ml cold water
• 30 g salt
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 star anise
• 3 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 500 ml apple juice

 

• 1.5 kg pork neck

Brining time 24 hours

Drink match Giant Steps Gladysdale Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010, Yarra Valley, Vic

Instructions

For the apple brine, mix together all the ingredients except for the apple juice in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add in the apple juice and allow to cool.

Submerge the pork neck in the brine (either in a non-reactive bowl or in a large zip lock bag). Leave to brine for 24 hours.

Remove the pork from the brine, and place into the smoker for 5–6 hours.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.