Top Tips:
- Remove pork from the fridge and bring to room temperature before cooking. Bring pork to room temperature. This ensures even cooking, and less time for the meat to lose moisture while cooking, making it naturally juicer.
- Pat pork dry with paper towels before preparing, marinating and barbecuing.
- Brush pork with oil and season with salt just before cooking. Salt draws out the natural juices from the pork and can make it tough.
- To check for accurate doneness, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork.
Your BBQ:
- For best results, barbecue pork on a BBQ with a hood. Keeping the hood down helps to cook the pork more evenly as the hot air circulates in the BBQ.
- Ensure your BBQ is clean before cooking to prevent sticking.
- If you don’t have a BBQ, you can use a char-grill pan however the cooking time may need to be increased.
How to sear the edges of thick pork chops, cutlets, loin steaks and Scotch fillet steaks:
It’s important to sear the sides of thick pork cuts like chops, cutlets, loin steaks and Scotch fillet steaks so it seals and is cooked through.
To sear the edges of the pork, using long-handled tongs hold multiple chops and press onto the BBQ, turning to sear all edges, for about 2-3 minutes or until golden and sealed.
Resting pork after barbecuing:
Like all meats, pork continues to cook after removing from heat. Resting is important as it allows the natural pork juices to redistribute throughout the meat instead of running out onto the plate.
The best way to rest pork after barbecuing is to transfer it to a rack over a tray and rest for 3 minutes. This prevents the pork from stewing in its own juices on a plate. Drizzle the hot pan juices over the pork to serve.
Steps for barbecuing pork & cooking times:
Pork chops (rind off)
- Bring pork to room temperature.
- Pat pork dry with paper towels.
- Brush pork with oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Preheat your BBQ on medium-high heat. Barbecue 250g each (about 2cm thick) chops, hood down, for 4 minutes per side then sear the edges of the pork for just cooked through. For cooked right through barbecue or 5-6 minutes per side then sear the edges.
- Transfer to a rack over a tray and rest for 3 minutes.
Pork cutlets (rind off)
- Bring pork to room temperature.
- Pat pork dry with paper towels.
- Brush pork with oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Preheat your BBQ on medium-high heat
- Barbecue 225g each (about 2.5cm thick) pork chops, hood down, for 4 minutes per side then sear the edges for just cooked through. For cooked right through, barbecue for 5-6 minutes per side then sear the edges.
- Transfer to a rack over a tray and rest for 3 minutes.
Pork loin steaks (rind off)
- Bring pork to room temperature.
- Pat pork dry with paper towels.
- Brush pork with oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Preheat your BBQ on medium-high heat.
- Barbecue 180g each (2.5cm thick) steaks, hood down, for 4 minutes, turn and barbecue for 3 minutes per side then sear the edges of the pork for just cooked through. For cooked right through, barbecue for 5 minutes per side then sear the edges. For 125g each (2cm thick) pork loin steaks barbecue for 3 minutes, turn and barbecue for 2 minutes then sear the edges. For cooked right through, barbecue for 4 minutes per side then sear the edges.
- Transfer to a rack over a tray and rest for 3 minutes.
Pork sausages & chipolatas:
- Separate sausages and chipolatas (do not pierce or slice them).
- Pat dry with paper towels.
- Do not pierce or slice.
- Spray or brush with oil before barbecuing.
- Preheat your BBQ on medium heat. High heat may cause them to split.
- Barbecue thin (2cm thick) pork sausages, hood down and turning occasionally, for 12-15 minutes. Barbecue thick pork sausages for 18-20 minutes or until golden, firm, and cooked through in the centre. Barbecue chipolatas, turning occasionally, for about 12 minutes or until cooked through. There’s no need to rest chipolatas or sausages.
Pork Scotch fillet steaks:
- Bring pork to room temperature.
- Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt or marinate in your favourite marinade for 30 minutes (or longer if time permits).
- Preheat your BBQ on medium-high heat
- Barbecue 250g each (3cm thick) pork steaks, hood down, for 6 minutes on each side then sear the edges for just cooked through. For cooked right through, barbecue for 7-8 minutes per side then sear the edges.
- Transfer to a rack over a tray and rest for 3 minutes.
Pork spare ribs:
- Pork spare ribs require long slow cooking to be at their juiciest tender best.
- Bring pork to room temperature.
- Pat pork dry with paper towels.
- Preheat your BBQ to just above low heat.
- Place pork in a single layer on a rack in a large deep foil cooking pan.
- Pour about 1.5 cm of water into the tray (don’t let the water touch the pork). Cover with foil and barbecue, hood down, for 1 hour. (Alternatively, you can cook in a 140°C/120°C fan-forced oven. Remove pan and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Brush pork with your favourite glaze and barbecue, hood down, over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
NOTE: Barbecuing cooking times should be used as a guide as BBQs can vary between brands.