If you have something to celebrate, you want to put something special on the table. Then you think of a complete rib roast or maybe turkey. We think of a pork rack. Perhaps the tastiest piece of meat there is.
An additional advantage is that it is not immediately the most expensive meat. With the caramelized apple and onion, you can make something exceptional.
Cut the fat from the pork rack crosswise up to the meat. This way, the fat will soften and melt sooner. We will need that fat to fry the apple and onion.
We place the pork rack with the fat cap down in a cradle that we put in a dish or oven tray. With the fat down, the brown sugar will not wash away as the fat melts. Let the rack of pork sit in the fridge for a few hours so that the brown sugar can set a little. In the meantime, you can prepare the barbecue.
We will prepare the pork rack in an indirect way and a kettle temperature of 140°C (284F). This way, the sugar will not burn, and the fat will have plenty of time to soften and melt. We have heated up the Mastertouch with 2 coal trays to the pork rack’s left and right.
We place the smoke thermometer to keep an eye on the kettle temperature and the pork rack’s core temperature. We cook the meat to 62°C. It will reach the last few degrees to 65°C while resting.
When the pork rack is resting, we pour the collected melted fat into a cast-iron skillet. We heat it up and put a tablespoon of brown sugar in it. In it, we first fry the onion and then the apple wedges. Sprinkle them with some black pepper and stir carefully every now and then. We want to keep the apple warm but still a bit firm.
If you put this on the table, you will see that everyone is quit. When they take the first bite, they know why.
Ingredients
- A pork rack with fat cap
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Mustard
- Brown sugar
- 3 Jonagold apples
- 2 red onions
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Cut the pork rack’s fat cover crosswise to the meat and sprinkle the whole meat with salt and pepper.
- Coat the pork rack with mustard and then sprinkle it with an even layer of brown sugar. Press it on a little so that it sticks.
- Place the meat in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 2 hours. This way, the brown sugar sticks better.
- Prepare a barbecue with indirect heat and a temperature of 140°C (284F).
- Place the pork rack with the fat cover down in a rack over a roasting pan. Place it on the cool side of the barbecue and insert a core thermometer. Close the lid until the meat has reached a core temperature of 62°C (144F).
- Core the apples and cut into 6 wedges. Cut the onions into quarters.
- When the pork rack has reached the desired core temperature, let it rest under a piece of aluminium foil.
- Pour the collected fat into a cast iron skillet and warm it up over direct heat. Add a tablespoon of brown sugar and stir well.
- First, fry the onion for a few minutes and then add the apple wedges. Sprinkle with some black pepper. Gently turn every now and then until the apple has become warm and a little softer.
- Serve the pork rack with the apple and onion.
