We rarely cook pork at home but when we do, we like it grilled. I remember my lola using sugar cane juice along with lemongrass for her marinade. I didn't have lemongrass and sugarcane juice in my kitchen, so I just used honey and dried organic thyme.
My other ingredient is Knorr Aromat. I first came across this powerhouse of an ingredient in Switzerland with my siblings, Ricky and Liesl. We saw this widely placed in tabletops across several cantons. Though it wasn't until I worked with a Swiss chef named Kurt Pozzato, that I discovered it's powers. It's perfect blend of spices and herbs help accentuate most flavors in any dish. This goes without saying, that if I were to choose only one ready-to-use commercially-produced cooking ingredient, it would have to be Aromat. The European-made ones are available in Santi's, but at a fraction of the cost, you can buy a locally-made one in Landmark or Makro (and it's still produced by the same company, Unilever).
I used a kilo of pork belly and drizzled it with honey (I used Sicilian honey for it's perfect balance of sweetness, but any regular honey will do) and rubbed it with Knorr Aromat, in liberal amounts, along with some dried organic thyme. I usually marinate my meat in an air-tight ziploc bag in the fridge. Our room temperature, anywhere between 28 - 33 degrees celcius, is too tricky and bacteria can multiply in just seconds - so beware!
Once your charcoal is ready, just plop the pork (brushed with vegetable oil) and allow for it to cook until well-done. How can you tell if it's properly cooked? It's drippings (juices) should not be colored red or pink, and instead, should be translucent when it rests on your plate. Pork, by the way, should never be eaten rare or medium-rare.
And for those who just followed/read this blog, I served it with Roast Capsicums in Rosemary Dressing (for recipe, click here) and buttered corn on the cob (sprinkled with paprika).
