Sticky, smoky pork belly lollipops glazed in a homemade BBQ sauce and finished with crispy bacon and fresh herbs.
BBQ Pork belly lollipops
Ingredients
- For the pork:
- 800 g boneless pork belly rashers, skin removed
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Bamboo skewers, soaked for 30 minutes, or metal skewers
- For the BBQ sauce:
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt and black pepper
- For the bacon crumble:
- 250 g diced bacon
- To serve:
- Small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Instructions
For the pork:
Prepare the coals on the braai to a medium heat. In a mixing bowl, combine the pork belly rashers with the smoked paprika, brown sugar, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Mix well to coat evenly.
Roll each rasher tightly into a spiral and thread onto a skewer to form a lollipop shape. Repeat with all the pork.
For the BBQ sauce:
In a bowl, mix together all the BBQ sauce ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
For the bacon crumble:
Place the diced bacon in a cold frying pan, then set over medium heat. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon fat has rendered and the bacon is very crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Finely chop to make a crumble to garnish with.
To braai the pork:
Place the pork lollipops on the braai and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, turning frequently and brushing generously with the BBQ sauce as they cook, until sticky, caramelised and cooked through.
To serve:
Arrange the pork belly lollipops on a serving platter, sprinkle with the crispy bacon and garnish with fresh coriander.
Notes
Keep the coals at a steady medium heat: the belly needs 30 to 35 minutes for the fat to render, and the sugar in the BBQ sauce burns quickly over fierce heat. Thread a second skewer crossways through each spiral if the rashers start to unroll, and make the BBQ sauce and bacon crumble a day ahead if you like. Serving suggestion: Serve as a braai starter, or alongside creamy coleslaw and garlic bread for a full meal.
Also See: BBQ Pulled pork buns
Recipe and image: SA Pork
