Suckling pig racks with Liefmans & red fruit glaze
Suckling pig racks like you’ve never tasted them before
Oh man, we absolutely love this recipe for suckling pig racks. Pork racks are always good, but the lean nature of the meat means they’re at risk of becoming dry. By picking suckling pigs and brining them for a night, that won’t happen.
The Liefmans & red fruit glaze is a delicious twist on classic BBQ sauce and makes sure even a generous portion will be gone before you know it.
The ingredients:
(serves 4-6)
Basic brine
- 1 gallon (4l) water
- 7 oz (200g) salt
- 5⅓ oz (150g) sugar
Suckling pig racks
- 2 suckling pig racks of around 35 oz (1kg) each
- 8 tbsp Smokey’s Pig Powder BBQ rub (see recipe)
Liefmans & red fruit glaze
- 2 bottles Liefmans beer
- 1 star anise
- ½ tbsp dried pink pepper
- 3 tsp molasses
- 2 tbsp red berry jelly
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Gear:
- BBQ for indirect grilling
- Tin foil
- 4 handfuls of apple, pear, or mesquite wood chips for smoking, soaked in
- Water
- Core thermometer
- Saucepan
How to make:
Prep: 1 day
Cooking about: 2 hours
Boil 4 cups of water and dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the remaining water and leave the brine to cool in the fridge.
Remove any fleeces from the suckling pig racks using a small knife and submerge the racks in the brine completely. Refrigerate overnight to give the brine time to infuse the meat.
The next day, remove the suckling pig racks from the brine and use a kitchen towel to pat them dry. When dry, rub the meat with the Pig powder BBQ rub on all sides. Wrap the bones in tin foil to prevent them from blackening on the BBQ.
Prepare a BBQ for indirect grilling and heat until 130 °C (266 °F). Add the soaked wood chips to the hot coals and place the racks on the BBQ. Smoke for 1½-2 hours until the core temperature reads 58 °C (136 °F).
Meanwhile, make the Liefmans & red fruit glaze by combining the Liefmans beer, star anise, and pink pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer until reduced by half. Add the molasses, red berry jelly, and red wine vinegar and stir well. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the butter and taste the glaze. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Brush the suckling pig racks with the Liefmans & red fruit glaze when the racks reach a core temperature of 58 °C (136 °F). Keep cooking the racks until a maximum core temperature of 62 °C (144 °F), then remove from BBQ. Leave to rest briefly. Divide the meat into thin slices by cutting between the bones and serve.
