Pairs well with Classic Smoked Pork Breast (Pechito de Cerdo Ahumado)
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Classic Smoked Pork Breast (Pechito de Cerdo Ahumado)
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A classic smoked pork breast prepared using the 3-2-1 low and slow smoking technique, accompanied by a plum-based barbecue sauce. The pork is seasoned simply with salt and pepper, smoked slowly for deep flavor, wrapped in foil to retain moisture, and finished with a caramelized plum glaze.
06:00:00 total
Serves 6
medium
Meat Main Course
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Ingredients
- pork breast - watch the video to see (whole piece, clean brisket cut without matambre)
- salt - watch the video to see (to season both sides)
- black pepper - watch the video to see (to season both sides)
- apple juice - watch the video to see (to moisten pork before smoking and for hydration during smoking)
- honey with garlic and chili - watch the video to see (used to coat pork before wrapping in foil)
- plums - 7 units (peeled and cut, about 7 units)
- butter - watch the video to see (used to cook plums for sauce)
- sugar - watch the video to see (used to make plum jam)
- lemon zest - from 1 lemon (added to plum sauce)
- port wine - watch the video to see (added to plum sauce, alcohol cooked off)
- ketchup - watch the video to see (added at end of plum sauce to finish)
- ground chili powder - watch the video to see (added to plum sauce for mild heat)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pork Breast: Leave the fabric (fat layer) on the pork breast to retain moisture. Moisten the pork with apple juice to help salt adhere and add moisture. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Start Smoking: Place the pork breast in the smoker set to a low temperature of about 100-110ºC (210-230ºF). Add water to the bottom of the smoker to maintain humidity and prevent browning. Smoke the pork for 3 hours, moistening the top every 20-30 minutes with apple juice.
- Make Plum Barbecue Sauce: In a frying pan, melt butter and add peeled and cut plums. Add sugar and cook over low heat, stirring until the plums break down into a jam-like consistency. Add lemon zest and port wine, cook until alcohol evaporates and sauce reduces. Finish by stirring in ketchup and a little ground chili powder.
- Wrap and Continue Cooking: After 3 hours of smoking, coat the pork with honey infused with garlic and chili. Wrap the pork tightly in aluminum foil, add a little apple juice inside to maintain moisture. Remove water from the smoker's bottom and return the wrapped pork to the smoker. Cook for an additional 2 hours at about 110ºC.
- Caramelize the Pork: After cooking wrapped, paint the pork with the plum barbecue sauce in a thin layer. Keep the pork wrapped to retain moisture underneath. Maintain smoker temperature and caramelize the sauce on the pork for 1 hour slowly, allowing the sugars to develop a beautiful glaze.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pork from the smoker and let it rest briefly. Slice diagonally along the rib bones to serve. Enjoy the juicy, smoky, and subtly caramelized pork breast.
