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Rachan ham
Rachuli lori: brined, smoked pork leg from Racha, fried with lobiani
Rachuli lori is the pride of Racha: pork legs salted and hung in the smoky rafters above a wood fire, then sliced and fried until crisp, and above all eaten with lobiani bean bread, which in Racha is made with fried ham inside. This is a pork dish. Home kitchens cannot copy months in a chimney, so this version brines a boneless pork leg joint for two days in the fridge and then hot-smokes and roasts it until cooked through, giving a ham you can slice cold or fry. A common mistake is skipping the rinse after brining, which makes the ham far too salty. Chef's tip: smoke over fruit wood with a few dried bay leaves for the dark, sweet smoke of a Rachan kitchen. Whole pork joints are safe at 63 °C followed by a 10-minute rest.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the brine (2 days in the fridge)
- 10 ½ cups water
- 6 oz salt
- 1 ¾ oz sugar
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 head garlichalved
- 4 ⅜ lb boneless pork leg jointskin removed, fat left on
For smoking
- 2 handfuls fruit-wood smoking chipssoaked for 30 minutes
- 1 tbsp coriander seedscrushed
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring 10 ½ cups water, 6 oz salt, 1 ¾ oz sugar, 4 bay leaves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns and 1 head garlic to the boil, stir until dissolved and cool completely.
10 minStep 2: Put 4 ⅜ lb boneless pork leg joint in a large container or brining bag, cover with the cold brine and refrigerate for 48 hours, turning once a day.
Step 3: Lift out, rinse well under cold water and pat dry. Rub with 1 tbsp coriander seeds and 1 tsp dried chilli flakes. Leave uncovered in the fridge for 4 hours so the surface dries. Common mistake: not rinsing; the ham is far too salty.
Step 4: Set up a kettle barbecue or smoker for indirect heat at 110–250°F and add 2 handfuls fruit-wood smoking chips to the coals.
Step 5: Smoke the pork for 2½–3 hours, adding more chips after the first hour, until it is deep mahogany and a probe in the centre reads 145°F.
180 minStep 6: Rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice thin and serve cold, or fry slices in a dry pan for 2 minutes per side until crisp. Keeps 1 week in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rachan ham take?
- About 240 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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