Make pork the star of your Christmas feast with these inspiring recipes

What’s the festive season without a wide selection of quality pork products? Think juicy gammon with a sticky glaze, succulent spiced pork loin served with roast potatoes, and slices of pork belly with the crispiest of crackling. Add a selection of seasonal summery salads in a rainbow of colours and you have Christmas on a plate.

Consumers can be assured of top-quality South African pork products from Eskort; the company has been producing award-winning pork products for 104 years and its protein products are rich in vitamins and minerals.

For hard-pressed consumers, the good news is that, rand for rand, Eskort pork is way more affordable than beef or lamb. This year its gammons are some of the cheapest on the market at only R79.99kg; they're available from Eskort Gold Standard Butcheries countrywide. 

Healthy, versatile and affordable, let Eskort pork be the protein of choice for your Christmas table with these inspiring recipes. They're quick to prepare, meaning you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen, and you won’t be compromising on excellent quality or flavour.

SPICED PORK LOIN ROAST WITH SWEET MUSTARD AND BABY POTATO AND RED ONION SALAD

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 60 mins

Ingredients:

One Eskort ready-spiced pork loin roast

Baby potato and red onion salad:

1kg baby potatoes, cut in half

45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil

Salt and pepper

250ml (1 cup) sour cream

250ml (1 cup) tangy mayonnaise

1 red onion, very thinly sliced

1 handful fresh mixed herbs, chopped

Sweet mustard:

½ x 385g can condensed milk

30ml-45ml (2-3 tbsp) Dijon mustard

60ml (4 tbsp) ready-made mayonnaise

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Roast the pork loin on a baking tray in the cook-in-bag for 1 hour. 
3. Toss the baby potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper, place them on the baking tray next to the pork loin and roast for 30-45 minutes until just tender. Remove once cooked. 
4. Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise and red onion in a large bowl. Add the cooked baby potatoes, then season and add the mixed herbs.
5. For the sweet mustard, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. 
6. Serve the sliced pork loin with the potato salad and the mustard on the side.

Cook's tip: The mustard will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three months. 

FESTIVE SMOKED GAMMON

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 90 mins

Ingredients:

1 x 1kg Eskort smoked gammon

125ml (½ cup) raspberry or other berry jam

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
2. Place the gammon on a prepared oven tray and using a sharp knife score the rind into diamond shapes.
3. Bake for 60 minutes and remove from the oven.
4. Using a round-bladed knife spread the jam over the rind, reduce the oven temperature to 160ºC and bake for a further 20-30 minutes.
5. Allow the gammon to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

PORK BELLY WITH CRISPY CRACKLING AND A FESTIVE RED SALAD

Serves: 6

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 Eskort pork belly roast

30ml (2 tbsp) coarse salt

Dressing:

45ml (3 tbsp) balsamic vinegar

60ml (4 tbsp) golden syrup

60ml (4 tbsp) grenadine or pomegranate juice

Salad:

4 plums, halved

2 red onions, quartered

500ml (2 cups) red seedless grapes

250ml (1 cup) raspberries

250ml (1 cup) fresh cherries

3 medium-sized beetroot, cooked and quartered

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Score the rind of the pork belly with a very sharp knife and place on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Cover the rind of the belly with the coarse salt and roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190°C and roast for a further 1 ½ hours.
3. While the pork is roasting, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small mixing bowl and keep aside.
4. On a serving platter, combine the fruits and beetroot for the salad. Just before serving, pour over the dressing and season.
5. Slice the pork belly, crackling side down, and serve with the salad.

TENDER PORK LOIN WITH A SUMMERY WATERMELON SALAD

Serves: 6

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 x 1.5kg Eskort pork loin

30ml (2 tbsp) coarse salt

Salad:

½ small watermelon

One punnet cherry or baby tomatoes

250ml (1 cup) edamame beans

125ml (½ cup) blue cheese or the cheese of your preference, cut into blocks

250ml (1 cup) baby rocket leaves

125ml (½ cup) mint leaves

60ml (¼ cup) balsamic vinegar reduction

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Cover the rind of the pork loin with the coarse salt and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 170°C and roast for a further 2 hours.
3. While the pork is roasting, slice the watermelon into triangles or fingers, removing the skin and as many seeds as possible and place on a serving platter.
4. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and pour over the balsamic reduction just before serving.
5. Remove the crackling, slice the loin and serve with the watermelon salad.

This article was paid for by Eskort.