Pork | Charkii

Below are the best recipes for making Pork

Low & Slow South African-Style Braai Ribs with a Sticky Bourbon Finish

Serves

4–6 people

Ingredients

Pork Ribs

2 racks pork ribs (approximately 2.5–3kg total)
2 tbsp olive oil

Charkii Braai Rub

2 tbsp coarse salt
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Bourbon Braai Glaze

125ml bourbon whiskey
125ml tomato sauce (ketchup)
60ml apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ tsp smoked paprika

Preparing the Ribs

1. Trim

Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs.

2. Season

Coat ribs lightly with olive oil.

Mix all rub ingredients and generously season both sides.

Allow ribs to sit for:

1 hour at room temperature, or
Overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavour.

Prepare the Bourbon Glaze

Combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan.

Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.

Set aside.

Or Try:

Charkii Braai Method

Fire Setup

Create a moderate indirect cooking zone. Place 2 blocks of Apple or cherry wood in the hot coals.

Target temperature:

140–160°C

Sear the ribs until you get a nice crust

Stage 1 – Slow Cook

Attach the the Charkii' smoker box onto the braai box. The design makes maintaining steady heat easy without constant fuel additions.

Place ribs bone-side down away from direct heat.

Smoke for:

1 hour

Stage 2 – Bourbon Glaze

Brush ribs generously with bourbon glaze.

Move closer to the coals.

Cook for:

15–20 minutes

Apply 2–3 additional layers of glaze.

The sugars and bourbon will create a rich mahogany finish.

Stage 3 – Caramelise

Place ribs directly over the hotter section for:

1–2 minutes per side

Watch carefully to avoid burning.

You want:

Sticky bark
Slight char
Deep caramelisation

Final finish

use a oven proof dish
place brown sugar and Bourbon sauce at the bottom of the dish
lay a rack of ribs on top of the mixture
Layer the rest of the ribs in the dish repeating previous steps
cover the dish with a lid or tin foil.
Cook at low temperature for 1 to hours

When ready:

Meat has pulled back from the bones

Charkii Pitmaster Tip

For an extra South African touch, throw a handful of soaked oak or whiskey-barrel wood chips onto the coals during the final hour of cooking.

The bourbon, smoke, and pork fat combine beautifully and produce an authentic competition-style rib flavour.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with:

Traditional braai potato salad
Roosterkoek with garlic butter
Coleslaw
Grilled mielies (corn)
Pickled onions

Finished Result

Expected Result: Tender pork that bites cleanly from the bone, a smoky bark from the Charkii braai, and a rich bourbon glaze that delivers sweet caramel, oak, and spice in every bite.

Charki Bourbon Sauce

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A whole pork fillet (tenderloin) is perfect on a Charkii Braai because it cooks quickly, stays tender, and develops a beautiful smoky crust over hardwood coals.

Serves 4–6 people

Ingredients

Pork

1 whole pork fillet (700g–1kg)
1 tbsp olive oil

Charkii Braai Rub

1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp brown sugar

Honey Mustard Glaze

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Finishing Butter

2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Remove the pork fillet from the refrigerator 30–45 minutes before cooking.
Trim any silver skin from the fillet.
Lightly coat with olive oil.
Combine all rub ingredients and season generously over the entire fillet.

Fire Setup

For best Charkii results:

Build a strong hardwood coal bed.
Create a two-zone fire:
- Hot direct heat zone
- Medium indirect zone
Add a small chunk of apple, pecan, or cherry wood for subtle smoke.

Target cooking temperature:

Direct zone: 220–250°C
Indirect zone: 180–200°C

Cooking Method

Step 1 – Sear

Place the pork fillet directly over the hottest coals.

Sear 2–3 minutes per side.
Rotate regularly to develop an even crust.
Total searing time: 8–10 minutes.

Step 2 – Glaze

Mix glaze ingredients together.

Brush lightly over the pork and move to the indirect zone.

Step 3 – Roast

Cook indirectly for approximately:

10–15 minutes for medium
15–20 minutes for medium-well

Internal temperatures:

63°C = juicy and slightly pink
68°C = medium-well

Remove from heat when the internal temperature reaches 63–65°C.

Resting

Mix the butter, garlic and parsley.

Place small pieces of butter over the hot pork fillet and loosely tent with foil.

Rest for 10 minutes.

The butter will melt into the crust while the juices redistribute.

Serving

Slice into 1–2 cm medallions and serve with:

Braaied baby potatoes
Charred corn with herb butter
Grilled apples
Traditional South African braai broodjies

Charkii Pitmaster Tip

For an elevated South African flavour, sprinkle freshly toasted crushed coriander seeds over the pork immediately before serving. The coriander and applewood smoke combination works exceptionally well with pork and gives the fillet a classic braai character.

Target result:

A beautifully caramelised crust, gentle wood smoke flavour, and a juicy, tender pork fillet with a sweet mustard glaze that pairs perfectly with a Charkii Braai.

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A whole slab of pork rashers cooked over a Charkii Braai delivers the perfect combination of smoky flavour, crispy edges, and juicy meat. The key is cooking low and slow first, then finishing hot for caramelisation.

Ingredients

Pork

1 whole slab pork rashers (1.5–2kg)
2 tbsp olive oil

Charkii Braai Rub

2 tsp coarse salt
2 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Sticky Braai Glaze

3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp apricot jam
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp crushed garlic

Preparation

Pat the pork rashers dry with paper towel.
Lightly coat with olive oil.
Mix all rub ingredients together.
Season generously on both sides.
Allow to rest for 30–60 minutes while the Charkii Braai heats up.

Braai Setup

For best results:

Build a medium charcoal fire.
Allow coals to burn down to a steady heat.
Set up a two-zone fire:
- One side medium heat.
- One side high heat for finishing.

Ideal cooking temperature:

160–180°C indirect heat.

Cooking Method

Stage 1 – Slow Smoke

Place pork rashers on the medium-heat side.

Cook for:

60–75 minutes

Turn every 15–20 minutes.

The fat will slowly render and the meat will begin to take on a deep golden colour.

Stage 2 – Glaze

Mix all glaze ingredients.

Brush generously over the rashers.

Continue cooking for:

15–20 minutes

Apply another layer of glaze every 5 minutes.

Stage 3 – Crispy Finish

Move the rashers directly over the hotter coals.

Cook:

2–3 minutes per side

Watch carefully to avoid burning the glaze.

The edges should become beautifully caramelised and slightly crisp.

Rest

Remove from the braai and rest for:

10 minutes

Slice between the bones and serve immediately.

Charkii Braai Serving Suggestions

Serve with:

Traditional South African pap and tomato relish
Braaibroodjies
Chargrilled corn on the cob
Coleslaw
Pickled onions

Charkii Pitmaster Tip

For competition-quality flavour, add a handful of soaked applewood or peachwood chips to the charcoal during the first 30 minutes of cooking. The sweet smoke pairs exceptionally well with pork and enhances the caramelised glaze.

Finished Charkii Braai Pork Rashers

Result: Tender, smoky pork with rendered fat, a sticky sweet-savory glaze, and beautifully crisp caramelised edges—the perfect centerpiece for a Charkii Braai feast.

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These sticky, smoky pork belly bites are known throughout the BBQ world as Pork Candy or Pork Belly Burnt Ends. The combination of low-and-slow smoking, brown sugar, honey and a final caramelising glaze creates rich, sweet, smoky morsels that practically melt in your mouth. Traditional methods smoke the pork belly first, then finish it with butter, honey and sauce before glazing.

Serves 6–8 as a starter or snack

Ingredients

Pork

2 kg pork belly, skin removed
2 tbsp olive oil

Charkii Pork Candy Rub

2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp coarse salt
2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper

Candy Glaze

100 g butter
½ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup honey
½ cup smoky BBQ sauce
2 tbsp apple juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Smoking Wood

Apple wood chunks (recommended)
Alternatively cherry or pecan wood

Apple and fruit woods pair particularly well with pork belly burnt ends.

Method

1. Prepare the Pork Belly

Remove any remaining skin.
Cut into 3–4 cm cubes.
Toss with olive oil.
Coat thoroughly with the Charkii Pork Candy Rub.

Allow to sit for 20–30 minutes while preparing the Charkii Braai.

2. Set Up the Charkii Smoker Attachment

Build a medium charcoal fire.
Fit the Charkii smoker attachment.
Add apple wood chunks.
Stabilise temperature at 120–130°C.

The goal is clean blue smoke rather than heavy white smoke.

3. First Smoke

Arrange pork belly cubes on a rack.
Smoke for 2½–3 hours.
The cubes should develop a rich mahogany colour and firm bark.

Low-and-slow smoking creates the deep flavour and bark that make pork candy famous.

4. The Candy Stage

Transfer pork cubes to a cast-iron pan or foil tray.
Add:
- butter
- brown sugar
- honey
- apple juice
- Worcestershire sauce
Toss gently.
Cover tightly with foil.
Return to smoker for 1½–2 hours.

The covered stage renders fat and creates the signature soft, sticky texture.

5. Charkii Glaze Finish

Remove foil.
Drain excess liquid if necessary.
Stir through BBQ sauce.
Increase smoker temperature to 160–170°C.
Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes.

The glaze should become dark, shiny and tacky.

6. Rest & Serve

Rest for 10 minutes.

Serve straight from the pan with:

Pickles
Jalapeños
Fresh bread rolls
Coleslaw
Cold beer

Charkii Pitmaster Tips

Use pork belly with good marbling.

Apple wood gives the most authentic sweet-smoke flavour.

Cook until probe tender (around 93–96°C internal).

For extra South African flavour, add 1 tsp toasted coriander seed to the rub.

Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky salt immediately before serving.

What You're Looking For

The finished Pork Candy should have:

Deep mahogany colour
Sticky caramelised glaze
Crisp bark edges
Soft, buttery interior
Sweet smoky flavour with a slight spice kick

These are one of the most popular dishes cooked on a smoker because the pork belly absorbs smoke beautifully before being transformed into rich, sticky "meat candy."

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Serves 4–6 people

Ingredients

Pork

6 thick-cut pork loin chops (2.5–3 cm thick)
2 tbsp olive oil

Charkii Braai Rub

2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp brown sugar

Smoky Apple Glaze

125 ml apple juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp butter

Method

1. Prepare the Chops

Pat the pork chops dry.
Coat lightly with olive oil.
Mix all rub ingredients and season generously on both sides.
Allow to rest at room temperature for 30–40 minutes.

2. Prepare the Charkii Braai

Fill the Charkii firebox with quality lump charcoal.
Light and allow the coals to develop a medium-hot cooking zone.
Fit the Charkii smoker attachment and add a handful of apple or pecan wood chips for a mild sweet smoke.

3. Make the Glaze

Combine apple juice, honey, mustard and vinegar in a small saucepan.
Simmer until reduced by about half.
Stir in butter and keep warm.

4. Braai the Pork

Place chops over indirect heat and close the lid.
Smoke-roast for 15–20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches approximately 58°C.
Move chops directly over the coals.
Sear for 1–2 minutes per side.
Brush with glaze during the final minute of cooking.

5. Rest

Remove when internal temperature reaches 63°C.
Rest for 5–8 minutes before serving.

Charkii Pro Tip

The key to juicy pork loin chops is smoking first and searing last. The Charkii smoker attachment adds gentle wood-fired flavour while keeping the meat moist before finishing over the hot coals.

Serving Suggestions

Roasted baby potatoes
Charred mielies (corn)
Apple and cabbage slaw
Grilled peaches
Traditional South African braai broodjies

Expected Result

The finished chops should have:

A rich mahogany colour
Light apple-wood smoke aroma
Juicy, tender centre
Sweet and savoury caramelised glaze
Crisp, flavourful crust from the Charkii braai fire finish

Cooking Time: 25–30 minutes
Target Internal Temperature: 63°C after resting
Wood Choice: Apple, pecan, or cherry wood for best results.

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