This summer we’ve teamed up with trained chef and BBQ master Richard Holden to produce a series of restaurant-worthy recipes to help curb our appetites while staying at home. From British classics to Mediterranean favourites, Richard’s Lockdown Menu brings the flavours and quality of the foods we’re all missing to our own kitchens.

These tacos are the perfect BBQ recipe for sharing with friends this summer. Ensure to get the meat temperatures just right to ensure sweet, smoky, melt-in-the-mouth pork — incredible paired with the fresh crunch of grilled corn salsa.

Temperatures

Continuing to cook until the pork reaches a core temperature of 92-95°C. Remove from the barbecue and leave wrapped in foil and rest for an hour.

Ingredients

For the pulled pork

• 2.25kg pork shoulder, boneless and skinless
• BBQ Rub (I used Angus & Oink Porky Whites)
• Bottle of cider
• Whiskey wood chips, soaked in water for 20 mins
• 1 bottle of good barbecue sauce (I used Sauce Shop Cherry Bourbon BBQ Sauce)

For the grilled corn salsa

• 6 corn on the cobs, left in the husks and soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 5 large tomatoes
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 limes
• ½ packet fresh mint, picked and torn
• Salt and pepper

For the serve

• Tortilla wraps
• Salad leaves

Directions

To make the pulled pork

• Preheat the barbecue to 100-120°C indirect heat with a water pan for humidity and temperature regulation.
• Dust the pork evenly with the barbecue rub and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes so the dry seasonings can absorb some juices from the meat and begin to soak back in.
• Drain the wood chips and add to the barbecue before placing the pork on the grill in an area of indirect heat. Close the lid, leave the vents open as applicable and cook at a steady 100-120°C until the pork reaches a core temperature of around 70-75°C.
• Place the pork in a roasting tray and add the cider until it is around 1cm deep before snuggly covering with foil. Return to the barbecue, topping up the water tray with boiling water as necessary, while continuing to cook until the pork reaches a core temperature of 92-95°C.
• Remove from the barbecue, leave wrapped in foil and rest for an hour while you make the corn salsa.

To make the corn salsa

• Increase the barbecue to 250°C direct grilling heat.
• Remove the corn from the water and place on the grate and close the lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes before lifting the lid to rotate and closing again. Continue doing this until the outside of the corn husks are totally blackened and the corn kernels are soft. Remove from the grill and place to one side to cool while you make the rest of the salsa.
• Quarter the tomatoes and discard the seeds. Finely chop the flesh and add to a bowl with the red and spring onions.
• Zest and juice the limes into the salsa bowl and begin peeling the blackened skins from the corn. With the cobs cleaned off use a knife to cut the length of the cobs to remove the kernels. You may want to do this in a shallow roasting tray as the kernels of corn have a tendency to ping everywhere!

• Add the corn and mint leaves to the bowl, taste and season. This is literally sunshine in a bowl!

To assemble

• After resting, the pork should still be hot but cool enough to handle. Remove the pork from the tray and use your hands or a couple of forks to shred the meat into a large warmed bowl.
• Meanwhile, warm the barbecue sauce in a pan. When the pork is all pulled and the sauce is hot, pour enough over the meat to lightly coat it. Use any extra to serve alongside as a condiment.
• Toast the wraps on the residual heat of the barbecue and place on the table with the pork, salsa and salad leaves so everyone can help themselves and build their perfect taco!

Richard Holden

Trained Chef & BBQ Specialist

@richardholdencooks

"I'm all about cooking from scratch using the best quality ingredients. When you know exactly what's gone into your food you want to make sure it's cooked perfectly. With the speed and accuracy of a Thermapen you know this is spot on every time."