The best marinade for lamb or pork

Hello! Today I am pleased to share my special marinade for lamb or pork. The combination of mustard, garlic, dried spearmint, paprika and rosemary makes the kind of magic I cannot possibly describe. You’ll just have to try it to know 🙂

For this recipe, you’ll need a small pestle and mortar. It will take just a few minutes to prepare the marinade and to rub it on the meat. Then, you’ll have to leave it in the fridge for at least four hours for the marinade to work its magic on the meat before cooking time. You’ll find below all my best tips to make this delicious roast including the recipe for the tzatziki dip. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2-3)

Lamb or pork (chops or large chunks)

1-2 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 sprig of rosemary (the leaves only)

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika or cayenne

1 teaspoon dried spearmint

1-2 teaspoons of mustard

4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of curry powder

Juice of 1 medium orange (for baking)

Juice of 1 small lemon (optionally, at the end)

PREPARATION

Put the rosemary leaves in a pestle and mortar. You want the leaves to be tender so if any at the botom of the sprig are too hard, leave them out. Add the garlic and a tiny amount of salt, a tiny amount of olive oil. Beat the contents for a couple of minutes as best as you can.

Add the rest of the olive oil, curry powder, spearmint, cayenne (or paprika), mustard. Use the pestle or a small spoon to mix the ingredients well. Do not add salt. The amount of olive oil depends on how much meat you’re cooking. Add more if the liquid doesn’t seem enough.

Wash the meat under the tap and use kitchen paper to dry it.

Put in a bowl. Add the marinade mix. Rub well on the meat using your hands.

Cover the bowl with a lid or with cellophane wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Suggested way to cook the meat:

Place the marinated meat in a roasting tin. Add salt and pepper and rub it on the meat well.

Cut up potatoes and put them in the marinade bowl. Add a little oregano optionally, salt and pepper, and mix them well in the leftover marinade. There will be little left of the marinade. That’s okay. All they need is a little smear on them. If needed, rub them on the meat pieces a little 🙂

Place the potatoes in the roasting tin around the meat pieces. Sprinkle the potatoes and the meat with olive oil. Add fresh orange juice on the side of the tin (not over the contents). If it seems too dry, add a little water.

Preheat oven at 195 degrees Celsius to cook on a low self with air and grill (second self from the bottom is what I use).

If you’re cooking pork:

Turn over meat at 30 minutes and sprinkle salt on both sides of the meat. Cook for another 30 minutes. Total cooking time 1 hr.

If you’re cooking lamb:

Same as above, except cooking may take up to 1.5 hour depending on how big the lamb pieces are. Turn over the meat every half hour. For medium-size chunks it takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to cook the meat in my oven. 

At the end of cooking, sprinkle the juice of one small lemon on the meat and vegetables. Put back in the oven for 1 minute for the acidity of the lemon to mix in with the flavours of the food. Done!

Have a generous green salad and tzatziki dip ready and sit back for pure yumminess! Enjoy!

Carrots are delicious in all meat roasts! Add them raw from the beginning just like the potatoes. If I use tomatillos too, I add them about 20-30 minutes before the end. I roll them in the juice and sprinkle them with salt when I put them in. Never pass on a chance to include tzatziki in your roast meat dishes! Here is my homemade tzatziki recipe with fresh herbs.

Note: I occasionaly make this meal with oregano instead of spearmint. Oregano tastes woody and makes for a delicious variation, closer to Greek tastes. Just beware that oregano is bitter, so only use a sprinkle, not a teaspoon!

 

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