John Torode revealed a secret ingredient for cooking pork chops in a This Morning segment which aired from Northumberland on Tuesday.
The Australian celebrity chef, who is best-known for presenting MasterChef alongside co-host Gregg Wallace, shared on his Instagram page that he was filming in the region in autumn last year, having visited Bamburgh Castle and Swallow Fish in Seahouses. And in the first of a multi-part series, he took his bicycle across the Ladykirk and Norham Bridge over the River Tweed into England, heading for one of the county's top attractions.
From the bridge, it would have been an-hour-and-a-half cycle to Holy Island, which attracts as many as half a million visitors each year. John's first stop after making it across the Causeway was St. Aidan's Winery, the home of the famous Lindisfarne Mead.
Read more: Masterchef host John Torode visits Bamburgh Castle during filming for This Morning
Made by monks since the mid-6th century, it's the oldest form of alcohol, with mead referring to any base of alcohol where honey is in it. But John wasn't intending to use it to get tipsy, instead he cooked with the boozy treat - made with local heather honey and caramel.
Setting up in front of the stunning Lindisfarne Castle, John revealed what he considered the perfect way to cook a pork chop. Cutting through the rind and into the skin and fat so as not to dry it out, he fried it then added blanched parsnips, a big chunk of butter and a "good glug of Holy Island mead."
Removing the pork from the pan, he then added ginger, chilli, five spice, soy sauce and mustard seeds to the parsnips with another glug of mead before serving on a bed of kimchi - before saying: "But hey, the tide's coming in, I've got to go back to the mainland!"
To see John's full recipe for sticky pork chops and honey and mead parsnips, click here.
What's your secret cooking hack? Let us know!
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