Colorado Green Chili

From Cook's Country | October/November 2013

Why this recipe works:

Unlike Texas chili, this Colorado dish is based on pork and lots of green Hatch chiles. Since you have to mail-order real Hatch chiles, we approximate the flavor with Anaheims and jalapeños. Halving the Anaheims before roasting means no tedious flipping, and pureeing half of the chiles (along with a can of diced tomatoes) while chopping the other half by hand creates texture. Pork butt is rich and meaty, and starting it in a covered pan with water until the fat renders lets us brown it all in one batch. Using the oven to cook the chili provides gentle heat—and hands-off cooking—and finishing the stew with the chopped, roasted jalapeños adds a fresh hit of heat.
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Colorado Green Chili

More than 2 pounds of chiles go into this mildly spicy stew, making it as much about the green chile peppers as the pork. Watch the Video

Serves 6

The chiles can be roasted and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt
• 2 pounds (10 to 12) Anaheim chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
• 3 jalapeño chiles
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• Cayenne pepper
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. 1. Combine pork, ½ cup water, and ½ teaspoon salt in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until liquid evaporates and pork browns in its own fat, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer pork to bowl and set aside.
   
   2. Meanwhile, adjust 1 oven rack to lowest position and second rack 6 inches from broiler element. Heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange Anaheims, skin side up, and jalapeños in single layer on prepared sheet. Place sheet on upper rack and broil until chiles are mostly blackened and soft, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet and flipping only jalapeños halfway through broiling. Place Anaheims in large bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let cool for 5 minutes. Set aside jalapeños. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
   
   3. Remove skins from Anaheims. Chop half of Anaheims into ½-inch pieces and transfer to bowl. Process remaining Anaheims in food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds; transfer to bowl with chopped Anaheims. Pulse tomatoes and their juice in now-empty food processor until coarsely ground, about 4 pulses.
   
   4. Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, Anaheims, tomatoes, and pork with any accumulated juices and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cover pot, transfer to lower oven rack, and cook until pork is tender, 1 to 1¼ hours.
   
   5. Without peeling, stem and seed jalapeños and reserve seeds. Finely chop jalapeños and stir into chili. Season chili with salt, cayenne, and reserved jalapeño seeds to taste. Serve with lime wedges.
   

Test Kitchen Technique: Easier Roasted Chiles

Roasting chiles whole and then seeding them—the usual procedure—makes a mess: The wet seeds stick to everything. We halve and seed the raw Anaheims. It’s neater and lets us skip the usual flipping step. We leave the jalapeños whole; they soften but don’t deeply roast.

READY FOR ROASTING: Arrange the chiles head to foot for the best fit.

Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Chops

Pan-Fried Pork Chops
In search of an easy way to build big flavor, we revisited an old-fashioned cooking method: pan-frying. Was it time to bring it back? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

Center-cut or bone-in pork chops work best here. The bone adds valuable flavor to the meat and prevents it from drying out.
Simply dredging the pork chops in flour, as most recipes instruct, produced a spotty, insubstantial crust that wouldn’t stay put. We recalled that the test kitchen had success letting floured chicken rest before re-dredging and frying. The second dredge made for a sturdier, more substantial crust. Sure enough, our double-dipped chops emerged from the pan with a hefty, crisp, golden brown crust.
To flavor the crust, we settled on garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Applying the spices directly to the meat, rather than adding it to the flour, let us season the chops more thoroughly.
Augmenting the oil with the fat from three slices of bacon gave the dish succulence and a depth of smoky flavor that, combined with the garlicky, golden crust, had tasters licking their chops.

Serves 4

Chops between ¾ and 1 inch thick will work in this recipe.

1 teaspoon  garlic powder 
1/2 teaspoon  paprika 
1/2 teaspoon  salt 
1/2 teaspoon  pepper 
1/4 teaspoon  cayenne pepper 
1 cup  all-purpose flour 
4 bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops . about 3/4 inch thick
3 slices  bacon , chopped
1/2 cup  vegetable oil 

1. COAT CHOPS Combine garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Place flour in shallow dish. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Cut 2 slits about 2 inches apart through fat on edges of each chop. Season both sides of chops with spice mixture, then dredge chops lightly in flour (do not discard flour). Transfer to plate and let rest 10 minutes.

2. RENDER BACON Meanwhile, cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and reserve for another use. Do not wipe out pan.

3. FRY CHOPS Add oil to fat in pan and heat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Return chops to flour dish and turn to coat. Cook chops until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve.

STUPID DELICIOUS! Roast Pork with Peach Sauce

Everyone LOVED this. The meat is sticky with porky goodness. A total keeper! We used 1 1/2 mangoes instead of peaches. Yum!

Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Peach Sauce

From the episode: Fall Favorites

Serves 8 to 12
We prefer natural to enhanced pork (pork that has been injected with a salt solution to increase moistness and flavor), though both will work in this recipe. Add more water to the roasting pan as necessary during the last hours of cooking to prevent the fond from burning. Serve the pork with the accompanying peach sauce or cherry sauce (related recipe) or with a sweet-tart chutney.
INGREDIENTS
PORK ROAST
1 bone-in pork butt , 6 to 8 pounds (see note)
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  ground black pepper
PEACH SAUCE
10 ounces frozen peaches , cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 cups) or 2 fresh peaches, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
INSTRUCTIONS
1. FOR THE ROAST: Using sharp knife, cut slits 1 inch apart in crosshatch pattern in fat cap of roast, being careful not to cut into meat. Combine salt and brown sugar in medium bowl. Rub salt mixture over entire pork shoulder and into slits. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic wrap, place on rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
2. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Unwrap roast and brush off any excess salt mixture from surface. Season roast with pepper. Transfer roast to V-rack coated with nonstick cooking spray set in large roasting pan and add 1 quart water to roasting pan.
3. Cook roast, basting twice during cooking, until meat is extremely tender and instant-read thermometer inserted into roast near but not touching bone registers 190 degrees, 5 to 6 hours. Transfer roast to carving board and let rest, loosely tented with foil, 1 hour. Transfer liquid in roasting pan to fat separator and let stand 5 minutes. Pour off ¼ cup jus; discard fat and reserve remaining jus for another use.
4. FOR THE SAUCE: Bring peaches, wine, granulated sugar, ¼ cup vinegar, ¼ cup defatted jus, and thyme to simmer in small saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 2 cups, about 30 minutes. Stir in remaining tablespoon vinegar and mustard. Remove thyme, cover, and keep warm.
5. Using sharp paring knife, cut around inverted T-shaped bone until it can be pulled free from roast (use clean kitchen towel to grasp bone). Using serrated knife, slice roast. Serve, passing sauce separately.
TECHNIQUE
THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING THINGS SLOW
For super-tender meat and a deeply browned crust, our roast pork shoulder takes time—about 24 hours total—but the results are worth the wait.

OVERNIGHT SALTY-SWEET RUB
We rub our roast with a mixture of salt and sugar and let it rest overnight. The salt enhances juiciness and seasons the meat throughout, while the sugar caramelizes to create a crackling-crisp, salty-sweet crust.

LOW OVEN
Just like in a pot roast, cooking the pork low and slow (325 degrees for 5 to 6 hours) pushes the meat well beyond its “done” mark into the 190-degree range, encouraging intramuscular fat to melt, collagen to break down and tenderize the meat, and the fat cap to render and crisp.
TECHNIQUE
BONE-IN PORK BUTT: FATTY, MOIST, FLAVORFUL
Instead of the lean, center-cut loin, our choice for roasting is pork butt (also known as Boston butt). This shoulder roast packs plenty of intramuscular fat that melts and bastes the meat during cooking, and it’s available with or without the bone. We prefer bone-in for two reasons: First, bone conducts heat poorly and, in effect, acts as an insulator against heat. This means that the meat surrounding it stays cooler and the roast cooks at a slower, gentler pace. Second, bones have a large percentage of the meat’s connective tissue attached to them, which eventually breaks down to gelatin and helps the roast retain moisture.

BETTER WITH THE BONE

Smokey sweet pork chops

1/3 cup marmalade
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
4-6 boneless pork chops

Season chops with salt and pepper. Spread a teaspoon of sauce over each chop. Let marinade for 30 min at room temp. Grill For 5 min each side brushing with sauce to glaze. Finish under broiler for 5 minutes to cook through particularly thick chops.

Serve with extra sauce.

Slow cooker Apple braised pork chops

6 thin cut pork chops (I prefer sirloin)
2 teaspoons garam masala
Salt

3 teaspoons Vegetable oil divided
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
2 small onions thinly sliced
4 tart apples,peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
Splash of cider vinegar

Season both sides of the pork with garam masala and salt. Slice onions and peel and cube apples. Add cider vinegar to the apples to prevent browning. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a stainless steel sauté pan until smoking. Sear 3 pork chops, 3 min per side. Place pork chops in your slow cooker, Deglazed the pan with wine and pour the reduced wine over pork chops. Wipe out skillet well and sear the other 3 pork chops using another teaspoon of oil. Place them in the slow cooker.

Add butter and remaining teaspoon of oil to skillet, add onions, season with salt, cook the onions over medium until golden. Deglaze with chicken stock and add the apples. Cook until the apples are caramelized and golden. Deglaze with brandy and flambé the onions and apples. Pour over the pork chops and add a handful of golden raisins or dried cranberries.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Pour off juices and remove fat with a fat separator. Thicken the gravy slightly with a roux and add a tiny bit of orange zest to finish.. Season as needed. Serve pork with the apples spooned over top with some wild rice.

Carnitas

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Traditional carnitas, Mexico’s version of pulled pork, is fried in gallons of lard or oil. The results are tasty, but who wants to deal with all that hot fat? We wanted t...(more)

Like the best barbecue, Mexico’s version of pulled pork offers fall-apart chunks of crisp meat—but without the hassle of tending a fire.

Serves 6
We like serving carnitas spooned into tacos, but you can also use it as a filling for tamales, enchiladas, and burritos.

INGREDIENTS
Pork
1(3 1/2-to 4-pound) boneless pork butt , fat cap trimmed to 1/8 inch thick, cut into 2-inch chunks
1teaspoon ground cumin
1small onion , peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1teaspoon dried oregano
2tablespoons juice from 1 lime
2cups water
1medium orange , halved
Tortillas and Garnishes
18(6-inch) corn tortillas , warmed
  Lime wedges
  Minced white or red onion
  Fresh cilantro leaves
  Thinly sliced radishes
  Sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine pork, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, onion, bay leaves, oregano, lime juice, and water in large Dutch oven (liquid should just barely cover meat). Juice orange into medium bowl and remove any seeds (you should have about 1/3 cup juice). Add juice and spent orange halves to pot. Bring mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until meat is soft and falls apart when prodded with fork, about 2 hours, flipping pieces of meat once during cooking.
2. Remove pot from oven and turn oven to broil. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to bowl; remove orange halves, onion, and bay leaves from cooking liquid and discard (do not skim fat from liquid). Place pot over high heat (use caution, as handles will be very hot) and simmer liquid, stirring frequently, until thick and syrupy (heatsafe spatula should leave wide trail when dragged through glaze), 8 to 12 minutes. You should have about 1 cup reduced liquid.
3. Using 2 forks, pull each piece of pork in half. Fold in reduced liquid; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread pork in even layer on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet or on broiler pan (meat should cover almost entire surface of rack or broiler pan). Place baking sheet on lower-middle rack and broil until top of meat is well browned (but not charred) and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, flip pieces of meat and continue to broil until top is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and garnishes.
TECHNIQUE
DON'T CUT THE FAT
Leaving a 1/8-inch layer of fat on the pork is critical to imparting the best flavor and texture to the final dish. Overtrimming the meat will lead to dry, bland carnitas.

Unbelievable slow cooker kalua pork

This pork has incredible flavor. You will be amazed what 2 little ingredients can do. Tastes very authentic.

6-10 lb. Pork butt roast
1 tablespoon natural salt (hawaiin pink or Utah "real salt" brand salt)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Score fat cap on roast. Rub liquid smoke and salt into pork. Cook on high for 2 hours and then on low for 5 hours. Pour off juices and remove fat. Let roast cool and then shred meat. Season with the pork jus and serve with pearl rice and sautéed cabbage. Perfect for a luau!

Chipotle peach chicken or pork

1/3 cup peach preserves
1/3 cup peach, apricot, or mango nectar
1 tablespoon red wine or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Tablespoon loin oil (extra virgin)
S&P
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from chipotle (I do 1 1/2 tsp for the kids, divide the completed sauce and add more for adults)

4 chicken breasts or pork chops
3 semi-ripe peaches cut into eighths

Mix all ingredients together. Pour half of sauce over chicken or pork to marinade for 30 min up to 4 hours. Grill meat, brushing with left over marinade. Dip peaches in reserved sauce and grill on med-high for 2 min ea. Side until lightly charred. Serve peaches over meat and pass remaining sauce at the table.

From epicurious.com
This is low calorie and full flavor

Jamaican jerk

Bone in pork chops (4-6) or a whole cut up chicken (5 lbs.)

2 serrano chilis or half a habanjero
1 jalapeño
4 garlic cloves
Juice from a juicy lime
Zest from 1/8 of a lime
Juice from an orange
Zest from a 1/16 of an orange
1 1/2 in of fresh Ginger
4 green onions
1 tsp. Cloves
2 tsp. Allspice
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Dried thyme or 3 tsp fresh
2 tbls. Soy sauce

Cut each item into one inch pieces and blend in a food processor until smooth. Marinade meat for 4 hours for pork and 6-8 hours for chicken. Grill meat and enjoy!

Tennessee-Whiskey Pork Chops

Tennessee-Whiskey Pork Chops

From the episode: Regional Chops

A popular restaurant serves a "Jack Daniel’s" pork chop that sounds better than it really is. The concept, however, sounded good enough that we wanted to perfect it at home.

Serves 4.

Refrigerate the marinating chops in a shallow bowl in case the zipper-lock bag leaks. Watch the glaze closely during the last few minutes of cooking—the bubbles become very small as it approaches the right consistency.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey or 1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
4 bone-in, center-cut pork chops , about 1 inch thick
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
#

1. Whisk whiskey, cider, brown sugar, mustard, cayenne, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons vinegar together in medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup whiskey mixture to gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, add pork chops, press air out of bag, and seal. Turn bag to coat chops with marinade and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Reserve remaining whiskey mixture separately.
#

2. Remove chops from bag, pat dry with paper towels, and discard marinade. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Season chops with salt and pepper and cook until well browned on both sides and a peek into thickest part of a chop using paring knife yields still-pink meat 1/4 inch from surface, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chops to plate and cover tightly with foil.
#

3. Add reserved whiskey mixture to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Cook until reduced to thick glaze, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and, holding on to chops, tip plate to add any accumulated juices back to skillet. Add remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar, whisk in butter, and simmer glaze until thick and sticky, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
#

4. Return chops to skillet and let rest in pan until sauce clings to chops, turning chops occasionally to coat both sides, and a peek into thickest part of a pork chop using paring knife shows completely cooked meat (145 degrees on instant-read thermometer), about 5 minutes. Transfer chops to platter and spoon sauce over. Serve.

Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles (Lo Mein)

Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles (Lo Mein)
from the Episode: Let's Do Chinese


Use a cast-iron skillet for this recipe if you have one—it will help create the best sear on the pork. When shopping for Chinese rice wine, look for one that is amber in color; if not available, sherry wine may be used as a substitute. If no hoisin sauce is available, substitute 1 tablespoon of sugar. If boneless pork ribs are unavailable, substitute 1 1/2 pounds of bone-in country-style ribs, followed by the next best option, pork tenderloin. Liquid smoke provides a flavor reminiscent of the Chinese barbecued pork traditional to this dish. It is important that the noodles are cooked at the last minute to avoid clumping. See below for information on buying noodles.

Serves 4 3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see note)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs , trimmed of surface fat and excess gristle and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch pieces (see note)
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine (Shao-Xing) or dry sherry (see note)
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms , stems trimmed, caps cut in halves or thirds (about 3 cups)
2 bunches scallions , whites thinly sliced and greens cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 small head Napa or Chinese cabbage , halved, cored, and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (about 4 cups)
12 ounces Chinese egg noodles (fresh) or 8 ounces dried linguine (see note)
1 tablespoon Asian chile garlic sauce


See Illustrations Below: Noodles for Lo Mein

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat.

2. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder together in medium bowl. Place 3 tablespoons soy sauce mixture in large zipper-lock bag; add pork and liquid smoke, if using. Press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Whisk broth and cornstarch into remaining soy sauce mixture in medium bowl. In separate small bowl, mix garlic and ginger with 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil; set aside.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork in single layer, breaking up clumps with wooden spoon. Cook, without stirring, 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons wine to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is reduced and pork is well coated, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer pork to medium bowl and repeat with remaining pork, 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.

4. Return skillet to high heat, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add scallions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes longer; transfer vegetables to bowl with pork.

5. Add remaining teaspoon vegetable oil and cabbage to now-empty skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Clear center of skillet; add garlic-ginger mixture and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into cabbage; return pork-vegetable mixture and chicken broth-soy mixture to skillet; simmer until thickened and ingredients are well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

6. While cabbage is cooking, stir noodles into boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, 3 to 4 minutes for fresh Chinese noodles or 10 minutes for dried linguine. Drain noodles and transfer back to Dutch oven; add cooked stir-fry mixture and garlic-chili sauce, tossing noodles constantly, until sauce coats noodles. Serve immediately.




Step-by-Step: Noodles for Lo Mein
Developing the recipe for our Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles, we discovered that not any old noodle will do.



NO THANKS
Vacuum-packed fresh noodles from the grocery store labeled “Chinese-style” were gummy and pasty.
BEST BET
The slightly dry and curly fresh egg noodles labeled “lo mein” from an Asian market boasted firm texture and the best flavor.

BEST ALTERNATIVE
Dried linguine, though not authentic, offered a firm chewiness similar to lo mein.

Easy Oven Hoisin Pork

5 lbs country style pork ribs (bone-in preferred)
1 16 oz. bottle Soy Vay, Hoisin Garlic marinade/sauce
1 half of a star anise

Pour 1/2 of the bottle of sauce in a glass dish. Place meat in a single layer and pour remaining sauce on the pork. Place uncovered in a 300 degree oven. Cover after 60 minutes. Cook for a total of 3 hours or until the meat is tender and a gorgeous mahogany color.

Remove sauce from the pan and simmer on the stove in a small sauce pan with the piece of star anise for 10-15 minutes or until reduced. You may thicken with some corn starch if you prefer. Serve with Japanese style rice and steamed broccoli.

Tuscan Meatball Soup

A very hearty and comforting soup. You may substitute good store-bought sweet Italian sausage for the ground pork and seasonings. I like making my own as I can better control the flavor (I like lots of garlic and fennel).

Soup base:

2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter

1 cup chopped carrots

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1-2 bay leaves

Meatballs:

1 lb. pork sausage

1 egg

½ cup parmesan cheese

2 slices white bread torn into small pieces

¼ c. milk

About 1 teaspoon total of dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, etc)

1-2 teaspoons sweet paprika

½-1 teaspoon fennel seeds (toasting in a dry pan in recommended but optional)

Red Pepper flakes

2 T. chopped Italian parsley

1-2 cloves garlic minced

Dash of Worcestershire

Remaining ingredients:

8-10 cups chicken stock

½ cup white wine

15 oz. can of cannelini beans (drained)

¾ lb. small sized pasta (preferably one that cooks in about 8 minutes)

Bunch of kale (or your favorite green)

Heat the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bay leaves. Sauté carrots, onion, and celery until onions are soft and translucent. Make the meatballs while the veggies sauté.

In a bowl, pour milk over the torn pieces of bread and set aside. Beat the egg and add the parsley, pepper flakes, salt and pepper, garlic, parmesan, paprika, fennel, and Worcestershire to it. Squeeze excess milk out of bread. Combine sausage, bread, and egg mixture. Mix thoroughly, but gently so as not to over mix and toughen the meat. Use a melon-baller to portion out the mixture and wet your hands to more easily roll into little balls. These should be small, bite sized meatballs.

Add white wine to the pot and reduce by half. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cut kale off of the ribs and into bite sized strips. Once the chicken stock is simmering, add the meatballs and the pasta. (They should both cook in about 8 minutes.) Add the kale after a few minutes so that the kale, pasta, and meatballs are done cooking at the same time. Add cannelini beans.

Ladle into warm bowls, finish with extra virgin olive oil and parmesan. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.

Kristan Davies

Maple Pork Tenderloin

3 apples and 2 red onions cut into thick wedges and place on baking sheet.
Toss with olive oil to coat and season with S&P.
Roast at 450 for 15 minutes.

Combine 1/2 C. balsamic vinegar and 4 T. REAL maple syrup in a sauce pan and reduce for 4 minutes.
Brush on a whole pork tenderloin and add tenderloin to baking sheet used to cook the apples. Reserve remaining sauce to serve with the pork. Turn apples and onions over and bake for an additional 20 minutes along with the tenderloin. Baste meat every 10 minutes with glaze.

Apple and Onion-Stuffed Pork Chops with Orange-Pineapple Gravy

Prep Time:
20 min
Inactive Prep Time:
25 min
Cook Time:
45 min

Level:
Intermediate

Serves:
4 servings

4 (1-inch thick) pork chops
2 slices bacon, roughly chopped
1 large sweet onion, 1/2 chopped and 1/2 in wedges
4 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced thin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons pineapple-orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for skillet
1 lemon, zested
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Gently cut pockets into chops by slicing horizontally in the side. On a plate, place salt and pepper. Dredge chops in seasoning. In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute the bacon, chopped onions, thyme, and sage until the bacon is almost crispy and the onions are beginning to caramelize around the edges, about 10 minutes. Pour mixture into a bowl. Add apples, butter, 2 tablespoons of pineapple-orange juice and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff each chop with apple mixture and hold together with skewers. In same skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to coat the pan and sear both sides of the chops until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Add 1 cup pineapple-orange juice and remaining onion wedges around the chops. Season with salt and pepper and bake until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops, basting 2 to 3 times. Remove pork chops from pan and let rest 10 minutes. Add remaining pineapple-orange juice and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and parsley. Pour sauce over pork chops.

Easy Oven Pulled Pork

Dry rub:
• 2 T. salt
• 2 T. black pepper
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 T. smoked paprika
• 1/4 T. cayenne
• 1 T. dried thyme
• ½ T. onion powder
• 1/2 T. garlic powder

• 4-6 pound shoulder pork roast (boston butt or picnic)
• 2 T. Worcestershire
• 2 T. yellow mustard
• 1 c. of your favorite Bbq sauce
• 2-4 T. apple cider vinegar (to taste)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix the dry rub ingredients in small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over the pork roast, massaging into the pork. For best results, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at 2 hours to overnight.
Place pork in the oven and tightly cover with aluminum foil then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until fork tender and shreds easily.
Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred the pork with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.
Skim fat from pan juices, add vinegar, Worcestershire, bbq sauce, and mustard. Whisk together and serve with pulled pork on hamburger buns.
NOTE: I often make the dry rub in a large batch and have it on hand for all types of meats.

BQ U Jalapeno Jerk Baby Back Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce

Jalapeno Jerk Baby Back Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce
BBQ U Season 1, Rib Fest Episode
Method: indirect grilling
Serves 6 to 8
4 racks of baby back ribs, peeled following the instructions on page 141/142
1 quart pineapple juice
1 bunch cilantro, washed and rough chopped
4 to 8 jalapeno chilies, thinly sliced
For the glaze:
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup rice or cider vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dry jerk seasoning (see below for recipe) or use your favorite commercial brand
Pineapple Barbecue Sauce (see below for recipe)
2 cups wood chips, soaked in water to cover for 1 hour, then drained
1. Place the ribs in a large roasting pan. Pour 4 cups pineapple juice over them and add the cilantro and jalapenos. Marinate the ribs for 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Place the 2 cups pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, butter, and pepper in a heavy saucepan and boil until syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. The mixture should reduce to about 1 cup.
3. Drain the ribs and blot dry. Sprinkle on both sides with the jerk seasoning, rubbing it into the meat with your fingertips.
4. Set up your grill for indirect grilling If using a gas grill, place wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat at high until you see smoke. Then reduce the heat to medium (325 degrees). If using a charcoal grill, preheat to medium (325 degrees).
5. Drain the ribs and place in the oven tightly wrapped in foil until tender and cooked through, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. When cooked, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by 1/4 inch. The last half hour start brushing the ribs with the glaze and brush two or three more times before serving. Finish by crisping the ribs up on the grill. Cut the racks into 3 rib pieces and serve with the Pineapple Barbecue Sauce below.
Pineapple Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 2 cups
Pineapple juice makes an fitting base for a barbecue sauce. After all, barbecue originated in the West Indies and so did the pineapple. (The latter was “discovered” by Columbus in 1493 on the island of Guadeloupe.) In the 19th century, the pineapple became an American symbol of hospitality - carved into moldings and banisters throughout New England. The fruit’s sweet, musky, acidity makes a prefect foil for pork.
2 cups pineapple juice
1 to 2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt (just a little) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Combine the pineapple juice, chili, ginger, and cilantro in a heavy saucepan and boil until reduced by half.
2. Stir the ketchup, vinegar, worchestershire sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Simmer the sauce until richly flavored and slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Dry Jerk Seasoning
Makes about 1/2 cup
Commercial dry jerk seasonings are widely available. Here’s a quick one you can make from scratch at home, and unlike many store-bought versions, it contains no MSG.
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1-1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 to 1 teaspoon scotch bonnet chili powder or cayenne pepper
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix with your fingers.