Asian Pulled Pork and Asian Slaw

The evening I made this I didn’t get to eat until after 11:00 p.m.!  Have you ever had any kitchen accidents that sent you the emergency room?  I never had any kitchen accidents prior to this.  It was a fluke accident … I was reaching up for a glass bowl, it slipped out my hands and landed on the granite and my reaction was to reach for it and it all happened so quickly before I knew it I had sliced the side of my hand open.  4 stitches and 3 hours later I was finally home and hungry!!

This was really good and a nice change from my usual pulled pork recipe, but I would only make 1/2 of the sauce next time; it makes way too much sauce.  Be safe in the kitchen and ENJOY!

Pulled Pork:

Ingredients

• 5 pounds pork shoulder/butt, bone in
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of cayenne
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• Asian BBQ Sauce:

• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• splash of sesame oil

Pork Directions:

Mix all dry rub ingredients together.  Pat dry the pork.  Sprinkle the rub mixture over the entire pork shoulder, rub into the meat.  Sprinkle with soy sauce and also rub it in.   Refrigerate overnight.

Remove pork from fridge 15 minutes prior to cooking.  Cook pork shoulder st 275 degrees covered in oven until internal temperature is 180 degrees, about 5 hours.

Remove from oven and let sit covered for 15 minutes and then shred with two forks.  Serve on buns with sauce and coleslaw on top.

Asia BBQ Sauce – Directions

Combine all ingredients in a pan and bring to a slow boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 1/2 hour or until thickened.

Asian Cole Slaw

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ½ jalapeno (seeds removed) diced
• 1 small cabbage, halved, cored and sliced
• 1½ cups grated carrots
• 6 scallions, chopped
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

1. Combine rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, sesame oil, vegetable oil, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce and jalapeno. Mix well.
2. In a large bowl toss together cabbage, carrots, scallions, and cilantro. Pour dressing onto mix and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to blend together.

Asian Coleslaw Source:  avocadopesto.com

 

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Grilled Pork Chops with Pomegranate and Pear in Balsamic Reduction Sauce

I’ve made this before without the pomegranate arils and loved it … this time I added pomegranate arils and I love it even more.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 quarts water
• 5 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 6 pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Vidalia onions, each cut into 8 wedges
• 2 pears, cored and each cut into 8 wedges
• Pomegranate Arils

 

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, stir together the water, kosher salt, and sugar. Add pork chops to this brine, and let them soak for no more than one hour. Drain and discard the brine. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels.
2. In a shallow dish, stir together the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. Place pork chops in the dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 or 2 hours.
3. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by 1/2, about 10 minutes. When the vinegar cools, it should be the consistency of syrup.
4. Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high or high heat. Add the onions and pears, and quickly brown. Continue to cook for about 7 minutes, or until tender.  The pears will cook quicker than the onions – Remove the pears and chop into cubes and continue to caramelize the onions.  Take onion out of pan once caramelized and chop.  Return both the pears and the onions to the pan. Stir in the reduced vinegar and pomegranate arils. The recipe can be prepared up to this point several hours before grilling.
5. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.
6. Warm pears on a cool section of the grill (in the skillet), while placing the pork chops over the hot part. Cook pork for about 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Remove to a serving plate, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for a few minutes. Uncover, top with the pear onion sauce, and serve.

Pork Posole and Corn on Steroids

If you’ve never tried this  … you need to.  I love this hearty soup.  I never had hominy until I made this soup … hominy is like corn on steroids!  Actually, hominy tastes like a corn tortilla and it makes the soup.  Corn muffins go great with this soup.  A fantastic corn muffin recipe will be coming next.  ENJOY!

Pork Posole

•  2 large onions, divided
• 7 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil, divided
• 4 tablespoons ancho chile powder, divided
• 1 6-to 6 1/2-pound bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4- to 5-inch pieces, some meat left on bone
• 5 cups (or more) chicken stock or broth
• 5 cups water
• 5 large garlic cloves, minced
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 15-ounce cans golden hominy, drained  (hominy is found in the canned vegetable section)
• 3 cans enchilada sauce (mild or medium according to taste)
• 4 limes, each cut into 4 wedges
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Radishes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Thinly slice 1 onion. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions to pot and sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder; stir to coat. Add pork to pot. Add 5 cups broth and 5 cups water. Bring to boil. Cover and transfer to oven.

Braise pork until tender enough to shred easily, about 2 hours. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to large bowl. Pour juices into another large bowl. Refrigerate separately uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled overnight.

Discard fat from top of chilled juices. Cut pork into large cubes, discarding excess fat. Thinly slice remaining onion. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder, garlic, and cumin; stir 30 seconds. Add pork, reserved juices, enchilada sauce and hominy. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer a couple of hours to allow flavors to blend, adding more broth to thin, if desired.

Ladle posole into bowls. Garnish with lime wedges, add sliced radish and cilantro to the soup and ENJOY!

Adapted from:  epicurious.com

Get Your Grill On with Grilled Pork Kabobs with Spicy Peanut Butter, Sesame, and Soy Sauce Marinade

There is still time to get your grill on!  I eat a lot of chicken and fish but sometimes I need to mix it up and these pork kabobs were just what I was looking for.  They are flavorful, moist and delicious, so hurry up and get your grill on!  ENJOY!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. thick pork loin chops, fat trimmed and cut into pieces about 1 inch by 2 inches

Marinade Ingredients:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
2 T vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 T lime juice
2 T smooth peanut butter (use natural peanut butter without added sugar for South Beach Diet)
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (use more or less to taste)

Instructions:

Trim visible fat from pork chops and cut into strips about 1 inch by 2 inches. (I cut each trimmed pork chop into about 4 crosswise strips.)Combine red wine vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sesame oil, lime juice, and peanut butter, then whisk until peanut butter is mixed into the other liquids. (This will take a little stirring to get it smooth.) When the mixture is well-combined, whisk in the finely minced garlic and red pepper flakes.Put pork cubes into Ziploc bag or plastic container with a snap-on lid, then pour in marinade. Let the pork strips marinate 6-8 hours in the refrigerator, turning it a few times if you’re home.When you’re ready to cook, remove the pork strips from the refrigerator and drain the marinade. (I used a colander placed in the sink to drain the pork pieces.) Thread kabobs onto skewers, folding each piece over so they won’t spin when they’re cooking. Let the pork pieces come to room temperature while you oil the grill with olive oil or non-stick grilling spray and preheat grill to medium-high. (You can only hold your hand there 2-3 seconds at that heat.)

Grill kabobs, turning several times with tongs so you get nice grill marks on each side. Kabobs are done when the pork feels firm, but not hard to the touch or when meat reaches a temperature of 160F/70C on an instant-read meat thermometer. We cooked our kabobs about 15 minutes, but actual cooking time will depend on the temperature of your grill and temperature of the meat when it’s put on the grill. Serve hot.

Source:  KalynsKitchen.com

BBQ Ribs – They Don’t Get Better Than This

Are you looking for a melt off the bone tender, sauced up, rib recipe?  Look no further .. these ribs are fantastic!  I have tried several different rib recipes over the years and this is my new favorite.  It’s okay to indulge once in a while!  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds baby back pork ribs 4 cloves garlic, sliced 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup chili sauce 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons onion, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1 clove crushed garlic

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place ribs on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Scatter 4 cloves of sliced garlic over ribs. Cover, and bake for 2 1/2 hours. Cool slightly.
2.	In a small bowl, mix together white sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and ground cumin. Rub spices over cooled ribs. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
3.	In a small saucepan, mix together brown sugar, cider vinegar, ketchup, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, onion, dry mustard, and 1 clove garlic. Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for 1 hour. Reserve a small amount for basting; the remainder is a dipping sauce.
4.	Preheat grill for medium heat.
5.	Place ribs on grill. Grill, covered, for about 15 minutes, basting with the reserved sauce, until nicely browned and glazed. Serve with remaining sauce for dipping.Source:  allrecipes.com

Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops with Gorgonzola and Apple

I took a gamble making this because Tim tells me  “the only way I like pork chops is  burned on the grill”.  Ewwww!  My gamble paid off.  Tim liked the chops and they were no where near burnt, but were moist and delicious with a sauce that says “more”!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter 1/2 tablespoon dried fresh thyme 1/2 1 cup chopped Granny Smith apples ground black pepper to taste 1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese at room temperature, crumbled 2 thick cut pork chops

1/2 teaspoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin 1/4 1/8 cup Gorgonzola cheese 3 tablespoons dry sherry 1/8 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup chicken broth apple cider salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	To make the apple stuffing: In a saute pan or skillet on medium heat, melt the butter and saute thyme, 1/2 cup chopped apples, salt and pepper together until the apples are completely softened; about 15 to 20 minutes.
2.	Place the apple mixture in a bowl and mix in 1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese. The cheese should liquefy into the stuffing within a couple of minutes.
3.	To prepare the pork chops: Butterfly the pork chops by slicing them parallel to the plane of the chop from the fat side to the bone. Stuff each one with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the apple mixture.
4.	Grill on pre-heated grill. approximately 8-10 minutes per side depending on thickness.
5.	To make the sauce: Heat the oil in a saute pan or skillet on medium heat, then saute the garlic until lightly browned and remove; saute 1/2 cup chopped apples for 10 minutes and add the cheese until slightly melting. Immediately add the sherry, let cook for a minute until combined, then add the cream and 1/4 cup of the apple cider,  and pepper. Stir until well blended. Stir occasionally and reduce the liquid on medium high heat until the sauce begins to toast/caramelize and turn darker brown. Add the remaining 1/4 cup apple cider, and continue reducing until there is just 1/4 to 1/2 cup of thick liquid remaining.

Adapted from: allrecipes.com

Pulled Pork Quesadillas with Peach Salsa – Sunshine on Your Plate

This is a Pasta Princess original recipe.  I had some frozen pulled pork (recipe here) in the freezer and was thinking of a different way to eat it rather than just putting it on a bun and came up with Pulled Pork Quesadillas.  I canned peach salsa this past summer and thought it would go great with pork.  I loved these! Give them a try – I hope you like them as much as I did.  It’s like putting sunshine on your plate!  Enjoy!

Pulled Pork Quesadilla with Peach Salsa – Sunshine on Your Plate

Makes 2 Very Large Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 2 Red Peppers
• 2 cups Pulled Pork or enough to cover each tortilla
• 1 Bag Shredded Mexican Cheese (16 oz.)
• 2 Large flour tortillas
• 1 Jar of Peach Salsa
• Cilantro (topping)
• Sour Cream or Plain Green Yogurt (topping)

Directions:

Spray a saute pan with non-stick spray and chop red pepper into small pieces and saute until tender crisp.  Add pulled pork and 1 cup of peach salsa and cook until heated through.

Use another frying pan large enough to lay your tortilla in. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and heat tortilla over medium low heat. Spread 1/4 cup shredded cheese on the tortilla and top with 1/2 the pulled pork mixture. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the pork and top with another tortilla. When bottom tortilla is lightly brown and cheese has   started to melt, flip quesadilla and cook on the opposite side. Remove quesadilla from skillet and cut into quarters. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve quesadillas with sour cream or plain greek yogurt, remaining peach salsa and cilantro.Tip:  When flipping quesadilla put a dinner plate over the pan with the quesadilla and flip onto plate then just slide onto the pan to heat the other side.

Pulled Pork – North Carolina Style

Pull Pork sandwich with homemade kaiser rolls

There are so many variations for recipes of pulled pork and this is just another one that we love. Depending on what you like, you can also add barbecue sauce to this.  Tim likes his with barbecue sauce and I like mine without which is an easy fix – he just add the sauce to his portion!  This would also make great sliders.  Enjoy!

Pulled Pork – North Carolina Style

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon mild paprika 2 teaspoons light brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 pounds pork butt roast

1-1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 1/3 cups water 5/8 cup ketchup 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 5 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground white pepper 2 pounds hickory wood chips, soaked

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a small bowl, mix mild paprika, light brown sugar, hot paprika, celery salt, garlic salt, dry mustard, ground black pepper, onion powder, and salt. Rub spice mixture into the roast on all sides. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.
2.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3.	Place pork roast in oven for approximately 6 hours, uncovered
4.	Remove pork from heat and place on a cutting board. Allow the meat to cool approximately 15 minutes, then shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
5.	In a medium bowl, whisk together cider vinegar, water, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and white pepper. Continue whisking until brown sugar and salt have dissolved. Place shredded pork and vinegar sauce in a large roasting pan, and stir to coat pork. Source:  Adapted from  Allrecipes.com

Grilled Pork Chops with Balsamic Caramelized Pears

I eat a lot of chicken and fish, but variety is a good thing and once in a while I love a great pork chop!  This  is an excellent recipe that I enjoyed from the moment I tasted my first bite.  The pears and balsamic glaze blend harmoniously with the pork creating a dish that you will be wanting to make again and again.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 quarts water
• 5 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 6 pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Vidalia onions, each cut into 8 wedges
• 2 pears, cored and each cut into 8 wedges
• 1 teaspoon salt

 Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the water, kosher salt, and sugar. Add pork chops to this brine, and let them soak for no more than one hour. Drain and discard the brine. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels.
2. In a shallow dish, stir together the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. Place pork chops in the dish, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 or 2 hours.
3. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by 1/2, about 10 minutes. When the vinegar cools, it should be the consistency of syrup.
4. Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high or high heat. Add the onions and pears, and quickly brown. Continue to cook for about 7 minutes, or until tender.  The pears will cook quicker than the onions – Remove the pears and chop into cubes and continue to caramelize the onions.  Take onion out of pan once caramelized and chop.  Return both the pears and the onions to the pan. Stir in the reduced vinegar and salt. The recipe can be prepared up to this point several hours before grilling.
5. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.
6. Warm pears on a cool section of the grill (in the skillet), while placing the pork chops over the hot part. Cook pork for about 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Remove to a serving plate, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for a few minutes. Uncover, top with the pear onion sauce, and serve.

Grilled Pork Chops With Balsamic Raspberry Sauce – Truly Sublime

I was looking for something to cook, and was thinking pork chops.  I stumbled upon this recipe which I changed up a bit.  When I took my first bite … the first word that came to mind was … SUBLIME … truly sublime!

INGREDIENTS:

Chopped fresh rosemary 2 -3 cloves garlic minced 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam 2 tablespoons orange juice 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 4 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a small bowl, combine garlic, rosemary and olive oil. Rub evenly over pork chops.
2.	Let pork chops sit for at least 1 hours.  Fire up the grill and cook 5-6 minutes a side or more depending on thickness.
3.	In the skillet, combine raspberry jam, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Spoon sauce in a pool onto a serving plate, and top with pork chops. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary.

Source:  Allrecipes