Entree – Pork

Taco Bar

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This is a double winner!  Guests plate their own food (not you) and they think you are a wonderful cook because they get exactly what they like!  Start with a plate, lay out the food as you would put it on your taco – tortilla, meat, cheese, sour cream, tomato etc, salsa, lettuce.  End with the napkin and silverware.  You can serve as many or as few toppings (or add your own favorites) as the occasion calls for.  Disclosure:  this is not authentic Mexican food – but it is good.  

Elements of the Taco Bar

Meat

  • ground beef/taco seasoning
  • cooked chicken, shredded, with salsa verde (green chili sauce)
  • shredded pork (carnitas)
  • cod or other flaky white fish

Toppings

  • thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
  • diced tomato
  • diced onion, white and/or red and/or green
  • cilantro
  • guacamole
  • diced avocado
  • diced chilis
  • sliced olives
  • salsa
  • sour cream
  • cheese, cheese and more cheese – jack, cheddar, Mexican Mix etc.
  • jalapenos ( “tamed” pickled jalapenos or slice up the fresh ones.)
  • hot sauce – have a variety
  • cabbage – if you have fish
  • lime wedge – if you have fish

Hard and soft shell tortillas – corn, wheat, whole wheat, etc.  – figure 2-3 per person.

Beer Brined Pork

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Beer-brining makes this pork tender and flavorful. Seared and then
lightly roasted, the sliced pork is fragrant and delicious.  Check out “Brining Pork” and “Brine Time Guide” on the blog (Margie’s Kitchen, Food is Good” for porportions.

Ingredients:

  • pork tenderloins (those little ones, not the big pork loins)
  • beer
  • salt
  • sugar
  • seasoning

Directions:  

  1. Place the pork in a large ziploc bag or non metal pan.
  2. Add some beer – stout, porter or plain old beer.
  3. Add some salt.
  4. Add a little sugar, maple syrup, or molasses, maybe some sage and garlic.  Whatever seem good.
  5. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 2 – 4 hours, turning once.
  6. Drain pork.
  7. Blot dry.
  8. Discard the marinade.
  9. Grill for about 20 minutes, browning on all sides, until a meat thermometer hits 145°.  All the fat has been bred out of pigs these days so you have to be careful not to over cook or it will be dry.  It will continue to cook a bit off the fire.
  10. Or in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and sear the pork on all sides.
  11. Transfer seared pork to roasting pan, cook for 20 min. in a 350° oven, turning once.
  12. Remove pork from oven and allow to rest 5 min. before slicing and serving.

Serves:  Plan on 1/4 – 1/3 pound of meat per person.

Source:  Margie Kleerup

Herbed Pork Tenderloins with Apple Chutney

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Pork tenderloins are a wonderful, stress free way to go.  Quick to cook, easy to carve, and so many variations on seasoning.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pork tenderloins (2½ to 3 pounds total)
  • 1 Tab minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 Tab chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Good olive oil
  • 10 to 12 slices prosciutto
  • Apple Chutney (see recipe)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
  2. Place the tenderloins on a sheet pan and pat them dry with paper towels.
  3. Combine the rosemary, thyme, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
  4. Rub the tenderloins all over with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  5. Sprinkle all sides with the herb mixture.
  6. If there is a thinner “tail,” fold it underneath so the tenderloin is an even
    thickness throughout.
  7. Wrap the tenderloins completely with a single layer of prosciutto. (I
    place the prosciutto diagonally  with the ends wrapping under the tenderloins.) (You can also wrap it in bacon instead, but cut down the salt.)
  8. Tie in several places with kitchen string to hold the prosciutto and the “tail” in place.  (We did not bother with this step – no problem.)
  9. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the end of the tenderloin reads 140 degrees for medium rare and 145 degrees for medium.  Do not over cook!  It will be dry and flavorless.
  10. Cover the tenderloins tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  11. Slice diagonally in thick slices and serve warm with the Apple Chutney.

Serves:  6 – 8

Source:  Make It Ahead, Ina Garten

Apple Chutney

Ingredients:

  • 1 c chopped yellow onion
  • 2 Tab minced or grated fresh ginger (or powdered is ok)
  • 1 c freshly squeezed orange juice (4 oranges)
  • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar  (we use only 1/4 c to make more of an apple compote.)
  • 1 c light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 tsp whole mustard seeds
  • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and ½-inch-diced
  • ¾ cup raisins

Directions

  1. Combine the onion, ginger, orange juice, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, and salt in a medium-size saucepan.
  2. Add the apples, adding them as you chop to keep them from turning brown.
  3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
  4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  5. Stir in the raisins.
  6. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Serves:  Makes 5 cups

Source:  Make It Ahead, Ina Garten

 

Wine-Tea Brine

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Great summer brine works with chicken, pork or seafood. Helps keep meat moist when BBQ.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c water – hot
  • 1 c white wine
  • 2 Tab Kosher salt
  • 1 Tab brown sugar
  • 3 Tab blackberry syrup – or other fruit syrup/puree
  • 2 tea bags
  • 1/2 c ice cubes

Directions:

  1. Place salt, sugar, tea, in 1 gallon zip-lock bag.
  2. Pour in hot water, seal and slosh to dissolve sugar and salt.
  3. Add remaining ingredients.
  4. Add additional ice cubes if mixture is still warm.
  5. Add protein to bag and marinate in refrigerator.  See Brine Time Guide in Miscellaneous Information.

Serves: 2-3 pounds of meat

Source:  MLK

Peach BBQ Sauce

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Margie made this in a small batch to go on the lamburger/chicken buffet.  This one has a real bite!

Ingredients:

  • 2 c soy sauce
  • dash cayanne
  • 1 Tab minced onion
  • 1/4 c catsup
  • 1/4 c marinara sauce
  • 1/4 tsp horseradish
  • 1/4 Tab Sriracha
  • 1 Tab red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 Tab balsamic
  • 1/4 c peaches – diced with juice (peach nectar)
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp chipolte adobo sauce pureed

Directions:

  1. Put everything in a pan.
  2. Simmer until onions are soft and sauce has thickened.

Serves:  makes about 2 cups

Source:   Margie Kleerup

Note: I puree a can of chiplote in adobo sauce and keep on hand in the refrigerator.  It has a more subtle bite than most of the peppers.

 

Bones – Never Fail, Never Burn Spareribs

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The problem with spareribs is they have to cook too long to reach a safe temperature.  When you barbecue with a sauce this means a lot of burned surface – not good!  This method avoids that problem.  It also speeds up the process because you can bake them early in the day and bless them on the barbecue them at dinner time.  (or freeze them and take them on a camp out.  Just finish them on the grill.)  This also works with chicken.

Ingredients:

  • 63 lbs spareribs
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 gal barbecue sauce
  • 64 oz catsup
  • 3 cups of bourbon

Directions:

  1. Sprinkle the whole side of ribs with salt and pepper.
  2. Place in a shallow pan and bake in a hot oven (400°) for 40 minutes.
  3. Drain off all the fat from the pan.
  4. Combine remaining ingredients.
  5. Pour over ribs.
  6. Lower oven to 350° and bake ribs 1 1/2 hours longer or until tender.
  7. Cut apart to serve.  (I sometime cut them before cooking – easier serving.)

(After baking you can bless them on the barbecue for that smoky taste. Brush them with the stuff left in the pan.  If doing early, refrigerate or freeze  everything)

Serves: 50 (With ribs, you have to figure 1 pound per person.)

Source:  Needed quick and easy variation on Sunset recipe

Easy Pork Loin

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So you have that HUGE boneless pork loin from Costco.  Just cut it into usable pieces (1/4 lb per person.) and freeze in individual bags.  Come dinner time (or unexpected guests) just defrost (in the microwave if necessary) and brush on the sauce (adjust for the size of you meat) and cook.  You can even cook it in the microwave.  The sauce is also good on chicken.

Ingredients:

  • 1 12 oz frozen orange juice concentrate – don’t reconstitute
  • 1/4 c soy sauce
  • 10# pork roast

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350°.
  2. Pat pork dry with paper towel.
  3. In small bowl, combine soy sauce and orange juice concentrate.
  4. Apply to all surfaces of the pork roast.
  5. Place roast in a shallow pan and roast in a 350°. oven for 1 hour (20 minutes per pound), until internal temperature on a meat thermometer reads 145°.  Do not overcook.  Pork today is very lean – no fat means dry meat.
  6. Remove roast from oven.
  7. Let rest about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Serves:  40  (plan on 1/4 to 1/3 pound per person.)

Source:   I made it up.

 

Nyama Choma – Barbecued Meat in Kiswahili

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Nyama choma, meaning “barbecued meat” in Kiswahili, is Kenya’s unofficial national dish.  It is roasted and then traditionally eaten with the hands.  To accommodate the large group (and current sanitation concerns) we cubed the meat and cooked it on skewers.

Ingredients:

  • 5 lb Reme  (lamb, cubed)
  • 5 lb Heihei (chicken, cubed)
  • 8 lb Kitozas (beef, cubed)
  • 5 lb Hotiti (sausage, cut in 2 inch pieces)

Directions:

  1. Skewer each meat on separate skewers.
  2. Cook over charcoal until done.
  3. Serve with Pinati (peanut sauce), Yassa, (onion ), Kumine (cumin sauce), sauted mushrooms, sauted onion and peppers.
  4. Serve with geelrys (yellow rice).

Serves:  50

Source:  Research and a trip to Africa

 

 

Pork Loin with Dried Fruit Stuffing

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Really too easy with those great Costco pork loins.  Cut one into the size and weight that would be useful (about 1/4 to 1/3 pound per serving).  Fill and tie them. and freeze them.  Dinner in a hurry!  I like to serve them with cinnamon applesauce or a fruit salsa.

Ingredients: 

  • 2 pounds boneless pork loin roast (not the little tenderloin)
  • 8 – 12 oz dried fruit (could be all apricots, apples, cranberries, etc. or mixed variety)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 c apple juice (or other fruit juice)
  • string (or those fancy rubber bands you can cook with)

Directions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
  2. Butterfly the pork loin. Slice it in half lengthwise almost all the way through, leaving a hinge of uncut meat.
  3. Set the pork loin on a work surface, opening them like a book, with the cut side up.
  4. Season the inside of the pork loin generously with salt and pepper.
  5. Cover one half the pork loin with a generous layer of fruit.
  6. Close up the pork loin and tie it with kitchen twine at 1 1/2-inch intervals.
  7. Tuck in any fruit sticking out the side or ends.
  8. Season the outside of the pork loin  with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  9. Pour 1/2 cup juice in pan.
  10. Add pork loin.
  11. Roast the loin for 30 minutes.
  12. Baste with the pan juices and add the remaining 1/2 cup cider to the pan.
  13. Continue to roast, basting at least twice with the pan juices at regular intervals, until the meat is firm to the touch and pale pink when cut in the thickest portion, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 150°F, about 45 minutes more. Be sure not to overcook.  Modern pigs do not have as much fat in their meat as their ancestors did.
  14. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.
  15. Don’t forget to remove the string!

This can also be cooked in the microwave – it will brown enough to look good.  About 15 – 20 minutes but check with the thermometer.

Grill it too.  Trust your thermometer.

Serves:  6-8

Source:   I made it up.

Kahlua Pork – Sam Choy’s Oven-Roasted Kalua Pig

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No luau is complete without a roasted pig.  Fake it with this.

Ingredients:

    • 1 5- to 5 1/4-pound boneless pork butt roast
    • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Hawaiian alaea sea salt or coarse sea salt
    • 3 frozen banana leaves, thawed
    • 6 cups water, divided
    • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Direction:

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. Using small sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch-deep slits 1 inch apart all over pork roast.
    3. Rub 2 tablespoons sea salt all over pork.
    4. Unfold 1 banana leaf on work surface and place pork roast atop leaf.
    5. Fold up leaf around pork, enclosing completely. Repeat wrapping pork in remaining 2 banana leaves, 1 at a time.
    6. Tie with kitchen string to secure, then wrap roast in foil.
    7. Place pork in roasting pan; pour 4 cups water into pan.
    8. Roast pork in oven until very tender when pierced with fork, about 5 hours.
    9. Unwrap pork and cool slightly.
    10. Shred pork and place in large bowl.
    11. Bring remaining 2 cups water and remaining 2 teaspoons salt to boil in small saucepan.
    12. Add liquid smoke; pour over pork and stir to blend.
    13. Let stand 10 minutes to allow liquid to flavor pork.
    14. Serve.
Ingredient tip:
Hawaiian alaea sea salt is available at specialty foods stores and online from Hawaii Specialty Salt Company at hawaiisalt.com. Banana leaves are available at Asian markets and Latin markets. (If you really, really, think it is necessary.)  Liquid smoke is a smoke-flavored liquid seasoning available at many supermarkets and specialty foods stores.
Serves:   8
Source:  BON APPÉTIT FEBRUARY 2006