pork

January – Citrus Spiced Pulled Pork
by

January – Citrus Spiced Pulled Pork

Happy 2021 everyone. Things are looking up and there is an end to all this craziness in sight. We just have to hang on for a few more months.

Our Christmas was lovely, quiet with only the three of us. I missed our annual holiday dinner with friends, an often raucous crowd of lovely people who are my adopted family. But, they will be back on Christmas eve of 2021. I am grateful that we are all healthy. We will appreciate family and friends that much more, having been without them for the last 10 months (or more).

Kitchen inspiration has been lacking in the last month or longer, but this dish of slow roasted pork shoulder had me headed to the store for a pork shoulder roast…it’s perfect cold weather eating and will provide you with several days of delicious leftovers.

I recommend using any leftovers for holiday tacos. They were delicious cooked in the manner of carnitas with cranberry sauce, a bit of shredded cabbage added for texture. Simply reheat the pulled pork in a skillet until it begins to brown. There were delicious crispy bits formed.

Spiced Pulled Pork

Spiced Pulled Pork

I plan to use the rest to top roasted sweet potatoes…garnishes will include some spiced pecans and a bit of sour cream with a squeeze of lime. Yum!

Here’s the backstory, in the lull between Christmas and New Year’s I came across an idea for chicken thighs cooked with spices usually reserved for ham. I tried it and must say I was not particularly impressed. However, adopting some of those same spices rubbed onto a pork shoulder before roasting was an entirely different experience. The 6 hour low and slow cooking allowed the spice mixture to penetrate the pork and the aroma!!! Well, let’s just say my mouth was watering all afternoon. This is the perfect meal for cold, wet, grey days. It cooks slowly without any attention to you. Put it in the oven and leave, go take a long hike or sled ride. When you come home the house will smell like heaven.

It’s the best kind of cooking in my book, leftovers are already in mind. There was enough for at least two more meals.

Ingredients:

  • Pork shoulder roast, bone in or out
  • 2 whole oranges, zested
  • 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
  • 1 T of olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
  • Juice of one of the oranges
  • Second orange sliced thinly

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F
  2. In a small bowl combine the orange zest, sugar, mustard, olive oil, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir until it forms a paste.
  3. Rub the paste over the pork shoulder and place in a large casserole with a lid.
  4. Down the side of the casserole add the cider vinegar, the juice of one of the zested oranges and the star anise.
  5. Slice the second orange and place the slices over the pork roast.
  6. Cover and place in the oven, roast slowly (without peeking) for 6 hours.
  7. Remove from the oven, uncover and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving. I pulled the meat into large chunks.
Holiday Pulled Pork

Holiday Pulled Pork – before

Spiced Pulled Pork

Spiced Pulled Pork – after

I understand this is similar to a Haitian dish called griot. It’s a classic dish of pork shoulder marinated in chile, citrus and vinegar. I didn’t use any hot chiles in this recipe but I will definitely include it next time.

I wish you all a happy new year. Be well, be safe and wear your mask. We have to hang in there for a few more months and this may be the most dangerous time. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

July – Spicy Grilled Pork Kabobs with Fennel, Cumin and Coriander
by

July – Spicy Grilled Pork Kabobs with Fennel, Cumin and Coriander

If you have been following this blog for any time at all you will have noticed that I adore the combination of fennel seeds, cumin seeds and coriander seeds. This recipe for spicy grilled pork kabobs adds coriander leaves, lime juice, garlic and jalapeno to that magic combo.

See Turkish Lamb Chops for another example.

Turkish Lamb Chops

Turkish Lamb Chops

Those spices char in the high heat of the grill or under the broiler, turning them into an aromatic counter point to the cubes of juicy pork.

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least an hour before you thread on the pork. I find an empty wine bottle (of which we have an abundance these days) is the perfect size.

If you have time, marinate the pork in the spices for 24 hours before cooking.

Spicy Grilled Pork

Spicy Grilled Pork

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 cubes
  • kosher salt
  • 1 lime, plus extra wedges for serving if desired
  • 1/4 cup cilantro or basil or mint or a combination
  • 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed an peeled
  • 1 jalapeno or other green chili, seeded if you want a milder flavor (I used only 1/2)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds

Method:

  1. Season the pork lightly with kosher salt (use less if using sea or regular salt) and put it into a bowl or resealable plastic bag.
  2. In a small dry skillet toast the fennel, cumin and coriander seeds until they become aromatic and golden brown.
  3. Juice the lime into a blender or food processor. Add the cilantro, fish sauce, garlic, jalapeno and honey. Blend until the jalapeno and garlic are pureed. Add the fennel, cumin and coriander seeds and pulse four or five times to bruise the spices and mix them in.
  4. Pour the mixture over the pork, tossing to coat all sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  5. When ready to cook, heat the grill or broiler with a rack 4 inches from the heat source.
  6. Thread the pork onto skewers, leaving a little space between each piece.
  7. Grill or broil over the highest heat possible (2-5minutes) then turn the skewers or pieces and continue cooking on all sides until browned and charred in spots. A little pink in the center is fine but there shouldn’t be any red spots.
  8. Serve sprinkled with additional sprigs of herbs if desired.

 

Spicy Grilled Pork

Spicy Grilled Pork

We served this with grilled zucchini from the garden and sliced tomatoes.

Spicy Grilled Pork

Spicy Grilled Pork

Spicy Grilled Pork

Spicy Grilled Pork

It’s grilling season here in the Northern Hemisphere and this is a perfect dish to bring to Fiesta Friday hosted by the lovely Angie. It’s Fiesta Friday #336 and I am the lucky cohost this week. Click on the link to join the party, discover delicious recipes, fun crafts, decorating and gardening ideas. Please consider adding your own link as well, we would love to get to know you.

January in the Kitchen – Sausage Rolls
by

January in the Kitchen – Sausage Rolls

These sausage rolls have been a big hit at parties, movie nights, and TV sporting afternoons. Sausage rolls are part of my English heritage, I remember my grandmother making them. She was wonderful with all kinds of pastry; I’m not nearly so clever. For those of you who are not familiar with them, sausage rolls are similar to “Pigs in Blankets”, an American favorite. But, much, much better! They are traditionally eaten on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas when the servants had a day off (if you lived in the Downton Abbey era).

Sausage Rolls

Sausage Rolls

I’m going to give two sets of directions, one with the sausage made from scratch and one with doctored store bought sausage. I’ve done them both ways, both are good. I’m not talented with pastry and used commercial all butter frozen puff pastry from Pepperidge Farm; but I invite you to make your own if you are so inclined. They would be even better.

This recipe was adapted from one in the New York Times by David Tanis.

Sausage Roll recipe #1 (from scratch)

  • 2 pounds port shoulder, not too lean, have it ground coarse (you can have the butcher grind it for you or do this in a food processor with the metal blade)
  • 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon of black pepper
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon mace
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sausage Roll recipe #2 (Cheater’s rolls)

Before you make the “cheaters rolls”, check the seasoning of your sausage by frying a bit in a skillet. The sausage may not need any extra spicing up and could be fine as is.

No one needs to know you didn’t make these from scratch.

  • 2 pounds mild pork sausage either bulk or removed from casings
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon mace
  • 1 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
  • 1 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or ½ tablespoon dried

Pastry and Assembly

  • 1 package all butter puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
  1. Defrost the pastry if frozen.
  2. Mix the pork with all the seasonings in a large bowl, incorporating evenly.
  3. With wet hands form the sausage into 4 logs or rolls about 9 inches in length. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
  5. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper
  6. Working one at a time, roll each pastry sheet into a rectangle approximately 9 by 10 inches, cut in half to make 2 pieces each about 9 by 5 inches.
  7. Unwrap each sausage roll from the plastic and place it in the center of one rectangle. Wet one of the long edges with a bit of water to seal the pastry and roll it up, tucking in any pastry at the ends.
  8. With the seam side down, cut each log into 8 pieces.
  9. Lay the pieces pastry side up (seam down) on the baking sheets and brush with the beaten egg.
  10. Repeat with the other pastry sheet.
  11. Bake for 25 minutes until the pastry is crisp and brown, and the sausage cooked.

Cool for a few minutes before serving, these are good warm or served at room temperature. They are even good for breakfast the next day reheated in the oven. Serve with a good spicy brown mustard such as the one here

These are excellent with a cold beer (or champagne).