Pork

Pork is an economical choice of meat and more versatile than most people realize.  There's more to a pig than pork chops, ribs, and bacon.  Buy a ham (no cheating, not spiral sliced) and see how far it stretches.  I bake that ham, then we have ham steaks the next night.  The night after its cubed ham and potatoes like a hash.  After that it might go into split pea soup.  I also slice it as thin as I can for sandwiches.

Do it even if it's not Christmas for the price per pound is cheaper than most other meats and your family might feel like Tuesday night is special just because there is a ham dinner on the table. 

For more pork recipes see Soups in the recipes section of this blog.

Chops and Steaks

Mock Duck

1 flank steak
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon onion juice
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 pint boiling water
1/3 cup whole wheat flour

Remove water and flour.  Mix other ingredients.  Spread on steak.  roll the steak and tie.  Roll in flour.  Brown in 2 tablespoons of fat.  Add water; cover and cook til tender.

Easy Stir Fry

1 tablespoon oil
1 pound boneless pork chops, cut into strips
2 cups vegetables like broccoli, carrots, red bell peppers
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Heat oil in skillet on medium-high.  Add meat.  Stir-fry 5 minutes til done.  Add remaining ingredients, stir-fry 5 minutes til heated through.  Serve over cooked rice or pasta.

Grilled Brown Sugar Pork Chops

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/2 cup water
6 boneless pork chops

In a small saucepan combine brown sugar, apple juice, oil, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Combine water and corn starch in a small bowl and whisk into brown sugar mixture.  Stir until thick.  Brush grate lightly with oil.  Cook over hot coals 10 to 12 minutes, turning once.

Thai Pork Noodle Bowl

4 boneless ribeye pork chops, thin
Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (1 tablespoon dried)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lime, juiced
Peanut Noodles and Sauces:
10 ounces pasta (linguini)
1 lime, juiced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

In a large baking dish, arrange chops evenly.  Whisk marinade ingredients together in bowl.  Set 1/4 marinade aside in fridge.  Pour remaining over chops and marinate 20-30 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook pasta.  Whisk together remaining peanut sauce ingredients in bowl.  Add more soy sauce if desired.  Grill thin chops 4 minutes per side.  Let rest 3 minutes.  Slice against the grain.  Pour reserved marinade over pork.

Pork Chops With Roasted Apples

2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion wedges
2 cups Gala apple wedges
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
4 bone-in, center cut pork chops 1/2" thick
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Heat large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil; swirl to coat.  Add onions, cook 2 minutes,  Add apple and place in oven.  Bake at 400° for 10 minutes until tender.  Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle pork with remaining seasonings.  Add oil to pan, swirl to coat.  Add pork; cook 3 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and keep warm.  combine broth and flour in small bowl whisking til smooth.  Add to pan; bring to a boil scraping pan to loosen bits.  Cook 1 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup.  Stir in vinegar and 1 teaspoon butter.  Serve sauce with pork and apples.

Bacon, Sausage, and Ground Pork

Philippine Goulash

2 cans red kidney beans
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crispy - reserve grease
1 quart canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 pound cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper

Add kidney beans to bacon grease.  Add baking powder to tomatoes, then add to beans.  Stir together.  Season.  Place in dish, covered, and bake in a preheated 350° oven turned down to 300°.  Cook for 1 hour.  Remove cover, sprinkle with cheese, and arrange bacon strips over.  Cook 10 minutes longer.

Dublin Coddle

1 pound bacon pieces
1 pound good meaty sausages
3 large onions, cut roughly
3 to 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 pieces
Handful fresh parsley
Pepper to taste
2 cups water

Layer in heavy casserole pot with lid.  Cook at 250° for 2 to 5 hours.

Breakfast Bake

1 pound pork sausage
1/3 cup chopped onion
4 cups (16 oz) shredded Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Transfer to a greased 13x9 baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Combine eggs and soup; pour over cheese.  Bake uncovered at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Pork Picadillo Tacos

1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup minced white onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Cook above ingredients in skillet over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, til brown.  Drain drippings; return to pan.
1/2 cup dry rice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup green olives
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons diced, pickled jalepenos
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon each oregano, cumin, and Kosher salt

To pork stir in rice and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.  Add stewed tomatoes, broth, olives, jalapenos, raisins, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon; bring to a boil.  Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and cook til rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.  Serve in taco shells with romaine and cheddar cheese.

Homemade Sausage

1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons sage
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix all.  Let sit in fridge covered a day before using.

Sausage Patties

1 pound lean ground pork
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

In a bowl combine all til well blended.  Form into 8 patties.  Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.  Cook 4-6 minutes per side over medium heat.

Sausage Gravy

1 pound lean ground pork
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk

For better flavor, let sausage sit in fridge covered for 24 hours once mixed.  In a bowl, mix the first 8 ingredients til well blended.  Heat skillet, add meat.  Saute on medium-high reducing to medium-low after a minute or two.  Remove cooked sausage.  Sprinkle flour over 2 tablespoons drippings.  Whisk flour in and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes.  Stir in milk 1 cup at a time whisking constantly.  Cook and whisk til mixture thickens.  Stir in cooked sausage.  Add salt and pepper if needed.

Sweet and Spicy Sausage Rounds

1 pound kielbasa or smoked sausage
2/3 cup blackberry jam
1/3 cup steak sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Place all in a pot.  Toss to coat.  Cook on low to medium heat a couple of hours.

Scrapple

Place a pigs head in 4 quarts cold water and bring slowly to a boil.  Skim carefully and season the liquid heavily with salt, some cayenne, and a teaspoonful of sage.  Let the liquid simmer gently until the meat falls from the bones.  Strain off the liquid, remove the bones, and chop the meat fine.  Measure the liquid and allow 1 cup sifted cornmeal to 3 cups liquid.  Blend the corn meal in the liquid and simmer until it is the consistency of thick porridge.  Stir in the chopped meat and pour in greased baking pans to cool.  1/3 buckwheat may be used instead of corn meal, and any kind of chopped meat can be blended with the pork if desired according to taste.  When scrapple is to be eaten, cut into 1/2" slices, dredge with flour, and brown in hot fat.

Shoulders, Roasts, Tenderloin

Pork Shoulder - Pernil

5 lbs pork shoulder
Few cloves garlic, smashed
Salt, pepper, oil

Grind well the garlic, seasonings, oil.

Stab nice big holes in meat.  Stuff with garlic paste.  Rub some paste on the outside as well.  Salt and pepper the outside.  Bake at 300° at 45 minutes per pound skin side up.  Crank heat up to 400° to crisp up the skin about a half hour or so.  Let meat sit at least 10 minutes before carving.

Pork Carnitas

3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2" chunks, trim fat
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic

Sprinkle pork with salt, chili powder, cumin, and oregano.  Slow cook along with onion and garlic in oven.  Shred pork.

Irish Pork Roast With Potato Stuffing

2 pounds pork tenderloin or 6-8 boneless pork chops, lean
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste
Stuffing:
4 1/2 cups coarsely mashed potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large cooking apples, chopped
Handful fresh sage and thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Make stuffing: To potatoes add butter, onion, apples, herbs, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.  Rub meat with salt, pepper, and butter.  Pour water into 3-quart casserole dish.  Place meat along edges.  Cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour at 350°.

Apple Cranberry Stuffed Pork Roast

1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large shallot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups packed dried apples
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 1/2 pounds boneless center cut pork loin roast
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Put thawed pork in freezer for 30 minutes.  Bring all the filling ingredients to simmer over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce to low.  Cook until apples are very soft, about 20 minutes.  Strain through a sieve, reserving liquid.  Use spatula to get as much liquid out as possible.  Return liquid to saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, set aside, and reserve for use as a glaze.  Pulse apple mixture in processor.  Set aside.  Lay roast down, fat side up.  Insert knife 1/2" horizontally from bottom of roast and make a long cut along bottom, stopping 1/2" before edge.  Open roast and cut through thicker half of roast again 1/2" from bottom.  Repeat until the roast is an even 1/2" thickness all over when laid out.  This is "double-butterflying".  If necessary, pound the meat to even thickness.  Season the inside well with salt and pepper.  Spread out filling on top leaving 1/2" border.  Starting with the short side roll very tightly and secure with kitchen string.  Season outside with salt and pepper.  Place roast on rack in oven on middle rack.  Cook 45 to 60 minutes at 350°.  Brush with 1/2 the glaze and cook 5 minutes longer.  Remove and place on cutting board.  Tent it to keep warm 15 minutes before cutting.  Slice into 1/2" wide pieces.  Serve with remaining glaze.

Boston Butt Roast

4 pounds Boston butt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon peppper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 250°.  Mix dry ingredients.  Bake 4-5 hours.  Turn up to 350°.  Top with barbecue sauce and bake 1 1/2 hours.  Cover for first baking and wrap in foil very tightly.  Cover again last half hour or so if needed.

Roast Pork Loin With Garlic and Rosemary

1 large head garlic
4 teaspoons rosemary
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 pork loin roast

Stab slits in meat and put slivers of garlic in holes.  Drench in spices and sear.  Cover potatoes, carrots and celery in stock.  Put roast on top.  Cook all day.

Souvlaki

1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1" cubes
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1" pieces
2 green bell peppers, 1" pieces

In a large glass bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic; add pork and veggies.  Cover.  Refrigerate 3 hours.  Lightly oil grate on the grill.  Cook on skewers over medium-high for 10 to 15 minutes turning skewers frequently.  Serve with rice pilaf and a Greek salad.

Ham

One Dish Ham Dinner

1 to 1 1/2 pounds leftover ham, cooked and thinly sliced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 soup can water

In a large skillet, brown the ham slices.  Layer with the potatoes, salt, and pepper.  Next, layer the onions.  Dilut the soup with the water and pour over everything.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat and cook about 45-50 minutes longer until potatoes are tender.  Goes well with cornbread.

Ham Souffle

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 cups scalded milk
1 1/2 cups chopped ham
2 eggs yolks
1 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 egg whites
Parsley Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons parsley

Souffle: Cook together bread crumbs and milk for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, add ham and mix well.  Add egg yolks, first beating these well, also the parsley, onion, and paprika.  Fold in, last of all, the egg whites whipped to a stiff, dry froth.  Turn quickly into a well-greased baking dish and bake in a moderate oven for 35 minutes or til firm to the touch.  Meantime make the parsley sauce so that both can be served instantly.  Melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour, stirring til smooth, then add milk slowly, stirring constantly, cook til thick, stir in the parsley, and salt, and serve in a gravy boat.