How To Butterfly A Pork Loin

It’s time to get gear up for the holidays and start planning some festive meals. Here’s an economical cut of meat dressed up for the holiday platter. A Pork Loin Roast. You could have your butcher do this for you but it’s so much more fun and impressive to do it yourself and it’s really easy. Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it! Now get out your sharpest knife.

Place the roast on a cutting board so that one end is directly in front of you. Take a very sharp knife and begin cutting on the side, parallel to the cutting board about 1/3 of the way down.

Pull the meat back as your slicing through it.

Just slice a little at a time, no more then an inch at a time.

Don't slice all the way through. Stop about 3/4 of an inch  (give or take,depending on your meat) before you slice through.

Open  it up like a book!

Bring your knife back to the crease and start cutting back, parallel to the cutting board about 1/2 way through the meat.

Keep pulling the meat back as you go but again dont cut through.

Slice through but stop about 3/4 of an inch before the end, pulling the meat until you can lay it flat.

 

Now your ready to fill it with your choice of stuffing.

I just winged it. I used up the rest of my Fig Jam that I made to go with the Fruit Stuffed Pork Tenderloin I made last month.

I also used up the rest of my dried apricots,some fresh diced apples and rosemary.Wish I would have added some fresh garlic, but I didn’t.

I rolled it back up and tied it with kitchen string.

I tucked in some rosemary sprigs after I rubbed it with some olive oil, rosemary, and S&P.

I baked it till the internal temperature was 150 degrees,  then I let it rest for 15 minutes.

Slice and enjoy.

I guess I could have got it a little rounder but it was delicious just the same. I hope you try to butterfly and stuff a roast.You can use almost  any kind of meat, beef, chicken, lamb, and of course, pork!

It’s easier then it looks!

Smothered Pork Chops

Did you enter my giveaway?

Did you vote for me?
I'm like a thousand votes behind and I need your vote!

OK. Good!
In other news, today is my surgery day and the hospital just called. My surgeon had an emergency surgery and that bumped mine back an hour. It's not till 2:15.
And I can't eat anything.

So I figure I'll give you my last pork dinner.
It's a keeper! And a great way to use up buttermilk.

I grew up in a pretty much pork free home. Oh sure, we had some bacon and sausage, but there were no tender chops or succulent tenderloins ever cooked in my mom's house. We ate beef.

My dad grew up eating mutton (which is old sheep, not pork)
and that ruined him for life. No sheep, No pork! No chops of any kind!
I didn't know what a pork chop tasted like till I was about 12 years old.

We had taken a trip to S. Dakota and I was at my uncles. I don't remember why I was there, or where my parents were, but I remember he was frying up some pork chops and
my love affair began.


The Hubby cringes when I pull out the pork chops.
I don't care, I love pork. So I got him real good with these chops!

He liked them!!!

And I'm making them again, real soon.


Enjoy!

Smothered Pork Chops
By Tyler Florence

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in (I used boneless, but next time will use bone in)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup buttermilk
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions
Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.

Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Sausage, Caramelized Onion and Apple WonTons

Marx Food recently broke up one of their packages of the Game Sausage Sampler into the 11 different varieties it contains. Then, they sent four links of one random variety to 11 different selected bloggers, to create a recipe for their recipe contest.

I was one of the lucky ones!

I was sent the Wild Boar Bratwurst with Cheddar and Beer.


So I made Wontons!

I started with removing the sausage from their casings, and frying the meat up. Then I set that aside while I caramelize onions and apples together. I sauteed them till they were sweet and just turning that beautiful golden color.


I also added some fresh Garlic Scape from the farmers market. This is my new find and I love using them. They are used a lot in Asian cooking and can be used raw, steamed, sauteed, stir-fried, grilled, pretty much anyway you would want to use them. You cut off the floppy tip and and the flower bud. The flower bud can be a little bitter and it's barely noticeable in new scapes, a bit of a bulge at the base of the top of the stem.

Garlic scapes would make an excellent "green garlic pesto"!

Personally, I think they would also be beautiful in a flower arrangement. :)

After I made my mixture, I began wrapping it in wontons. Some had Cheddar cheese and some did not. We favored the one's with cheese. Go figure!!!

I made these cute little shapes but half way through, I changed to the folded over triangle. They were easier to make but I like this shape better.


Waiting for the oil to heat up!


These were so good. The sweetness from the onions and apples combined with the sausage and Cheddar cheese were a perfect combination. All wrapped up in a pretty and crunchy package.


We had these for dinner with a simple salad. I also froze half for an appetizer that I'll be serving during another wine pairing dinner this summer.

Enjoy!

Sausage, Caramelized Onion and Apple Wontons

Recipe by Megan Pires

1 PKG (4 links) sausage (Casing removed)

3 yellow onions, sliced

3 green apples, diced

4-6 garlic scape stems, chopped

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 PKG wonton wrappers

oil for frying

Fry sausage till browned and crumbly. Set aside.

In same frying pan, add onions and saute till limp. Add apples and cook till the onions start to golden. Add garlic scapes and cook 5 minutes more. Cool slightly. Add chopped parsley.

Place one heaping teaspoon of the mixture onto wonton wrapper, rubbing a little water around the edges of the wrapper. Fold over and seal or crimp tightly.

Heat oil, fry wontons till lightly browned and crisp. Serve and enjoy!

Bacon Candy Or Devil's Delight?

This is a recipe that I'm sure is from the devil himself.
Originaly called Bacon Candy,
I think they should call it Devil's Delight.

Thick cut salty pork bacon, dredged in brown sugar with a dose of chili powder.

So it's sweet, salty, smokey, spicy, sticky sticks of pure delight.

I know it must be from the devil because it is so evil yet comes off as so good.

What do you think?

Devil's Delight or Bacon Candy

Either way, they were a BIG hit at my party!

Served with Super Simple Pumpkin Coffeecake per request!

Bacon Candy

1 lb Bacon
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1 TBS chili powder (Or to taste)

Add Chili powder to brown sugar and mix well. Dredge bacon slices in sugar mixture coating each side. Lay on backing rack over foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes till crisp.

Uncle Jim's Kalua Pork

My nephew recently shared a recipe with me that he and a few friends came up with. Kalua Pork. Most people think it is Kahlua (the liqueur) Pork. This is false. Kalua is a Hawaiian word meaning "to cook in an underground oven" My nephew has used this recipe for many parties and wedding receptions. After losing a coin toss, it's named after his friend and co-creator, Jim. But to me, it will always be known as My Nephew Mike's Favorite Pork.
In his own words words, I give you his recipe!

Kalua Pork

Place 5 to 10 pounds (or more...depending on your guest count!) of pork butt or pork shoulder into a large, deep roasting pan...'fatty' side up.



Pour 3/4 of a can of pineapple juice over the pork.
Pour 3 ounces of any type liquid smoke over the pork.


Cover the entire top of the pork with a thin, but still generous, layer of sea salt. (I used Himalayan Pink Sea Salt)



Cover the roasting pan with 3 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil, crimping it tight around the edges for a good seal. I use a roasting pan with a 'lip' on it, to ensure I can crimp the foil tight.

Bake the pork for 5 hours...no more, no less....at 350 degrees. Don't touch it....don't check it...don't look at it....set the timer...and forget about it! Take it out of the oven and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then peel back the foil and shred the pork with a large kitchen fork.


It will, literally, fall right apart for you...into the remaining juices! Serve it with white rice and cabbage, if you like...Island Style!


This last step is very important....please read carefully! As your guests ooooh and ahhh over the delicious smell and taste of the Kalua Pork....you tell them a 'Big Whopper' of a lie! Yes...that's right...you LIE!

You tell them that you and your honey (if ya got one!) went out and hunted the wild pig yesterday...risking 'life and limb' as it charged you! You threw the spear...spot on....and nailed that sucker right between the eyes! You then came home....gutted, skinned and cleaned the beast....after which...you went out in the back yard....dug an IMU PIT 4 feet deep into the ground....covered the pig with ti leaves...put red hot lava rocks over the covered pig....buried it back into the dirt....and roasted the durn thing overnight....ESPECIALLY FOR THEM! You then explain that...yes...you're completely exhausted from all that hard work...BUT, also....that NOTHING is too good for YOUR family and friends! You'll be the HERO and everyone will marvel at your talent, tenacity and, most of all.....your love for them! Works every time...lol!
Aloha Nui Loa!

ENJOY!

Island Pork Tenderloin

We have had some gorgeous days here lately with highs in the 80. It's hard to believe that it's the first days of February. With the unseasonable warm days upon us, I found this tropical recipe that is sure to please.




Seasoned with cinnamon and chili, the flavors were right on. You add a glaze that forms a sweet crust on top. I used Splenda brown sugar in my glaze and you couldn't tell the difference. I served it coconut rice and crushed pineapple but the mango salsa would have been fantastic with it. I just didn't have all the ingredients. Next time I'll plan that out better.



Island Pork Tenderloin
found at RecipeZarr


16 ounces pork tenderloins, lean
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
Directions
Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, and coat the pork with the spice rub.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12 inch skillet, over relatively high heat, and brown pork, turning every 30 seconds for 4 minutes.
Stir together brown sugar , garlic, and tabasco and pat onto top of the tenderloin.
Place pork in roasting pan and cook for 20 minutes. Mine took much longer to bake. I baked it till it was 145 degrees.