Ginger Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

This is one of our new favorite recipes!  Such a unique and delicious take on BBQ sliders.  Sounds random....but they are gooooo--ood!  It also creates some wonderful leftovers for a couple of days.

Ginger Beer Pulled Pork Sliders

Meat:
4 lb. pork roast (we use the one from Sam's Club and cut it in half if only serving our family)
12 oz. bottle of ginger beer (you can find this at Harmon's or Trader Joe's--or you can also use a good quality ginger ale)
11 oz. can of peach nectar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
1 dozen small rolls

In a medium bowl, which together peach nectar, brown sugar, salt, garlic, pepper and liquid smoke.  Set aside.  In a roasting pan or slow cooker, place trimmed pork.  Pour the bottle of ginger been over the meat, and repeat with peach mixture. (I just mix all the ingredients together in the crock pot and then roll the roast in the mixture so it gets flavor on all sides).

Cover and bake at 300 for 4-5 hours.  If using slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 10 hours.

When meat pulls apart easily, remove and let meat rest for 10 mins.

Pull apart with forks and mix with Honey Peach BBQ Sauce

Honey Peach BBQ Sauce:
1 1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. fresh peach puree (I use frozen peaches)
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
1 TBSP honey mustard
1TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (only use 1 if you want it less spicy)
1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan and simmer about 1 hour, or until reduced by half.  Set aside until ready to use.

Black Pepper Coleslaw:
1 head of shredded cabbage
1/4 c. shredded carrot
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. milk
2 TBSP sugar
1 1/2 TBSP white vinegar
Approx 1/4 of an onion--shredded
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (add less for less spice)
1 1/2 tsp. honey mustard
1/2 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients except cabbage.  Stir in cabbage and mix well.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make sliders:
Lightly toast your rolls.  Top with Honey Peach BBQ Pork and Black Pepper Coleslaw (we also love to add a slice of cheddar cheese).  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Hugs, Alicia

Yummy Balsalmic Pork Chops

Yummy Balsalmic Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork chops, each 1 inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 bacon slices, diced
1 red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. chicken demi-glace
Fresh rosemary leaves for garnish

Directions:
Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the pork chops and sear, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
In the same pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion and partially cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is caramelized and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, thyme and bacon. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the liquid is thickened and reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the broth and demi-glace and bring the sauce to a simmer.
Return the pork chops to the pan. Cook, uncovered, coating the chops with the sauce, for 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with the rosemary leaves and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Got this recipe from Lish and it is super yummy!   Thought I would post it for her--You must try!   It is amazing with garlic potatoes and asparagus. -- Kim

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa

As we mourn the loss of our beloved childhood playground, the Center Street Reams, I thought it appropriate to post a recipe that would be pay tribute to the life and the culture of that great establishment.  (I also just happened to be making this today so it worked out great) So, in respectful reflection, here is one of my favorite "Mexican Food" recipes to help ease the mourning process.  Viva la Reams!!!!

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa

5-6 lb. pork roast
21 oz. Dr. Pepper (or Coke, do NOT use diet soda)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
7 oz. can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
6-ish oz. red taco sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crock-pot, cover half-way with water and cook on low for 10 hours or so.  I added some cloves of garlic, and a splash or two of Dr. Pepper to the water, because I can't stand to cook meat without seasoning.  I also rubbed the top of the roast with a little cumin, and a titch of garlic salt.  After 10 hours, drain pork (retain strained liquid if you want sauce for burritos, simply mix with a can of verde enchilada sauce and away you go).

Mix remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves.  I didn’t keep the actual chilies, I dumped the can into a bowl and added enough Dr. Pepper to get all the sauce off of the chilies, then I tossed them.  I also rinsed out the can with Dr. Pepper for more adobo goodness.  (Also, the adobo sauce tends to stain plastic, using a glass or metal mixing bowl will make your clean-up of adobo sauce considerably less frustrating).

Shred the pork and add it back to the crock pot.  Add Dr. Pepper mixture to the meat and cook on low an additional 4 hours.

Sit back, make yourself a delicious burrito, and remember the good old days at Reams......hot dogs, ice cream and soda in the hot, dirty parking lot, weird meat, Dad's trinket aisles...and the SMELL ;) ENJOY!  Hugs, Alicia
 Photo Courtesy of Keller Express Photgraphy

Smothered Pork Chops

So, these pork chops are delish!  And for those family members who care...they are also gluten-free and dairy-free (but not quite sugar-free...sorry, Dad!)   Here is the recipe, with my added tweaks :)  Enjoy!

Smothered Pork Chops

*Note: I like to serve these smothered pork chops over rice or mashed potatoes (being that is was lazy Sunday, we ate them over Potato Pearls :), never my first choice, but the buttery taste actually was a great compliment to the sauce). Also, if the gravy in the last step doesn’t thicken well, mix another tablespoon of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons cold water and add it to the hot liquid. Let it come to a boil to ensure it thickens properly. Finally, I have doubled the pork in this recipe and kept all the other ingredients the same and there was plenty of gravy to smother the doubled pork.
*Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
5 slices bacon, chopped (I never buy this kind of bacon, so I used the bacon crumbles from Sam's and just omitted the first step.  I then added some crumbles to the sauce at the end, and sprinkled some on top of everyone's servings)
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick (I just used the boneless ones from Sam's and fileted them in half--decreasing cooking time and, I think, making the meat less dry in the end.  It is also a great way to cut down a portion size ;)
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don’t have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later. (Like I said, I omitted this bacon step, and then just used a small pat of butter to brown my pork chops.  You could easily use olive oil, too.  It was just a butter day for some reason today)


Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic (I doubled the garlic....always do) and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.
Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours). (I did 4 hours, but my pork chops were thin because I sliced them in half...)

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. (I took out the meat and the bay leaves and then left all the rest in my crock pot together. I also added some of that crumbled bacon in at this point.  I then just used my immersion blender to blend it all together in one step.  I added the cornstarch and vinegar, blended, and added the meat back in and let it simmer in the crock pot for another 20 mins while it thickened a little)  Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve.

 

PS--I think we are eating these at Mom's on Sunday for Candice's birthday dinner! ;) Hugs, Alicia