Rosemary Demi-Glace Pork Chops

 

Homemade Italian Capicola

 

INGREDIENTS

  

• For the Curing Rub:
• 3 pounds pork coppa or pork loin (coppa is the traditional and preferred cut (we highly recommend it if you can get one from your butcher), see blog post for description)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon curing salt #1 (aka Prague powder) (this is essential for maintaining the pink color of the meat as opposed to brown/gray once it's cooked)
• For the Seasoning Rub (feel free to tweak according to preference):
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 3/4 teaspoons anise seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• You'll also need:
• meat netting, size 24

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• To make the cure, place the sea salt, sugar, red pepper flakes and pink curing salt in a coffee/spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle to grind them.  (It is essential that the pink salt is evenly distributed in the rub.)

  Place the pork in a large bowl or on a work surface and massage the rub into the pork, making sure to get every nook and cranny.

  Wrap the pork tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 5 days.  After 5 days flip it over so the bottom side is up and refrigerate it for another 5 days.
• After 10 days unwrap the meat. It will be firmer to the touch. Thoroughly rinse it under cold water to remove all the spices and set it aside while you prepare the final rub.

  To make the rub, place the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, anise seeds, red pepper flakes and black peppercorns in a coffee/spice grinder or use a mortal and pestle to grind the spices until you get a coarse rub. Lightly blot the coppa with a paper towel.

  Spread the rub out onto a plate or work surface and roll the coppa in it, coating all sides. Use up all the spice rub to coat the meat.
• Next you'll need a #24 netting roll. Cut a piece of netting off the roll that is a few inches longer than your coppa.

  Stretch the netting and feed the coppa through it (unless you have a ham-stuffing funnel, it's easiest to do this with two people).
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Fill a pan up with water and place it on the middle rack of the oven. This will create humidity as the coppa cooks to keep the coppa moist. Place the coppa on a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack and place the pan on the top rack of the oven. Cook the coppa for 1 hour, then turn the coppa over so the bottom side is up and bake it for another hour or until the internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees F. Don't overcook or the meat will be dry.
• Be patient, it's not quite ready yet!  Remove the coppa, place it on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours.
• At that point your homemade Italian capicola is ready to eat! Slice it thinly and enjoy it on your sandwiches, pizzas or eaten on its own!  (For professional looking deli meat slices, use an electric meat slicer.)  

  To store, keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 2 weeks.

  The sliced capicola can also be frozen for up to a couple of months.

Homemade Bacon

 

INGREDIENTS

  

• For the Wet Cure Method:
• 5 pounds pork belly , skin removed
• 6 cups cool water
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (optional, if you want a sweet bacon)
• 2 teaspoons Prague powder #1 (measure carefully)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• For the Dry Cure Method:
• 5 pounds pork belly , skin removed
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (optional, if you want a sweet bacon)
• 1 teaspoon Prague powder #1 (measure carefully)
• Coarsely crushed black peppercorns (optional and amount according to personal preference)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• For the Wet Cure Method:

  Add all the cure ingredients together in a large bowl and stir.  Place the pork belly in gallon ziplock bag or container that just fits the size of the pork belly and pour the brine over it.  If using a ziplock bag, place the bag in a container in case there is any leakage.  Place it in the refrigerator for 7 days, flipping the bag over (or the pork belly itself if curing it in a container) every 2 days to ensure both sides of the pork belly are equally cured.

  **A one-gallon bag will hold a 3-pound pork belly.  If you're following the recipe to use a 5 pound pork belly and plan on using the wet cure method with ziplock bags you can cut the pork belly in half and divide the brine equally between the two bags.
• After 7 days the pork belly will have firmed up. Remove the pork belly from the brine and thoroughly rinse it off. Some people say you should let the slab of bacon air dry for up to 24 hours before you smoke it. But many experts agree there is no need to do this. These experts argue that in leaving it wet the smoke actually sticks to the bacon better than if it's dry.  At this point if you like you can rub it down with some cracked peppercorns and, if you want it sweeter, some brown sugar, honey or maple syrup.  Proceed to smoking (see below).  
• For the Dry Cure Method:

  Place all the dry cure ingredients in bowl and stir to thoroughly combine them.  It is essential that the pink curing salt is evenly distributed across the whole pork belly.  We recommend using a spice/coffee grinder, a small blender or a mortar and pestle.   

  Thoroughly and evenly rub down all sides of the pork belly with the dry rub.  Place it in a ziplock bag or container (like a casserole dish), with the fatty layer side down, and cover it with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate it for 5 days.  Flip the bacon over, redistribute the liquid that will have formed (if it's in a ziplock bag simply turn the bag over and give it a massage), and refrigerate for another 5 days. After 10 days the pork belly will have become quite firm and stiff.  Remove it from the the container or bag, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry with paper towels. At this point if you like you can rub it down with some cracked peppercorns and, if you want it sweeter, some brown sugar, honey or maple syrup.  Proceed to smoking.
• To Smoke the Bacon:

  Preheat your smoker to 175-180 degrees F (do not exceed 200 F).  (We use and love the Masterbuilt Digital Smoker).  Smoke the bacon fat side up (as the fat renders it will run down over the meat) for 3+ hours or until the internal temperature of the bacon reaches 150 degrees F.  (We use and recommend this instant read thermometer.)  Add a handful of wood chips a couple of times during the smoking process. (Good options include hickory, apple or cherry.)

  If you're using a grill, set up it up for 2-zone cooking and smoke the bacon over indirect heat at 175-180 degrees F (don't exceed 200 F) for about 3 hours or until the internal temperature of the bacon reaches 150 degrees F.

  Once the bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, transfer the bacon to a plate and immediately place it in the fridge to cool down.
• To slice the bacon, slice it across the grain.  You can use a large sharp knife or, for perfectly uniform/professional slices use a meat slicer.

Shrimp Corn Chowder

 

Ingredients

6 slices thick-cut bacon cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 small green onions thinly sliced, with white and green parts divided
2 stalks celery diced (about 1/2 cup)
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 2/3 cups nonfat milk
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels about 3 ears if using fresh
1 can cream-style corn (15 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper plus additional to taste
1 pound frozen peeled & deveined shrimp any size you like, thawed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/3 cup half-and-half
Hot sauce optional for serving

Cook the bacon in a dutch oven or large, deep saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Lightly pat dry and set aside for serving. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat.

Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Set aside 1/4 cup of the sliced green onion tops for serving, then add the rest of the green onions. Add the celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Sprinkle the flour over the top of the onion mixture, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, a few splashes at a time at first, stirring out any lumps. Stream in the rest of the milk, then add the corn kernels, cream-style corn, and cayenne. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Let bubble until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and continue cooking just until the shrimp are done, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat, then stir in the thyme and half-and-half.

Serve hot, sprinkled with reserved bacon, green onion tops, and a dash or two of hot sauce as desired

Charleston 13 Bean Super Soup

 

Pork loin with mustard sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5 lb pork loin 

salt / pepper

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Heat oven to 400.  Heat oil in cast iron skillet. Season pork with salt & pepper.  Sear pork on all sides until browned, 6-8 minutes.

Transfer skillet to oven and continue roasting until internal temperature reaches 140.  

Remove pork from skill, let rest for 5 min.

Add vinegar, mustard, and parsley to the hot skillet.  Stir to combine. 

Slice pork.  Add pork slices to mustard sauce in skillet.  Continue to cook on low until pork reaches desired doneness.  Serve immediately.

Gingery Pork Ramen Stir-Fry

 

Steakhouse style Pork Chops

 

Pork and Zucchini Bibimbap

 

Korean Pork Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided
1 (2-lb.) trimmed boneless pork shoulder roast (about 2 1/2 to 3 lb. before trimming)
2 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/4 cups rice vinegar
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups precut matchstick-cut carrots
1 1/2 cups matchstick-cut daikon radish
6 tablespoons white miso
1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
24 red leaf lettuce leaves

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high. Combine ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar; rub evenly over all sides of pork. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork; cook, turning until charred on all sides, about 8 minutes. Place pork in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker; add stock and garlic. Cover and cook on low until pork shreds easily with a fork, 7 1/2 to 8 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Shred meat with 2 forks, and place in a large bowl. Add reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid and 3/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, 1 1/4 cups water, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add carrots and radish. Remove from heat; cool completely, about 30 minutes or up to 7 hours. Drain well.

Combine miso, Sriracha, and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Spread about 1 teaspoon sauce over each lettuce leaf; top each with about 1 ounce pork and 2 tablespoons pickled vegetables. 

Family Style Meatball "Fondue"

Ingredients

Cooking spray

16 ounces ground pork

16 ounces ground beef

1 small onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jar marinara sauce (Rao’s)

1/4 cup water

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

whole-wheat baguette, cut into 24 thin slices and toasted

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; coat with cooking spray.

Stir together beef, pork, turkey, onion, oregano, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl. Form 24 meatballs with meat mixture, about 1 tablespoon each; arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400°F until fully cooked, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushroom liquid is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in marinara sauce and 1/4 cup water; reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes. Add meatballs to skillet (leave behind cooked-out proteins); gently stir to coat with sauce. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Preheat broiler with oven rack in top position. Broil meatball mixture just until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Serve with toasted baguette.

Chorizo & Potato Empanadas

 

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1 cup diced yellow potato 
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
• ½ cup diced white onion
• ½ cup diced tomato
• ½ cup sliced scallions
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 8 ounces Mexican-style chorizo, casings removed
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 7-ounce refrigerated pie crusts
• Cooking spray
• Hot sauce or salsa for serving

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• Step 2

  Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add potato and water. Cover and cook until the water is evaporated and the potato begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add tomato and scallions; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add cilantro and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

• Step 3

  Push the vegetables to the sides and add chorizo to the center of the pan. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 3 minutes. Stir the vegetables and chorizo together, and add vinegar and salt. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.

• Step 4

  Roll each pie crust into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Cut out eight 5-inch circles and roll each one out to a 6-inch circle. Mound about 1/4 cup of the filling onto the center of each circle. Fold the dough in half and crimp or pleat the edges. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet and coat both sides of each empanada with cooking spray.

• Step 5

  Bake the empanadas, flipping once halfway, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve with hot sauce or salsa for dipping, if desired.

Sweet and Saucy Pork Chops

Ingredients

2 SERVINGS

2

1"-thick bone-in pork rib chops (look for the most marbled ones you can find, preferably with some fat cap too)

Kosher salt

1½

tsp. sugar, divided

2

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1

large shallot, chopped

4

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼

cup red wine vinegar

3

sprigs rosemary

1

Tbsp. drained capers

2

Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Season pork chops with salt and sprinkle evenly with ½ tsp. sugar. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook chops, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook just until second side is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer chops to a plate (they won’t be fully cooked); reduce heat to medium.

Step 2

Pour remaining 1 Tbsp. oil into same skillet and add shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.

Step 3

Add vinegar and remaining 1 tsp. sugar to skillet. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until vinegar is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Step 4

Add rosemary, capers, and ½ cup water to skillet; season with salt. Reduce heat as needed to maintain a very low simmer. Add butter and swirl pan continuously (and vigorously) until sauce becomes smooth, glossy, and emulsified.

Step 5

Return pork chops to skillet, arranging darker side up. Simmer gently in sauce, swirling occasionally, until chops are cooked through, about 3 minutes (a thermometer inserted near the bones should register 135°).

Step 6

Transfer pork chops to plates and spoon sauce over.

Italian Pork Sausage Gnocchi Bake