Amazing Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

Amazing Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

Serves 10.

These were so so good! Baking in the oven as the last step is key! Don't omit that!
Slightly adapted from: Weary Chef

3-4 lbs. pork shoulder roast
1/2 cup taco sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
1 T. chili powder (optional)
2 t. dried oregano
2 t. cumin
2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk (do not add to crock pot)
Small tortillas

Cut roast into 3-4 large pieces. Pierce meat all over with a knife.

Stir together taco sauce, garlic, onion, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, cayenne, and water. Add pork pieces, and spoon liquid over the meat to coat all sides.   

Cover crockpot and cook on high 6-8 hours or low 8-10 hours, until meat shreds easily.   

When meat is done, preheat oven to 275 degrees. Take pork out of the slow cooker and shred on a large-rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or a baking mat to make cleanup easier. Discard any large pieces of fat. (Leave most of the onion behind, but it’s OK if some is incorporated with the meat.)   

 

Pour ½ cup of cooking liquid and ½ cup of milk over shredded pork. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove meat for serving with tongs to leave excess fat behind.   

 

Serve with tortillas, finely shredded cabbage, guacamole or avocado, and green salsa.

Oriental BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Oriental BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4.

A tasty pork tenderloin recipe that we all loved!
Source: Easy Weekly Menus

12 oz. pork tenderloin
3 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. olive oil
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. ketchup
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. rosemary

Put all ingredients except pork into a bowl and mix well using a whisk.

Pour over pork and let marinate for at least 15 minutes. 

When ready, cook pork on barbecue for 25 - 30 minutes, depending on thickness.  Turn occasionally to brown on all sides and baste frequently with marinade.  Quit basting after 15 minutes.

Pork is done at 145 F.  It will be slightly pink in the center which is perfect.  If you don't have a thermometer (instant or remote read) check it after 20 minutes by slicing into middle for a peak.  When done let it rest for 3 - 4 minutes, then slice at an angle, into 1" thick slices and serve.

Note:  Could also be roasted about the same amount of time, turning and basting, 400F

Balsamic and Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Balsamic and Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Serves 6.

A delicious pork tenderloin recipe!  And so easy!  You probably have everything needed for the marinade already on hand.
Source: Kitchen Confidante

4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2-1/2 t. coarse salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
2 T. olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1-1/4 lbs. each)
2 T. canola oil (if preparing in the oven)

Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl.  Marinate in a large bag overnight, or for the majority of the day.

Grill preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees.  Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Oven preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat.  Working in batches if necessary, add pork and brown all over, about 4 minutes.  (I skip this part and it still turns out fine, but won't have the crusted edges.  If you choose to skip it, you will need to increase baking time a bit.)

Transfer pork to oven.  Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes.  Transfer pork to a cutting board, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Teriyaki Meatballs

Teriyaki Meatballs

Makes about 15 meatballs.

A fun twist on traditional meatballs for the Asain food-lover in your household!
Source: Budget Bytes

Meatball ingredients:
1 lb. ground pork
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
2 inches fresh ginger
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 whole green onions
10-15 cranks freshly cracked black pepper

Teriyaki glaze ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 T. toasted sesame oil
1 T. rice vinegar
2 inches fresh ginger
2 T. corn starch
1 T. sesame seeds

Rice bowl ingredients:
2.5 cups dry jasmine rice
3.75 cups water
2 whole green onions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the ground pork in a large bowl. Peel the ginger and then grate it using a small holed cheese grater into the bowl. Mince the garlic, slice the green onions, and add them to the bowl. Also add the egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and black pepper. Mix these ingredients really well until it is all evenly combined (clean hands work best).

Cover a baking sheet with foil. Roll the meatball mixture into small balls, about one tablespoon each. You should yield about 30 meatballs. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet as you roll them. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown (about 35-40 minutes).

While the meatballs are in the oven, begin cooking the rice according to the package directions: Place the rice and water in a medium pot, cover, and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. As soon as it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Allow to simmer on low for 20 minutes, then turn the heat off and let the rice rest, undisturbed, until the rest of the meal is complete. The rice will continue to steam even after the heat is turned off, so don't remove the lid.

While the meatballs are in the oven, also prepare the teriyaki glaze. In a medium pot combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Peel and grate the ginger into the pot. Heat over a low flame until the brown sugar is dissolved (just a few minutes).

Dissolve the cornstarch in just enough water to make it pourable. Pour it into the pot with the glaze ingredients. Turn the heat up to medium high, stir and cook until thickened. It should thicken as soon as it begins to simmer. Once thickened, add the sesame seeds.

When the meatballs come out of the oven, transfer them from the baking sheet into the pot with the glaze. Stir to coat. Fluff the rice with a fork. Build the bowls by placing one cup of rice in a bowl, add five meatballs and a couple of spoons of extra teriyaki glaze, then sprinkle a few sliced green onions over top.

Cubano Sandwiches

Cubano Sandwiches

Serves 1.

Here's a classic sandwich recipe to use up your leftover pork!

2 slices white bread
Leftover pork loin, thinly sliced
2 slices deli ham
2 slices Swiss cheese
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Butter, for buttering bread

Assemble sandwiches while heating a skillet over medium heat.  Butter outsides of sandwich then grill on skillet, until bread is golden brown and sandwich is heated through.

Cut in half and enjoy!

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glaze Pork Tenderloin

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glaze Pork Tenderloin

Serves 6.

Follow the link below for more appetizing photos of this dish, because it is fab.  My photo doesn't do it justice (wait, have I said that before?) because I am bad about staging dishes.  When dinner's ready, dinner's ready, and there are hungry mouths to feed!  So I snap one like this.  B-a-d, I know.  But trust me when I say that this recipe is worth your time... and it won't require much of it!  It's tender and juicy and the glaze is just delicious.  Leftovers make great sandwiches, so make the entire recipe!
Slightly adapted from: C&C Marriage Factory

Pork

3 lbs. boneless pork tenderloin (mine was divided into two 1-1/2 lb. tenderloins)

1 teaspoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. 

About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour or two of cooking. 

Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Chicken Chorizo "no potato" Hash

Chicken Chorizo "no potato" Hash
Serves 2-3.

A winner when it's loved by both The Mr. and I!  Deliciously healthy, and a great way to use up leftover chicken.  The chorizo gives all the flavor!
Source: A Spicy Perspective

½ red onion, chopped
½ chopped cilantro
4 large zucchini, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
6-8 oz. *spicy* Mexican chorizo
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
1 Tb. oil, if needed
Salt and Pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Brown the chorizo for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken until warmed through. Remove the chorizo and chicken, and set aside.

Add the onions to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, red pepper and a tablespoon of oil if needed. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked, but not mushy. Salt and pepper to taste. Then add the protein back in.

Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately!

Prune Juice Marinade

Prune Juice Marinade

Sounds weird, right?  Don't be intimidated.  It's a great marinade, and you'd never know there was prune juice unless you made it!  This marinade is a Chinese recipe used primarily with pork tenderloin, but is said to also taste great with chicken, beef, turkey, and venison.
Source: PruneJuice

1/2 c. prune juice

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 T. extra virgin olive oil 

1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 t. garlic powder

3/4 c. ketchup

1/2 c. sugar

Add prune juice, soy sauce, extra virgin olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, garlic powder, tomato ketchup, and white sugar into a mixing bowl. Using a metal whisk, rapidly stir these ingredients together until you have a smooth and even marinade, and all of the sugar granulates have fully dissolved.

Add meat to bowl and allow to marinate for a few hours or overnight, if time permits.

Honey Glazed Ham

Honey Glazed Ham

Serves 15.

Who needs to pay for Honey Baked Ham when you can make it yourself? Plus, you can make this up to two days ahead of time and save yourself the fuss of preparing on Christmas day.  Leftovers are wonderful too.
Adapted from: AllRecipes

1 (8 pound) ready-to-eat ham, presliced

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 c. honey

1 stick butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place ham in foil lined pan.

In the top half of a double boiler, heat the brown sugar, ground gloves, honey and butter. Keep glaze warm while baking ham.

Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze.

Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.

A Note From The Little Lady: Double check baking times with suggested directions on your ham, and make adjustments as needed.

Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake

Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake

Serves 4-6.

This definitely falls in the "comfort food" category. It's rich and satisfying and delicious... and pretty heavy in your stomach too!

Source: Lemons and Love

2 lbs. pierogies (homemade or store-bought)

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz. cream cheese

1 lb. kielbasa, cut into small pieces

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange the pierogies in a 13x9 baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Scatter kielbasa evenly overtop.

Warm cream cheese, garlic, and pepper in a saucepan, and cook for one minute, or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in tomatoes. Pour the cream cheese mixture overtop pierogies and kielbasa. Top with shredded cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

Teriyaki Chicken (Marinade)

Teriyaki Chicken (Marinade)

Serves 4.

This is fantastic teriyaki marinade! We loved it and I will be using this recipe time and time again. It would also work well with pork.

Source: Ace Cooks, Bakers, and Miracle Makers cookbook

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. soy sauce

2 T. ketchup

1 T. cider vinegar

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or pork chops or pork loin)

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour over chicken. Marinate overnight, turning chicken over a couple times.

Grill and serve!

Saucy Pork Chops

Saucy Pork Chops

Serves 2.

A super easy meal to throw together that freezes well, cooks easily, and tastes great.

Source: 5-Ingredients or Less cookbook

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 c. ketchup

3 t. Worcestershire sauce

2-3 pork chops

1-1/2 c. prepared rice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix soup, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce together; set aside.

Arrange pork chops in an ungreased 8x8 baking pans; pour soup mixture over the top. Cover and bake for one hour.

Serve each pork chop on a serving of rice; spoon remaining sauce on top.

Cuban Garlic and Lime Pork Chops

Cuban Garlic and Lime Pork Chops

Serves 3 (easily doubled).

A perfect summer meal. The garlic and red pepper flakes add flavor and heat, and the fresh-squeezed juices add that summery tang. Best on the grill, and best enjoyed on a warm summer night.

Source: The Grilling Bible Cookbook

3 boneless pork chops, 3/4" thick

1 T. olive oil

1 T. fresh lime juice

1 T. fresh orange juice

1 t. bottled minced garlic

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. red pepper flakes

Place pork in a large resealable bag. Add oil, juices, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes. Seal bag and shake to evenly distribute marinade. Refrigerate for 24 hours, or freeze until ready to use.

Grill pork 6-8 minutes on each side or until pork is no longer pink in center.

Free-Form Sausage-and-Three-Cheese Lasagna

Free-Form Sausage-and-Three-Cheese Lasagna

Serves 2.

A perfect meal for an at-home date night when you want all the prep work done ahead of time.

Source: Food and Wine magazine

1/4 lb. lasagna noodles

1 T. + 1 t. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for tossing

1/8 lb. sweet Italian sausage (about 1 link)

1/4 c. water

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

14-oz. can whole tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into chunks

3 oz. Italian Fontina, cut into chunks

1 T. unsalted butter, softened

Fresh basil, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lasagna noodles until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer the noodles to a bowl of cold water and let stand for 2 minutes, then drain. Pat the noodles dry. Transfer to a bowl and toss with olive oil.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 t. of the olive oil. Add the Italian sausage (as a link), cover and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned all over. Add the water, cover and simmer until the sausage is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 t. of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with the juices and cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sausage and its poaching liquid and simmer for 4 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 12 minutes. Coarsely break up the sausage and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

In a well-buttered baking dish, arrange 1/3 of the lasagna noodles in different directions in the dish (hence, free-form lasagna). Spoon 1/3 of the tomato sauce over each noodle and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese. Set a piece of mozzarella and Fontina on each lasagna noode and add a few chunks of sausage:

Repeat the process with the remaining lasagna noodles, tomato sauce, mozzarella, Fontina, and sausage, sprinkling with a little more of the Parmesan cheese. Brush the softened butter on any bare pasta and curly edges and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake the lasagna on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes, until the sauce starts to bubble. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake for about 7 minutes longer. Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes, then scatter the basil on top. Cut into squares and serve.

A Note From The Little Lady: You can make this the day before and refrigerate overnight. Increase baking time to 40 minutes at 425 degrees, and 10 minutes at 450 degrees.

Pineapple Pork Tacos

Pineapple Pork Tacos

Serves 4.

Later this week, on Thursday the 22nd, Pineapple Grass will turn one year old! In celebration, each recipe this week will star pineapple as an ingredient. Enjoy!

A great taco recipe! Something different than "the norm," but still full of that familiar tex-mex flavor we all love.

Source: Good Housekeeping, July 2010 issue

1 chipotle chile, plus 2 T. sauce (from 1 can chiles in adobo sauce)

3 T. honey

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 small pineapple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 lb. boneless pork chops

1/2 small white onion, sliced

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

8 tortillas, warmed

Preheat grill to medium.

In a blender, puree chile, sauce, honey, garlic, half of pineapple slices, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour 1/3 cup sauce into a pie plate; pour remainder into a small bowl for serving.

Add pork to sauce in plate; turn to coat. Let stand. Grill onion and remaining pineapple 4-6 minutes, until tender, turning. Transfer to cutting board.

Grill pork, thinly coated with sauce, 6-8 minutes or until meat just loses its pink color, turning once.

Chop onion and pineapple; place in bowl. Stir in cilantro and 1/4 t. each salt and pepper. Cut pork into chunks; place in tortillas with pineapple mixture. Serve with reserved sauce.

Potstickers, Beans, & Greens

Potstickers, Beans, & Greens

Serves 2.

This was so good! And a nice change of pace from some of my go-to meals of protein, starch, and veggie. This meal still combines all three, but in a fresh new way. The original recipe calls for store-bought frozen potstickers, but I used some homemade ones I had in my own freezer. If you're in a pinch, go for the store-bought, but if you have the time, make them homemade!

Source: 3-Hour Diet cookbook

2 t. peanut oil

10-12 frozen potstickers, store-bought or from this recipe

1/4 c. chicken broth

2 c. frozen edamame

Coarse salt

1-1/2 c. baby bok choy, leaves separated and coarsely chopped

1 t. toasted sesame oil

2 t. soy sauce

1/2 c. prepared Asian dipping sauce (or extra soy sauce)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat and add the oil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Put the potstickers in the skillet and panfry, without moving, until the bottoms are golden and crisp, about 4 minutes.

Pour the chicken broth into the pan and quickly cover to capture the steam. Reduce heat to low and steam until the dumplings are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

When the large pot of water is boiling, add the edamame and boil for 3 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and season with coarse salt. Set aside and keep warm.

Pour out all but 2 inches of water the edamame was cooked in. Put a steamer basket in the pot and add the bok choy leaves. Cover and steam for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and place the bok choy evenly between two serving plates. Drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce.

Divide the potstickers and edamame evenly among plates. Serve with dipping sauce.

Honey Cumin Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Honey Cumin Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4-6.

Warmer weather is here (and has actually been here for a while this spring) and we are taking full advantage of the grill. The thing I love about grilling is that you can typically prepare things ahead of time, and simply toss it on when you're ready to eat. I made this marinade the day I brought the pork home from the grocery store, even though I knew we wouldn't eat it for another day or two. It makes the day-of that much more enjoyable.

Source: Pink Parsley Catering

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 lb. each

1/2 c. soy sauce

6 T. honey

2 t. lime zest

2 t. ground cumin

1 t. chile powder

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. salt

3 T. canola oil

Glaze:

4 T. honey, warmed

2 t. ground cumin

1 t. chile powder

Season pork tenderloins with salt and pepper and then place in a large Ziploc bag. Make marinade by combining remaining ingredients and pour over pork. Massage marinade into pork through the bag, and refrigerate several hours.

Heat grill to medim heat. Remove pork from marinade, and brush both sides with honey glaze. Grill until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 160-165 degrees F, turning once. Remove from heat, cover with foil, and allow to rest 15 minutes before slicing.

A Note From The Little Lady: True confessions: I completely forgot about the glaze. The bad news is I can't tell you how it was. The good news is I can assure you the pork was still fantastic without it. I'll definitely try to remember it next time, as I'm sure it offers a tasty carmelized "crust."

Jamaican Pork Chops

Jamaican Pork Chops

Serves 3 (easily doubled).

A fruitier Jamaican Jerk flavor. We had planned on grilling these, but when the grill gave us trouble, when ended up cooking them inside. Thus, the grill marks I was relying on didn't happen.

Source: The Grilling Bible Cookbook

1/3 c. prepared Italian salad dressing

1/6 c. Frank's Red Hot Sauce

1/6 c. freshly-squeezed lime juice

1 T. brown sugar

1 t. dried thyme leaves

1/2 t. ground allspice

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

3 pork chops, cut 1" thick (about 1-1/4 lbs.)

Place salad dressing, hot sauce, lime juice, sugar, and seasonings in a blender or food processor. Cover and process until smooth.

Place pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over chops. Seal bag and marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. You can also freeze, if desired.

Grill over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until pork is juicy and barely pink in he center, turning and basting frequently with marinade.

Pork Loin Roast with Apricot Glaze

Pork Loin Roast with Apricot Glaze

Serves 2-3.

A cozy end-of-winter crock pot meal to take you into spring. Pour some of the extra sauce over the pork and rice before serving.

Adapted From: In the Kitchen with Lily

1 pork loin roast (mine was approximately 2.5 lbs.)

16 oz of Apricot Jam 15.75 oz.

1 can chicken broth

2-3 tablespoons of Dijon-style mustard

1 large onion, chopped

Place pork loin in crock pot. Combine preserves, broth, mustard, and onion; pour over meat.

Cook on low for 9-10 hours; high for 4-5.

Serve over rice.

Sweet & Sour Pork with Rice

Sweet & Sour Pork with Rice

Serves 4.

This recipe comes from The Mr.'s grandmother. She included it in a recipe box she compiled for me a few Christmases ago. It was such a fun gift to receive -- I love looking through recipes, but family recipes hold extra special meaning.

The Mr. dubbed this "too sweet" for his tastes, but I liked that part about it. I mean, it is called SWEET and sour pork. And it's exactly that.

1 lb. boneless pork, cut into cubes

3/4 c. ketchup

1/4 c. white vinegar

1 c. pineapple juice (drained from a can of pineapple chunks, reserve pineapple)

3 T. sugar

1/2 c. onion slices

1 c. green pepper chunks

1 T. cornstarch

3 T. water

Combine ketchup, vinegar, pineapple juice, and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Blend and bring to a boil.

While mixture is heating, lightly fry pork cubes in a skillet.

In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water.

When ketchup mixture has reached a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and blend throughout. Return to a boil and add onion slices and green pepper chunks. Boil uncovered for 3 minutes.

Add the fried pork and the pineapple to the sauce. Serve over rice.

After 3 minutes