Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs

 

1½ lbs country style pork ribs (boneless)

½ tsp. each, salt & pepper

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

½ cup+ BBQ sauce

 

Preheat your oven to 350° and trim any excess fat cap (an even layer of thick fat) from your boneless country style pork ribs as needed.

Season both sides of the country style ribs with salt and pepper, then arrange them on a couple of sheets of aluminum foil (large enough sheets to wrap around your pork ribs and seal securely). Place the foil with the ribs into a baking dish or onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Create the 'pouch' around your seasoned country style ribs, pulling up the sides so it will hold in the liquid, then pour the apple cider vinegar over the ribs. Seal the aluminum foil securely.

Bake at 350°F for 2 hours or until your pork ribs are fork tender.

Remove from the oven and open the aluminum foil carefully (vent the steam away from your body!). Transfer the pork ribs to a clean sheet of aluminum foil and drain the fat from your baking dish or sheet pan, then discard the used aluminum foil.

Move the ribs back into your baking dish and coat all sides of the pork ribs generously with the BBQ sauce. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven when done and allow the pork ribs to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Slather with more BBQ sauce if desired.

This recipe can be found here.

Banh Mi Tacos

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

1 ½ lbs.  pork tenderloin
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup honey
½ tsp. minced fresh ginger
1½ tsp. minced garlic
3 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

Pickled Vegetables

1 cup each thinly sliced radishes and carrot shreds
2 cups peeled, sliced cucumbers
1 jalapeno pepper (remove the seeds and white membranes for milder flavor)
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
1 cup rice vinegar
½ cup warm water
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
Black pepper, to taste

Spicy Mayonnaise

½ cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. Sriracha sauce
½ tsp. garlic

Herb Mix

½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup fresh chopped mint
4 green onions, chopped

6 (6-inch) whole-wheat tortillas 

Place pork tenderloin in a large zip-top bag. Add marinade ingredients to a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat 30 seconds. Whisk together and reserve ¼ cup of marinade. Pour remaining marinade over pork tenderloin, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

1.    About an hour before serving, toss the vegetables in a medium bowl. Whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until salt and sugar are dissolved, then pour over vegetables. Season to taste with black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.   Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat. While grill is heating, whisk together spicy mayonnaise ingredients and place in a squeeze container or a small zip-top bag. Set aside.

3.   Toss together the herb mix and set aside.

4.   When the grill is hot, place the pork tenderloin on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 7 minutes. Flip the tenderloin and cook for 6 minutes. Leave the lid closed and turn off the heat. Allow tenderloin to stand for 5 minutes. The tenderloin should measure about 155 degrees F. internally.

5.   Remove pork from grill, place on a plate or plastic cutting board and lightly cover with a sheet of aluminum foil. Allow tenderloin to rest 3 to 4 minutes.

6.   To serve, slice tenderloin into 1/4-inch slices against the grain. Drizzle the reserved marinade over sliced pork. Place 2 ounces of pork in each whole-wheat tortilla, then top with pickled vegetables. Cut the corner off the zip-top bag of spicy mayonnaise and squeeze about ½ Tbsp. onto the taco.

7.   Top with herb mixture and serve immediately.

This recipe can be found here.

Chili-Lime Steak Salad

1½ lb. flank steak, cooked with lime-chili rub and sliced into 1/4″ slices

1 recipe Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 large head romaine lettuce

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 red onion, sliced thin

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed in cold water

1-2 avocados, sliced

cilantro for garnish

optional: fried tortilla strips

Start with a nice bed of cold, crunchy lettuce, top with tomatoes (cut in half), sliced onion, black beans, avocado, steak and smother it in the best dressing ever.

Sprinkle on some cilantro and fried tortilla strips if you’re in the mood.   

This recipe can be found here.

Chili-Lime Steak Rub

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. coriander

½ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper or chipotle chili powder

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 lime (about 2 Tbsp lime juice)

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1-2 lbs flank steak, or other good grilling cut (tenderloin, NY strip, and tri-tip all work well)

Juice the lime into a small bowl. Add oil and spices and stir to combine.

Place the steak in a shallow dish and pour the spice mixture on top. Use your hands to massage it in there.

Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Place meat on hot grill (bbq is best, but an indoor grill pan or broiler will work just fine too). If you’re using flank steak it should take about 5-7 minutes on each side

When steak is finished, remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it

Slice in strips against the grain.


This recipe can be found here.

Baby Back Ribs

1 rack baby back ribs (about 2-2.5 pounds)

3 c. pineapple juice

1½ c. brown sugar

1½ tsp. mustard powder

1/3 c. ketchup

1/3 c. red wine vinegar

1½ Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. ground ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

Your favorite barbecue sauce

Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears, cut each rack into about 4 portions (it ends up being about 3-4 rib bones each).  Place in crockpot.

Mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard powder, ketchup, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, cloves, ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Pour over ribs and cover. (This step can be done the night before.) Set to low for 6-7 hours.

Remove ribs from liquid and heat grill to medium. Place ribs on the grill, brush one side with barbecue sauce, and close the lid for 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn the ribs, brush other side with sauce, close the lid, and wait another 3-4 minutes. Repeat.

Serve immediately.

This recipe can be found here.

Stuffed Pork Chops

1 lb. uncooked lean boneless pork chop(s), four chops (1/4-lb each) trimmed  

3 Tbsp. dried plain breadcrumbs  

½ rib celery, finely chopped  

½ small onion, finely chopped  

1 egg  

1 tsp. parsley  

 1 tsp. sage

 black pepper, to taste  

Cut a large, deep pocket in the side of each chop with a very sharp knife.

Combine the bread crumbs, celery, onion, egg, parsley, sage, and pepper in a medium bowl. Fill the pocket of each chop with the mixture; skewer the edges with toothpicks to hold them together, if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spray a 1-quart shallow baking pan with cooking spray.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the stuffed chops and cook, turning once, until golden brown on each side.

Transfer to the baking pan; cover with foil, and bake until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables in the stuffing are tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking until the stuffing is golden and slightly crispy, 10 minutes more.

This recipe can be found here.

Mix and Match Meatloaf

1. Pick Your Meat

Preheat the oven to 350°. Put 1½ lbs. ground meat in a large bowl (choose 1 or a combination).

Ground beef

Ground turkey

Ground veal

Ground pork

2. Choose a Binder

Add 1 cup to the bowl with the meat (choose 1).

Breadcrumbs

Instant rice (uncooked)

Cornflakes

Crackers or croutons, crushed

Fine bulgur (uncooked)

Oats (quick cooking or regular)

Instant potato flakes (use ½ cup)

Quick-cooking barley (uncooked; use ½ cup)

3. Pick a Vegetable

Prepare 1 to 2 cups (choose 1); add to the bowl.

Carrots, shredded

Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Swiss chard or kale, finely chopped

Bell peppers, finely chopped

Mushrooms, finely chopped

Zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry

Celery, finely chopped and sautéed

4. Choose a Mix-In (Optional)

Add ½ cup total (choose up to 2).

Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Cooked bacon, chopped

Pickles or gherkins, chopped

Canned green chiles or pickled jalapeños, chopped

Walnuts, chopped

Roasted red peppers, chopped

Shredded cheese (up to 1 cup)

5. Bake the Meatloaf

Add 1 cup grated onion, ½ cup ketchup, 2 Tbsps chopped herbs (parsley, chives, basil and/or thyme), 2 eggs, 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 minced garlic clove, 1½ tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper and mix with your hands until just combined. Shape into a 9-by-5-inch oval loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with strips of bacon, if desired. Bake about halfway, 30 minutes.  (I use mini loaf pans and cut the baking time.  Check the temperature!)

6. Make a Glaze

Brush the top and sides of the meatloaf with a glaze and continue baking until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°, about 25 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Classic

Mix ¼ cup ketchup, 2 tsp. brown sugar and 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.

Garlic-Herb

Mix ¼ cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp. brown sugar, 1 grated garlic clove and ½ tsp. Italian seasoning.

Spicy Barbecue

Mix ¼ cup barbecue sauce, 2 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder and 1 tsp. cider vinegar.

Tangy

Mix ¼ cup ketchup, 2 Tbsp. apricot preserves, 2 tsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. rice vinegar and 1 tsp. ground ginger.

This recipe can be found here.

Carne Asada

1 jalapeno, minced

1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

½ cup olive oil

2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine.

Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

This recipe can be found here.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

½ lb. lean ground beef

½ lb. ground pork

½ green pepper, chopped

½ red pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

2+ tsp. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

¼ tsp.Tabasco sauce to taste

1 can beef broth

Pie Crust

1 egg

1/4 c. cold water

In a large skillet, brown ground beef and ground pork, breaking the meat into small pieces. When it’s about halfway cooked, drain excess fat (if necessary) and then add green and red peppers, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent.

Add 2 tsp. Tony’s and 1/4 tsp. Tabasco. Add beef broth and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with additional Tony’s and Tabasco if necessary, keeping in mind that the seasonings will mellow in the pie. You can refrigerate this mixture for 3-4 days before baking the pies.

Prepare pie crust and roll the entire ball onto a floured surface. For large (meal-sized) pies, I use a bowl that’s about 6″ across the top; I just invert the bowl onto the dough and trace a knife around it to cut the dough.

Place about ¼ c. of the meat mixture onto one half of the dough circle, keeping about a 1/2″-1″ margin from the edges.

Fold the other side over and gently pinch the edges shut.

Preheat oven to 400° and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Place prepared pies onto your baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cold water and brush over the pies.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool a few minutes and then eat as soon as humanly possible. So good. There are…no words.

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: You could do this one of two ways; you can freeze them unbaked and just add the egg wash and bake them for an extra 15-20 minutes, or you can bake them and heat them up in the oven or microwave, whatever suits your needs better.

Pie Crust

3¾ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. salt

1¼ cups shortening

Ice water (probably about 3/4 cup)

Combine flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add shortening in small cubes.

Cut in shortening (room temperature) until you get pieces that are about pea-sized.

Start sprinkling the ice water by about a tablespoon at a time over the flour/shortening mixture.

Very, very gently, turn the dough with your fingers so it gets exposed to the water. You’re NOT mixing, just trying to moisten all of the flour/shortening mixture. Gradually, all of the flour mixture will be moistened. Gently pat the dough into a ball (it should come together easily but not be sticky).

Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to use.

Rolling the Dough

When you’re ready to roll out your pie crust, lightly flour your work surface and place the dough ball on the surface. One of the keys in making pie crust is to handle the dough as little as possible.

These recipes can be found here and here. 

Sunday Beef Stew

1½ -2 lb. lean stew beef, cut into even smaller bite-sized pieces

4-5 medium red potatoes, chopped

4-5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 cups roughly chopped onions, one large or 2 small

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 12-oz. cans or 3 c. vegetable juice cocktail (like V8 or even Bloody Mary mix)

1 10-oz. can condensed tomato soup

10 oz. water (just use the can from the tomato soup to measure)

1 tsp. basil

2 beef bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. beef base)

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°

Combine all ingredients in a large dutch oven or other oven save dish with a tight fitting lid.  Cook for about 3 hours.  (Or cook  in a slow cooker on low for 9-10 hours or high for 5-6.)

Remove from oven and serve.

This recipe can be found here.

Weeknight Chili

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 oz.) can kidney, black, or pinto beans, drained

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (15 oz.) can beef broth

1 Tbsp. chili powder

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

Tabasco or cayenne pepper, to taste

Shredded cheddar and/or chopped onions, for garnish

In a large stockpot, brown the ground beef.  When the beef is about halfway cooked, drain fat, if necessary and then add onion, pepper and garlic.  Cook until onion is translucent.

Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, brother, chili powder and Italian seasoning.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat; simmer 30 – 40 minutes.

Season to taste.  Garnish with cheese and/or onion.

*found in Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites

Sweet and Tangy Party Meatballs

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup BBQ sauce

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 bag frozen meatballs

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, BBQ sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan to heat up and dissolve sugar.

Place the meatballs in a 13x9 inch baking dish.

When sugar is dissolved, pour heated sauce over the meatballs and cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake for 30-45 minutes or until heated through.

Serve right away and enjoy!




recipe found here