Sweet Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

INGREDIENTS

Pork:
• 2 pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of large fat pockets
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
• 1/2 cup water
Glaze:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine the sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub the spices all over the roast. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and pour in the 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Near the end of the cooking time for the roast, combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
2. Remove the pork from the slow cooker, shred and place on a platter or plate. Drizzle the glaze over the pork and serve.

From: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sweet Cafe Rio Pork

Time: 5-8 hours slow cooking

Yield: 8 servings 

1   3 lb pork loin roast (be sure the roast is completely thawed)
1   16 oz jar salsa (2 C salsa)
1 can green chilies
½ C brown sugar
1 can black beans, undrained
Tortillas
Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato

1. In the bottom of a large crock pot mix salsa, green chilies, brown sugar, and black beans.
2. Add the pork roast and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours depending on how hot your crock pot cooks things.  
3. Take the meat out of the Crockpot and shred it up with a fork.
4. Return meat to the Crockpot and cook 1 more hour.
5. Serve on tortillas with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.

Roasted Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless pork shoulder (about 4 pounds), skin on
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 handful fresh oregano
• 4 tablespoons Kosher salt (1 tablespoon for every pound of meat) I ONLY USE 1 TBSP.  More is too much.  Be sure you use Kosher salt.  It is better!
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil I use olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions

Place the pork, fat-side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert, and using a sharp knife, score the surface of the meat with small slits. Mash the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper into a paste on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife; place the adobo in a bowl and stir in the oil and vinegar. Rub the garlic paste all over the pork, being sure to get into the incisions so the salt can penetrate the meat and pull out the moisture - this will help form a crust on the outside when cooked. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Allow the meat to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roast the pork for 3 hours, uncovered, until the skin is crispy-brown. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

 

This is really good!  Make sure that you let it sit for several hours in the refrigerator.  I usually put it in the refrigerator early in the morning.  You MUST use fresh oregano!  It makes your house smell yummy all day!

 

 The best use I have found for this mixture is on pork chops.  I put it on boneless chops and let it sit all day then grill it!  YUM!  My family likes the chops because you get more of the flavor from the coating on the outside!  I do like to use the pork for a green chile stew that I make.  

 

Loriann

Green Chile Stew

Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 2 (7 ounce) cans diced green chiles 2 yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 4-5 red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 can black beans, drained 1 can kidney beans, drained 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce 1 cup frozen corn 3 cans chicken broth 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Combine the pork, tomatoes, green chiles, yams, potatoes, beans, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce in a slow cooker.  Pour in broth. Cover, and cook on Low until the pork is very tender, 6 to 7 hours.

2.

Stir in the frozen corn, recover, and cook until the corn is hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese to serve.   This is a revised version of the recipe I found.  You can do it like this OR don't use the roast as it says.  When I make the pork shoulder roast I make an extra one.  Towards the end of the cooking time I cut up the left-over roast and put it into the crock pot to heat up.  from Loriann

Tender Grilled Pork Chops

FROM MEL'S KITCHEN CAFE

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork loin chops
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon steak seasoning (such as Montreal Steak Seasoning or make your own*)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix olive oil, soy sauce and steak seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and pour into a one-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops and set the bag in a baking dish in a way that the pork chops get a healthy dose of the marinade (it may be advantageous to flip the bag over halfway through the marinating time). Marinate in the refrigerator for 3-8 hours (no more than 8).
2. Heat the grill to medium and grill the chops 6-8 minutes per side (depending on how thick they are) until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove the chops from the grill and tent them with foil and allow them to rest for 5-7 minutes. Slice the chops in 1/4 to 3/8 inch slices across the grain and serve.

*Here is a pretty good copycat recipe I found and seriously adjusted for Montreal Steak Seasoning:
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher/coarse salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon dill
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

Maria's notes:  I made these for our Memorial Day get-together at Jason and Kierstin's.  My family loves them.

Jambalaya

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites
It is a really easy version of Jambalaya
It is also great the next day

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. white rice

5 c. water

2-3 Tbsp. butter

1 green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

A lot of garlic (probably 5-6 cloves), minced

1/2 lb. high-quality smoked sausage(approximately; you can actually use a little less if you buy, say, a 14-oz. package of sausage)

1/2 lb. ham (you can also substitute leftover chicken, shrimp, or other shellfish; however, you’ll also need to compensate for the smokey flavor and the salt from the ham, so be prepared with liquid smoke and salt to taste. And you’ll want it to have a distinct smokey flavor.)

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (you could use another Cajun or Creole seasoning, but this brand is widely accessible and cheap) to taste

Directions:

1. Combine rice and water in a medium-large saucepan and cover with lid. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to stand an additional five minutes. (I just make some rice in my rice cooker)
2. While rice is cooking, finely chop sausage and ham (in your food processor if you have one) and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat in a very large skillet. When butter is hot and bubbly, add onion, green onions, green pepper, and celery and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add chopped meat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and then add cooked rice. Now start seasoning with the Cajun seasoning. It’s hot, I won’t lie, so if you find that it’s getting spicy enough for your taste but it’s still not salty enough, leave the Cajun seasoning alone and just finish seasoning it with Kosher salt. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Combine with cooked rice and serve.

*I added the stuff in italics because she forgot to put it in her instructions, but added it later in her comment section.

Smothered Pork Chops {Slow Cooker}

printed from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: I like to serve these smothered pork chops over rice or mashed potatoes. 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


Maria's note: We loved these. My gravy turned out a little too thin, but that can be remedied with the cornstarch. I recommend serving the bacon on the side so that the bacon doesn't go limp in the gravy.

5 slices bacon, chopped
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
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

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.
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 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).

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. 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.

Egg Rolls

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb finely chopped pork or chicken
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 egg
1 lb package egg roll wraps
vegetable oil for frying

To make the filling, first coat the bottom of a large frying pan with oil. Add the meat and cook thoroughly. Add garlic and ginger. Stir to coat the meat. Add cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and soy sauce. Stir-fry until cabbage is soft (10-15 minutes). Remove pan from heat.


Crack egg into a bowl and beat with a fork. Add approximately 3 tbsp cold water and mix well to form an egg wash.

Lay one egg roll wrap on a plate with a point facing toward you. Place two heaping spoonfuls of the filling near the center of the wrap.


Begin wrapping egg roll by folding up the bottom corner.


Fold over the two sides.


Roll the egg roll upwards once.


Using a pastry brush, paint a thin layer of the egg wash on the egg roll. This will help to seal the roll so it doesn't come unwrapped.


Fold the last corner down.


Heat the oil to a medium high heat. Place egg roll in oil and fry until wrap is golden brown. Flip with tongs. Fry second side until golden brown. Place cooked egg roll on a paper towel to drain off excess oil.




Serve egg rolls with fried rice or sweet and sour sauce.


This recipe makes approximately enough filling for a 1 lb package of wraps. Egg rolls can be frozen for later use. After wrapping egg rolls, freeze on a tray until hard, then place in freezer bags. Thaw before frying.

Be careful with egg roll wraps! The dough is fragile and must stay cool to prevent drying and cracking.

Chile-rubbed Pork with Corn Salsa

3 lbs pork tenderloin or pork loin
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 cup corn kernels
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and finely chopped
juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Rub pork with oil, then season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. In a large frying pan, brown all sides of pork in oil, about 5 minutes all together. Reserve drippings from frying pan. Put pork in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours. You can roast it in the oven, but not really sure about temperatures and time.

In the drippings, make the salsa over medium heat by frying the corn in the drippings for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the onion, tomato, lime juice, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the pork with the corn salsa.

Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe

Trevor wants me to say that this tastes more like Costa Vida, and since he's sitting right here and being annoying, there you go.







3.5 lbs pork roast
8 0z bottle taco sauce
1 Tbsp cumin
1 cup brown sugar
1 can Coke (not diet)--caffeine free works fine if it bothers you

Cook pork in a crock pot on low for 6 hours (cover roast 1/2 with water). Take out some of the water, leaving about 1/2 an inch at the bottom. Shred pork. Mix ingredients in a bowl and add to pork 3 hours before it you want it to be done.

Tangy Pork Chops

6 lean pork chops

1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 medium onions, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 large green pepper sliced

1 can (14 1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes

1/2 C ketchup

2 Tb cider vinegar

2 Tb brown sugar

2 Tb Worcestershire sauce

1 Tb lemon juice

1 beef bouillon cube

2 Tb cornstarch

2 Tb water

Place chops in a slow cooker; sprinkle with salt if desired and pepper. Add the onions, celery, green pepper and tomatoes. Combine ketchup, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and bouillon; pour over vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into liquid in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice if desired.

Crock-Pot Pork Chops

6 lean pork chops

1/2 C flour

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 can chicken and rice soup

2 Tb oil

Dredge pork chops in a mixture of flour, salt, dry mustard and garlic powder in a ziplock baggie.

Brown both sides of pork chop in oil in a large skillet. Place browned pork chops in crock pot. Add can of soup. ( I use 2 cans because we like the rice) Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours ( hight 31/2 hours). Serve over rice.

Just Like Cafe Rio Shredded Pork

This is another Cafe Rio knock-off. I don't think it is as sweet as others I've tried. Leftovers freeze really well.

4 lbs. bone-in picnic pork roast
2 T. brown sugar
2 tsp. paprika
1-2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. cumin
2 cloves minced garlic
1 sliced onion
1 cup chicken stock
1 can (12 ounces) Coke

Combine brown sugar, red pepper, salt, cumin and paprika. Rub over the roast covering it completely. Put in a crock pot. Add onion, garlic, chicken stock and Coke. Cook on low for about 8 hours. I usually do it in the oven at 250 degrees.

Shred roast. Strain drippings. Combine and simmer on cooktop for about 30 minutes until some of the liquid is reduced.

We like this meat in tacos, burritos and quesadillas.

Crock-pot Pork Chops

3/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C ketchup
1/4 C honey
2 T cider or white wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 pork loin chops
1 medium onion, sliced

In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Place pork chops in crock-pot and cover with sauce. Place onion on top. Cover and cook on low for approximately 4-5 hours (depending on thickness of chops).