My carnivorous habits – recipes, photos, and reviews

Ah, carnitas – those melty, tender, bits of pig cooked in its own juices.  I do love them and continue to refine my recipe. This version uses slightly larger chunks of pork shoulder than I normally use, then simmered in citrus juice until the fat renders and the meat starts to get all brown and crispy. The pickled onions are a common Mexican garnish and really add a tangy compliment to the meat.

Carnitas

2 boneless pork shoulder roasts (aka Boston Butt), about 14 pounds
Juice of 3 oranges (about 1 cup)
Juice of 2 limes (about 4 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin

I set my Big Green Egg up for an 8 hour cook over indirect heat at 300°F. I used the plate setter with a trivet on it to diffuse the heat and keep the bottom from burning.

While the BGE was heating up, I cut the pork into big (4-inch) chunks, discarding any nasty pieces of connective tissue, but keeping all of the fat.

I combined all of the ingredients into a 12-quart Dutch oven, put the oven on the grill and let it simmer for an hour.  I gave it a stir and then let it go for another hour. I kept checking and stirring once an hour until most of the liquid had evaporated and the pork had started to fry in its own fat (about 5 hours).  Then I checked it every 15 minutes to make sure it was getting crispy, but not becoming dry or burned. Total cook time was just over 6 hours.

Pickled Onions

1 red onion, halved lengthwise, ends removed, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Salt and pepper to taste

I put the onions in a saucepan, added just enough water to cover, and boiled until tender (about 1 minute). I remove them from heat,  rinsed with cold water, and drained.

I put the onions in a plastic container, added the lime juice and vinegar, and seasoned to taste with a couple of grinds of black pepper and about a teaspoon of kosher salt. I sealed the container and stored it in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

The only thing better than bacon and eggs? Bacon and eggs blended with creamy ricotta cheese, of course.

6 eggs
5 strips bacon, diced
1 small bunch fresh parsley, diced (about 4 tablespoons)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

In a medium skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the pan into a pint jar and refrigerate (see In Praise of Bacon Grease for uses).

In a medium bowl, combine the bacon, eggs, ricotta, parsley, cream, salt, and a couple of grinds of pepper.

Pour the egg mixture back into the skillet. Cook the frittata on the stove top over medium heat until the eggs start to set, about 5 minutes. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until firm, about 10 to 15 minutes.

I had such luck with the Cherry-Glazed Chicken that I thought I would continue with the meat-meets-sweet-spicy-and-savory theme. The noodle dish is a great complement to the chops and is quick and easy to make.

Apricot-Glazed Pork Chops

6 boneless pork chops
1 (10 ounce) jar apricot jam
2 apricots, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free Bragg’s Aminos
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

Mix the jam, soy sauce, vinegar,  sweet chili sauce, garlic, and ginger in a sauce pan over medium heat until blended (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

Put the chops in a zip-top bag and cover with the marinade.  Toss to coat. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and put it in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, overnight is better.

Set up your grill for a direct cook over medium (350°F) heat.

Remove the chops from the marinade. Save the marinade into a small saucepan. Add the apricots and and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for about 3 minutes, until the marinade has thickened to the point that it will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Pour off 1/2 cup of the marinade to use for basting the chops. Save the rest to pour over the chops when they are done.

Season the chops on both sides with a little salt and pepper.

Grill the chops 10 minutes on one side, flip and grill another 5 minutes on the second side. Brush with marinade and grill for 5 more minutes. Flip, brush, and grill another 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork hits 140°F.

Remove the chops from the grill and let rest 5 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved marinade before serving.

Peanut Noodles

You can put it together in advance and stash it in the fridge. Just take it out early so that it comes to room temperature for serving.

2/3 cup peanut butter (natural if possible)
1/4 cup soy sauce or gluten-free Bragg’s Aminos
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 – 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

3/4 pound dried spaghetti (use corn or rice noodles to make it gluten-free)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1/2 cup snow peas
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

In a blender, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, water, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, pepper flakes, and ginger. Blend until smooth (about a minute) then pour into a large bowl.

Cook the pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente (if you are going to let this sit in the fridge, shorten the cooking time for a little firmer pasta). Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water.

Add the pasta, veggies, and sesame seeds to the dressing. Toss to combine.

I’m the only gluten-free member of my clan. For family gatherings (like this upcoming 4th of July weekend), my dear wife makes this pie so we can all have dessert and I won’t feel left out. Ain’t she the best?

This is adapted from Penzeys One, Volume 3, Issue 6, 2009.

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
2 eggs
1  1/3 cup sugar
1  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup flour (we used Pamela’s Ultimate Baking & Pancake Mix)
2 cup milk
3 cup shredded coconut (we like natural, unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate (this dessert doesn’t need a pie crust- it makes it’s own) and bake at 350°F until browned, about 35-45 minutes.

Let cool before slicing. Run a thin knife around the rim of the pie plate before cutting.

Have a fun 4th!

I was inspired by the Sriracha Pork Glaze over at Nibble Me This and had to try this sweet, spicy, savory glaze.  I used it to really light up some boring old chicken breasts.

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 (10 ounce) jar black cherry jam
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
1/4 cup  terriyaki sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

Mix everything but the chicken breasts  in a sauce pan over medium heat until blended (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.

Put chicken breasts in a zip-top bag and cover with the cooled marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and toss it in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, overnight is better.

Set up your grill for a direct cook over medium (350°F) heat.

Remove the breasts from the marinade. Save the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for about 3 minutes, until the marinade has thickened to the point that it will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Pour off 1/2 cup of the marinade to use for basting the chicken. Save the rest to pour over the top when done.

Season the breasts on both sides with a little salt and pepper.

Grill the breasts 10 minutes on one side, flip and grill another 5 minutes on the second side. Brush with marinade and grill for 5 more minutes. Flip, brush, and grill until the the juices just start to run clear or the internal temperature of the chicken hits 160°F.

Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Top with the reserved marinade.

Sweet scallops meet savory, smoky bacon. This is a dish that I would typically make on the Big Green Egg, but Bella is out of commission this week pending the completion of our new deck so i had to resort to using the broiler.

1 pound medium-ish sea scallops (about 18 to 20 scallops)
10 strips of bacon
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1-2 teaspoons barbecue rub (I used Dizzy Pig Tsunami Spin on this batch)
4 bamboo skewers (these flat skewers rock)

Soak the skewers in water for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the scallops and the teriyaki sauce in a shallow bowl and marinate for about 15 minutes.

Place the bacon strips on a broiler pan and bake until they just start to get brown around the edges, but are still very pliable, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

When the bacon is cool, slice each strip in half. Wrap each scallop with half a strip of bacon and thread onto a skewer.  Get about 5 or 6 scallops on each skewer.

Set the oven’s broiler on low.

Arrange the bacon-wrapped scallops on a broiler pan. Sprinkle each side with barbecue rub.  Broil 8 to 10 minutes per side, until the bacon is crispy and the scallops turn opaque.

This is one of those dishes that’s so good I could make it once a week for the rest of my days and never get tired of it.

The Ingredients

1 (3-5 pound) chuck roast
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large onion, chopped
1 (7 ounce) jar roasted sweet red peppers
1 (16 ounce) jar mild pepperoncini peppers
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup red wine, beef stock, or beer
1/2 cup water

The Cook

Preheat oven to 300°F.

In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, black pepper, and salt. Rub spice mixture into the roast.

Heat a 4-6 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear on all sides (about 4 minutes a side).  Remove from heat and add the both the jarred peppers, onion, garlic, wine, and water. Put the lid on the pot and move it to the oven.

Cook for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is falling apart tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the roast and veggies to serving dish and keep warm.  Let the remaining  juices in the pot settle for about 5 minutes and then skim the fat off with a big spoon.  Bring the juices to a simmer and then pour over the roast.

Serve as a main dish, or atop a crusty french roll.

Fajitas are a great, simple dish for summer. You’ve got your smokey meat, tender veggies, spicy chiles, and all without having to fire up the stove – what’s not to love? I used sirloin steak for this recipe, but it’s also excellent with flank steak, skirt steak, tri-tip, or cena.

The Ingredients

2-3 pounds sirloin steak
3 bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 large onion, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced into strips
Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

The Cook

Create a marinade by whisking together the lime juice, oil, chili, soy sauce, garlic, salt and oregano in a small bowl. Place the steak in a large zip-top bag and cover with half of the marinade. Squeezed the air out of the bag, seal it, and toss it in the fridge to marinate.

Put the peppers, onion, and zucchini in another large zip-top bag and cover with the remaining marinade. Squeezed the air out of the bag, seal it, and toss it in the fridge next to the steak.

Set your grill up for a direct cook over high (500°F+) heat.

Remove the steak from the marinade and grill for 4-5 minutes per side. We’re looking for medium rare with a nice char on the outside.

Remove the steak and set aside to rest. Put the veggies in a grill pan or veggie basket and grill until they are soft and just a little browned, about 5-10 minutes.

Remove the veggies from the grill and arrange on a serving platter.

Slice the steak into thin strips, cutting against the grain.  Arrange the strips on top of the veggies and give the whole thing a big squeeze of lime before serving.

The is the first in a series of posts where I take a good recipe and tweak it (usually with the addition of smoke and fire) to try to make it a great recipe.

Here’s my original take on this recipe from February of last year – a rich and hearty braised dish that I make on a regular basis when it’s cold and nasty out. While this is a fine dish, it takes some time to prepare so it’s hard to make on a weeknight. I wanted to make a lighter, quicker version that could be done on the grill.

Ingredients

2 pounds minute steak (about 4 steaks)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 (8.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Smoked Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Set your grill up for a direct cook over medium-high (400°F) heat.

In a flame-proof skillet (I use an old Calphalon Commercial pan), add enough of the oil to cover the bottom and set it on the grill. Add the garlic and onion and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and cook until the tomatoes start to break down and the liquid has reduced a bit, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Remove the pan from the grill and set aside.

Season the steaks on both sides with a little salt and pepper. Grill for about 2 minutes a side until done. Serve the steaks smothered with the tomato and mushroom mixture.

Revamp Rating:

Sadly, this dish wasn’t nearly as good as the original. I’d almost call it Grilled Swiss Misteak. Now, there were no complaints – it was tasty, and a perfectly fine meal for a Wednesday night. But in comparison to the slow-cooked original, there was no contest. It missed the melting texture of the meat and the richness of the sauce that only braising can give. Oh well, there’s always the consolation of being able to eat your failures. Better luck next time.