Pork Information and Recipes

01 Monday Mar 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Trivia, Things To Do

How to Cook Pork

Tips, Hints, and Recipes
By Linda Larsen, About.com Guide, About.com

Best Pot Roast
Pork has had quite a varying reputation through the years. In the mid 20th century, most pork had to be cooked well done because of the fear of trichinosis. But today pork is fed and raised differently and the meat is safe to heat when cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. If the juices run very light pink, the pork is done.
The phrase ‘Pork, The Other White Meat’ was introduced in the 1980s. Pigs don’t move around as much as cattle do, so the muscles don’t have to work as hard and don’t use as much oxygen. Less oxygen means less myoglobin, the red colored molecule, so the meat is a lighter color. Today’s pork has been bred to be 31% leaner than the pork we ate in 1983. And, pound for pound, it has more nutrients than chicken. Of course, with a lower fat content, it’s more difficult to cook pork so it’s safe to eat, yet stays tender and juicy.

Pork contains protein, water, sugar, connective tissue, and fat in varying quantities. To see how these components work together, see How to Cook Beef. Just remember, we’re searching for a balance of a safe final cooked temperature and keeping moisture in the meat.

There are five main cuts of pork:

•Leg (ham, cutlets, boneless roast)
•Side (spareribs, bacon)
•Loin (rib roast, sirloin roast, rib chop, loin chop, country style ribs, tenderloin, and Canadian-style bacon)
•Shoulder Butt (blade roast, ground pork, sausage)
•Picnic Shoulder (smoked hocks, picnic roast)
Notice that the loin, the most tender part of the animal, is where most of the common consumer cuts come from. This means that pork should be cooked like any other low fat meat: either for a short period of time at high temperatures, or for longer times at lower temperatures. Moist heat, such as braising, poaching, simmering, and crockpot cooking, also works well.

The amount of cooking time really is based on how thick the cut of pork is. Thinly cut pork chops can be pounded and then sauteed for 5-7 minutes and they’ll be done. Thicker pork chops, up to 1-1/2″ thick, can cook in the crockpot for 8-9 hours. Pork roasts usually need to cook for hours. And the super-tender pork tenderloin can be thinly sliced and cooked in seconds in a stir-fry.

A resource for Pork Recipes

First Grilling For 2010

25 Thursday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Smoking and Grilling, Things To Do

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Well, it looks like Grilling Time is here! Close to 50 degrees here today; Supposed to be close to 60 next week. The air even smells like spring. So, it was time to fire up the grill for the first time this year. Grill some Potatoes, a nice Steak and some Apples, and we’ve got a good dinner. Grilled apples? Oh yes!! After grilling them to caramelize the sugars, slice them and place on a bed of lettuce. No dressing! Just grilled apple and lettuce. YUM-O! Oh yes, can’t be grilling without the homemade Baked Beans. Just look at that platter! and drool! Cheers!

Fasnacht’s Are Ready!!

17 Wednesday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Food, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes

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After two days and two rises, here is what we end up with. Photos starting at the 2nd rise, day #2.

Here we are at the 2nd day. The 4 eggs and 1/2 cup of lard have been added and the flour mixed in.

After a 2 hour rise, we roll the dough out and cut the Fasnachts. (I can taste them now!!)

Deep fry them at 325 degrees F until they are golden brown. Take them out and roll them in …. almost anything.

It’s munch time!! Take an extra cholesterol pill. You’ll probably need it. No one said they were healthy; Just good!

Well, now it’s your turn, Joe and Diane! Enjoy, they are hearty. Cheers! The recipe is elsewhere on this blog.

No-Knead Sourdough Bread

16 Tuesday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Bread, Food, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Bob Young, Things To Do

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This is a version of Zorba’s No-Knead Bread. At step #2, I added 1 1/2 cups of sourdough starter. Follow the link to the full recipe. It is not difficult.

This is the bread as it came out of the oven and is still in the cast iron pot at 500 degrees F. Do Not Touch The Pot!! It Is HOT!

Now, let the loaf cool for 30 minutes!! Be ready with a lamb stew – this is done in a Basque Style – or at the very least, something with gravy. This bread is for sopping!! (Butter works, too!) Get the recipe and have fun with it. Cheers!!

And as they say in dance class, “Your turn!”

Fasnacht

16 Tuesday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Dessert, Food, Food Prep, Food Trivia, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young

≈ 1 Comment

Fasnacht

Makes 50 Fasnacht

Ingredients:
¼ cup warm water
1 pkg. yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
2½ cups lukewarm milk
4½ cups flour
4 eggs, beaten
½ cup lard, melted
1 cup sugar
dash of salt
5 ½ cups flour

Directions:
1). Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2). Mix next three ingredients together, then add to yeast mixture. Set in warm place and let rise overnight.
3). In the morning add next four ingredients. Add last batch of flour slowly; it may not all be needed. Dough should be sticky but able to be handled.
4). Let rise until doubled, approximately 2 hours.
5). Roll out and cut with biscuit or doughnut cutter, with or without a center hole. Let rise 1 hour.
6). Deep fry in hot oil at 375 degrees for several minutes, turning until brown on both sides.

Among the PA Germans, Shrove Tuesday (day before Ash Wedsnesday) is known as Fassnacht Day (night before the fast). In a symbolic effort to rid their homes of leavening agents and to feast before Lent, many PA Germans cooks spend part of their day making Fassnachts. The cakes are made of yeast dough, and tradition requires that they be shaped in squares or rectangles, with slits cut in them.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins.

Salmon with a Coffee Latte

16 Tuesday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Recipes, Things To Do, Wine and Food

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Yes, you read that right! Salmon with a Coffee Latte. Coffee Latte is really easy to do. Brew your coffee with 2 strips of broken bacon and then make a cream froth for the top. Serve with a dessert.
The salmon pictured is sauteed and then a reduction of shallot and tarragon in Marsala. Plate with a nice green salad and corn. Pair the dinner with a good 2005 Vickers Vineyard Chardonnay and you have a good dinner. It is not really that hard to make and probably would work with a Halibut steak or maybe a nice fillet of Flounder.

What’s for dinner?

12 Friday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Robin Young, Things To Do, Wine and Food

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Well, I know we have some Portobello Bisque, chicken breasts, cauliflower and edamame. And maybe a light green salad. Match that with a good 2005 Vickers Vineyard Chardonnay – it really needs to cellar for another 5 years – and we’ve got a good dinner. So here’s what we’ll call it: Brasied Chicken Breasts with Steamed Cauliflower and Edamame in Portobello Reduced Bisque. A little long, but it works. Really, it takes longer to write this than it does to make it. But have fun with making this, it will be well worth it. It sounds worse than it really is. Add a nice green salad with sliced tomatoes for color contrast. You will find the recipe for the Portobello Bisque elsewhere on this blog. If you can not find it, let me know and I will send you a copy. Cheers and Goot Essen!

Brasied Chicken Breasts with Steamed Cauliflower and Edamame in Portobello Reduced Bisque

Ingredients:
2 Chicken breasts
1 small Cauliflower, cut
1 cup Edamame
1 T Butter
2 T Olive Oil
1/4 cup Chardonnay

Directions:
Steam the cauliflower in water. After the cauliflower starts to soften, add the edamame. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Bring the Portobello Bisque up to room temperature.

Braise the chicken breasts in 1 Tablespoon of butter and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. When the breasts are cooked add the cauliflower and edamame. Drain them first. De-glaze the pan with the chardonnay.

Add two cups of the Portobello Bisque and heat through. To serve, lay down a bed of the vegetables and place a chicken breast on top. Top the breast with a little liquid and some solids. Serve with the wine and you have a 30-minute meal. Cheers!!

The Perfect Reuben?

11 Thursday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Things To Do

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Well, let’s see here. Could this be the perfect Reuben? Not unless it was changed – a lot. But, let’s not count it out just yet.If you look at this link, Smoking Meat you will see how to make your own Pastrami. Smoking-Meat (dot) com is another newsletter that I get. Plus they are on Facebook. That being said, their sandwich looks good. And it is said that it tastes good. But I do have a problem with the ingredients – the 1000 Island dressing, that has no Worcestershire sauce or caviar – and the Mayonnaise. But, let’s not be too quick on judgement because I have not eaten one ….. yet! But in order to taste this sandwich, I’m going to have to make myown Pastrami!!! Why? Because it is an integral part of this sandwich – your own smoked pastrami. (Photo to the right is their Reuben) OK. So bring on the brisket. The recipe and the procedure is all above in the link provided. And I think when I do this, I will make half a sandwich as directed by Smoking-Meats and the other half in the traditional meathod – Russian Dressing and carmelized onion. No mayo or 1000 Island. I think that a fair comparison. I will also make my own Jewish Rye bread. That will probably make a now World Unknown Reuben into a World Renown Reuben. And I might even have some taste testers try it too. Right Michael Boss (Behind the Menu) and Chef James Grimes and Joe Levitch and Geno Cantrill? Oh my, am I ever digging a deep hole. Geno – you coming to Boise anytime soon? But, that’s the fun in all of this. Cheers!

Portobello Mushroom Cappuccino Bisque with Brandied Thyme Froth

09 Tuesday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do, Wine and Food

≈ 1 Comment

Eat your hearts out! Or let the cream do it. Or maybe the butter! Or maybe the brown sugar! Whatever you do, enjoy this. It’s not hard to do! Cheers!

Portobello Mushroom Cappuccino Bisque with Brandied Thyme Froth

–from Executive Chef Andrew Sutton of Napa Rose at Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim, CA

Serves: 6

FOR PORTOBELLO CAPPUCCINO BISQUE:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms, gills removed
2 cups sliced white mushrooms
1/2 cup medium dry sherry (Amontillado)
1 quart heavy cream
1 cup veal demi-glace (can be purchased at most high-end
grocery stores)
1 bunch thyme stems
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Kosher salt and cracked
black pepper

TO PREPARE PORTOBELLO CAPPUCCINO BISQUE (CAN BE PREPARED THE DAY BEFORE):
1: Sauté shallots in melted butter until translucent.
2: Add portobello mushrooms and white mushrooms and continue to sauté until they “throw their water” (the liquid inside the mushroom), approximately 7-10 minutes.
3: Add sherry and reduce by half.
4: Add demi-glace, heavy cream and all herbs. Simmer for 25 minutes, strain, chill and reserve.

FOR BRANDIED THYME FROTH:
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons brandy or cognac

TO PREPARE BRANDIED THYME FROTH:
1: Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whip up to a soft peak.

FOR BISQUE GARNISH :
1 cup julienned portobellos, stems & gills removed
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, greens and whites
2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme
1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brandied froth

TO PREPARE BISQUE GARNISH AND SERVE:
1: Sauté portobello mushrooms until tender. Set aside.
2: Sauté scallions in a little oil. Add the strained bisque and bring to a boil. Add chopped thyme, sage and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and cracked pepper.

TO SERVE:
1: Warm six coffee cups and place the sliced and sautéed portobello mushrooms in the bottom of the cups. Add the hot bisque and top with the brandied froth.

Serve with one of CHALONE WINE GROUP’S FINE PINOT NOIRS: ACACIA, CHALONE VINEYARD, ECHELON VINEYARDS, EDNA VALLEY VINEYARD

And if that doesn’t clog your arteries, try this awesome Bananas Foster. Enjoy these dishes. We did!! Cheers.

The "Reuben Sandwich" Challenge!

06 Saturday Feb 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Classics, Food, Food Trivia, Restaurants, Seasons Bistro, Things To Do, Wine and Food

≈ 8 Comments

Nope! It’s not over. We found another place. But, let’s first look at the “ground rules”.

Reuben Sandwich
1. Reuben made with Corned beef
2. Rachel made with pastrami
3. Both made with
a. Toasted or grilled Jewish rye or Marbled rye
b. Kraut or slaw but with some type of cabbage
c. Meat – See above
d. Russian Dressing – usually home made
e. Grilled onion
f. Swiss cheese

So, what we “usually” call a Reuben, is actually a Rachael. But, I bet if you went into a restaurant and asked for a Rachael Sandwich, they’d say, “Huh?” And if they don’t, get one!

The Reuben Sandwich Challenge Scoring

Rated on 1 to 5-Stars, here is how we rate the three places in Boise that serve a Reuben Sandwich. 1-Star is enough for this year and a 5-Star is one that meets the criteria.

1. Barbaccoa – Big thick slabs of meat, no rye toast, they used bread, and soggy from an over abundance of kraut. No grilled onion. Rating: 1-Star

2. Donny Mac’s – Rye toast was weak on the rye, heavy on the 1000 Island dressing. Sloppy to eat because of the really wet kraut. The pastrami was good. Raw onions. Rating: 2-Stars

3. Cucina di Paolo – Yea! Russian Dressing. Good pastrami and not overly salty. Great kraut. Did not notice any grilled onion. Good rye toast, although it was Marble Rye. I would prefer a straight Jewish Rye, Deli Rye. I always like a good Jewish Kosher pickle with my Reuben. None of these places had that. Rating: 4-Stars

4. Seasons Bistro – Wow!! We’ve got a foot race. Homemade Russian Dressing, as was Cucina di Paolo. Good pastrami as was Cucina di Paolo. Great kraut that is special ordered and, in my opinion, better than Cucina di Paolo. Grilled onions. Good rye, that I actually tasted the caraway seed, although it was the Marbled Rye!!! I told Rachael Hurn, Owner, that I really would like to give her the 5-Stars for this sandwich, but I couldn’t. She asked, “Why?” And I told her, “No Jewish Kosher deli pickle.” She said she would go get me one. Too late. But, Rachael does know – as did Paul at Cucina di Paolo – the difference between a Reuben and a Rachael Sandwich. She has both on the menu!!! Rating: 4½ – Stars