We cooked some pulled pork at the weekend, and had leftovers. Yes, I know, leftover pulled pork, how is this possible? Well there’s only two of us (along with three mainecoon cats) and I did cook a lot of pork. I recently saw a recipe for cheesey nachos with leftover smoked brisket, so emulated that … including the crispy bacon bits which, according to my wife, sealed the deal!
Earlier in the year, I made apricot preserve pork breast ribs, smoked over orange wood chunks. A reader suggested a similar recipe with peach preserve and smoking chunks. Sounded like a good idea, and the reader, very generously, sent me some peach wood chunks from the USA. He was bang on the money, the peach smoked and glazed St. Louis ribs were amazing!
I’ve had tomahawk steak in the past, the classic cut of bone-on beef resembling the weapon of the American Indian people. But tomapork steaks? That was a new one on me, and came into the “gotta try this” category. Slow roasted and served with buttery potatoes and green cabbage, this make for a fantastic meal with an impressive centrepiece.
With the cold winter nights once again upon us, it’s time to focus on some warm, hearty meals to provide sustenance to both body and soul. We kick off with delicious braised pig cheeks served with a rich red wine sauce. This makes use of a tasty, low-cost and often overlooked cut of meat to deliver a fabulous meal for all the family.
Another one of those “that’s a new one on me” blog posts. Pork riblets (also called pork shoulder ribs) are a small, meaty rack of unevenly cut pork ribs, a perfect size for a single serving. They are incredibly tasty, and normally great value. Cooked low and slow, with a spicy, warm basting sauce made by my wife, we present some delicious pork riblets with chipotle sauce.
Traditionally cooked over hot coals as street food on the hectic byways of cities such as Hanoi and Saigon, Vietnamese lemongrass pork (or thit heo nuong xa) is one of the easiest and tastiest classic Vietnamese recipes to replicate in your own home kitchen. It’s a great way to experience some authentic, flavoursome food of this exotic country.
Continue reading “Thit Heo Nuong Xa – Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork”
Another new discovery, this time from Hawaii, Huli-Huli chicken is a delicious alternative to your everyday, classic roast chicken dish. Cooked with a simple spice rub and glazed with a sweet, aromatic sauce, it makes a tasty talking-point for your dinner guests.
With summer well and truly upon us, it’s time to look at another interesting side dish for al fresco cooking and dining. We’d had delicious mac ‘n’ cheese a few times in the USA, so my wife tried to replicate it at home. She excelled herself (as usual), this classic crispy mac ‘n’ cheese beats any we had on t’other side of pond.
Whilst staying in Yellowstone National Park, we had the pleasure of enjoying a delicious bowl or three of smoked bison chili. It was absolutely delicious, the meat and sauce had a richer flavour than beef chili dishes I had previously tasted.
After a bit of research back at the home ranch, we came up with our own version using buffalo and cooked up some tasty buffalo chili with roasted tomatoes.
I hosted an al fresco lunch event for my work colleagues a couple of weeks ago. We are sadly all going through a redundancy period, so to lift spirits I prayed for good weather and cooked up a few classic dishes, including some tasty sticky tamarind baby back ribs.
Lamb shoulder shanks? That was a new one on me, having roasted lamb shanks for numerous dinners in the past. Combined with spicy chorizo and textured pinto beans, and cooked low and slow to extract the rich flavours, this made for a stunning meal on a sunny evening.
Spurred on by the awesome huckleberry glazed roast mutton, I made another glazed roast this week with apricot preserve glazed pork. The dish has sweetness, with a hint of sour. It was remarkably tasty, and something we’ll be trying again very soon.
Continue reading “Apricot Preserve and Maple Syrup Glazed Pork”
The Cook's Digest 