Category Archives: Pork

Italian Sausage Lasagna

photo.JPG

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Ref: ALLRECIPES

Ribs

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork baby back ribs
  • 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Rays)
Directions
  1. Tear off 4 pieces of aluminum foil big enough to enclose each portion of ribs. Spray each piece of foil with vegetable cooking spray. I used my roasting pan lined with foil instead so the juices wouldn’t spill out, sprayed with oil. I used the below rub on the ribs and marinated overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
  3. Bake ribs wrapped tightly in the foil at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 2 1/2 hours. Remove top foil and brush BBQ sauce on and broil for 15 min
Prepping the ribs with the rubbing spices!

Rubbing Spice:

1/4c. brown sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp. paprika, 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, 1 1/2 Tbsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne red pepper. (Definitely remove the back membrane before rubbing spices on)

the cooked ribs in all their sticky delicious goodness!

Ref: Allrecipes.com

This recipe is one of my favorites for entertaining and the response I got last night after the first bite was “Right on Jami, RIGHT ON”. LOL This rib recipe is incredible, the meat falls right off the bone. A lot of reviewers on allrecipes didn’t feel this qualified for a “recipe” because you’re supposed to just use your favorite BBQ sauce. But those reviewers must not have ever had dried out ribs before. Cooking is key with these babies. But the rib rub I found hunting through the 1000+ reviews is what MAKES this recipe, HOLY COW. Try it. It’s super easy, something you can prep the night before with the rib rub so all you have to do is pop it in the oven the next day so you can enjoy the day with your guests. I kept the sides super simple too. Tossed some asparagus with olive oil and TJ’s 21 seasoning salute (I heart that stuff!!) and threw it on the grill with a salad on the side. 

Planked Pork Tenderloin with Asian Style BBQ

Ingredients:

* garlic
* fresh ginger
* hoisin sauce
* rice wine vinegar
* brown sugar
* sesame oil
* soy sauce
* red pepper flakes
* 1 pound pork tenderloin
* 1 – 15

Recipe:

Sauce:
1/2 cup hoisin sauce, available in the Asian section of the grocery store
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
Red pepper flakes to taste

Pork:
1 – one pound pork tenderloin, sliver skin removed
1 – 15” Fire and Flavor Cedar or Oak Grilling Plank, soaked

FIRST Combine sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and place over medium heat. Cook 4-5 minutes, or until reduced. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

NEXT Preheat grill to 350°F or medium-low heat. Place pork in a large reseal able plastic bag. Reserving ½ cup of sauce for later use, add remaining sauce to plastic bag, toss gently to coat and let marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

LAST Remove pork from marinade and discard remaining marinade. Sear pork directly on oil grilled grates for 1 minute on all four sides. Remove from grill and place soaked plank on hot grill. Close lid, allow to heat for 3 minutes, flip plank and place pork onto heated side of plank. Grill with lid closed for 15-20 minutes, or until pork reaches 145 degrees. Remove pork and plank from grill. Tent pork loosely with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with reserved sauce.

Ref: www.fireandflavor.com
Photo: google images… forgot to take a pic of mine. :(

This sauce was awesome! And very versatile for other dishes too! Was worried about only marinating for 20-30 min but it was actually perfect. I think the sauce would have been TOO much if I let it go longer than that. (Generally I like to marinate over night, but that’s a lot of pre-planning that I just don’t do…hehe) And once again the cedar planks did not disappoint. However…ahem. Should probably soak for longer and not heat them on the grill on high…. as we learned the hard way… hahahaha

Pork Chops Stuffed with Smoked Gouda and Bacon

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 (2 1/4 inch thick) center-cut, bone-in pork chops
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, bacon, parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
  3. Lay the chop flat on cutting board, and with a sharp knife held parallel to the board, cut a pocket into the pork, going all the way to the bone, but leaving the sides intact. (I have also used boneless cuts and had the butcher cut the the pocket for me. hehe) Stuff cheese mixture into pocket, and close with a wooden toothpick. Brush meat with oil, and season with salt and more black pepper.
  4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until pork is done. Careful not to overcook!

Wine:
Ponte’s 2006 Meritage
(spicy, barbeque flavors)
www.pontewinery.com

Ref: www.allrecipes.com


Ok this is DEFINITELY one of my favs! Bacon AND smoked Gouda cheese??? I’m in heaven. Super easy, super yummy! I’m a big fan of using my grill and these flavors just melt together. I’ve made it twice so far, both times with rave reviews. I don’t own sharp enough knives to make a clean pocket cut like that, but that’s easily remedied with a smile and politely asking the butcher to cut it for you! 😀

The only thing you have to worry about are sneaky fingers stealing the bacon/Gouda mixture when you’re not looking…. you know who you are!! 😀