MAPLE PORK TENDERLOIN IN THE CROCKPOT

This recipe gets five stars for two reasons...it is totally delicious AND super simple. As a matter of fact, it is one of the best crockpot recipes that I've tried in a long time. You cannot get much simpler than this: brown the pork loin, cover it with sauce and 8 hours later (my crockpot only took 6 hours) and you have fork-tender, delicious pork loin and a gravy that is amazing.

 2 1/2 pound boneless pork loin
1 cup real maple syrup (DON'T USE PANCAKE SYRUP)
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper

I bought my pork loin, vacuum packed from Walmart (2½ pounds seems to be a standard size). When you open the package, there will be two long loin pieces. I cut each one into three pieces, then salted and peppered them and browned them in a little olive oil. Place the browned pieces in a wide crockpot for even cooking (as opposed to the taller crockpots).

In a small bowl, whisk the maple syrup (do not use pancake syrup, it is way too sweet and will ruin your pork, trust me), Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and soy sauce together. Pour over browned pork loin pieces. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (my crockpot took only 6 hours). If you use a different cut of pork, you may have to use the full 8 hours. It isn't absolutely necessary, but try and turn the meat over a couple of times during the cooking process. When it is time to eat, thicken the gravy. I served this with rice and coleslaw. It also made delicious sandwiches the next day.

NOTE: If you are concerned about the maple flavor being overpowering...don't be. As a matter of fact, it is almost a background flavor, but it IS there, and the meat was extremely tender and just slightly sweet. This is a fantastic recipe for any special occasion.

ENJOY !!!

GREEN CHILE PORK LOIN ROAST

We love this recipe, not only because it is easy and tasty, but because of it's excellent leftover possibilities. Green chile roast leftovers make great cold sandwiches or it can be torn apart and tucked (hot) into warm tortillas (with a little bit of the chile gravy & some pepperjack cheese?) It is one of those recipes that tastes even better on day two).


4 pound boneless pork loin roast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 ounce can of roasted green chiles (I use Ortega)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not salt)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 Reynolds roasting bag + 1 tablespoon flour

Place the tablespoon of flour in the roasting bag and shake it around (per roasting bag instructions). Place the bag in a roasting pan and set aside.

Mix all of the dry ingredients and rub it all over the surface of the pork roast. Brown the roast in the vegetable oil (both sides). Place the browned roast into the roasting bag with half of the green chiles under the meat and the other half on top.

Seal the bag tightly and make a few small holes in the top of the bag to let steam escape. Bake in preheated 325F oven for 2 hours (see note). Thicken juices and serve over pork slices.

 

NOTE: I have not tried it, but I see no reason why you couldn't use a roasting pan that has a tight lid instead of the plastic roasting bag.

NOTE: Most recipes tell you to cook a boneless pork roast like this for 20 minutes per pound, however, we like our pork cooked longer than that. Thirty minutes per pound will give you very tender pork but still slice-able (not quite to pulled pork tenderness). If you don't care for pork done this way, figure 20 minutes per pound.

ENJOY !!!

PORK AND PINTOS IN GRAVY

This recipe is very easy, totally delicious and we rate it as pure comfort food. Fork tender pork tenderloin with pinto beans in a delicious gravy AND it all goes together in the crockpot!!

I like to serve this over rice, but it is also tasty stuffed into warm flour tortillas, or over a bed of toasted tortilla chips and smothered with cheese, avocado and sour cream. The possibilities are ENDLESS which is a (very) good thing at our house. 

I like to use a 2 pound pork tenderloin for this recipe because it is nice and lean, but any LEAN 2-3 pound pork roast will work.

My crockpot is a big oval one and it tends to run a little hot, so the pinto beans in this recipe are soft and the pork is "fall apart tender" in 5 hours on the LOW setting.

Depending on YOUR crockpot, it could take as many as 7 hours on LOW, but that is unlikely, just start checking for meat tenderness after 

5 hours.

2 pounds pork tenderloin (thawed)
1 1/2 cups DRY pinto beans (rinsed, but DO NOT soak)
1 (4 ounce) can of MILD green chilies (I use Ortega)
3 teaspoons chili powder (2 if you are serving children)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup chopped sweet onion

Brown the pork well and put it in the crockpot. Saute the onions and garlic in the same pan and then put it in the crockpot, a long with the DRY beans, spices and canned chilies.

Pour some water over the meat and beans (just enough water to MOSTLY cover everything) it should look like this:

Make sure the liquid gets 

under the meat too!!

After cooking everything on LOW for a few hours, check the liquid level in the crockpot and add a little more water if necessary,  but not TOO much. 

Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours (or until the pork gets fork tender), take the meat (only) out of the crockpot and set it aside while you thicken the gravy. If you are using a pork roast, remove any fatty sections and bones. Pull the meat apart just a little.

Turn the crockpot to HIGH and thicken the broth and beans with a slurry of cornstarch and water, then put the meat back in the thickened gravy (to heat it back up)

THIS IS THE BEST-BEST-BEST GRAVY!!!

IT's DINNER TIME !!!

NOTE: A word about the heat or spice level in this recipe. My hubby does not like a lot of (hates) "heat" in his food. He likes strong flavors, but he just doesn't like "fire" as he calls it. If you like a little "heat", just add 1/4+ teaspoon of cayenne to the cooking liquid.

NOTE: If you have any beans left over after dinner, they make DELICIOUS refried beans. Just mash them in a hot/greased cast iron frying pan with a little of the "gravy", and fry them for a few minutes. You will never buy refried beans in a can again!!

ENJOY !!!

PORK LOIN and APPLES in the SLOWCOOKER

So, you don't want to heat up your kitchen? Try this
super easy slow cooker recipe, it is excellent for any busy day. Pork seasoned with fresh apples and cinnamon and cooked on low for 4 hours, it is moist, delicious and super tender.

There isn't much of a strict recipe here, just a few simple steps.

Using a pork loin roast(about 2-3 pounds) **Not a tenderloin**
1 large apple  (any kind you like)
honey
1/2 cup chopped onion (more if you like)
1/2 cup chopped celery(more if you like)
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Slice the pork loin into  nice thick slices but not all the way

through the meat....cut about 75% of the way through. Sprinkle the salt and pepper in between each slice

Put a nice thick slice (or two) of apple into each cut.

Drizzle with honey

Saute the onions and celery in a little butter until they are almost tender, then lay them on top of the pork and apples and sprinkle everything with just a little more salt and pepper and the cinnamon.

Using a long spatula, lift everything into a greased slow cooker.

Cook it on low for 4 hours. 

Pour a little bit of the broth (that will have formed under the roast) over the meat on your plate and serve.

ENJOY !!!

FOUR INGREDIENT PORK DINNER

It doesn't get any easier than this one folks. Four ingredients thrown into a Crockpot and six hours later, dinner is ready.

2 to 3 pound boneless pork loin (see note below)
1  16 ounce bottle of your favorite flavored barbecue sauce
8  ounce can crushed pineapple (juice and all)
1/2  teaspoon liquid smoke

Stir the barbecue sauce, undrained pineapple and liquid smoke together and pour it over the raw pork loin (in the Crockpot).

Cook on LOW for five to six hours (I cook it for 6 hours). Turning the meat over once or twice during that time.

Just before you are ready to eat. Remove the meat and thicken the sauce (I use a cornstarch slurry), then put the pork back in the sauce to keep it hot till it's time to eat.

This sauce is absolutely delicious. Even my picky-picky husband gave it a thumbs up (twice!!) and it could NOT be easier.

NOTE: I'm sure this would work with a pork tenderloin, but I haven't tried it so I can't recommend a cooking time.

ENJOY !!!

QUICK AND EASY TOMATO PORK LOIN CHOPS

If you are looking for a quick, easy and delicious pork chop recipe, this is it!! It is so simple.....and a DELICIOUS change for your weeknight menu.

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
4 3/4" thick boneless pork loin chops*
1 cup chopped onion
8 ounce tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Brown the pork (I do this in an electric skillet) in the vegetable oil, then remove and set on a plate (it will cook the rest of the way later).

In the same pan, saute the chopped onion until it is soft and the cut edges turn just slightly golden. Add everything else and stir until well mixed.

Put the pork chops back in the sauce and simmer, slowly, for 30 minutes (turn the pork chops over a couple times within that 30 minutes).

After 30 minutes, top with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and put the lid back on for a few minutes (no heat) until cheese melts.

 

Sauce will be nice and thick. Serve with rice or noodles and make sure you include a nice big spoon of sauce with each pork chop

 

*Note: I buy a small 1 1/2 pound pork loin roast (NOT pork tenderloin), and then slice it into nice thick slices for this recipe.

 

 

ENJOY !!!

REDUCED CALORIE SWEET & SOUR PORK

We love sweet and sour pork and chicken (this recipe would work for either), but once you bread and DEEP FRY the meat, you are talking about A TON OF CALORIES. Well, this quick and easy little recipe does away with all of that breading AND all of that DEEP FRYING and it is STILL delicious !!!

MARINADE
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
black pepper to taste

Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl.  Cut  1 1/2 pounds of pork (or chicken) tenderloin into bite size pieces and put in the marinade. Stir to coat all of the pieces, then let sit for 20 minutes.

SAUCE
1 cup chicken broth (not bullion,it's too salty)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 SLIGHTLY rounded teaspoons of corn starch
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of black pepper

Cook all of the sauce ingredients together until it thickens, then turn the heat down to a VERY LOW SIMMER and let it barely bubble while you brown the meat.

In a large skillet (I use my electric fry pan), heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a tablespoon of butter until HOT (I turn my electric skillet all the way up). Add the marinated meat and spread it out so that none of the pieces are on top of each other. Let the meat brown (about 3-4 minutes?), then stir and put a lid on the pan so that everything gets cooked through (you want to get some nice brown crusty color on the edges of the pieces).

Once the meat is 99% done (keep lifting the lid to check for doneness), add the cooked sauce to the meat and keep stirring until everything is well coated. Reduce the heat and cook it all together for about 2 more minutes (watch carefully so the sauce doesn't burn).

Serve over hot rice.  Couldn't be easier!!  

Picky-picky husband is VERY SHY of spicy food, so 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne is just perfect for him. If you like extra heat, just add a little more cayenne when you cook the sauce.

ENJOY !!! 

OVEN BARBECUE

What is a person (who is hungry for barbecue) supposed to do after the grill has been put away for the season? Well, she goes for the oven.

I've tried lots of oven barbecue recipes, but it wasn't until I found this recipe cooking technique that picky-picky husband gave it two thumbs up, and it couldn't be easier!!

The "trick" is long SLOW cooking at a reduced oven temperature. It makes the meat moist, succulent and flavorful. The ribs almost melt in your mouth!!

Whether you are cooking for 2 or 12, this recipe is sure to please!!

The following directions are for country style pork ribs. Country style ribs are big MEATY pieces of pork (some have bones, some don't) and they look like this as opposed to the baby back rib cut.



We like to get the boneless variety (much less waste) but they come with the bone in as well and they are very economical.

Preheat your oven to 300°F and put the pork in a large baking pan (make sure they don't touch each other). Put just a little water in the pan, maybe 1/8" or so. The amount isn't critical, you just need to cover the bottom of the pan a little.

Put a tight fitting lid (or cover tightly with foil) and bake the pork at 300° for 2 hours. At the end of 2 hours, drain ALL the liquid (there will be quite a bit) and throw it away.

Pour an 18 ounce bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce over the meat, coating all sides. Note: The 18 ounce bottle will work for 2-3 pounds of meat, if you are making less, you can use less barbecue sauce.

Cover tightly and return meat to oven. Bake another 45 minutes. Note: half way through that last 45 minutes, uncover meat and baste it with some of the sauce that's in the bottom of the pan. The sauce will thicken up during that last 20 minutes with no foil. That's it!! 

ENJOY !!



CROCKPOT PORK LOIN

This recipe is ultra easy, ultra fast and ultra delicious!! What more can you ask for? And, oh, did I mention...it cooks by itself in the Crockpot!!

The end result is moist, fall apart tender, sweet-ish, completely full flavored and very versatile. It is going directly into my "make often" recipe box!!

2 pounds (approx.) pork loin (tenderloin will work too)
1/4 cup LOW SODIUM soy sauce (regular will be too salty)
1 tablespoon regular old yellow mustard
1/4 cup real maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
2 tablespoons canola oil (or vegetable oil)
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Put the oil in your crockpot and rub it around to cover the cooking surface. Put the pork loin in.

Mix everything else and pour over the meat.  Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Turn it over half way through if you can, but its  not totally necessary.

After 6 hours, remove meat and thicken the sauce and put the meat back in. Whether you thicken the sauce or not, is just a matter of preference, it tastes the same.

NOTE: I use this recipe using a 2 pound pork loin roast, but a tenderloin will work too. I haven't tried the recipe with any other cut of pork.

NOTE: Make sure you use low sodium soy sauce or the final dish might be a tad salty for you.

DRY RUB FOR GILLING PORK

Even here in Alaska, it is grilling season!! This is a quick, easy and extremely flavorful dry rub for pork.  Personally, I like to buy a pork loin (not the tenderloin) and slice it into 1" thick slices and coat it with this dry rub.  It really perks up the pork and everyone here at our house gives it two thumbs up!!

PORK DRY RUB

2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Mix together well.

Coat pork with olive oil and then rub this mixture on liberally. Cover and refrigerate for a couple hours.  Grill outdoors on high heat. Yum!!

MARINATED PORK LOIN

After grilling the same country style pork ribs  for the past umpteen years, I wanted a change.  I wanted to find some cut of pork that didn't need pre-cooking (in order to get it nice and tender). So recently, we started grilling pork loin (not tenderloin). The whole loin is very tender, flavorful and unlike the country style pork ribs that have lots of ... what picky-picky husband calls "waste" (fat, gristle, bone), the loins have ZERO "waste".  I usually buy a 2 pound loin and that is perfect for three big eaters (or 2 of us plus lunch tomorrow).

 

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Put everything in a large zip lock plastic bag and squeeze it around to mix well.

Slice your 2 pound pork loin into 3/4" thick slices and put them into the bag with the marinade, making sure the liquid reaches all of the meat surfaces.  Put the bag in the fridge for 6-12 hours (I did it for 6 hours and it was perfect).

When you are ready to grill, remove the meat from the marinade (but save the marinade). Bring the marinade to a very gentle boil and cook it for 15 minutes. This cooking time will make the marinade safe to eat AND it will thicken the marinade so you can use it to baste the pork loin on the grill.

Grill your pork outdoors, basting the meat each time you flip it over.

STOVE-TOP TO OVEN BABY BACK RIBS

This recipe is more of a cooking technique than a recipe, but never-the-less, it is fantastic and so much fun to bring the tastes of summer indoors during the winter!!! 

This isn't the best photograph, but the ribs QUICKLY disappeared before I realized I needed a better photo, so this will have to do for now.  Let's just say that the ribs went from the above condition, to the condition in the next picture in record time.

Start with a 2 to 3 pound section of baby back pork ribs and cut them into three sections. I buy the more meaty baby back ribs, so I think next time I'll cut them into even smaller sections.

Put the sections in a large deep pot and cover with water. Add a full tablespoon of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper directly to the water. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce to a "high simmer" (not a full boil) for an hour, then drain.

While the ribs are simmering, cover a baking sheet (that has a lip) with foil and spray it with vegetable spray. This will be a huge help in cleanup.

Place the boiled ribs bone side up first and cover with a thick layer of your favorite barbecue sauce. Broil in a PREHEATED broiler, on high, for 5  minutes.

Remove from oven and flip the ribs over so the meaty side is up. Apply another thick layer of barbecue sauce and put back under the broiler for another five minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and just starting to crisp up (watch it because it will burn quickly if left under the broiler too long).

Remove and serve immediately....with LOTS of napkins!!!  Deliciously tender!!!

ENJOY !!!!!

SWEET & SOUR PORK RECIPE

There are four reasons to try this great recipe. First, it is made in the slow cooker, so it's super easy. Secondly, it is inexpensive to make; thirdly, it gets rave reviews whenever I make it and fourthly, the finished meal freezes VERY well if you have leftovers.
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I am not a big sweet and sour fan, but I love this recipe. It is extremely moist with just the right amount of sweet to sour ratio.
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2-3 pound lean boneless pork loin roast 
1 cup granulated sugar (seems like a lot, but it mellows out)
1/2 cup white vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons ketchup
20 ounce can crushed pineapple (drained)
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Brown the pork roast on all sides and put it in your slow cooker. Mix everything else and bring it to a boil, then pour it over the meat.
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Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until very tender (spoon the sauce over the meat every once in a while).
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That's it...super easy!! At the very end of the cooking time, I thickened the sauce a little with a slurry of cornstarch and water (right in the crockpot). To serve, slice the meat and spoon a little of the sauce over it; it's great with rice.

Now this last suggestion is not for everyone, but my picky-picky hubby absolutely loves it. On day two, I pull this pork apart and mix it with a little of the sauce (make sure you include some pineapple out of the sauce). While its still cold, I roll it into a large burrito size tortilla (folding in all the ends) and then I brown the whole "sandwich" in a little butter until its piping hot. Hubby is extremely UN-demostrative when it comes to food, but he ooohhh'd and ahhhhhh'd about this sandwich until the last bite.

NOTE: Sorry about these photographs. This is one of those recipes that, no matter how hard to try to get a good photo, it just doesn't work. You'll just have to trust me that it is delicious.

ENJOY !!!

HEIDI's MEXICAN PORK CHOPS

Recently, Heidi, from Tried-and-True Cooking With Heidi, posted a recipe for Mexican Pork Chops. I'm always searching for simple pork recipes and this one caught my eye. It was a snap to make and tasted great, thank you Heidi!!

Browned pork chops are baked on top of a taco seasoned rice. The flavor of the pork bakes down into the rice and just before serving, it's all topped with cheese. Oh so good!!.
6 pork chops (I used 3 thick ones)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
1½ cups water
¾ cup long grain rice
8 ounce can of tomato sauce
2½ tablespoons taco seasoning
1 medium green bell pepper chopped (I used red)
1 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
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Brown the pork chops well, and set aside. Mix the water, rice, tomato sauce and seasoning and put it into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with browned pork chops and the chopped bell pepper.
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Cover tightly and bake in pre-heated 350F oven for 1 hour. Uncover and top with cheese. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.
NOTE: I seasoned the pork chops with the seasoning mix from my last post, (before I browned them). I used this same "taco seasoning" in the rice.
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NOTE: I used chopped red bell pepper (instead of green pepper) because we like it better. I also mixed it into the rice (instead of putting it on top of the meat and rice). I also added a 15 ounce can of (rinsed and drained) black beans to the rice.
NOTE: Just before I serve this, next time, I'm going to sprinkle it with a little chopped avocado and cherry tomatoes.

CROCK POT BBQ PORK SANDWICHES

This is a great weekend crockpot recipe because you can turn the "extras" into many different things over the weekend. The crockpot method makes the best pork sandwich ever (and there is lots of sauce in the crockpot to make them extra juicy)...plus you can turn the extra pork into tacos, or burritos, or pork and rice just to name a few. I like to make this recipe with pork tenderloin but any pork roast will work.

2½ pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup favorite barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
Our market sells pork tenderloin in 2½ pound packages and there are two tenderloins in each package. Cut each tenderloin in three pieces. If you are using a pork roast, trim obvious fat and cut it into pieces about the size of your fist. Mix the dry ingredients (except for the chili flakes) and rub all surfaces of the meat; place, covered, in refrigerator for an hour or so.

Brown the meat in a couple tablespoons of canola oil then put it in the crockpot. Mix the honey & dried red chili flakes into the barbecue sauce and pour over the meat. Cook on low for six or seven hours - every crockpot is different. To check for readiness, use two forks to see if the pork will pull apart easily.

Remove meat from crockpot and pull apart with two forks. Stir sauce and put the meat back in the sauce to keep it hot.

The above sandwich was made with my bun recipe which you can find HERE

NOTE: It isn't absolutely necessary to put the meat in the fridge after you put the dry rub on it, but it strengthens the flavor.
NOTE: Turn the meat over a couple of times during the cooking cycle...not absolutely necessary.

ULTRA TENDER PORK RIBS

This is more of a cooking technique than a recipe. I've made country style boneless pork ribs using this technique for as long as I can remember and they are fork tender every time. I am guessing that most of the experienced cooks out there already know this method, but there might be a few younger ones who would like to try this.

Look for boneless country style pork ribs (the leaner the better) in the meat market. An hour before you want to grill, cut them in to sections about 4" long and put in a large sauce pan and enough water to cover them. Add a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper.

Bring this to a boil on high. After a few minutes, you will see some "crud" float to the surface. Don't get grossed out, but it will look like this:

Skim it off and throw it away (you may have to do this a couple of times). Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and boil for 45 minutes. Pull one of the pieces of pork out of the pan and see if it is fork tender. If not, boil for another 15 minutes (but no longer). Some pork tends to be tougher than others.

Drain pork and put it into a bowl. Drizzle with enough melted butter to coat each piece. Put the pork onto the barbecue grill and coat with your favorite barbecue sauce. Keep turning and basting until the barbecue sauce starts to crisp up on the edges (usually only takes about 10-15 minutes tops.

These ribs are So flavorful and you don't even need a knife to cut them. I hope you will try this technique.

NOTE: Country style pork ribs are usually cut about 2" wide and 10" or so long. Ask your butcher if you can't find them. Make sure you get the boneless ones (better value).