Pork potstickers

Not the prettiest dumpling out there, but oh what a taste!  You can make the round pleated dumplings if you prefer, but I like the no fuss triangles.  The taste will be the same.  I like to use a non-stick skillet when making these.  You’ll still get a nice browned side, but won’t have to worry about tearing the bottoms off when removing from the pan. Serve with wonton dipping sauce, steamed rice and veggies.

1 Pd. Ground Pork
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 egg, beaten
½ Onion, minced
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
½ Tbsp. Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp. Ginger, minced
Wonton Wrappers
Vegetable Oil

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes. Heat a small amount of oil in skillet over medium high heat. Place about 8 wrappers (or what will fit comfortably in the skillet) on work surface. Place the unused wrappers under a towel to keep from drying out. Place 1 Tbsp. of pork filling in center of each wonton wrapper. Lightly moisten two edges of each wrapper. Fold over to form a triangle, pressing down on edges to seal seams. Cook until browned on each side. Pour in ½ cup of water in skillet and cover with lid. Cook for about 5 minutes until filling is cooked through. Repeat with remaining wrappers. Serve with Wonton dipping sauce.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Sauce

I have to admit, I have a love affair,….. with balsamic vinegar.  I absolutely love the stuff.   This sauce has a good balance of flavors and would pair equally well with chicken or salmon.

 

1 pd. Pork Tenderloin, ½ “ slices
1 ½ tsp. Butter
1 ½ tsp. Olive Oil
1 Onion, minced
2 Tbsp. Honey
½ tsp. Allspice
2 C. Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
¼ C. Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
Parsley, minced

Pound slices of pork to ¼ “ thick. Season with salt and pepper. Heat large skillet. Melt butter and olive oil. Cook pork slices in batches, until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from pan. Add onion, honey, and allspice. Saute until softened and translucent. Increase heat to high and add stock and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Continue to simmer until the sauce is starting to thicken. Add the cream and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Return pork slices to pan. Heat through.



 

 

Spicy Ground Pork with Ramen Noodles

This is a very spicy but flavorful dish. I think traditionally it is served with thread (glass) noodles. They look beautiful, like strands of icicles. I tried these originally but did not like the taste.  Instead, I substituted Ramen noodles for the dish. If you want to use the dried bean thread noodles, use ¼ lb.  and cook in boiling water for 4 minutes until soft and then add the noodles to the finished dish.  Toss to coat.



3 Tbsp. Canola Oil
8 Oz. Ground Pork                                                                                                                                
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
3” Ginger, peeled and minced
3 Tbsp. Chinese red chile bean paste
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 tsp. Rice wine vinegar
4 C. chicken stock
1 bunch scallions, diced
6 oz. Ramen Noodles

Heat oil in large skillet. Add pork. Cook until browned, breaking up meat. Add garlic and ginger. Cook 5 minutes. Add chile paste, soy sauce, vinegar and stock. Bring to boil. Add noodles and cover with lid. Simmer with lid on until noodles are tender. Stir in chives.

Citrus Pulled Pork

Nice easy weeknight meal that’s ready when you are.  Minimal prep and with the gallon baggie, cleanup is fast.  Before refrigerating the filled baggie overnight, I place it in a large bowl.  If the bag happens to leak, the bowl will catch it and will save you a cleanup.

 

2 Pd. Boneless Pork shoulder

4 tsp. Oregano, dried

2 tsp. Cumin

1 Onion, chopped

4 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 Lg. Orange

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

In a large gallon ziplock plastic baggie, combine the oregano, cumin, onion, garlic, oil and jalapeno.  Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the bag.  Add the oranges halves as well into the bag.  Cut the pork shoulder into 2 or 3 large pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Add the pork to the bag and rub the mixture to thoroughly coat.  Seal tightly and refrigerate 6 – 24 hours.  Place pork and any accumulated juices into a slow cooker.  Arrange orange halves on top of pork.  Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours until meat is very tender.  Remove pork to platter to cool slightly.  Discard orange halves.  Transfer the cooked onions and juices to a blender and puree into a sauce.  Return sauce to slow cooker.  Shred pork and return to slow cooker.  Adjust all seasonings.  Heat cooker to high and let pork simmer for about 30 minutes or until hot.  Serve with tacos, as a side over rice or as a filling for quesadillas.

Homemade Canned Italian Sausage

Every year the Rock Cave  IGA grocery store sells pork sausage labeled as “Ground Hog” for the week during Groundhog Day.  This may sound like just another sausage to some, but this is truly the best and leanest sausage I’ve ever eaten.  This year they sold 17,400 pounds in the one week selling period that they do every year.  They do their own grinding and custom seasoning per customer request.  We usually order their sausage with extra sage, but this year we also ordered 20 pounds of plain and seasoned our own.  We canned the Italian seasoning version listed below and also a hot version called mititei.



5 pds. Ground pork sausage unflavored

5 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Salt

1 Tbsp. Black Pepper

2 Tbsp. Parsley, dried

1 ½ Tbsp. Garlic Powder

1 ½ Tbsp. Onion Powder

1 ½ Tbsp. Basil, dried

4 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Fennel Seeds

1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

½ tsp. Oregano, dried

½ tsp. Brown Sugar

½ tsp. Thyme, dried

Combine all ingredients until well incorporated.  Shape into desired size of fingers or into balls.  Bake for 20 minutes or until just browned.  Sausage will not be cooked through but will be able to hold its shape in the jar.  Pack into canning jars as tightly as you can without breaking or crumbling the meat.  Pressure cook for 90 minutes on 10 pounds of pressure. 

 

 

Szechwan Spiced Ground Pork

Pork and dill pickles???  This recipe sounded so odd I had to try it and then fell in love.  It has a quite the flavor.  The dill pickles are not authentic, but are an acceptable alternative and are easier to buy.  Don’t hesitate to try.  Adjust the garlic and ginger to your personal taste.     

 

1 Onion, chopped

2 tsp. Oil

1 Pd. Ground Pork

1 C. Chicken Broth

2 Tbsp. Sugar

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ C. Dill Pickle, chopped

3 inch Ginger, peeled and grated

4 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 ½ tsp. Cornstarch, dissolved in water

Heat oil in skillet.  Sauté onion until translucent.  Add garlic and ginger.  Sauté 1 minute.  Add pork.  Cook until done, breaking up into small pieces.  Add remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine.  Simmer over low heat with lid on for 20 – 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened.  Serve over rice.

Cuban Bean Soup

This is a very comforting soup and a great way to use up left over ham.  This is what we usually end up doing with our leftover spiral or picnic ham. If you prefer, you can do away with the ham hocks all together and add 1 C. diced ham from the leftovers instead.  Flavor the onions when you sauté them with bacon grease to add the depth of flavor you would get from the hocks.  It tends to have enough salt from the ham and does not need to have any more added to it.

 

1Lg. Onion, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
60 Oz. Canned Black beans, drained and rinsed
28 Oz. Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Cumin
½ tsp. Oregano
2 Ham Hocks
Boiled Egg, peeled and chopped

Mix onions, garlic, cumin, oregano and pepper. Top with ham hocks. Cook until light golden, adding some grease if necessary. Add broth and beans. Cook until thick and beans are tender. Remove hocks and cool slightly. Shred meat from hocks. Return to pot. Add lemon juice. Top with chopped egg, or top with sour cream.

Italian Sausage Ragu

If you want a spicer version, use hot Italian sausage and red pepper flakes.  Serve over the type of pasta that you like the most.

 

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Butter

3 Garlic cloves, minced

1 Pd. Mild Italian sausage

1 C. Whole Milk

2 Lg. Carrots, shredded

1 Lg. Onion, shredded

1 tsp. Celery seed

6 Oz. Tomato paste

1 C. Dry white wine

Heat oil and butter in skillet.  Saute onion, carrot and celery until softened.  Add garlic.  Saute 10 minutes.  Add sausage.  Cook, breaking into small pieces until cooked through.  Add tomato paste.  Cook 5 minutes.  Add wine and milk.  Simmer covered about 1 hour.  Serve over pasta.

Pork chops with Olivero peppers

Super easy, tasty weeknight meal. 

 

8 boneless pork chops
1 jar Olivero style peppers
15 Oz. Tomatoes, Petite Diced
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on low 8 – 10 hours. 

Serve over brown rice.