Pork--The Other White Meat

Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce (thank you Giada)

This recipe includes a delicious sauce made from Port wine. I have not found a Port cooking wine as of yet. So, if you feel uncomfortable cooking with wine then just skip making the fig sauce. The pork loin with the juices over it is very moist and delicious by itself!

Fig sauce
2 ½ cups port wine
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
8 dried figs; coarsely chopped (I have also done this with dried prunes when I can’t find figs)
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 cinnamon sticks
1 TBL honey
2 TBL butter, cut into pieces
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Pork
2 TBL: olive oil
2 TBL chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBL salt, plus more to taste
1 ½ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
1 4-4 ½ lb boneless pork tenderloin
1 cup chicken broth

For the pork
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir in the oil, rosemary, 1 TBL of salt and 1 ½ tsp of pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy, flame-proof roasting pan (I have also used the my broiler pan without the rack on it).
2. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees, about 45 minutes total.
3. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stove and stir in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
4. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Serve with the fig sauce for dipping.

For the fig sauce
1. In a medium sauce pan, combine port, chicken broth, figs (or prunes), rosemary, cinnamon, and honey. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the mixture).
2. Transfer the mixture to a blend and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter, salt, and pepper (the sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast (thank you Giada)

10 large garlic cloves
1 ½ TBL finely chopped fresh thyme
1 TBL finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBL olive oil
1 (4.5-5 lb) tied boneless pork loin roast
Salt and black pepper
6 oz thinly sliced pancetta or bacon
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine or white cooking wine

1. In a small food processor, blend the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and oil, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the garlic is minced.
2. Untie the pork roast to separate the 2 pork loins. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the pancetta or bacon slices on a work surface, overlapping slightly to form a rectangle. Spread the garlic mixture over the flat side of one pork loin, then top with the remaining pork loin, flat side down, to reform the pork roast.
3. Using kitchen twine, tie the roast to secure the 2 loins in place. Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the surface of the pork and place it on top of the pancetta or bacon rectangle. Wrap the pancetta slices around the pork to cover as completely as possible. 4. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour ¾ cup of the broth and ¾ cup of the wine into the roasting pan. Roast the pork, adding more broth and wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 135 degrees for medium rare, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
6. Transfer pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup and spoon off any fat that rises to the top. Using a large carving knife, cut the pork into ¼ inch thick slices and serve with the pan juices.

Oven Barbecue Pork Ribs (thank you Ann)

3-4 lbs country style pork ribs (boneless or bone-in)
3 TBL butter or margarine
3 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
1 ½ cups ketchup
1 cup chili sauce (about 1 12 oz jar) –you find this by the ketchup
6 TBL brown sugar
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 TBL Worcestershire sauce
3 TBL prepared mustard
3 tsp celery seed (spice aisle)
1 tsp salt
3 dashes of hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
1 lemon (thinly sliced)

1. Place ribs in a large pot. Fill pot with enough salt water to cover ribs. Boil ribs, covered, for 1 hour.
2. After ribs have been cooking for about 45 minutes preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, melt butter and add garlic, sauté garlic for about 2 minutes—careful not to burn. Add ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, onion, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, celery seed, salt, hot pepper sauce and lemon. Mix well. Bring sauce to a boil.
3. Drain ribs and place in a shallow baking pan. Pour BOILING sauce over ribs. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes, basting often with the sauce, until sauce is bubbling. Serve hot.

Apricot-Glazed Ribs

2 (4 lb each) racks of pork ribs
1 TBL seasoned salt
2 cups water
1 (8oz) jar chutney (if you can’t find chutney just use and extra cup of apricot preserves)
1 cup apricot preserves (by jelly)
1 tsp lime juice
Lime wedges
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, make a small incision lengthwise down the back of the ribs. Rub all sides with seasoned salt.
2. Place ribs in a shallow baking dish. Add water; cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine chutney, preserves, cayenne pepper and lime juice in a small sauce pan. Heat, stirring continually, over low heat until melted, about 5 minutes. Preheat broiler.
4. Place ribs on rack in broiler pan. Broil, turning every 5 minutes, basting with the apricot sauce, for about 15 minutes. Cut into serving-size portions. Serve with lime wedges.

Ham with Raisin Sauce
(This takes about 5 hours to cook)

1 (14 lb) fully cooked semi-boneless sugar-cured ham
20-25 whole cloves
½ (15 oz) packaged raisins
1 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 (20oz) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
Kale, optional for garnish (nope, not my son—the vegetable version of Kale)
Fresh pineapple wedges (optional for garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove rind form ham and trim fat. Score the surface in a diamond pattern and stud with whole cloves.
2. Place ham in a large roasting pan and tend with foil. Bake until a meat thermometer inserted in the center and not touching bone registers 150 degrees, about 3 ½ to 4 hours.
3. Drain pan drippings into a blender container. Add raisins, brown sugar, soy sauce, and ground cloves. Process until pureed. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan. Stir in the undrained pineapple. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
4. Brush ham with pineapple mixture. Bake the ham, basting with pineapple mixture every 10 minutes for 1 hour longer.
5. Remove ham to a serving platter. Cool for 15 to 25 minutes before carving. Garnish with kale and fresh pineapple wedges if desired.

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops (thank you Giada)

2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 (1/2 to ¾ inch thick) pork chops
salt and black pepper
6 TBL olive oil
Lemon wedges

1. In a pie plate, whisk the eggs to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third plate. Sprinkle the chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the egg, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.
2. Heat 3 TBL of oil in each of 2 large skillets over medium heat. Add 2 pork chops to each skillet and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the pork chops to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

Pork Chops Alla Pizzaiola (thank you Giada)

3 TBL olive oil
4 inch thick pork chops
Salt and pepper
1 large onion
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp crushed dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 TBL chopped fresh leaf parsley (Italian parsley)

1. Heat 2 TBL of oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add 2 pork chops to the skillet and cook until they are browned and an instant read meat thermometer inserted horizontally into the chop registers 160 degrees, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate and tent them with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 2 pork chops adding more oil to the skillet when needed.
2. Add the onions to the same skillet and sauté over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with the juices, Italian seasoning, and ½ tsp of red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until flavors blend and the juices thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.
3. Season the sauce to taste with salt and more red pepper flaks if you like it spicier. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and turn the chops to coat with the sauce. Heat until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes. Do not overcook the chops.
4. Place 1 pork chop on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the chops. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Pork Milanese (thanks Giada)

1/3 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 ¼ cups plain dried bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
4 8oz pork chops (boneless) about 1 inch thick
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp black pepper
2 TBL butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 lemon cut into wedges
Mayonnaise (optional)

1. Place the flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Place the egg in another wide, shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, thyme in a third wide, shallow bowl.
2. Using a meat mallet, pound the pork chops on the work surface until they are ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle the chops with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Working with one chops at a time, dredge the chops in the flour to coat lightly, then dip the chops into the beaten eggs, allow the excess egg to drip off. Finally, coat the pork chops with the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Set the pork chops in a single layer on a baking sheet. (The chops can be prepared to this point 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerated).
3. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a rack. In a large skillet with high sides, melt the butter in the oil over medium heat until hot. Carefully place 2 pork chops in the oil mixture and cook until light golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the chops to a baking sheet and sprinkle with more salt to taste. Keep the cooked chops warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 2 chops. Place 1 pork chop on each of 4 dinner plates, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and mayonnaise for dipping.

Rosemary-Garlic Pork Chops

4 (6-8 oz) boneless pork chops (1 ½ inch thick)
¾ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 TBL canola oil or vegetable oil
2 TBL butter
1 TBL chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook 4 minutes per side.
2. Reduce heat to medium; add butter, rosemary, and garlic. Cook turning the pork occasionally for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until instant-read thermometer inserted in each chop registers 155 degrees.
3. Remove skillet from the heat. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Spoon pan drippings over pork chops.

Sunday Pork and Potatoes

6 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick
Non-stick spray
6 medium potatoes
1 onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can (10 ¾ oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
½ cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray skillet with not-stick spray and brown chops, turning once.
2. Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Peel and slice potatoes. Thinly slice onion. Arrange sliced potatoes and onions evenly in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and milk. Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese. Spoon mixture over potatoes and onions in baking dish.
4. Arrange pork chops on top. Cover chops and potatoes with foil. Place baking dish on baking sheet to catch possible spills. Bake about 2 hours or until chops and potatoes are tender. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake another 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Savory Stuffed Pork Chops

1 (1 ½ inch thick) pork chops
Salt and pepper
2 TBL butter
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
¼ tsp each dried sage, salt and pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup sour cream
2 TBL vegetable broth

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim fat from chops. Cut a 2 inch pocket in each pork chop. Sprinkle the inside of each pocket with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms; sauté until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sage, salt, pepper and bread crumbs.
3. Add enough broth to moisten and hold stuffing together. Spoon stuffing into pockets.
4. Secure pockets with kitchen twine or toothpicks; place chops in baking dish. Add remaining broth. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover; bake for 20 minutes or until tender.

Pork Chops Over Rice

8 boneless pork chops (3/4 inch thick)
1 TBL vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
½ cup water
1 small onion, chopped
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried thyme

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown pork chops in oil; remove. Drain.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to skillet. Place pork chops over the rice mixture. Bring to a boil
3. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender.

Crispy Golden Pork

4 pork boneless pork chops
¼ cup bread crumbs
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 TBL chopped fresh sage
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 TBL all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
2 TBL olive oil

1. Trim the fat from the pork. Place each chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently tap the pork with a rolling pin to flatten to half its thickness.
2. Combine the bread crumbs, lemon zest, sage, salt and pepper on a plate. Spread the flour on a separate plate; place the beaten egg in a small bowl.
3. Coat the pork in flour, dip in the beaten egg, and then in the bread crumb mixture to coat.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the pork until golden, about 4 minutes per side. (Take care not to burn the bread crumbs). Serve hot

BBQ Pork Chops (thank you Tiffany Moody)

6 pork chops
1 bottle (16 oz.) bbq sauce (of your choice)

Brush each pork chop with sauce and then place in slow cooker and pour remaining sauce over top. Cover and cook on low heat for about 6 hours. Served this with Au Gratin Potatoes and homemade bread.