Pork Riblets

I’ll admit it, my very favorite thing in the whole world is pork ribs – any way you want to cook them, but I generally prefer them plain except when I make one of my low or sugar-free sauces. When I lived in Tempe, Arizona, we often visited a small Chinese restaurant in our neighborhood and I loved their ribs, which were in fact riblets. Wondering what riblets are? They are what the butchers usually cut off from the bottom of the ribs and often throw away so you can find them generally on the less expensive side if the butcher decides to sell them rather than just throw them away which is happening more and more in my local market. I find them very succulent because while they have some fat, they are mostly meat and bones. I always try to buy the packages they contain the least amount of fat. I also steam them in my oven slow and low for several hours which keeps them moist (I don’t own a grill). So here’s how I make my riblets (I made my St. Louis ribs the same way).

Here’s how they look before they’re cooked:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray an oven proof dish large enough to hold the riblets with non-stick spray. Add:

6-12 riblets which are seasoned with:

Salt

Ground Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Add:

1/4-1/2 inch of water

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from oven, turn oven up to 400 degrees, and place the riblets on a small baking sheet (spray it as well) and brush with:

Your favorite barbecue sauce (see my recipe for spicy honey sauce under sauces)

Bake for 5 minutes to heat the sauce before turning the riblets over and brushing with sauce again before baking another 5 minutes. If some caramelization of the sauce is desired, they can be broiled as well. Enjoy! Serves 2-4 depending on what else you’re serving and how much those people eat.

Easy Roast Pork with Mustard Gravy

I found this recipe and thought it sounded interesting. Not too many changes were required to make it fit our needs. Use either a small boneless pork roast or a large pork loin (about 2 pounds) and for a quick and easy meal, instead of peeling and cutting up large carrots, use one bag of either regular or rainbow baby carrots. All together, this recipe takes just about an hour, 10-15 minutes prep time and about 40 minutes baking. Feel free to change out the herb used on the roasted carrots if your family prefers something else – thyme, oregano, tarragon or rosemary will all work. Same with the carrots – parsnips, sweet potato, cubes of winter squash, any vegetable you can roast would work.

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Next, pour into baking pan, with 1 to 2 inch sides:

12 ounces to 1 pound of baby carrots

4 or 5 small to medium shallots, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise

Sprinkle the carrots and shallots with:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix up the carrots and shallots with the oil and herbs to combine making sure all the carrots have some oil on them. Put into the preheated oven and cook for approximately 10 minutes. While the veggies are beginning to roast, heat in a 10″ skillet:

1 tablespoon olive oil

While the oil heats, season with salt and pepper:

1 1/2 to 2 pound pork loin or boneless pork roast

Sear off all sides of the pork in the hot oil, about 2 minutes per side which takes about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the pan from the oven, push the carrots and shallots aside to make space in the middle of the pan for the pork. Return to the oven and cook for approximately 30-40 minutes until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145-150 degrees. Take out of the oven and place the pork and vegetables on a plate, loosely over with foil or parchment paper to keep warm while the gravy is made.

To make the gravy, pour the oil from the skillet into the roasting pan and add:

1 to 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour

Over medium heat whisk to combine with the fat. All the fat should be absorbed by the flour. Cook the flour for about a minute before adding:

1 cup chicken stock (or pork stock if you can find it)

If you used more than 1 tablespoon flour, you’ll need to add additional stock to the baking pan. Let simmer, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until thickened. Whisk in:

1 tablespoon mustard, whatever kind your family prefers

When the gravy is ready, slice the pork roast or loin and serve with the carrots, gravy and either mashed potatoes or rice. Serves 2-4 depending on the size of the pork.

Salisbury “Steak”

Salisbury steak is basically a hamburger with mushroom gravy. Since I don’t eat beef, I had to change it to ground turkey but since I also wanted to make one last meatloaf before it got too hot, I used a meatloaf mixture to make the “steaks”. If you only need a couple of servings of Salisbury steak, use 1/4 or half the mixture for this dish and bake the remainder in the oven as a meatloaf. Feel free to use whatever ground meat you like, or even pieces of tofu would work. I basically used the recipe I published several weeks ago for turkey burgers with zucchini because they stayed so moist and were so delicious.

In the food processor combine:

1 large onion, cut into quarters

1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then into chunks

1/2 cup carrots

Pulse until shredded. In a large bowl combine the vegetable mixture with:

1 pound ground turkey

1 pound ground pork OR

1 pound mild/sweet Italian sausage (pork or turkey)

Add to the mixture:

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (smoked or sweet)

3 teaspoons ground coriander

3 teaspoons garlic powder or granules

3 teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/2 cup non-dairy Parmesan cheese (Optional)

Mix to combine (I used my hands, much easier than a spoon!). Using a 1/2 cup measure, scoop out the mixture and form each 1/2 cup into a burger shape (should make 10-12). In a 12″ skillet heat over medium high heat:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Add the burgers and saute them until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness, firm to the touch when cooked). Probably have at least 2 batches, perhaps 3 depending on the size. As they are cooked, remove to a plate. Add to the pan:

12 ounces of sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)

Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. When the mushrooms are cooked add:

2 tablespoons gluten-free, all-purpose flour

Stir or whisk in so the flour absorbs all the oil. Cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes and then add:

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or bone broth)

1/2 cup dairy-free milk (anything but soy), unsweetened

Salt and pepper to taste

If you are cooking all the mixture as Salisbury steak, you may need to increase the oil, flour, and liquid to make additional gravy. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the patties back into the sauce to reheat before serving. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta.

I know, more brown food! Just can’t seem to stay away from it. But it really was so delicious!

Carnitas Tacos

I cooked a pork roast last night and had about half of it left so what to do with it? Tacos are so easy to make and tasty to eat, it was a no-brainer. Whether you make soft tacos like I did or prefer the hard ones, this filling is delicious and so easy to make with a food processor.

First, in a 12″ skillet, over medium heat, add:

1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat till it’s simmering and add:

1 small onion, diced

1 small, sweet pepper (any color), diced

1 teaspoon chili powder (Optional) – I’m not crazy about chili powder so I used sriracha instead

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Stir to combine and cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers soften. Add:

3 cups shredded pork (pulse in a food processor for a few seconds until it’s the consistency you want – be sure to cut into chunks before pulsing!)*

1/2 to 2/3 cup salsa (or plain tomato sauce) – enough to moisten the meat

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granules

Stir to combine and heat over low heat for 2-3 minutes until pork is heated through. Makes 8-10 tacos.** Top with refried beans, sliced avocado, cheese, lettuce, salsa, etc., whatever your family likes.

*Don’t have a food processor? Heat the leftover pork roast in a 325 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes and then using two forks, shred the meat.

**There are now a number of tortilla brands available that are gluten free including corn, quinoa, cassaba, cauliflower, etc. I just love the quinoa tortillas. Be sure, if using soft tortillas, to heat them under moist paper towels in the microwave for about 30 seconds before filling.

Pork and Tomato Stew

This is a very easy recipe to make, cutting up the vegetables and pork are the most time consuming parts of the recipe. Be smart and use pork chops rather than pork roast so you don’t have to deal with as much fat and silver skin. I also used pre-cut carrots. Makes 4 servings.

In a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven, heat over medium high heat:

1 tablespoon olive oil

When shimmering, add:

3-4 cups diced pork (4-6 boneless pork chops depending on size and thickness)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook until the meat is browned on all sides. Lower heat to medium and add:

2 medium onions, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Cook until the onions are translucent before adding:

2 tablespoons gluten-free, all-purpose flour

Mix the flour into the pan so that it absorbs the fat before adding to the pan:

1-1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

2 cups button or baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters (or 6ths if they are larger)

1 cup chicken stock (or bone broth)

Stir to combine these ingredients and mix the chicken stock into the meat mixture. In a small bowl combine:

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1-2 teaspoons siracha (optional)

1 tablespoon date syrup

Add to the pot along with:

5 large RIPE tomatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths

2 teaspoons dried basil (or, if preferred add 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil right before serving)

Stir to combine, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 45-50 minutes until meat is tender and carrots are cooked. Be sure to taste before serving and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve it over any starch your family likes – it will go great with rice, mashed potatoes or pasta, or any other grain such as quinoa.

Spicy Plum Sauce Pork Chops

I have jars of jam in my freezer and since I don’t eat much toast or other things where jam would be good, I’ve been looking for recipes to use up these jams. Here’s one I found for my plum jam. If you do a search on my blog, you’ll find a recipe for strawberry jam (sugar-free of course) which you can use to make sugar free plum jam which is the base for the oriental spicy plum sauce for these pork chops. I served these chops with sauteed bok choy (find recipe under side dishes).

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees then make the plum sauce by combining in a small saucepan:

1 1/2 cups plum jam

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons date sugar

1 tablespoon dried onion (flakes or granules, both work)

1/2 teaspoon spicy chili sauce (or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Whisk to combine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, over medium high heat. Once it boils, remove from heat.

In a 12″ skillet, over medium high heat, heat:

1 tablespoon olive oil

When shimmering, add:

4 pork chops, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness

Sear on all sides, including the outsides, until browned. Place in a 9×9″ baking dish (or whatever size fits your pork chops) and cover with the spicy plum sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness of your pork chops. Serves 4.

Hearty Pork Stew

I cooked a pork roast the other day and we only ate half of it so today I cut it up intending to make a hash with some sweet potato, onions and carrots. After I cooked the roast, I left the roasting pan out and it was cold when I decided to make some gravy to go with the rest of the roast when I reheated it. Threw in some cold chicken stock and all the fat congealed and I was able to spoon it out of the pan before I put it on the heat to get all the sticky parts off the bottom of the pan – made such a delicious gravy! So my hash turned into a stew, rich, succulent and soul warming on this single digit day in Minnesota! Let it be 9 degrees outside, I’m toasty warm in here with this stew in me.

In a high sided skillet, heat over medium heat:

1 tablespoon olive oil

When shimmering add:

1 small onion diced

1/2 cup shredded or chopped carrots

1 cup frozen peas

Stir to combine and cover. Cook over medium low heat until onions are sweated and carrots are softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add:

2 cups sweet potato (or white if preferred), diced and cooked

2 cups diced cooked pork

1 medium pear, cored and diced

Again, stir to combine, cover and heat until the pear is softened and pork and potatoes are reheated, about 3-4 minutes. Add:

2 cups gravy (see recipe for gluten-free gravy under sauces)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6. Some crusty bread would be great with it to mop up the gravy!

Asian Pork and Cabbage

I took a small pork roast out of the freezer yesterday morning and noticed that I have two bags of carrots in the frig. What to do with them, I asked myself. So on Taste of Home, I found a recipe that I thought would work once I modified it to remove the allergens. It’s really quite quick and easy if you buy already chunked pork and pre-shredded cabbage and carrots. One of the bags of carrots was shredded so I went and picked up a large container of cole slaw mix this morning. It took me about a half hour to cut up the roast and then only about 10 minutes to make the dish! Very tasty over some rice. Makes 4 servings.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium, heat up:

2 teaspoons olive oil

When hot, add:

4-6 cups chopped cabbage

Cook for about 2 minutes until cabbage starts to get tender but is still crisp. Add:

2 cups shredded carrots

Stir to combine and cook for about another 2 minutes until carrots start to get tender. Remove to a bowl. Add to the now empty skillet:

2 teaspoons olive oil

When hot, add:

2 cups diced pork

Cook over medium high heat until the pork is browned on all sides, about 2 minutes depending on how large your chunks of pork are, try to cut them into approximately the same size (I know, easier said than done!). Add to the skillet:

2 tablespoons finely minced ginger root*

Stir to combine and cook for about 2 more minutes until the pork is about cooked and the juices run clear. Combine in a separate bowl before adding to the skillet:

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup soy sauce substitute

2 tablespoons arrowroot

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Whisk to combine and add to the skillet. Stir constantly until it thickens. Add the cabbage mixture back into the skillet and heat through, about 1 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

*The easiest way to mince ginger root is to cut off the peel producing a rectangle of ginger root. Slice into thin slices and then, using a French knife, cut back and forth until finely minced. (A French knife is a long-bladed knife that is angled so that you can rock the blade back and forth to finely chop things.)

Pork Chops with Pear Sauce and Sautéed Endive

Mostly I eat chicken but occasionally I’ve have some pork and I find it difficult to find creative ways to cook it, a plain pork chop can be so boring. Here’s one I adjusted from one I found online. I added the endive which goes great with both the pork chop and the pear sauce.

First, make a batch of pear sauce (see recipe under sauces) except instead of adding the ginger, add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of allspice (per cup of pear sauce/about 1 pear). Additionally, add about 1 tablespoon of date syrup (or 2 teaspoons of honey or agave nectar).

In a 10″ skillet, heat over medium high:

1 tablespoon olive oil

Blot dry:

2 1″ thick pork chops (or a little thinner or thicker if preferred just adjust the cooking time)

Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (granulated works best). Add to the hot oil and sear on each side (about 1-2 minutes per side) then reduce heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, for about 5-6 minutes per side or until the pork is firm to the touch. Set aside and let sit off the heat for approximately 10 minutes to rest.

While the pork rests, heat in 12″ skillet over medium heat:

1 tablespoon olive oil

Add:

1/2 medium sweet onion, dice

6-8 medium to large endive (slice off the lower stem end and then quarter)

Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder then cook stirring occasionally so that the onion doesn’t burn. After about 3-4 minutes, reduce heat to medium low and cover so that the lower cores of the endive soften and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until the endive cores are softened.

If you’ve premade the pear sauce as I did, heat in a small pot until hot. Pour half the mixture (about 1/2 cup) over each pork chop. Serves 2.

Vietnamese Pork Chops

This combines ingredients from several recipes I found online. Pork and chicken, along with some fish, are the only meats I eat so I’m always searching for new ways to cook them as well as vegan alternatives. This is quite an easy recipe that turns out succulent with a pleasant sour flavor from the lime squeezed on top when the chops are cooked. I’ll give you some optional ingredients along with the ones I used if a more complex flavor profile is desired and soy is an option.

In a square or rectangular dish, whisk together the marinade:

1 small shallot, minced

3 tablespoons honey or 1/4 cup date sugar

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup Hoisin, soy or oyster sauce (optional)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 stalks lemon grass (smashed and chopped fine)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Trim the fat, puncture each chop with a fork in multiple places on both sides so the marinade soaks in, and then add to the marinade:

4 – 1″ thick pork chops

Turn the pork chops so they are fully covered in the marinade. Let sit at least 20-30 minutes (or up to 1 day in the refrigerator). When ready to cook, heat a 12″ skillet over medium high:

1 tablespoon olive oil

until shimmering. Wipe the marinade off the chops and add to the oil. Sear on each side (approximately 1 minute per side) and then reduce heat to medium and sauté until the chops are firm to the touch, about 3-4 minutes per side. Watch closely so they don’t burn on either side. Remove from heat and let rest for 6-8 minutes before serving. Serve with a wedge of lime. Serves 4.