Embracing Him

Last week I was craving summer barbecue. I knew JT did not want to fire up the grill in the midst of the brisk fall air, so I decided to create indoor barbecue. Though summer has gone, the Thorpe family enjoyed a taste of summer with Pulled Pork Sandwiches courtesy of my Crock Pot. These mouthwatering sandwiches were fabulous, so I’ll be making them again very soon!

There seem to be a gazillion recipes for pulled pork, so I spent quite a bit of time sifting through them to find the one that looked most promising. Eventually I realized that I wanted a recipe that called for a meat rub and a great barbecue based sauce. I ended up combining a zesty rub recipe with my basic doctored up barbecue sauce recipe. The result was a pulled pork paradise for us!

There are a two wonderful things about this recipe. First, pork shoulder is not expensive. I used a four and a half pound pork shoulder that only cost $5.12. We had hearty sandwiches for dinner and enjoyed the tasty leftovers at lunch over the next few days. The next best thing about this recipe is the rub. Don’t skip it as it is what gives the pork such great flavor. However, in order to achieve maximum flavor, you’ll definitely want to let the rub rest on the pork overnight.

Here are a few suggestions. Trim off excess fat before placing the pork shoulder into the Crock Pot. Mine had a thick layer of fat I did not want to find simmering in the Crock Pot.  Also, be sure to place only the pork shoulder into the Crock Pot. Do not add the rub drippings that accumulate in the bag because they will make the pulled pork too salty. Finally, feel free to omit the bourbon in the barbecue sauce. You can substitute cola in its place. I’ve used both bourbon and cola in the barbecue sauce and have never been disappointed.

If you’re looking for more delicious recipes, visit Cole over at Tuesdays at the Table. There’s always something wonderful cooking over there and you’ll find lots of links to other awesome recipes.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

The Rub:
4 pound pork shoulder
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder

The Sauce:
1 (16 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup bourbon
2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Create a rub by combining the brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, and chili powder. Coat the pork with the rub, place the shoulder in a bag, and store overnight in the refrigerator.

Combine the barbecue sauce, apple juice, bourbon, and liquid smoke in the slow cooker. Add the pork shoulder and cover the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until pork is very tender.

With tongs, transfer the pork to a large bowl. Using 2 forks, pull the pork into shreds. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and toss with sauce to combine. Serve on round rolls with cole slaw.

Photo: Courtesy of su-lin (Flickr)

Every now and again, I decide to try cooking with an ingredient I’m not very familiar with. I’d been hearing quite a bit about balsamic vinegar on a few cooking shows and reading about it in a couple of cooking magazines, so I decided to give it a try.

Preparing Balsamic Chicken Breasts is a great way to add this rich sweet vinegar to your menu. The recipe can be prepared in a snap and we’ve found balsamic vinegar and chicken to be a winning combination!

When preparing the sauce, I offer my usual recommendation. Double it! You’ll want to have plenty to coat the pasta I think you should serve with the chicken.

Balsamic Chicken Breasts
4 boneless chicken breast halves
salt, pepper, and garlic powder (to taste)
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dredge the chicken in flour. Place chicken in the skillet and brown on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet and set it aside.

Add garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, bay leaf, and Italian seasoning. Place chicken back into the skillet and simmer covered over low heat for 15 minutes or until chicken is tender.

Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Photo: Courtesy of drdad (Flickr)

This weekend was jam packed and this week is just as full of activity. I haven’t had time to construct my weekly menu plan, so even though I hate doing so I’m making up dinner plans day by day. In addition, I’m clearing out the freezer and pantry of stockpiled items that may soon expire, so I’m limiting myself to using only certain ingredients.

As I poked around in the kitchen this morning, I noticed several bottles of barbecue sauce waiting to be used and spotted a lone orange in the fruit bowl. The can of Dr. Pepper I brought home from my MOPS meeting last night was resting on the counter and the pork chops I defrosted yesterday were quietly awaiting their fate in the refrigerator.

I pulled out my faithful Crock Pot and got busy prepping today’s dinner. I browned the pork chops and created a sweet sauce using the barbecue sauce, Dr. Pepper, and orange juice. In our house, this recipe is already a winner as I love the barbecue sauce I’ve literally doctored up! JT will enjoy the fork tender pork chops and the girlies will gobble up the sweet sauce. The chops and sauce will be perfect when served over last night’s left over white rice.

Now that dinner is simmering away I can get back to schooling and preparing for Sweet Pea’s birthday party this weekend. Isn’t the Crock Pot an awesome invention?

Dr. Pepper Pork Chops
4-6 pork chops
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 (12 ounce) can Dr. Pepper
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
zest of 1 large orange
1/2 cup orange juice

In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium high heat. Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Brown lightly on both sides and remove from the skillet. Place the pork chops into the slow cooker.

Combine the Dr. Pepper, barbecue sauce, orange zest, and orange juice. Pour mixture over the pork chops. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Photo: Courtesy of midnightcomm (FLickr)