I think I enjoy the cooking more than eating, there is nothing better than to watch the smile grow after someone’s first bite. Note from Steve: I am a flow of thought writer and apologize up front if I lose you. My family is used to it.
When you’re not buying a whole brisket — those can be around 10 to 16 pounds — there are two distinct cuts of brisket, depending on which end you use.
The flat cut is wider, less thick, and more evenly shaped, with a layer of fat on one side. Flat cuts of brisket are typically used for classic oven-baked brisket. The flat cut, also known as the lean cut, holds its shape much better when sliced.
The point cut is more marbled through and thicker with an irregular shape. It also has a bit more connective tissue. Point cut brisket has a shreddy texture once braised, making it an ideal choice for sandwiches and tacos.
The Whole Brisket is the pectoral muscle of the steer or heifer. This muscle gets a workout because of the pasture-raised lifestyle of our animals, making the cut very tough and extremely flavorful, which is why it’s perfect for slow-cooking methods like smoking.
WHOLE FLAT /Single POINT / Single
T
Don’t forget the Corned Beef: A brisket that has been cured in a brine (salt, water, and sometimes spices) for several days, resulting in a salty, tender, and often pinkish-red meat.
Finally the price has come down to 99 cents per lbs. and that is my signal to start making some of my favorite fall delights. I even saw it for 79 cents at Market Basket the other day. Anyway I made some Butternut and Apple Soup which takes a little effort but well worth it. This is one of those soups you take a taste and you say mmmm at least we did.
I had ordered a chuck roast from butcher box wo make something Lyn had found but it called for to many recipes so I just made a delicious pot roast. here is is.
Slight adaption of Art Smith’s recipe Simple Sunday Dinner
Ingredients
4 TBS olive oil
3-4 pound boneless beef pot roast (salt and pepper for seasoning meat)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 large leek, white part only, coarsely chopped
3 medium carrots, cut in 1 inch pieces
3 celery ribs, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup hearty dry red wine
2 TBS tomato paste
3 cups beef broth
4 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
2 bay leaves
3 TBS unsalted butter
3 TBS flour
1 lbs small potatoes or I used cubed butternut squash
Cooking Directions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325F.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste. Cook in the pot, turning on all sides, until browned. Transfer to plate.
3. Add remaining olive oil to the pot and heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine and tomato paste. Cook until reduced in half, about 3 minutes. Return the meat to the pot and add the broth. Bring to a boil. Add thyme and rosemary. I would add flipping the roast at this time.
4. Cover and bake until the meat is fork tender about 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Add squash, cover and cook about 30 minutes longer until fork tender
5. Transfer the meat to a deep platter, then use slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and place on platter.
6. Mix the flour and butter in a small bowl to form a paste. Add to a saucepan and gradually whisk in 1 cup of the cooking liquid in. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Carve the meat and served with the vegetable, with the gravy passed on the side.
I never made a rib roast before and I always kid my wife that I want to make one. Kid because she knows as well as I do that it goes right through me. But I love it so tender and the taste of the crust out of this world. The last time I had one was the year I retired and on my goodbye tour to the Florida office I drove to my brothers over by Jacksonville. Didn’t realize that it would be a 4ish hour drive, but he and Nancy are worth it.
Anyway I was nostalgic this year and remembering we always had one for family holiday especially when Diane bought a 8 rib roast thinking that it was 1 rib per person not per couple. and I must have made a good enough argument because we had one this year for Xmas. And to answer your question yes it did live up to all expectations.
Whole foods was having a sale on their grass fed roast so I picked up a 4 lb. 2 rib.
Ingredients
1 standing rib roast* bone-in (4 pounds, 2 ribs)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice about 1/2 medium lemon
1/4 cup rosemary leaves finely chopped
How
For at least an hour but I did day before salt and pepper generously about 3/4 tsp per pound, pepper to taste about 1/2 for mine. mix together in small bowl and rub into all sides
Place the meat bone side down on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle on all sides with the salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour prior to cooking
Note: I did something I’ve been playing with for meats and saw many did in other recipe, the day before I did the salt and pepper and stored in refrigerator uncovered. I also allowed 4-5 hours to get to room temperature.
Make sure your oven racks are positioned such that the rib roast can fit comfortably. Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl, stir together the mustard, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and rosemary. Spread the mustard mixture all over the meat. Sorry forgot to take picture of this
Roast for 20 minutes at 450°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue roasting until the meat registers 115°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted as close as possible to the center of the meat without touching bone (or 125°F for medium-rare), about 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Prime rib can overcook quickly, so check early and often. You want it to be nice and pink.
This depends a lot on your oven i was looking for more medium rare to medium and when the thermometer registered 134°F I took it out and covered loosely.
Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving
I was looking for a variation of how I usually cook porkchops and found this it was really good. From inspired taste
Pork chops are a quick, healthy and simple dinner. Our method ensures juicy, tender, and flavorful pork chops with little fuss. Check the notes section for our tips on which pork chops are best.
You Will Need
4 pork chops, about 1-inch thick and 6 to 7 ounces each, see notes
1. Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator and season on both sides with salt — we use just less than 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pork chop. Set the chops aside to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the spice rub. Mix the flour, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper in a small bowl.
3. After 30 minutes, use a paper towel to dry the pork chops, then rub both sides of the chops with the spice rub.
4. Heat the oil in a skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and looks shimmery, add the pork. Cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Flip the pork so that the seared side is facing up. If there is a fattier side of the pork, use kitchen tongs to hold the chops fat-side-down until it sizzles and browns slightly, about 30 seconds.
6. Reduce the heat to low, then cover the skillet with a lid. Cook for 6 to 12 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145° F when inserted into the thickest part of the chop. Cook time depends on the thickness of the chops, so check for doneness at 5 minutes, then go from there, checking every 2 minutes after that. If you do not have a thermometer, you will know they are done, if, when cutting into the chops, the juices run clear.
7. Transfer pork chops to a plate, then cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes.
MAKE PAN SAUCE
While the chops rest off of the heat, add chicken stock, a little bit of apple cider vinegar and sliced apples to the skillet.
Bring everything to a simmer, and then reduce by about half. When it has reduced, slide the pan away from the heat and swirl in some butter.
Grab your chops and place them back into the skillet. You can add them whole or sliced. We love adding them sliced since the pan sauce gets all over the meat.
And that’s it, our no-fail method for cooking juicy and tender pork chops.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
What pork chops to use: We call for 1-inch thick chops in the recipe, but you can use thinner or thicker chops as a substitute. Keep in mind that thinner chops will cook much quicker, so keep your thermometer close by. Bone-in chops are an excellent option, too. The bone will add a minute or two of extra cook time.
Can I use my favorite spice rub? Yes, absolutely. Just make sure the spice rub is salt-free.
Gluten-free: If you don’t want to use the flour, it’s okay. The crust won’t be as even, but skipping the flour and just rubbing the spices over the pork will still taste great.
Make an onion-apple pan sauce: After removing the cooked pork chops from the skillet, add sliced onions, apples and a bit of fresh thyme. Cook until sweet and softened then pour in the stock, vinegar, and honey.
Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
Steve Note: Mine chops from Butcherbox about 2″ thick so it took a little longer and I chose their suggestion slicing and then adding into pan. I prefer thicker so added a little corn starch to thicken the sauce. Served with roosted Honey nut squash
NUTRITION PER SERVING Serving Size 1 pork chop / Calories 369 / Total Fat 14.3g / Saturated Fat 5.1g / Cholesterol 138.8mg / Sodium 767mg / Total Carbohydrate 11.6g / Dietary Fiber 1.4g / Total Sugars 4.4g / Protein 46.1g
AUTHOR: Adam and Joanne Gallagher
How to cook pork chops so that they are juicy and tender
Tip #1:Don’t cook chops straight from the refrigerator. Thirty minutes before you cook, take the chops out of the fridge. The time out of the refrigerator lets you bring the meat to room temperature, which helps the pork cook more evenly throughout. Use this trick for other cuts of meat like pork tenderloin or steak.
Tip #2: Season the chops with salt half an hour before cooking. This way, the salt has a chance to improve the flavor and texture of the meat. Pork chops are lean, so seasoning with salt before cooking is essential for making the most flavorful chops.
Tip #3: Rub the chops with spices and some flour. Here’s where your favorite spice rub can come in. Alternatively, you can use our spice blend suggested in the recipe below or try this cajun seasoning. Whichever you choose, add a little flour to it. Rubbing a small amount of flour over the chops helps to add a flavorful crust. We use this trick a lot. When cooking scallops, we add a little flour to the outside so that they brown evenly.
Tip #4: Sear on one side, flip, and then cover with a lid. We use this trick a lot — it’s how we cook chicken breasts so they are juicy, and we use the same concept when grilling meat. First, we sear one side of the chops until browned, flip them, turn the heat to low, and cover the skillet with a lid. The second side will slowly turn golden brown, and since we added the lid, the heat from the pan will gently cook the middle. By gently cooking the chops this way, they stay juicy and become tender
Tip #5:Let the cooked chops rest. When they are cooked, transfer them to a clean plate and cover with foil. After 5 minutes, all the juices inside the chops will have distributed around the meat.
How to tell when pork chops are done
Pork is done when an internal thermometer reads 145° F. Depending on how thick the chops are, you might need to subtract or add a few minutes from the suggested cook times in our recipe below.
If you look closely, the pork chop in the back of the pan (pictured above) is thicker than the one in the front. When we were cooking them, we removed the thinner chop first since it reached 145° F a few minutes before the thicker chop. So if your chops aren’t all the same thickness or size, it’s best to check the temperature of each chop and remove them as they finish cooking.
Lyn and I took a vacation in Booth Bay area Maine back in 2020, we rented a small cabin in a cluster. There were about 6 scattered through the property. Looking out over the harbor and eating a great meal. I had pork chop which was prepared in a Juniper berry based brined. I was so impressed that I asked the chef how he created. He quickly rattled off the ingredients and I tried to duplicate. Came close but never hit it on the nose. I tried many variations of my recipe Pan Fried Pork Chops With Juniper and Rosemary.
Anyway I became a fan of juniper berry and while searching for some Ideas I came up with this we both liked this and will ad my tweaks to our rotation. I’ll add notes as to some changes I made.
Note: First only had two thick ButcherBox pork chops so i sort of cut ingredients in halve below is the full recipe.
Ingredients
4 cloves garlic divided
2 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons juniper berries Steve Note: I did not cut this in half
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh thyme, divided Steve Note: I did not cut this in half
5 cups ice Steve Note: did not use Ice
4 (1-inch thick) bone-in pork chops Steve Note: Only had 2 chops
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
sea salt to taste
Directions
Peel garlic cloves. Leave 2 cloves whole and set aside for basting. Halve the remaining 2 cloves crosswise.
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add halved garlic cloves, salt, sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, and 1 sprig of thyme. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Transfer to a large bowl and add ice. Stir until brine is cool. Steve Note: I had errand to run so I left on the stove t cool skipped the ice then refrigerated until ready to brine the chops. The next morning I added pork chops in plastic bag, sealed, and chilled in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.
Remove chops from the brine and pat dry. Discard brine.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Steve Note: just used my cast iron pan.
Heat oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops and cook without turning until they begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until beginning to brown on the other sides, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, turning every 2 minutes, until both sides are golden brown, 5 to 7 more minutes.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast, turning chops every 2 minutes, for 14 minutes.
Remove skillet from the oven and drain fat. Place on the stovetop over medium heat. Add butter, reserved 2 garlic cloves, and remaining sprig of thyme; cook until butter is foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Tip the skillet slightly and use a large spoon to baste the chops until butter is brown and smells nutty, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer chops to the prepared rack and let rest, turning often to ensure juices are evenly distributed, about 15 minutes. Finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt.
Next time I’ll try crunching the juniper berries bringing out more of the flavor.
Juicy honey garlic pork chops with caramelized edges ready and on your table in less than 15 minutes! smothered in the best 4-ingredient sauce!
I had some center cut pork chops from ButcherBox and I was wondering what to do with it. Maria had given us some Mike Hot Honey so I though honey mustard but after checking out a few recipes on line I decide to modify this one from Café Delites. I only had two chops so I split them in half. I think next time I won’t cut in half. Anyway this was pretty darn good.
This Honey Garlic Pork Chops Recipe is so easy you won’t believe it when it’s done! No marinating needed, this recipe is an incredibly quick and delicious way to serve bone in or boneless pork chops — seared until golden then simmered and broiled (or grilled) in the most amazing honey garlic sauce!
INGREDIENTS
4 pork chops bone in or out
Salt and pepper, to season
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup honey Steve Note: I used Mike’s Hot Honey
1/4 cup water (or chicken broth)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, or any white vinegar)
How
Preheat oven broiler (or grill) on medium-high heat. Season chops with salt, pepper and garlic powder just before cooking.
Heat oil in a pan or skillet over medium high heat until hot. Sear chops on both sides until golden and cooked through (about 4-5 minutes each side). Transfer to a plate; set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in the same pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Sauté garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the honey, water and vinegar. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook until the sauce reduces down and thickens slightly (about 3-4 minutes), while stirring occasionally.
Add pork back into the pan, baste generously with the sauce and broil/grill for 1-2 minutes, or until edges are slightly charred.
Garnish with parsley and serve over vegetables, rice, pasta or with a salad.
Optional
Baked Pork Chops:
Preheat oven to 390°F | 200°C.
Sear seasoned chops in a hot oven-proof pan or skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes per side — get them crisp.
Remove chops and make your sauce following the recipe above (Step 3).
Baste with sauce and bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until reaching your desired doneness.
Broil/grill for 2 minutes to get those caramelized edges!
Butcher Box
If your interested in great grass fed beef plus chicken, pork seafood and more check it out.
Lyn and I decided this will be added to our rotation so here it is again with slightly different twist .
Want to thank Martha for sharing this with us.
Extremely simple to prepare and cook, tender and delicious.
INGREDIENTS
1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
1 to 2 tablespoons spices or seasonings (See Recipe Note)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How
Heat the oven and pan. 10 to 20 minutes before you plan to cook, place a large cast-iron or oven safe skillet on the middle rack in the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. The skillet will heat along with the oven.
Season the pork. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and trim off any large pieces of surface fat. Mix any spices being used with the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix onto the pork on all sides.
Swirl the pan with oil. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
Roast the pork for 10 minutes. Place the pork in the pan. (It’s fine if your pork tenderloin is a little long for the pan; just bend it to fit as we did here.) Return the pan to the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
Flip the pork, reduce the heat, and roast another 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the pork. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and continue roasting 10 to 15 minutes more. The pork is done when its internal temperature registers 140°F to 145°F in the thickest part, 20 to 25 minutes total.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing crosswise. For extra-thin slices for sandwiches, cool the pork completely, then refrigerate before cutting.
RECIPE NOTES
Seasoning the pork: You can keep this pork simple and season with just salt and pepper, or you can rub it with any favorite spices or salt-free blend of spices.
Brisket is the Zelig of the kitchen. It takes on the character of whoever cooks it. In the early part of the 20th century, when ”The Settlement Cook Book” reigned supreme in American Jewish households, recipes for savory briskets of beef with sauerkraut, cabbage or lima beans were the norm. As tastes became more exotic, cranberry or barbecue sauce, root beer, lemonade and even sake worked their way into recipes. Here, Coca-Cola is the secret ingredient, along with ginger.
The result is sublime and the dish only improves if it’s cooked a day in advance of serving it. However, you can prepare and serve it the same day, if you’d like, though you may want to use a fat separator to strain the fat from the finished sauce. Several readers commented that the original cooking time and temperature on the recipe (3 hours, including 1 hour uncovered, at 350 degrees) was inaccurate. We’ve retested and adjusted the recipe, so the brisket now cooks for 5 to 6 hours, covered, at 325 degrees. Please also note that this recipe is not kosher for Passover. #Cooking
As you can see it was well received.
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 12 servings
1first-cut brisket, 6 to 7 pounds, rinsed and patted thoroughly dry2
1medium onion, peeled and quartered
1x 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into chunks
6 large cloves garlic
1cup ketchup
½cup dry red wine
¼cup cider vinegar
¼cup soy sauce
¼cup honey
¼cup Dijon mustard
1tablespoon coarsely ground pepper, or to taste
¼teaspoon ground cloves
1½cups Coca-Cola or ginger ale Steve Note: I used Ginger Ale maybe will use Root Beer next time
½cup olive oil
PREPARATION
Step 1 Let meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Step 2 Place everything but the soda, olive oil and brisket into a food processor, and process with steel blade until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in soda and olive oil.
Step 3 Place brisket, fat side up, into a heavy baking pan just large enough to hold it, and pour sauce over it. Cover tightly and bake for 3 hours. Turn brisket over, cover pan, and bake 2 to 3 hours more or until fork-tender. Cool, cover brisket and refrigerate overnight in cooking pan.
Step 4 The next day, transfer brisket to a cutting board, cut off fat and slice with a sharp knife against grain, to desired thickness. Set meat aside. Remove any congealed fat from sauce and bring to a boil on top of stove.
Step 5 Heat oven to 350 degrees. Taste sauce to see if it needs reducing. If so, boil it down for a few minutes or as needed. Return meat to sauce and warm in oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Maria had to leave Texas and came to live with us, she had very little experience cooking so I took on the challenge. She is a bit queasy when it comes to raw food so a pair of gloves and a few breath we were on our way. The other night we made Pork Piccata and she really enjoy the flattening of the meat, works out some pent up energy.
Anyway, this was quick, easy, delicious and a good choice. You could do veal and chicken the same way.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 pound Pork Tenderloin
½ cup all-purpose flour or I used cornstarch to make gluten free
3 Tablespoons Olive corn oil
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
¼ cup dry vermouth or white wine or rice cooking wine
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons capers drained
2 Tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
If you like a thicker sauce add a little cornstarch dissolved in water at end and cook to thickened.
Want to get fancy garnish with fresh Lemon slice
How
Slice pork into 2-inch thick slices. Place each slice between two pieces of plastic wrap and use the flat side of a meat tenderizer to flatten to ¼-inch thickness. (Season with salt and pepper)
Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the pork in it. Shake off the excess.
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil.
Place 4 pieces of pork in the pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm under a tent of foil. Warm the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in the pan and repeat to brown the remaining pork. Place that pork under your foil tent as well.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt 1 Tbsp. of the butter in the pan. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the vermouth, lemon juice and broth, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, the capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the sauce over pork and serve immediately. I like to put in pan and toss to coat.
Gourmet Dad, Don’t Let The Title Fool You 