Meat

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Pork Kebab with Orange and Thyme

Summer time brings out the grill, although I grill all year round, and kabob are always fun. Swords filled with veggies, meats, chicken, and fish grilled to perfection and then piled high on the plate on maybe a bed of rice pilaf. This one is my wife’s favorite and she is mine so I post this among the first of my post. Fish, beef, pork, chicken vegetable give me a skewer and I can make a kabob that is worth eating.

Pork Kebab with Orange and Thyme

Prep easy about 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated zest, and orange wedges for garnish
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/4 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 4 to 6 skewers wood or metal – Remember if using wood skewers soak them first to prevent them from burning right up.

How

1. Whisk together orange juice and zest, garlic, thyme, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until blended well. Add pork and coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let pork marinate about 20 minutes at room temperature.

2. Heat the grill medium-hot. Thread 5 or 6 cubes of pork onto each of the skewers; season with salt and pepper. Discard marinade. Grill pork, turning occasionally, until cooked through and slightly charred, about 12 minutes.

Serve on a bed of rice or rice pilaf with a side salad. I also like to make a few veggie kabob with red,yellow, orange bell peppers, mushroom., onions, zucchini etc.

Options : You could use chicken or lamb

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Meyer Lemon Brisket with Pomegranate Gremolata

2 years ago we discovered Myer lemons we searched the web for something to cook with them and discovered Martha’s recipe. This has become my wife’s favorite brisket recipes and whenever Myer lemons are in season its brisket time again. Funny the first year it seemed like a very short season but this year they have hung around perhaps they are becoming more popular. Lyn juices these and keeps in the refrigerator and I take my life into my hands if I touch it. I suggested that we save the zest in the freezer to use when needed and it seems to keep ok although I like the fresh zest.

Meyer Lemon Brisket with Pomegranate Gremolata

Meyer lemons give this brisket a slightly floral, not sour, flavor and aroma. Pomegranate-studded gremolata adds juicy bites of color.

Martha Stewart Living, April 2011

 

  • Prep Time 20 minutes
  • Total Time 5 hours
  • Yield Serves 6 to      8

Ingredients

  • FOR THE BRISKET
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 first cut of beef brisket (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
  • 3 Meyer lemons
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • FOR THE GREMOLATA
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Flaked sea salt

Directions

  1. Make the brisket: Mash garlic and a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife until a paste forms. Season brisket with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then rub with one-quarter of the paste. Transfer to a baking dish. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Finely zest and juice 2 lemons. Juice remaining lemon. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear brisket until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Pour lemon juice over brisket, and add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the meat (2 to 3 cups). Raise heat to high, and bring to a boil.
  3. Braise brisket, covered, in oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Flip brisket, add remaining garlic paste, and continue braising until brisket is easily shredded with a fork, about 1 hour. Stir in reserved zest. Braise, uncovered, for 10 minutes more. (If the sauce seems too thin or not flavorful enough, remove brisket, and bring to a boil until desired consistency and flavor are reached.)
  4. Make the gremolata: Toss together pomegranate seeds, parsley, chives, lemon zest, and garlic. Season with sea salt.
  5. Slice brisket. Serve with pan juices and pomegranate gremolata. Sometimes I do the gremolata sometimes I do not. I have made a quick mild lemon sauce that work but it was from the gut no recipe sorry.
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Pulled Pork Sandwiches

While in the film distribution business I had the great please of being transferred to New Orleans and then Texas offices for 20th Century Fox. I handling the territory including Memphis areas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida panhandle, Gulf coast, Oklahoma  and Texas but not the first run houses the small independent owners in the smaller city’s and towns. When I got transfer back to Boston I was a lot heavier and had a fond appreciation for many of the foods especially BBQ. I remember bringing my parents to Sonny Bryant’s in Dallas and my Dad, after taking a look at the outside,  saying quietly to my Mom “I am not eating here again”. We went in, were lucky enough to hit him before he ran out for the day, sat in the old school chairs and devoured some damn good sandwiches. We went back 3 or 4 times before their visit was over. That was beef this recipe is pork but I have those also. I can’t remember where I got this one but we liked it.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Prep: 30 minutes and then overnight (preferred)

Cooking: about 6 hours

Serves: 12

For the pulled pork

  • 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 1- 5-pound pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt
  • 12 hamburger buns, for serving

Mix the spices and salt together in a small bowl, and then rub the spice blend over the pork, cover, and let stand for at least 1 hour and up to overnight in the refrigerator. (In the meantime, prepare the sauce.)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Put the pork in a roasting pan and bake, covered, until it’s falling apart and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 170 degrees, about 6 hours. Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a large platter and let rest for 10 minutes. While still warm, use two forks to shred the pork. Put the shredded pork in a bowl, add barbecue sauce, and mix well to coat. Serve with coleslaw, chips or fries, Ice tea or beer. Yes ice tea, I miss the huge glasses of ice tea served in the south and they always left a pitcher on the table when you ordered.

For the barbecue sauce

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ cup hot water
  • 1½ cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small saucepan, stir the brown sugar into the hot water until completely dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes.

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Flat, Single or First cut Brisket Jewish style

Brisket

If you don’t know a lot about brisket or even if you do my wife got this book for me over the holidays and I have to say it is one of the first cook books I have read starting at the beginning without just jumping to the recipes.

The Brisket Book: A Love Story with Recipes by Stephanie Piersonisket

Flat, Single or First cut Brisket Jewish style

I say Jewish style only because this was the way my Mom the “I’m not a Jewish princess” made it. My Aunt made a totally different style but we won’t go there.

Remember there are Braised, Corned and BBQ style of cooking brisket, in time I will try and give you my full range of recipes. I am still trying to master BBQ or smoking.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 4-6 hours until fork tender.

Serves: That depends on you

This is the basic recipe that my mother used to use although she still gasps “you used a recipe” when I tell her I tried a new method, hey you have to get ideas from somewhere right? When you mix a Jew and an Italian Roman Catholic together coupled with our enjoyment to experiment (I’m talking food here, my dear brother) we discovered and still are discovering the full range of brisket. This was once a cheaper cut of meat that needs the slow and low approach. If you treat it right you have something that melts in your mouth. I have never matched what my Mom did but then she never really told us exactly what went in. When it comes to the gravy/ brasing liquid try just about anything but the kitchen sink each time the flavor varies slightly. It’s all personal taste.

Ingredients

  • Flat cut brisket  about 4lbs
  • 4-6 onions peeled and chopped
  • 1-4 cloves of garlic minced or chopped
  • Potatoes and carrots cut into slight larger than bite size pieces
  • 1 ½ cups ketchup
  • ½ cup yellow mustard – have used grey poupon, Trader Joe’s Grey poupon (very hot), spicy brown mustard  you get the idea
  • 1-2 Tbsp. horseradish

Optional

  • There are so many options for the braising liquid make up, here are a few I have added honey, cranberry sauce, beer, cocktail sauce, basically anything  so if I suddenly discover I do not have XYZ there are options.

Directions

Mix last three ingredients (and any others you choose to) together in a bowl or measuring cup.  Sear the brisket over medium high on all sides in a large Dutch oven I start with fat side down, adding some canola oil first if there is not a lot of fat. With fat side up add onions along the sides of the brisket and sauté until translucent. Stirring occasionally so the onions cook evenly, add garlic cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute you will smell it. Now pour the braising liquid over the top of the brisket covering the whole thing. Cover tightly and lower heat to low so that it simmers for anywhere from 4-6 hours turning half way until fork tender meaning that a fork or a probe thermometer goes in and out of the meat with little resistance. Remember the key slow and low.  I always cooked this stove top then my wife and sister bought me a Le-Creuset pot I just started to experiment with this pot in oven at about 225-230 they run hot.

Cook the potatoes and carrots, I have added to the pot about 30 minutes before I thought it would be done or boiled separately (better control of doneness) and add to the gravy while warming up. Your choice try both let me know what you think.

Serving is also a choice and there are choices, serve fresh out of the pot or sit in the gravy it creates overnight in the refrigerator, my preference, I have tried sliced or not sliced. Mom says it cuts easier if you wait. A benefit of letting it sit overnight is the fat congeals on top and you can spoon it off before reheating.  Speaking of fat, some like it taken off (I just scrap it off with a knife pretty much comes off easily) others leave all or some of it on for serving. I like some fat my wife no so much. Of course serve with plenty of gravy on the side.

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Gyros Sandwich “Lambie Pie”

I borrowed some pictures from the web for but will put mine in soon

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Serve in bread or on a bed of lettuce. You could make french fries, homemade potato chips or we usually have kettle baked salt and vinegar potato chips.

Ingredients:

  • Meat Mixture:
  • 1 lb. ground lamb
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced  (depends on how much garlic taste you want)
  • 2 tsp. salt (I did only 1 tsp. salt)
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • I added about 1 tsp. of fresh mint minced.
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Sandwich:
  • 4 rounds of flat bread or pita. Still looking for the best flat or peta bread to use any suggestions. It has to be soft and pliable. I usually heat mine in low oven or toaster oven. Microwave can make rubbery.
  • Lettuce shredded
  • tomato; sliced very thin or chopped
  • Have also added crumbled feta cheese.
  • Tzatziki Sauce see below

Preparation:

Meat mixture
1. Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a bowl. At first I did this and refrigerated for about 3-6 hours not sure if this helped or not but we were not having until dinner and I thought maybe the flavors would come together. Now that it is a staple Monday night dinner I mix  it on Sunday

2. I roll out on parchment paper until very thin into oblong patty, 1/4″ or thinner. Refrigerate for an hour. Then divide into 4 parts.

3. I tried on broiler but could not get the crispness I was looking for at least with my broiler. I have been grilling it for about 3 minutes per side it got crisper. I might try the new 360 cookware pan Lyn ( my wife)  got us to see how that crisps up. You can see i am still looking for that crispness the open flame spit cooking method gets.

Sandwich

3. Grill patties over a hot fire for 2 – 4 minutes per side.

4. Spread tzatziki sauce down the center of a flat bread round, add a lettuce , add some sliced or diced tomato, some very thinly sliced onion (optional) and some crumbled feta cheese (optional), fold the bread over the lamb wrap with tin foil, and enjoy.

Note: wrapping in foil helps hold things together while you eat it.

Tzatziki” is the Greek name for this yogurt-based sauce recipe.

Makes 1 cup.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup plain Greek style yogurt
  • 2-4 garlic cloves to taste; roasted and finely chopped (see below)
  • If you want a bit more pungency, add a small clove of finely chopped garlic instead of roasting
  • 1/2 lemon juiced about 2-3 tbsp.
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber without seeds
  • Salt to taste

Optional:

  • 2 tsp. finely chopped mint
  • A pinch or two of cumin to this.
  • I also have added Dill to mine.

Preparation:

1. Place whole, un-peeled garlic gloves in a small, un-oiled skillet over medium low heat and cook for about two minutes per side – until lightly browned. Peel and chop finely.

2. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Note: The sauce is better if you allow it to sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before using.