Pulled Pork

Pulled pork - a wonderful dish when you are feeding a crowd for a family event or a picnic. It can be prepared ahead, frozen and is relatively inexpensive. What more could you ask from a recipe?

For my demonstration, I used a smaller half shoulder, but it's worth making a full shoulder if you have the freezer space.

1 5 to 7 lb. bone-in pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed

For the rub:

3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Mix all ingredients and rub well into pork. (Leftover rub may be stored in a jar and is great on ribs or chicken.)

Prepare a roasting pan with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to enclose roast. Place roast in pan and seal securely. Place in a 210f degree oven and cook for 12 hours.

NOTE: I usually put this in about 7 pm, take it out in the morning and, by the time we have breakfast, it's cool enough to proceed.

For the sauce:

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a simmer,stirring occasionally. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Remove pork from roasting pan, reserving juices. Drain juices into a measuring jug and allow to settle for a few minutes to allow fat to rise to the surface. Remove as much of the fat as you can and strain the juices into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about half.

Meanwhile, don a pair of disposable gloves and shred the pork - much faster than trying to use two forks! Discard any bits of fat you may find. If you want a finer product, just turn the pork out onto a large chopping board and give it a few chops with a large knife.

When pan juices have reduced, add them to the sauce and mix well. Add about half of the sauce to the shredded pork and mix well.

To serve, simply pile onto a roll, add a little more sauce, if desired and enjoy. Or......you might like to add little cole slaw on top - a winning combination in my humble opinion.

The pork will keep in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days or may be frozen for a month.

Watch my video demonstration:

auntnancy777 has made a comment on Betty's pulled pork (a picnic favorite) .mpg:

'This pulled pork looks wonderful for the 4th of July! I just happened upon your videos and I have been having fun viewing them. You have great recipes and such a fabulous way of presenting them. You're a good teacher! Thanks!"

Favorite Kitchen Gadgets #1

Several viewers/readers have asked about the kitchen utensils, or gadgets, I favor in both cooking and baking.

Here are a few (watch the video for details on usage);

Now here is the video;

A Better Oatmeal Cookie

For years I have been making oatmeal raisin cookies from the recipe on the Quaker Oats box and they are a good cookie. But a few weeks ago we were having lunch with friends at Wegman's grocery store and had their oatmeal cookies for dessert. They were so much better that I had to figure out how to make them. With just a few changes to the original recipe, I had cookies that had a deeper taste, were "chewier" and lasted longer - well, not really since they disappeared very quickly. I also now have a neighbor who will do anything for me for a dozen of these!


A Better Oatmeal Cookie

8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, softened
1½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts


Heat oven to 350°.
Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
Stir in oats, cranberries or raisins and nuts; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheet. (I like to use a small ice cream scoop - it makes for uniform cookies and its faster.)
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.


Makes about 4 dozen cookies.


Note: Scooped cookies may be frozen before baking - just line them up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze well, then pop into a plastic bag. They will keep for 2 months or so. Just bake a few minutes longer.


Watch the video demonstration;

A Tomato Rose

There's nothing like a tomato "rose" to liven up a platter of almost anything. From cold cuts, to tea sandwiches, deviled eggs even a salad looks festive with this decoration. And it's surprisingly easy to make - make a few practice ones when you are going to slice tomatoes for sandwiches or salads and you'll be a pro in no time!

Here is the video demonstration:

Hot Fudge Sauce

If you have tried my Ultimate Brownie you know that it stands alone as a delicious dessert. But if you want to take it further, just add some vanilla ice cream and some amazing Hot Fudge Sauce! Here is the recipe for my favorite. If you lived in the New York area and are old enough to remember Schraffts restaurants, this should bring back some happy memories…

Hot Fudge Sauce


Ingredients:

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup dark brown sugar, packed
½ cup light corn syrup
⅔ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
6 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter cut into fairly small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Combine cocoa, sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and half of chocolate in a 2 quart heavy saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until chocolate is melted. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add rest of chocolate and remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator for 10 days.

This sauce makes a wonderful hostess gift - just pack in a pretty jar and add a ribbon! Of course, some Ultimate Brownies along with the sauce would be even more wonderful.



Watch the video:

The Ultimate Brownie

As American as apple pie. We’ve all heard that many, many times. But apple pie is just as British as it is American - in fact, I’m sure the Brits were making it long before the Americans. In my opinion, Brownies are the All-American dessert. If you travel to Britain or France, you will see offerings of American Brownies but never American Apple Pie! So here is my recipe for what I immodestly call the Ultimate Brownie:

Ingredients:

6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces (1½ sticks)
⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1⅔ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ pound good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
very coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and butter the foil.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, add the cocoa. Whisk until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until blended. Add 1 egg and whisk until just blended. 

Whisk in the vanilla and the second egg until just blended. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just blended. Add the chopped chocolate and nuts and stir until combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small, gooey clumps of brownie sticking to it, 33 to 38 minutes. Don’t overbake or the brownies won’t be fudgy. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely.

Lift foil and remove brownies from pan. Remove foil and, using a sharp knife, cut into four strips then cut each strip into four squares.

Makes 16 brownies (Watch the Brownie Video below)


PS: Watch for the video on Hot Fudge Sauce!

Cheese Blintzes

Blintzes, popular in Jewish cuisine, probably came from the Slavic people. They are often served on holidays such as Chanukah and Shavuot where dairy dishes are the tradition. Of course they are also served throughout the year for breakfast, brunch or lunch - and you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy them! Blueberry preserves and sour cream are typical accompaniments, but you can use the preserve of your choice and fresh berries are also delicious.


Ingredients:

7½ oz. farmer cheese
16 oz. small curd cottage cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
Sweet butter
8 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1½ cups sifted flour
1½ cups milk
Sour cream and blueberry preserves to serve


To make filling: beat cheeses, 1 tablespoon soft butter, 2 eggs, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt together.

To make batter: beat 6 remaining eggs until frothy; add remaining 1½ teaspoons salt. Add flour, ½ cup at a time, stirring to make a smooth paste. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.

Note: You will need a double batch of this batter for this amount of filling.

Heat a heavy 6½” non-stick skillet and grease well. Into the hot skillet pour a scant ¼ cup of batter to cover bottom of pan when batter is quickly rolled around. Tilt pan to distribute batter. Cook until pancake is firm and browned on one side. Put on buttered plate, browned side up. Grease skillet if necessary and fry another pancake the same way. While second one is cooking, spoon about 1 tablespoon filling right on edge of first pancake. Fold up once, fold over two sides, and make one more turn. Put on buttered plate. Continue until batter and filling are used up. Should pancakes develop empty spaces during frying, fill spaces with a little batter.

When ready to serve, heat a small amount of butter in a large skillet. Fry blintzes until golden-brown on all sides. Serve at once with sour cream and blueberry preserves.

Unfried blintzes keep well in the refrigerator for a day or two or they may be frozen.

Makes about 3 dozen.


Here is our video demonstration:

Soft shell crabs

Soft shell crab season is here - hurray!  Check out Mark Bittman's article in this week's Sunday Times for a great variety of ways to prepare this delicacy. 

 I plan to visit my favorite Thai restaurant (often!) for these fabulous morsels in Thai basil sauce. Click here to read the article.

Chicken Parmigiana

A long-time favorite in Italian restaurants, Chicken Parmigiana is a snap to make at home - especially if you have my Home Made Marinara Sauce on hand.

You can bread and fry the cutlets and freeze them or you can complete the entire dish and freeze that ready to pull out for a delicious dinner any time.  Add my Caesar Salad and Coffee Liqueur Coupe and you are ready for a dinner party!

Ingredients:

6 (or more) thin chicken cutlets*
1½ cups Italian flavored breadcrumbs mixed with
½ cup finely grated Parmigiana cheese
1 cup flour
2 eggs well beaten
Oil for frying
1½ cups Home Made Marinara Sauce**
¼ cup finely grated Parmigiana cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Set up a breading station with the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumb mixture.
Dip cutlets first in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a frying pan and cook the cutlets for two or three minutes on each side until lightly browned.
Prepare a baking dish with a light coating of Marinara Sauce then layer the cutlets into the dish. Cover with remaining sauce, sprinkle with Parmigiana and top with mozzarella.  (The dish may be frozen at this point.)
Bake at 350º for about 15 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted.

*See my video on Chicken Tenders to see how to make your own thin cutlets.
**See my video on Marinara Sauce.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Marinara Sauce

For the busy home cook, having home made tomato sauce in the freezer is like having money in the bank. Home made tomato sauce is not only great to have on hand, it is less expensive than the jarred varieties and contains no corn syrup, preservatives or ingredients whose names you can’t pronounce! It takes no more than 15 or 20 minutes to put together and then just sits on the stove and simmers for 60 to 90 minutes.

2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Large pinch of red pepper flakes
Olive oil

Add enough olive oil to film the bottom of a saucepan and let it warm.
Add the onion and cook just until it softens and becomes translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes,
basil, oregano and pepper flakes and stir well. Bring the sauce to a
boil, stirring occasionally then turn the heat down so that the sauce
just simmers and cook for 60 to 90 minutes or until sauce is nicely
thickened. Makes about 6 cups of sauce.

The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days or may be
frozen for up to 3 months.


Watch our video demonstration:

Comment: "Wow! I am really enjoying your videos! You have such a great way of teaching as I'm sure you know. I love the professional yet personable way you explain things! Keep up the great work!"