Slow-cooker Pulled Pork

Slow-cooker Pulled Pork

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While there is no doubt that pork shoulder slow-smoked over hickory and apple wood for up to 14 hours creates delicious barbecue, not everyone has the time to tend a smoker for that long. This recipe – which barbecue purists would call heresy and an affront to the Gods of BBQ – makes it possible to have flavorful pulled pork during a busy work week by using a slow cooker.

Ingredients

1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder

Pork Dry Rub (recipe follows)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and sliced
2 jalapeño chiles (or 1/2 habanero chile), seeded and minced
1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon Colman’s Dry Mustard
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian smoked hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon Wright’s Hickory Seasoning (liquid smoke)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

For the dry rub:
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons hot Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons celery seed
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Colman’s Dry Mustard
2 teaspoons sage
2 California Bay leaves, crumbled

Instructions

Assemble the dry rub:
Mix the ingredients in small bowl to blend. Use a spice grinder to pulse the mixture in batches until smooth. (Makes one cup of rub that will keep in an air tight container for up to six months.)

Rub the pork with the dry rub and bring to room temperature.

Add the remaining ingredients to a large slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 30 minutes. (I use a Rival 6-quart programmable crockpot but any 4- or 6-quart crockpot is suitable.) Add the pork and continue cooking on high for six to eight hours or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. (The pork could also be cooked on low for eight to ten hours.)

Remove the pork from the crockpot and allow it to cool until it can be handled. Using your fingers shred the pork discarding any fat. Return the pork to the crockpot, stir well, cover and cook another hour. (Or transfer the mixture to a saucepan and reheat on the stovetop for about 30 minutes.)

Seared Chipotle and Garlic Venison (600x450)

Seared Chipotle and Garlic Venison

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Game is turning up more and more in many fancy restaurants because, like venison, most of it is low in fat and has about half the calories of most cuts of beef, pork and lamb. All game available from butchers is farm raised and is not as “gamey” as wild meat. Because venison is so low in fat, often the cook needs to add additional oil or fat during the cooking. It is best cooked rare or medium-rare. If you can find it, you can substitute elk for the venison.

Ingredients

Smoky Chile Marinade
4 dried chipotle chiles
1 cup hot water
8 cloves garlic
½ cup chopped onion
1⁄3 cup olive oil
½ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground chile de arbol or other ground hot chiles
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

The Venison
4 venison steaks or substitute beef steaks, 1 inch thick

Instructions

Cover the chipotle chiles with hot water and soak for 30 minutes to soften. Drain and remove the stems and seeds from the chiles.

Sauté the garlic and onion in the oil until soften. Allow to cool. Place all the ingredients, except the venison, in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Place the meat in a nonreactive pan, cover with the marinade and marinate, covered, for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Grill over a medium fire, basting frequently with the marinade and turning often, for about 16 minutes, until rare or medium rare, internal temperature at 150 degrees F. Slice one of the steaks open to check for doneness, if you wish.

Steak with Malagueta Basting Sauce

Steak with Malagueta Basting Sauce

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Restaurants in Brazil called churrascarias sell spit-roasted meats to order, and the skewers the meat is grilled on are actually swords. A churrasco is simply a Brazilian mixed barbecue, featuring beef and pork—but feel free to throw in a few sausages, as that’s the way it’s done in Brazil.

Note: this recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

½ cup vinegar
½ cup lime juice
½ cup red wine
6 fresh malagueta chiles, chopped, or substitute tabascos
or serranos
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Two-pound T-bone steak, 1 inch thick

Instructions

Place all the ingredients for the basting sauce in a blender or food processor and puree. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl and allow to sit for a couple hours to blend the flavors. Marinate the steak in the mixture for 1 to 2 hours.

To prepare the beef, drain the meat and reserve the marinade in a pan. Bring the marinade to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Grill the beef over a medium-hot fire, basting frequently with the marinade, and turning often, for about 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (150 degrees F. internal temperature).

Sun-DriedTomatoPesto

Sundried Tomato Pesto Sauce

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Ingredients

4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with warm water for 5 minutes, or until tender.

In a food processor or blender combine sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and onion; process until well blended. Add vinegar, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and red wine, and process.

Stir in olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste.

Red Chile & Lime Shortbread Cookies (275x183)

Red Chile & Lime Shortbread Cookies

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This traditional butter shortbread has a bit of Red Chile Rub added, giving these cookies a sublte hint of heat. Scoring the dough into wedges before it is baked makes it very easy to break into individual cookies. Once cooled, gently break the cookies along the lines. This dough may also be rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter, if you prefer.

Equipment: Plate Setter, 9-inch round cake pan
Set the EGG for indirect cooking with the Plate Setter, legs down.
Preheat the EGG to 300 degrees F.

Ingredients

Ingredients
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons lime zest (1 to 2 limes)
1 teaspoon Red Chile Rub (see recipe)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, salt, lime zest, and Red Chile Rub on low speed until the butter is creamed but not completely smooth. Scrape the butter off the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour until the dough forms a ball.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough in the cake pan. Spread the dough evenly with your fingers, pressing the dough into the edges of the pan. Using a paring knife, score the dough into 8 to 12 equal wedges. Do not cut all the way through the dough.

Place the cake pan on the Plate Setter. Close the lid of the EGG and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until light brown. Let the shortbread cool.

Break the shortbread into wedges and serve.