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Recipe: Sour Orange Pulled Pork

07 Nov

Sour Orange Pulled Pork

Sour Orange Pulled Pork


With the election out of the way, forget about going red or blue and go orange with this recipe for Sour Orange Pulled Pork. The country may be divided on candidates, but (barring religious regions) we can all agree on the deliciousness that is pulled pork.

The sourness of the Sour Orange Pulled Pork goes great over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes. It’s a sour, sweet, salty, fatty combo that’s a great treat.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 12 garlic cloves, mashed into a paste
  • 1 4-lb. bone-in pork shoulder
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 3 cups orange juice
  • 1 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 TBSP honey
  • 3 large sweet potatoes
  • 3 TBSP butter
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

    Sour Orange Pulled Pork

    Sour Orange Pulled Pork is slow cooked in a mixture of orange and lime juice.

  1. Whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil and garlic paste in a large roasting pan. Add the pork and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerate 30 minutes before ready to cook.
  2. Preheat oven to 300F.
  3. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and cover.
  4. While pork is cooking, put the orange and lime juices and honey in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to 2 cups (it will be a syrup consistency). Let cool to room temperature.
  5. Also while pork is cooking, cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes and boil in a large pot for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Once cooked, mash sweet potatoes to desired consistency.
  6. Heat the butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mased sweet potatoes and press into the skillet with spatula. Cook, scraping and turning as the bottom browns, until hot.
  7. Once pork has cooked, shred the pork using 2 forks or your hands.
  8. In a medium saucepan, toss the shredded pork with the sour orange honey glaze and reheat over medium heat.
  9. Serve the pork on top of prepared sweet potatoes (reheated if necessary). Garnish with cilantro leaves.

There are several components to Sour Orange Pulled Pork, but none of them are difficult. The hardest part will be leaving with the wonderful smell of slow-cooking pork in the oven. Exercise some patience!

You can also add some cilantro to the sweet potatoes while cooking if desired. And if you really want to go hog wild (couldn’t resist!) you also add some bacon. The more pork the merrier.

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8 Comments

Posted by on November 7, 2012 in Cookin', Entrees, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew

02 Nov

Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew

Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew


This recipe for Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew combines three of my favorite ingredients: Fall/Winter favorite butternut squash, chicken thighs and superfood quinoa.

This stew is full of flavor, nutrients and warmth. It’s a hearty stew perfect for cold weather and serving family style.

Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew

A healthy update on chicken stew


Ingredients:

  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 6 chicken thigh filets
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 TBSP chili flakes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, steam the butternut squash until barely tender (about 10-12 minutes). Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside in a large bowl.
  2. Steam the remaining squash an additional 4-6 minutes. Mash this squash with a fork or potato masher then add to non-mashed squash in the bowl.
    3. Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew

    Parsley is pictured as the garnish, but I would suggest cilantro instead

  3. In a large Dutch oven (or saucepan), over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth, some salt and pepper and chili flakes to a simmer.
  4. Add the chicken thighs, cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.
  5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board and let cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
  6. Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and return to the stove, reducing heat to medium.
  7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, about 8-10 minutes.
  8. Add garlic and cook for an additional minutes, still stirring.
  9. To the Dutch oven, add the tomatoes and all the butternut squash. Stir to combine.
  10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa (make sure you’ve rinsed it). Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
  11. Meanwhile, shred the chicken with a knife and fork on the cutting board.
  12. Stir the chicken into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
  13. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
  14. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Some of you smartypants may notice parsley is pictured in the dish in the photos I have. You’re correct, but honestly, I didn’t like the parsley in this dish so I replaced mine with cilantro and it was much much better.

This Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa stew is the perfect meal for all those cold nights quickly approaching. Enjoy it with a nice glass of wine and some freshly baked bread.

 
1 Comment

Posted by on November 2, 2012 in Cookin', One-Pot Wonders, Recipes, Soups/Stews

 

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