Archive for the ‘PORK’ Category
Homemade Smoked Bacon
This comes from a good friend and this recipe sounds spot on! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 kilos slab pork belly, skin on, fatty preferred over lean, (3-4 lbs)
- 3-4 tablespoons sea salt
- 5 teaspoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pink salt
- 4 jalapeƱos in escabeche, OR make from a shortcut
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
- 2 bay leaves, torn into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, slightly crushed
Special Equipment Needed
- smoker
- apple and oak wood chips
Instructions
- Rinse off the slab of pork belly and pat dry.
- Mix together the salt, sugar, and pink salt. Sprinkle generously over all sides of the pork belly, then gently shake off the excess. Place the belly into a non-reactive dish (stainless steel, ceramic, glass, or plastic) or a large zip lock bag.
- Blitz the jalapenos with 1-2 tablespoons of their liquid (pickling juice) in a food processor or blender.
- Pour the blitzed jalapenos into a small bowl and add the garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns, mix together then pour onto the pork belly, coat all sides with the mixture.
- Place in the fridge for 5 to 8 days. Turn the pork belly over every other day. The meat is ready once it is reasonably firm when pressed. Remove the belly and rinse off the cure with cool water. Pat dry, place on an oiled rack and return to the refrigerator to dry uncovered, overnight.
- Heat your smoker to 65 to 85 C (150 to 180 F) using apple and oak wood chips or any mix you prefer.
- Place the pork belly slab in the smoker. The bacon is ready once it reaches 65 C (150 F) internal temperature - usually in about 3 hours.
- Remove the bacon and allow to cool to room temp. Remove skin, slice to your preference, thick or thin, freeze in portions you commonly use.
Notes
I will price this when I can get a slab of pork belly in that weight. I will say Low cost for now.
Shortcut: JalapeƱos in Escabeche.
Variants: 1. Use honey and brown sugar and omit the jalapenos. 2. Add cracked black pepper to all sides before smoking.
Recipe and photo provided by good friend, Susie Whitman and her recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Kai Yad Sai (Thai Stuffed Omelet)
These are very good! I enjoy these often when I go to other provinces. This recipe is for 4 omelets, normally when this is served, in Thailand, it is huge so think family style, meaning placed on the table and everyone helps themselves to it.
Ingredients
For the Eggs
- 6 eggs, chicken or duck
- ground white pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
For the Pork Filling
- 250 grams ground pork, (1/2 lb)
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1/2 cup roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup long beans, finely chopped
- 4 small shallots, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- spring onion, sliced, for garnish
- ground white pepper, to taste
To Prepare
- cooking oil, as needed
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the eggs, fish sauce, and season with white pepper to taste. Beat to combine.
- In a large non stick pan, heat a splash of oil on medium heat, when hot, add ground pork and us your spatula to break it up as it cooks.
- When the pork is nearly cooked through, add the fish sauce, tomatoes, long beans, shallots, sugar, soy sauce, and season with white pepper to taste. Cook until the long beans are good and tender then remove and cover.
- In another non stick pan, heat a splash of oil, when hot add 1/4 of the egg mixture and move the mixture around to cook the bottom and set the top mostly.
- Loosen the omelet from the pan then spoon on 1/4 of the pork mixture into the center. Fold over two opposite sides.
- Then fold over the two other sides to make a square.
- Place a small plate, upside down on the omelet and turn the pan over, leaving the omelet on the plate. Cut an X on the omelet to show the pork filling. Repeat for the remaining omelets.
- Serve.
Notes
Low cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Pork Dim Sum (Shao Mai / ē§å)
Dim Sum is Chinese in origin, Cantonese, basically open faced wontons that are steamed not fried. There is 1,000s of types of dim sum. This is a very common type here in Thailand that is sold in the open markets.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground pork, (1 lb)
- 1/2 cup spring onion, sliced, white and green parts
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 25 wonton skins
- olive oil, as needed, for steaming
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the olive oil and wonton wrappers.
- Use your hands to mix or a large sturdy spoon, it mixes together easily.
- Place a wonton skin on your work surface, add a small spoonful of the meat mixture into the center of the skin. Bunch up the sides and pick up the dim sum and shape so that it is cylindrical with the top open, and pack the pork in with a spoon as well. Set aside and repeat with the remaining skins. (I have not perfect how to pack these correctly, yet.)
- Heat your steamer (I use a rice cooker with a steamer tray) and lightly spray or rub the tray or steamer basket with olive oil. Place some dim sum in the steamer tray leaving space between them. Cover with a lid and steam for 8-10 minutes. You are steaming them, no need to worry about burning them š
- Remove the cooked dim sum to a plate, and repeat to cook the remaining dim sum.
- Serve with soy sauce for dipping if desired as an appetizer, side dish, or main dish.
Notes
Low cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Pong Mouan Snol (Cambodian Pork Omelet)
Cambodian dishes normally take a back seat to Thai and Vietnamese dishes only because it is rarely heard of. I have been to Cambodia several times, the chow is excellent! I am going to change this up from a giant family size omelet to several smaller ones. This is on my to cook list for sure.
Ingredients
For the Pork Filling
- 500 grams ground pork, (1 lb)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons preserved cabbage, or to taste, it is salty
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons mushroom sauce
For the Eggs
- 12 eggs, for 3 egg omelets
- 2 teaspoons mushroom sauce
- olive oil, as needed, or use use butter
- spring onions, thinly sliced
For Serving
- cilantro, chopped for garnish
- cucumber, sliced as a side
- tomato, sliced as a side
Instructions
- In a large non stick pan, heat the oil, when hot, add the onion and cabbage, and cook just until the onion is starting to get soft, then add the pork, sprinkle in the sugar, salt, pepper, and mushroom sauce. Cook and break up the ground pork with a spatula until cooked through. Set this pan aside.
- For the eggs, instead of just cracking 12 eggs into a bowl, crack 3 eggs into a measuring cup and make a note of the quantity. This is so you can scoop out the egg mixture for each omelet.
- Pour those 3 eggs into a large mixing bowl, crack in the remaining eggs, then stir in the mushroom sauce.
- In another large non stick pan heat a splash of olive oil or some butter, when the oil/butter is hot, use a measuring cup and measure out the 3 egg amount, and pour into the pan.
- Move the pan around to spread the egg mixture out a bit.
- Let the egg mixture cook for about a minute, then add Ā¼ of the meat mixture to Ā½ of the egg mixture, cook for another minute or until the egg mixture is getting set.
- Use a large wide spatula and fold the other half of the egg over the pork mixture, and hold that for a few seconds to let that set. Cook for another minute or so.
- When the eggs are good and set, slide the omelet onto a plate.
- Add a side of Jasmine rice and some sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.
Notes
Figure about 45 Baht/500 grams for ground pork. For 4 omelets, this is about 35 cents per serving.
Pork Rib Curry I
My wife makes most of the Thai dishes here at the house, and certainly all the ones that use shrimp paste. My wife made this on 8 Feb 2018 for the family, served 4, twice.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo pork ribs, separated between the bones (2 lbs)
- 3-4 shallots, peeled and smashed
- 1 palmful black peppercorns
- 2-3 tablespoons red chili paste
- 2-3 tablespoons shrimp paste
- 1-2 handfuls hot Thai basil, this is the large Thai basil
- cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a pot of water and add the shallots and peppercorns.
- When the water is boiling, add the pork ribs. Here is the ribs used.
- And into the pot.
- Now get your chili and shrimp paste out and ready. Shrimp paste on the left, chili paste on the right.
- And wash the basil and get that ready.
- When the meat is tender, about 30 minutes to an hour, mix in the chili and shrimp pastes. and let simmer / low boil for another 30 minutes.
- Then add the basil and let that wilt down, takes just a minute or so.
- Stir the basil into the curry and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
- Ready to serve with rice.
Notes
I will estimate 120 Baht for the ribs. For 6 servings, this is about 59 cents per serving.
Family recipe by my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
Thailand.
Ham Loaf
This sounds interesting, next time in the city, if I get over to Makro I will pick up some ham to make this with.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo ground ham
- 750 grams ground pork
- 2 eggs, chicken or duck
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the pork, ham, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, salt, and pepper. Mix together well then place into the prepared baking dish and shape into a loaf.
- Bake for 90 minutes.
- While the ham loaf is baking, go ahead and mix together the topping. In a bowl, add the brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar and mix well. During the last 15 minutes of baking, pour the topping over the loaf and continue baking for the remainder of the time.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing, serve.
Notes
I will price this next time I pick up some ham in the city. I will say high cost for now.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Spring Rolls aka Lumpia
These sound delicious and I just picked up several packages of spring roll sheets last week. These are Spring Rolls or Lumpia that have a very thin pastry, not Egg Rolls which have a thicker pastry. And these are outstanding! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
- 400 grams ground pork
- 8 fresh Shiitake mushrooms, stem removed, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups vermicelli noodles, an 80 gram package is perfect
- 1 1/2 cups carrot, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups cabbage, shredded, packed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and as needed
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
For the Spring Rolls
- 20 spring roll wrappers, thawed
- cooking oil, for frying
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
Instructions
For the Filling
- In a pot of boiling water, add the vermicelli cook for 2-4 minutes or until soft, drain, lightly chop, you want about 1 1/2 cups, an 80 gram packet is fine. It is ok if they are a bit underdone as the rolls get fried later. Set aside.
- A lot of the prep time is the shredding and chopping. Use a box shredder for the cabbage and carrots, Chop the mushrooms on a board. I doubled the recipe that is why there is so much.
- Fresh ground pork (I used pork loin for this which is lean, the mushrooms add the juiciness). I also had some shrimp we added, the shrimp were cleaned, deveined, and chopped. The shrimp is NOT cooked with the pork, add the shrimp at the very end if using.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non stick pan (big pot if doubling the recipe), when hot, add the garlic and saute for a minute until fragrant then add the pork and break up the pork as it cooks until it just turns white, as it will get cooked again.
- To the pork, add the carrot, cabbage, and mushrooms and saute for several minutes until the veggies are good and wilted. Now mix in the cornstarch, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Saute for about a minute or until the liquid is steamed off. You want the filling sticky, not watery. Taste and season with oyster sauce as needed.
- Add the cooked noodles and remove the pan or pot from the heat.
- Mix in the noodles and cool the filling, a hot filling means your spring rolls may burst (no one likes a sloppy spring roll). So just let the pan or pot cool, or spread the filling on a baking sheet and let cool, or even place in the fridge for 5 minutes.
To Assemble the Spring Rolls
- First thing is to make the 'glue' so in a small bowl or cup, mix together the cornstarch and water, set this aside but keep it handy, this is used to seal the rolls.
- Open the package of spring roll sheets. Carefully pull off one sheet and place smooth side down on a clean counter with one corner of the sheet facing you. Very important, place a damp towel on the unused sheets, if the sheets dry out they are hard to pull apart and will tear.
- Place a tablespoon or so of filling near the corner closest to you.
- Fold the bottom (the corner closest to you) up over the filling.
- Tightly roll, the filling will spread some, that is fine. When the roll is in the widest part of the pastry (left and right corners will be on the sides of the roll) fold each side towards the center. The roll should be about 5 inches long, and should look like an envelope.
- Continue to roll, and when there is just a pointy section at the end away from you, use your finger and apply some of the cornstarch slurry you made just a few minutes ago to the edges of the pointy section (just like sealing an envelope), continue to roll and seal the edge, and just pat that seam down with your fingers. There, you just made a spring roll.
- Repeat until you have either used all the filling or all the pastry sheets. 13 more to go.
- To fry these, heat about 1 inch of oil in a pot. When hot, add 4-5 spring rolls at a time and fry, turn often, until golden brown, These cook fast so keep an eye on them. Remove to paper towels to drain and fry the remaining rolls. Perfect color.
- Let cool for a few minutes then serve hot as is or serve with a dipping sauce of your choice. My Sweet & Sour Sauce is listed as a shortcut in the Recipe Notes section.
Notes
Figure about 50 Baht for the pork. I will wing about 3 servings from this (I like spring rolls), for 3 servings this is about 50 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce.
Variants: 1. Bake instead of fry, place on a rack on a baking sheet, spray with oil all sides, bake in a 200 C (400 F) oven until golden brown. 2. For the filling, use cooked and chopped bacon, cooked hash browns, and Cheddar mixed in. 3. Place 3 or 4 raisins in each spring roll if using the original ingredients listed.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Pork Ragu
Sounds very good. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
For the Ragu
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 kilo pork shoulder, cut into 3 inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon sea salt, plus 1 teaspoon
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 250 grams bulk Italian sausage, OR make from a shortcut
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 large carrot, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar, packed
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind, this is a long shot where I live
- 2 bay leaves
For the Garlic Butter Pasta
- 500 grams Fettuccine pasta, cooked, drained
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, this is 1/4 standard block
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
Instructions
For the Ragu
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. While the pot is heating, in a large bowl, season the pork with the salt and pepper. Sear the pork on all sides, about a minute per side, remove from the pot and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the pot and then add the sausage, break up the sausage with a spatula and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.
- To the pot, add the onion and carrot and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper as desired and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the white wine, tomato paste, brown sugar, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and cheese rind if you have that. Mix together then add the meat back to the pot and stir in. Season with additional salt and pepper to your liking.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours, the meat should be fall apart tender and the sauce slightly thickened. Use two forks and shred the pork and stir into the sauce.
For the Garlic Butter Pasta
- In a large non stick pan on medium heat, add the butter, when melted, stir in the garlic and parsley and cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. Turn off the heat and add your cooked pasta and toss to evenly coat the pasta.'
- Serve the ragu over the pasta and garnish with Parmesan.
Notes
Figure 85 Baht for the pork shoulder and 50 Baht for the sausage, if you make the sausage yourself from pork shoulder, the cost would be much less. For 6 servings, this is about 67 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Italian Sausage.
Variant: 1. This screams of using a slow cooker to simmer the ragu.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
These sound really good, now I will have to look for large Portobello mushrooms to try this out. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 portobello mushrooms, large, stems removed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic, smashed and finely minced
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning, OR make from a shortcut
- 1 cup pasta sauce, OR make from a shortcut
- 1/2 cup sausage, OR make from a shortcut, cooked
- 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- pepperoni slices, mini or large quartered
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to broil, if using a counter top oven, heat the top coil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the mushroom caps on the paper with the top of the caps upwards.
- Mix together in a bowl, the oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Brush the mushroom caps with the oil mixture, then turn the caps over so the underside is facing upwards.
- Spoon on the pasta sauce, divided among the 4 mushrooms, onto the mushrooms, sprinkle on the cheese also divided between the mushrooms, then top the cheese with some cooked sausage, then some pepperoni slices.
- Broil for about 8 minutes or until the cheese is starting to brown.
- Serve.
Notes
Low cost really but I cannot say for sure until I source the mushrooms. I will say Low cost for now but that may change once I make these.
Shortcuts: Italian Seasoning, Pasta Sauce, Sausage.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Basic Salisbury Steak
I state basic for this as it uses store bought gravy packets or you can make the 'store bought' packets yourself, but you will dress these up with some with other ingredients. Thai brand Lobo makes an excellent Beef Gravy packet and they are very inexpensive. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, or ground pork, (1 lb)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder, or 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs, Shortcut
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- salt, to taste
- extra light olive oil, as needed
For the Gravy
- 2 packets beef gravy, Shortcut
- 1 onion, diced
- 170 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced, (6 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Salisbury steaks by mixing together the beef, egg, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, bread crumbs, salt as desired, and pepper.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts, shape into patties.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a large non stick pan, add the patties and cook for 4 to 5 minutes each side until well browned. Remove from the pan and set them aside.
- In a small sauce pan, prepare the gravy packets per the package instructions.
- Using the pan you cooked the patties in, add the onion, mushrooms, and thyme. Saute until the onion is translucent and soft, and the mushroom well wilted and starting to brown. Reduce heat to a low simmer and pour in the gravy from the sauce pan and stir in the soy sauce.
- Add the patties to the gravy, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Turn the patties over, cover and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until cooked through.
- Season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper as desired, serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Notes
Figure about 150 Baht for the beef. For 4 servings, this is about $1.10 per serving. Using ground pork will reduce the cost per serving to well under $1.
Shortcuts: Bread Crumbs, Beef Gravy.
Variants: 1. Crushed butter crackers work just as well in place of breadcrumbs. 2. If no fresh mushrooms available, slice up a can of mushrooms. 3. I have made this with beef as well as pork, each works well.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
