Slow Cooker Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork

Slow cookery is becoming quite popular in my house. Thanks to recipes like this. I am a huge fan of North Carolina BBQ, which is more vinegar based then BBQ sauce. And this recipe is unique in that most slow cooker pulled pork is more BBQ sauced. I hoarded these leftovers and ate it for lunch 2 days in a row. I also dont like coleslaw ON my sandwich. I like it on the side. You eat it any way your hungry belly likes.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork

borrowed from Six Sisters Stuff

Ingredients:

1 2 1/2 - to 3-pound boneless pork loin

1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

3/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 medium)

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup ketchup

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

hamburger buns or small round dinner rolls, split and toasted

Deli coleslaw or see the coleslaw I made----***recipe below

Sweet or dill pickles, coarsely chopped-optional

Directions:

1. Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. In the cooker, combine onion and sweet pepper. Add meat; sprinkle with thyme and rosemary. Pour broth over meat.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 hours.

3. Meanwhile, for barbecue sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

4. Transfer meat to a cutting board. Using two forks, pull meat apart into shreds, discarding fat. Return meat to the slow cooker and Stir in barbecue sauce. If using high-heat setting, turn to low-heat setting Cover and cook for 1 hour.

5. To serve, spoon meat mixture onto bun bottoms. Add coleslaw and pickles if you chose. Add bun tops.

My Coleslaw Recipe:

4 cup(s) cabbage/carrot mix

1/2 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced

1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), thinly sliced

1 medium carrot(s), thickly shredded

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 1/2 Tbsp sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp water

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, onion, garlic, and carrot.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; pour over vegetables and toss to mix and coat. Chill in refrigerator, tossing once or twice, for about 1 hour. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Asiago Pork Chops

Hooray, I wanted to get caught up on the good recipes I have made lately before losing them forever. This is the last in the batch....although I do have a few that I havent uploaded pictures for so I promise not to disappear for long.

This was fast, yum, kids ate it, and you could use chicken or pork.....We have a WINNER!

Asiago Pork Chops

adapted from Myrecipes.com

Ingredients

6 (4-ounce) thin sliced boneless center-cut loin pork chops

1 egg white, lightly beaten

3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 lemon wedges

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme ( I didnt have any and my kids dont like green things :) )

Directions

1. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Combine panko, cheese, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Dip pork in egg white; dredge in panko mixture, pressing gently with fingers to coat.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Squeeze 1 lemon wedge over each pork chop; sprinkle each evenly with thyme.

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

I got a new cookbook as I mentioned and I have been slowly working my way through it. So far I am impressed. Ellie Krieger knows her stuff. Really healthful food, easy ingredients, and it tastes yum! I cant wait to get into some of the breakfasts and lunch recipes.

Also Ellie Krieger, broils things in her recipes. I admit it is very rare that I broil anything let alone a piece of meat. Again, seems so silly that I have never done this. It is so stinking quick and easy. I was kind of scared to put my faith and trust into my broiler and must have check on it a dozen times but man, I cant believe I never did this before.

Onto the food.......

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

Borrowed from Ellie Krieger

****5 WW Points Plus****

serves 6

Ingredients

4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoon dry sherry

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 garlic clove, crushed with a garlic press or minced

1 tsp. teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 pound pork tenderloin

Directions

Combine the soy sauce, oil, sugar, sherry, vinegar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and add the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag and marinate the pork in the refrigerator, turning once, for 1/2 hour, or up to 8 hours.

Preheat the broiler. Place the pork on a roasting pan and broil for 15 minutes, turning once.

VERDICT:

LOVED this recipe. BEST pork tenderloin I have ever made and the sauce is devine! NO salt at all. So flavorful. I had a 2 lb tenderloin so I doubled the sauce recipe. Next time I will double the sauce but keep about a 1/2 cup of it to add boil up and sprinkle onto the meat afterwards. I will make this recipe again for sure and plan to use this as my teriyaki sauce recipe going forward. I just was shocked at how easy this recipe was and what great results I got.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I threw this recipe in the crockpot before we left for the Giants game and when we came home dinner was ready. Again I don't love crock pot food, but this recipe is soooooo easy and the results are so good its a no-brainer. I served it with honey glazed carrots and sweet potato fries so we got plenty of orange food in us for dinner. I have made this for parties, for a large family dinner and for us so its been tested a few times, always with great results. I also have a recipe that uses more ingredients but I think this one is better
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
from Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer --some reviewers also used regular coke too---
1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce --I like Stubbs its low in sugar--
I also used a medium chopped onion and about a tbsp of garlic powder but you really dont have too, I was just experimenting.
8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat.
Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours.
Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker.
Drain well.
Stir in barbecue sauce.
Serve over hamburger buns.

VERDICT
One of the quickest, easiest meals I make. Serve it with some pickles and coleslaw for the authentic pulled pork experience.

Pork with Roasted Lemon-Apple Relish

So not every meal works out 100% and to prove this I will now post a picture of my burnt pan with the caramelized onions and lemons.....oopsie!

Nice right??? I spent a lot of time with a Brillo tonight trying to save my pan....and I spent a good chunk of time trying to make another side to serve with the pork
Pork with Roasted Lemon-Apple Relish--Kind of
from Everyday with Rachael Ray

2 pounds boneless pork loin roast, tied
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced crosswise and seeded
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup raisins
1 green apple, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°.

Place the pork on one side of a large baking dish, rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

On the other side of the dish, combine the lemon, onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the sugar; season with salt and pepper and arrange in an even layer.

Roast until the pork registers 150° on an instant-read thermometer and the lemon slices are browned around the edges, about 30 minutes.

Tent the pork with foil and let rest.
Transfer the lemon mixture to a work surface and chop.

In a medium glass bowl, combine the apple juice and raisins; microwave on high power for 1 minute.

Stir in the lemon mixture, apple, vinegar and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice the pork and serve with the relish.

OR

if you burn the thin slices of lemon and onion because your daughter was being quite demanding and you turned the timer off and never took the actual dinner out of the over. Peel and core 2 green apples. Cut into thin strip. Saute them in a tablespoon of butter for 5 minutes. Take 1/4 cup raisins and a 1/2 cup apple juice and microwave for 1 minute. Add them to the apples reserving about 3 tbsp liquid. Add a tsp of cornstarch and then add to the pan and stir. Try to pick off as much of the lemons and onions that aren't burnt and add them to the apples. Cook until softened.

VERDICT

After my little drama over burning the key parts to this dish I was a little worried. I was to say it was pretty delicious. I really liked my apple version although I don't know what the original was supposed to taste like but I would make it this way again. I have to say the pork was delicious. The best I have ever made. I usually over cook it but this was really juicy and tender. I think I used my mandolin slicer and made the slices too thin and that is why they burned so quickly. Next time I will used a thicker slice and see what I can make out of that! All in all a great fall meal. I even made my own mashed sweet potatoes...aren't you impressed. I was annoyed because they were out of the Ore Ida Steam and Mash this week. Making me work TOO hard for dinner!!!! It was a really quick dinner to put together...well it would have been if I hadnt burned it . Oh and if you want to get a toddler to eat anything put some mushy apples and raisins on it--worked like a charm

Shredded Sweet Pork

So sorry I have taken my sweet time in posting some new meals for ya'll!
Its crazy how much prep goes into a vacation adventure and then how long it takes for life to return to normal once you get home.
This recipe I actually made about 10 days ago but in my haze of packing for our vacation I didn’t get a chance to post it. I am also excited because I have quite a reserve of recipes. I typed up about a 1/2 dozen new things I made and then 3 recipes from this week already so I don't feel the pressure to have to post nightly but I can still give you a new recipe daily. Hopefully I can accurately remember this dish since I have eaten quite a lot since then.


Shredded Sweet Pork
Borrowed from The Sister’s Café

3 lb pork roast
1 c brown sugar
1 c Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tb dried minced onions
Cook all ingredients in a crock pot on low all day (about 8 hours). One hour before serving, remove roast and shred it. Dump out all cooking juices and place shredded pork back into crockpot and add...

1 c brown sugar
1 c red enchilada sauce
*** I think I might not have emptied the original liquid…oopsie!!!!

Cilantro Lime Rice*** I didn’t make this but want to next time***
3 c water
3 c Minute rice
4 cubes chicken bouillon
4 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tb canola oil
2 Tb fresh lime juice
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 onion
1 can green chilies
Blend cilantro, onion, and chilies in food processor. Bring water to boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. *I hate Minute Rice and never buy it - you can substitute regular rice, just adjust the water to rice ratio accordingly.



Garlic Black Beans
1 can black beans
1/3 c tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
1 tsp cumin
2 Tb canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb chopped cilantro
Heat oil then add cumin and garlic until garlic begins to pop. Add rest of ingredients and serve warm.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing—if you skip the beans and rice you must at least make this dressing.
3 tomatillos, peeled and quartered
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 c buttermilk—I used regular whole milk
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sour cream
1 pkg dry buttermilk ranch dressing
1 c fresh chopped cilantro—I omitted because of my aversion to cilantro
6 green onions with ends, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp)
3 tsp sugar
1 jalapeno, sliced thin - add to taste—I omitted because of my newly discovered fear of jalapenos

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

TO ASSEMBLE SALAD

I put shredded lettuce, a few spoonfuls of pork, beans, cheese, dressing, cheese, tortilla strips


VERDICT
YUM!!!
This was very very good. A bit time consuming since the nice thing about a crock pot is the lack of effort required to get dinner on the table. But it was really worth the effort. I wish I would have had time to make the rice. I discovered on my vacation that I in fact like cilantro…..shocking isn’t it? I just like less then the recipes call for. I don’t mind it, I just don’t like it to overpower what I am eating. So now I really want to make it. I had the leftover pork the next night on a toasted roll with the dressing and it was like a version of a pulled pork sandwich. I think this is a super dish and something you could make for a crowd with very little effort. Don’t let all the steps and ingredients scare you away.