Texas Rancher Ribs

YUM YUM! These babies fall right off the bone, after being slow-cooked for 6 1/2 hours. This was a perfect recipe for Monday night football, and I am going to make them for the next get together I go to. They were just too easy. The ingredient combo kinda freaked me out, but they turned out perfect and tender. I got this recipe from Sandra Lee Semi Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes 2. So it's kinda of a cheater recipe!

2 racks baby back ribs, rinsed and patted dry

1 T. steak seasoning

1 cup BBQ sauce

1 cup chili sauce

1 envelope onion soup mix

1/4 cup yellow mustard

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

2 jalapenos, seeded, veined and diced

1. Preheat broiler. Line heavy duty baking sheet with foil and set aside.
2. Slice ribs into single bone portions. (My store sells them like this already!) Rub ribs with steak seasoning and place on prepared baking sheet, meat side up. Broil 6 inches from heat source for 10-12 minutes. Turn and broil additional 10-12 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Using tongs, coat ribs, several at a time, with sauce and coat thoroughly. Place in a 5 quart slow cooker. Repeat until all ribs are well coated. Pour remaining sauce over ribs. (I just mixed the sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker and tossed the ribs in the sauce)
4. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Strain and defat the cooking liquid. Serve as sauce on the side.

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mustard BBQ sauce

Yet another fab cooking light summer recipe. This is a must make for the summer. My mom and I made this together while I was home over the month of June. The BBQ sauce is so good, I would almost make a double batch and save for other grilling expeditions.

Sauce:

2 bacon slices

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard

5 T. honey

3 T. ketchup

2 T. cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Pork:

1 T. light brown sugar

1 T. smoked paprika

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

2 ( 1 lb.) pork tenderloins, trimmed

Cooing Spray

1. Prepare grill.
2. To prepare sauce, cook bacon in a medium sauce an over medium high heat for 4 minutes or until almost crisp. Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mustard and next 5 ingredients to pan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.
3. To prepare pork, combine brown sugar and next 7 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well; rub mixture evenly over pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 155 degrees, turning once. Let pork stand 10 minutes. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Serve with sauce.

THE VERDICT: A winner in the pork tenderloin division. The bacon's savor is key to the sweet tart sauce.

Hoisin Pork Roast

This is a dish I made a couple years ago, and when I returned home from work late one night it was completely devoured.  So I asked my husband if he ate 3 lbs of pork loin on his own?  He then explained to me how great it was.  Still this didn't make sense, the boy can't eat 3 lbs in one setting.  He then told me he also had to work late, so he ran home grabbed the crock pot, and took it to work, for all to enjoy.  Which was fine, but after everyone told me how good it was I felt like I missed out.  Well I kinda forgot about this recipe until yesterday.  So I threw the pork loin in the crock pot in the morning and let it work its magic.  Let me tell you, THIS IS SO GOOD!  The recipe is from an old Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine.

cooking spray

1 boneless pork loin (3 lbs.), tied

1   10oz. jar of hoisin or duck sauce

3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

2 T. fresh grated ginger

1 T. chili paste

1 T. rice wine or rice wine vinegar

1 T. soy sauce

2 tsp. dark sesame oil

4 tsp. cornstarch

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray and add pork roast.  In a small bowl combine hoisin, garlic, ginger, chili paste, rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Whisk in corn starch.  Pour sauce over the pork.
2. Cover the slow cooker and the roast until fork tender or 160 degrees.  Which is about 3 1/2 hours on high heat and 8 hours on low.  Transfer the pork to a platter, cover with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes.  Pour the cooking liquid in a bowl and let stand for 10 minutes, then skim any fat from surface.
3. Slice the pork and arrange on a platter.  Sprinkle the scallions and cilantro on top.  Serve the Asian sauce on the side.

THE VERDICT:  Very tasty, a little spice, but great!!!  If cooking on low heat start to check the temp around 6-7 hours, mine was done in about 6 1/2 hours.  ENJOY!!!

Pistachio-Crusted Pork Chops

Recipe adapted from "Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine"

These are by far the best pork chops I have ever had. The crust on the chops is so fragrant and taste so yummy.

Ingredients

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp grated lemon peel

salt and pepper

1/4 cup bread crumbs

4 1-inch thick pork chops

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1. Preheat the oven 400. Using a food processor, finely grind the nuts, garlic, lemon peel, and 1/2 tsp salt. Transfer to a shallow bowl; whisk in the breadcrumbs.
2. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Dip each chop into the egg, then coat with nut mixture; transfer to baking sheet.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chops and cook until golden, about 2 minutes each side; return to baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers 140, about 20 minutes.

The Verdict: Abe loved this dish....I served it with grilled asparagus and grilled tomatoes. Easy A+ meal. If you buy pistachios shelled in bulk you will get a better deal, just a little tip. I also used whole wheat bread crumbs in this dish just for a little whole grain factor.

Pulled Pork with The Best Sauce Ever

Ok if you live in Texas you know that Smokey Mo's is good. I hated BBQ joints until I went here. Now we go every couple weeks for the great food and the great prices too. Last time we went I bought the famous sauce in the HOT flavor, my fav. So, we decided to do an at home version of Smokey Mo's.

Pulled Pork

2lb pork tenderloin
1/2 BBQ sauce (You know what I used, but use your favorite)
2 onions, sliced

1. Place pork in crock pot.
2. Scatter onions over pork.
3. Add BBQ sauce on top.
4. Cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 8-9

I serve my pulled pork with all the toppings, they serve at the restaurant. Which is very simple.

Pickles, Raw Onions, and more Sauce.

The Verdict: Just like our favorite lunch spot, but a little healthier. Using the pork tenderloin cuts some fat, and I used whole wheat buns. Abe added cheese to his, which he said made it even better.