North Carolina Slow Cooked BBQ

(from Obie via allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

7 – 9 Pound     Pork Shoulder Butt Roast

1.5 Cup     Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon     Salt and Ground Black Pepper

2 Tablespoons     Brown Sugar

½ Tablespoons    Texas Pete (Up to1 ½ Tablespoons for hotter liquid)

½ Teaspoons     Cayenne Pepper (Up to 1 ½ Teaspoons for hotter liquid)

2 Tablespoons     Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

3 Tablespoons     Liquid Smoke

Season with salt and pepper and place the pork shoulder into slow cooker.  

Pour the vinegar around the pork.  

Cover and cook on low for 10 - 11 hours.  

Pork should easily pull apart into strands.*  (See note below for tips on cooking).

Remove the meat from the cooker and discard the bone.  

Strain the liquid and save 2 cups.  

Discard the rest.  

Shred the pork using forks or Bear Claws. 

I usually pick through and discard excess fat.  

Return the meat to the slow cooker.

In a separate bowl, stir in the brown sugar, Liquid Smoke. Texas Pete, cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes into the reserved liquid. 

Mix into the pork.  *(Note, I used less than a half-cup).

If you are serving right away, cover and set the slow cooker on low to keep warm.

NOTES:  You can vary your cooking times using the following:

1.  One hour on High equals 2 hours on Low.

2.  I saw where high temperature cooked @300 degrees and Low @ 200.

3.  We froze the meat in freezer bags in one-pound packages

4.  I suggest saving some of the excess liquid for use when you thaw the meat to “refresh” it before serving.

5,  Before cooking, I trimmed excess fat for cooking down to render lard

6.  The original recipe did not call for Liquid Smoke but all the reviews agreed it is essential.

We enjoyed it so much that we went out the next day and made another batch!!

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

28 oz. diced tomatoes (two 14 oz. cans) do not drain

6 oz. can tomato paste

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 cup diced white onion

2 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a large skillet set to medium high heat, add the ground beef. Brown and crumble with a spatula or wooden spoon. Drain the fat.

Add the meat to the slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir.

Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Do no open the lid during the cooking time.

Serve with desired cooked noodles and top with parmesan cheese.

Link

Sour Cream Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

Duncan Hines Yellow Deluxe Cake Mix

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups sour cream

Mix last three ingredients.

Refrigerate until cake is ready to be frosted.

Prepare cake.

Cool cake completely and slice each layer in half.

Frost each layer.

Refrigerate 3 days, covered, before eating.

Keep refrigerated.

Not All Who Wander

Brix and Brine, Ogunqit ME

2022 Dave and Ben Birthday Celebration Cocktail

3 oz. (jalapeno) pepper infused tequila (21 seeds is good!)

2 oz. fresh blood orange juice

1 oz. lime juice

1 oz. hibiscus simple syrup

Combine all ingredients over ice in a mixer glass

Stir (do not shake) for 30 seconds, or until cold

Strain into a martini or acopa glass

Garnish with a cucumber slice

Ginger Orange Blossom

 I made this up.

50 ml Whiskey (Makers)

10 ml Orange Liquor

5 ml Triple Sec

2 or 3 dashes of orange bitters

Orange wedge

Orange peel garnish

 Baked Pork Chops

https://kristineskitchenblog.com/baked-pork-chops/

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless pork chops (at least 1-inch thick*)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika (sweet or smoked)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS 

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. (You can also bake pork chops in a baking dish, without parchment.)

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Rub pork chops with the olive oil and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Combine the brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir to mix well.

Rub the spice mixture over all sides of the pork chops.

Bake pork chops in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes for 1-inch thick boneless pork chops. The pork chops are done when the internal temperature measures 145° F on an instant read thermometer. (Thinner pork chops will cook faster, bone-in pork chops will take longer to cook. See notes.) Be careful not to overcook the pork chops or they may dry out.

Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes and then serve.

NOTES

If your pork chops are thinner than 1 inch, start checking on them after 10-12 minutes in the oven.

Bone-in pork chops will take a few minutes longer to cook than boneless.

 Classic Succotash

https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/salads-sides/classic-succotash

1 package (10 ounces) frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed
1 teaspoon McCormick® Paprika
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Thyme Leaves
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Coarse Ground Black Pepper

1. Cook lima beans as directed on package until tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 7 minutes or until tender.

3. Stir in lima beans, corn, paprika, garlic salt, thyme and pepper until well mixed. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are heated through.

TIPS AND TRICKS

For a creamier Succotash, add 1/2 cup heavy cream with the corn.