Well the votes are in and it looks like a landslide!! LOL And so it is that I will start adding Crock Pot recipes as well. Now there are some little tricks to the Crock Pot. Contrary to popular belief it is possible to overcook stuff in a crock pot, and there are a few easy tricks to keep it from happening. One of these trick is to delay the start time until about half way through the day. Bet you're wondering how to turn on a crock pot by remote aren't you? A simple device available at any hardware store for less than $15 called a timer. Now pay attention when you shop, you want a heavy duty timer, not just a plain lamp timer which is cheaper. Crocks use a little bit more amps than a lamp and you don't want to end up with a fire, that would over cook your food, and you don't want to blow the circuit, that would under cook your food!! Now I bet your wondering how to keep your stuff safely cool until it's time to start the cooking. Well the truth is that in many cases it really doesn't matter, unless you're cooking something with dairy products or possibly chicken products. In these cases you can simply use some frozen ingredients that will keep this chilled until the cooking starts. The other trick is to use some ice blocks in the place of added water, which will melt during the waiting time and be water when it's time to cook! See? Simple!
There are a few things that you really need to know about your crock pot before you use it, one is the cooking temps on low and high settings. This is very easy to figure out, all you need is an oven thermometer and a couple hours of time. Set your crock pot on "low" and set the thermometer inside it. Leave it empty and dry. It won't hurt it at all. Check the thermometer every 15 minutes for one hour. It should hold a steady temp after the first 30 minutes. That's your low operating temp and is important to know. If it is over 225 you can count on needing extra liquid in anything that you cook for more than three hours. Now switch to "high" and repeat the process. Now you know what you are working with. Generally 300 to 350 is the high setting, so remember that if you are gonna have things cooking on high and you need to figure they will need less time and more liquid. If you don't have an oven thermometer but do have a candy or a frying thermometer, you can do the same test, but you will need to fill the crock pot about 2/3 full of water. There is just no good way to do it with a meat thermometer!
One of the best things for crock pot cooking is meat, because it has the time to simmer and tenderize. Pot roast is great and so is roast pork loin. One of my favorite dishes is Barbecue Pork. There are a couple ways to do it, one is to cook the pork, then prep it and add it to the sauce, the other is to cook the pork in the sauce. This is my favorite way to do it.
Ingredients:
32 Ounces of Your favorite Barbecue Sauce ( personally I like to mix and match, my favorite is to mix a bottle of Open Pit™ and a bottle of Jack Daniel's™ Original No.7 Recipe Barbecue sauce. )
3# Pork Loin
2-3 cloves Garlic slivered
1 large onion Julienned
3 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 cup Honey
Directions:
cut slits in pork loin and insert garlic slivers around the roast, dispersing evenly over meat. Set aside.
Mix barbecue sauce, honey and soy sauce together and dump mixture into crock pot.
Set meat into the pot, the sauce mixture should cover the meat, if it doesn't, add water to bring level up over the meat.
Layer the onions on top of this and place lid on crock pot set to low and simmer for 4 to 6 hours.
When ready to eat, remove lid from crock and gently spoon off excess grease.
Remove the meat from the sauce and slice, then return to sauce for 5 minutes before serving.
EAT IT!!!
After thoughts:
This goes great with rice. White rice, brown rice, wild rice, whatever you prefer, this stuff is good with it!
The perfect side dish is Corn. Corn on the cob, Mexican corn, or even cornbread! Corn and barbecue pork just seem to go great together.
The leftovers are even better the next day, nuked or just cold on a nice hard-roll!!
Showing posts with label Pork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pork. Show all posts
Friday, April 3, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
We call it, " Indian Hash"
This is an old family favorite that my grampa taught to my dad, and he taught to me. Then I spent some time on the reservation and learned a few more secrets. There are many variations of this quick and easy dinner, but I'm gonna share with you my favorite.
We call it Indian Hash and I have had it at many a home or party while I was living on the Rez. I really don't know why they call it hash, unless it is the potatoes. It's no matter really, because it is easy to make and really filling. It is really a meal all in itself, and when you try it, you'll be hooked too.
Some of the ingredients are pretty flexible. to make it quickly use instant mashed potatoes. you can get them ready while you cook the meat. If you wish to use fresh mashed potatoes, prepare them ahead of time, it's easier and saves time when your in a hurry. I like the use of pork sausage, but it's not solid rule, the ground beef can be any grade you can afford, ground chuck is less greasy. You can use the corn or not. You can use canned corn, but make sure you drain the water out before you add it to the pan. You can even serve the corn on the side, but if you want a veggie with it, the corn is the only way to go.
Ingredients:
4-6 cups Mashed Potatoes
1 lb ground chuck
1 lb pork sausage
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 large onion sliced and quartered
Directions:
In a large frying pan break up sausage and ground chuck, throw in onion and fry until meat is completely cooked.
Drain off excess grease retaining a couple teaspoons.
Return pan to heat and mix in the potatoes and corn.
Cook to desired doneness. Some people like to just get everything up to the same temperature, Some like to get the potatoes brownd off. There really is no wrong way to finish this stuff. (with the exception of burning it to a cinder!)
Serve right from the pan.
EAT IT!
After Thoughts:
Serve with ketchup. I don't know anyone who doesn't put ketchup on this stuff!
Goes amazingly well with an ice cold glass of milk.
Reheats great, so you can make a lot and eat it all week if you so desire!
We call it Indian Hash and I have had it at many a home or party while I was living on the Rez. I really don't know why they call it hash, unless it is the potatoes. It's no matter really, because it is easy to make and really filling. It is really a meal all in itself, and when you try it, you'll be hooked too.
Some of the ingredients are pretty flexible. to make it quickly use instant mashed potatoes. you can get them ready while you cook the meat. If you wish to use fresh mashed potatoes, prepare them ahead of time, it's easier and saves time when your in a hurry. I like the use of pork sausage, but it's not solid rule, the ground beef can be any grade you can afford, ground chuck is less greasy. You can use the corn or not. You can use canned corn, but make sure you drain the water out before you add it to the pan. You can even serve the corn on the side, but if you want a veggie with it, the corn is the only way to go.
Ingredients:
4-6 cups Mashed Potatoes
1 lb ground chuck
1 lb pork sausage
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 large onion sliced and quartered
Directions:
In a large frying pan break up sausage and ground chuck, throw in onion and fry until meat is completely cooked.
Drain off excess grease retaining a couple teaspoons.
Return pan to heat and mix in the potatoes and corn.
Cook to desired doneness. Some people like to just get everything up to the same temperature, Some like to get the potatoes brownd off. There really is no wrong way to finish this stuff. (with the exception of burning it to a cinder!)
Serve right from the pan.
EAT IT!
After Thoughts:
Serve with ketchup. I don't know anyone who doesn't put ketchup on this stuff!
Goes amazingly well with an ice cold glass of milk.
Reheats great, so you can make a lot and eat it all week if you so desire!
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