Saturday, June 13, 2009
Requests
Don't forget to tell your friends about the blog! I would love more people to read and get ideas from my posts. Tell your friends and try a couple of recipes.
Thanks for reading and as always...
Yours in cooking,
Chris
Friday, June 12, 2009
Slow Cooked BBQ Pulled Pork
I must advise you in advance, this is a long process (takes place over two days), so though you don't need to do much in between, you must have some patience. Only time can give you the slow cooked, fall apart, succulent taste and texture of BBQ Pulled Pork. So, this is a good recipe to start before you go to bed, to finish up the following day.
Prep time is split, because you have to work on this dish mid-way through the cooking process as well the beginning. I'll explain that in detail as we progress. For now, here are you ingredients and what to expect.
Prep time: 45 Minutes (split into 15 and 30 minutes segments) Cook Time: 14-18 hours
Servings: 10-12
Ingredients:
3 - 4 lb. Boneless Pork Tenderloin
2 Bottles BBQ Sauce (pick your favorite, I like Cattleman's best...stay away from Kraft, Heinz and other "commercial" brands)
1 Large Onion (Cut into 1/4" rings and separated)
3 Cloves Garlic (Peeled and Sliced)
Directions:
Set-up crockpot in a location that is not going to have a problem with heat exposure for a long time - make sure not to set-up directly under a kitchen cabinet, as steam and heat from the crockpot over time can cause your cabinets to warp or delaminate.
Lightly coat the bottom of the crockpot with a layer of BBQ sauce. Use just enough so you cannot see the bottom of the crockpot.
Peel onion by first cutting off each end of the onion, then making one vertical slice through the first layer of onion from top to bottom. Peel off skin and first layer of onion to expose the edible flesh of the onion, then slice horizontally 1/4" rings. Break each ring apart into its respective layers and place in the crockpot, covering the bottom.
After placing onions in the crockpot, peel the three cloves of garlic and slice each clove into thin strips. This step does not have to be perfect, if you cannot slice them thinly, just quarter the cloves and put them in the crockpot - the important part is the cloves are cut open, allowing the flavor to fully infiltrate the sauce as it breaks down.
After adding the garlic and onion to the crockpot, pour in the remaining portion of the first bottle of BBQ sauce.
Next, inspect your Pork Tenderloin roast. If there is any noticeable section of fat on the exterior of the roast, slice it off. After that, place the roast in the crockpot, pour entire second bottle of sauce over top of the roast, cover and set heat to low. Allow to cook overnight.
Approximately 10 hours later (when you wake up in the morning, have your coffee and are ready for some physical work), take the roast out of the crockpot and place on a cutting board. At this point, the roast will already be falling apart when you attempt to pick it up, so be careful when lifting the roast. Use tongs and a strong spatula to avoid the roast falling apart and splattering hot BBQ sauce on you. Keep the crockpot on, as you are not done cooking yet.
Once you get the roast to the cutting board, take two forks (one in each hand) and begin pulling the fork from top to bottom of the roast with the grain (you'll know the grain because the pork will want to fall off in long strips in the direction of the grain). As you pull the pieces off, use both forks together to hold and further pull the pork apart so that you have small, long strands of pork. As you pull the pork, return the pulled pieces back to the crockpot. Continue this until the entire roast is pulled.
^Tip^ Keep in mind that this step takes time - and if you have carpel tunnel or tendinitis as I do, it can be a little painful. Don't be afraid to take breaks. The roast is not going anywhere, so a short break is not going to hurt it and you may need it.
Once all the pork is returned to the crockpot, stir the pulled pork into the BBQ sauce. Once well mixed, return the lid to the crockpot and continue to cook on low for another 4-6 hours.
If you crockpot has multiple heat settings (High, Low and Warm), then this step is for you. If not, go to the next step. Approximately 1.5 hours prior to serving, set your crockpot to "Warm". This will lower the temperature even more, allowing your beautiful pulled pork to begin to thicken. Up until this point, the sauce may still look a little wet. High heat keeps liquids moving freely, even on the Low setting. So, turning down to Warm will drop the temperature just enough to allow the pulled pork sauce to thicken and really finish the process.
If your crockpot only has a High and Low setting, then approximately 30 minutes prior to serving, turn the crockpot off and leave covered. This will allow the sauces to thicken and the dish will "finish itself".
Serve with your favorite sides (corn, potatoes, green beans) or with rolls for pulled pork sandwiches. This dish always goes well at backyard BBQ's and parties...people just LOVE pulled pork. You'll be a hero and the long hours put into cooking it will be rewarded with compliments all around.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. As you can see, it is very simple and very tasty. I personally make this dish at least once a month and for some reason, every time I post on Facebook that I am making it, my sister-in-law is usually at my dinner table within an hour. She doesn't get out of bed for anybody and yet pulled pork is like an instant wake-up call....interesting.
As always, good luck and...
Yours in cooking,
Chris
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Italian Sausage and Peppers


Here is a great "Prep-It, Set-It and Forget It" recipe that I have come up with for Italian Sausage and Peppers. It only takes about 30 minutes to prep and then the crockpot does the rest. I love the crockpot because you can make more things than you probably ever dreamed of and everything comes out pretty much perfect each time. The slow cook of a crockpot prevents drying out of meats, allows vegetables to tenderize and the flavors to infiltrate the dish and spices to fully breakdown and supply both flavor and aromatics. Plus, once you set it, you don't need to fuss with it - just Set-It and Forget It!
One note, slow cooker and crockpot are interchangeable, so if you see me using crockpot, I mean slow cooker.
So, here is the shopping list for Italian Sausage and Peppers. Some of these things you may already have in your kitchen/pantry, but if not, they are not expensive to pick-up at the local supermarket.
This dish serves 4-6 people, depending on how large the portions are. This recipe fits a 6-quart crockpot. For smaller crockpots, use 2 lb. of sausage, 1-2 green peppers, 1 red pepper and 1 medium onion, 1 small onion. Reduce each of the spices by a pinch and use 2 cloves of garlic.
Prep: 30 minutes Cook Time: 4.5 Hours
Ingredients:
3lb. of Italian Sausage (links or large coil) - Sweet or Hot, your preference (I like sweet)
2 Cans Beef Broth or Stock (14.5 oz each)
2 Green Bell Peppers (cut into 1/4" strips)
2 Red Bell Peppers (cut into 1/4" strips)
2 Medium Yellow Onions (sliced into 1/4" thick rings, then halved)
3 Cloves of Garlic, Sliced or Minced
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil (can use vegetable oil)
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper
2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Dried Basil
2 Bay Leaves
Directions:
As I always say, prep your ingredients in advance. However, with this dish, everything is in the prep, so first, cut your vegetables. For the peppers, first remove the seed core by inserting your knife into the top of the pepper (the tip of the knife should just touch the stem - do not cut the pepper in half) and slice downward to the bottom. Do this on four sides (the blade should never go more than 1/2" into the pepper). This will allow you to peel the pepper away from the seed core. After pulling the pepper apart, remove any remaining seeds and slice 1/4" strips lengthwise down the pepper. For the onion, remove the skin by first cutting off the top and bottom of the onion stem, then make a shallow slice into the first layer of onion from top to bottom and peel off the skin and first layer of onion. Then slice 1/4" thick rings horizontally. After slicing the rings, halve the rings and break apart all the layers. This should leave you with 1 1/2" stips about 1/4" wide. For garlic, remove the skin from each clove (follow onion directions) and thinly slice. If you are not comfortable slicing garlic, simply place the entire clove in a garlic press (you can leave the skin on, though you get more garlic if you remove it) and mince the garlic.
^Tip^ Always wash vegetables before eating them. Onions are ok because you are moving the exterior skins, but always clean peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables that have exposed edible parts.
Next, heat a large non-stick skillet on medium-low to medium heat. Pour 1 Tbsp. Oil into pan and allow to heat up until shimmering. Place sausage in the skillet and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Once browned, reduce heat to low and cover for about 10 minutes, rotating sausage once. This will partially cook the sausage, which is necessary to avoid the sausage falling apart when you cut it.
While sausage is browning, place peppers, onions, garlic, spices (salt, pepper, basil, oregano, bay leaves) and beef broth/stock into the crock pot and set heat to high. If your crockpot has a timer feature, set it to 4.5 hours. Cover and continue browning sausage.
Once sausage has finished, place in crockpot on top of onions and peppers (if you purchased a coil of sausage, cut into 4" long pieces first, then place in crock pot). Nestle the sausage into the peppers and onions, moving some of the vegetables on top of the sausage.
Replace cover and allow to cook. As peppers and onions breakdown from cooking, the sausage will naturally settle into the stock, adding a ton of flavor and allowing the spices to fully mix with the dish.
When the crockpot completes its cycle, spoon out contents to a large bowl and serve. Sausage and Peppers can be served with rolls for sandwiches or over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes for those staying away from bread. Make sure to spoon stock into the bowl to keep peppers and onions moist and to allow people to use on their sandwiches or as a gravy for their pasta or potatoes.
This recipe is really full of flavor and very easy to make. Start it earlier in the day to have a wonderful dinner ready by suppertime!
**I GOT THE PICTURES - YAY!**
Good luck with this dish and as always...
Yours in cooking,
Chris
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Chicken Tikka Masala





Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Let's Begin - First, a note about cookbooks
A special note - for couples who are reading, there is a marvelous cookbook that pairs down some great recipes into 2-person portions...it is called "Cooking for Two 2009" by America's Test Kitchen (you may have seen the show on public television). It takes the year's best recipes and cuts them down to size for two people. Also, some of the recipes allow you to make another dish later in the week using some of the hard work you already put into a dish.
For instance, last night I made a French-Style Pot Roast. The recipe called for a 3.5 to 4 pound Boneless Chuck-Eye Roast. Unless I am John Candy eating the 96er, that is too much meat for two people. But the recipe allows you to take the final product from the French-Style Pot Roast and make two additional dishes (Shepherd's Pie, Rigatoni with Beef Ragu or a Hearty Beef and Barley Stew). So, not only can you enjoy your meals more than once without it being the exact same "leftovers", you can also save money by using ingredients once and eating more than once and save time by having your meals later in the week already partially prepared. "Cooking for Two 2009" cost me $19.99 and I highly recommend it. I will be sampling from this book quite a bit, so you can see some of the recipes and decide if the assortment is up your alley or not.
Ok - tonight, I will be endeavoring to make an Indian dish called "Chicken Tikka Masala (from "Cooking for Two 2009" and I will post pictures and hints after dinner tonight. I hope you'll tune in later! Until next writing...
Yours in cooking,
Chris
Welcome to Cuisine de Comfort
I do not have one of these $100K kitchens with Viking ranges and SubZero refridgerator/freezers. I have a normal kitchen with a 4 burner gas range, standard oven, and barely enough counter space to accomodate my cooking aspirations. So, travel with me on my culinary journey and you may find that you too can cook for your family like a Chef de Cuisine!