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Southern Cracklin' Pork Roast with Lemony Herb Sauce (Southern Living)

1 8–10 lb prok belly with skin
2 T olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion
8 c chopped fresh collard greens
1 T fennel
4 T plus 1 t salt
1 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c minced garlic
2 T chopped fresh rosemary
4 t lemon zest
1 T pepper

Place pork skin side down on a work surface. Score in a cross-hatch pattern about 1 inch deep and 2 inches wide. Starting with short side, roll in a tight spiral cut a shallow line the length of the roll to show where it overlaps (you will keep all skin on the short side of that line. Unroll and turn skin side up. using the shallow line as a guide, remove skin from all meat that will be inside the roll. Score remaining meat in a cross-hatch pattern about 1/4-inch deep and 1 inch wide. Turn skin pork side down and set aside. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir often, cooking until translucent (about 3 minutes). Add collard greens, fennel, and 1 t salt; cook stirring often until just wilted (about 2 minutes). remove from heat, let cool uncovered (about 10 minutes). 

With skin side down, sprinkle pork belly evenly with parsley, garlic, rosemary, lemon, and pepper; the collard greens mixture; and the remaining 4 T salt. pat the mixture into the meat. Starting with the shorter, skin-removed side, re-roll into a tight spiral (skin should cover exterior but not be covered anywhere. Tie at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine. Place in a roasting pan with a rack and chill 12 hours. 

Preheat oven to 275. Bake until thickest portion of pork registers 160 degrees (4-6 hours). Remove from oven and increase heat to 500 degrees. Bake until skin is cripy and deeply browned (about 25 minutes); basting with drippings during the last 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 30 minutes. Slice with a serrated knife and discard twine.  Serve with Lemony Herb Sauce, parsley, and lemon wedges. 

Lemony Herb Sauce

3 c chopped fresh parsley 
1-1/2 t salt
3/4 t grated garlic
1 t lemon zest
6 T lemon juice
1/2 t black pepper
3/4 c olive oil

Stir together all ingredients except oil, add that last. Serve immediately at room temperature.  

 

Sage Roasted Pork Racks

 3 c firmly packed fresh sage leaves

1 t garlic powder

7 t kosher salt

1-1/4 c olive oil

2 T orange zest

1-1/2 t rushed red pepper 

2 (3.5-4 lb) 6-rib bone-in pork loin roasts, chine bone removed

 

Process the sage, garlic, and 1 t salt in a food processor 30 seconds or until finely chopped. Add oil and next 2 ingredients process 10 more seconds or until blended. Rub mixture over roasts. Cover and chill 10-12 hours. 

Let roasts stand at room temp for 30 min. Preheat oven to 500. Place roasts on a lightly greased wire rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle remaining 6 t of salt over roasts. 

Bake at 500 for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325, and bake 1 hour and 15 min. or until thermometer registers 155.  Let roasts stand 30 min before serving. 

Grilled Meatloaf

2 yellow onions
1-1/2 lbs ground beef
1/3 c tomato paste
½ c dry bread crumbs
1 c grated white Cheddar (4 oz)
¼ c fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg, beaten
3 t kosher salt
½ t ground pepper
½ lb new potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
2 T olive oil

Heat grill to medium. Dice ½ onion.

In a large bowl, combine onion, beef, tomato paste, bread crumbs, Cheddar, parsley, egg, 2 t of salt and ¼ t pepper.

Have ready 2 sheets of foil, 3 feet long, stacked on each other. Fold foil in half, then unfold so there is a crease in the center. Place mixture in center of right half and shape it into a loaf.

Cut remaining onions into 1-inch wedges. Place onions and potatoes around loaf, drizzle with oil and season with remaining salt and pepper.

Fold the left side of the foil over the top and fold all edges together several times to create a tight seal. Place on grill and cook, turning upside down every 6-7 minutes until loaf is cooked through and registers temperature of 150, about 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Beef with Parmesan Potatoes

½ c fresh parsley
1 T lemon zest
2 lbs beef tenderloin
salt and pepper
4 T EVOO
1-1/2 lb red potatoes
¼ c grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 400. Combine parsley and lemon. Season beef with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 T of oil in ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides.

Transfer to oven and roast for 30 min. Let rest 5 min before slicing. 

Meanwhile, place potatoes in saucepan cover with cold water and simmer. Add 1 t salt and cook until tender, about 15 min. Drain and divide among plates.

Gently crush with a spoon to break skins, drizzle with evoo, ¼ t salt ¼ t pepper and Parmesan. Top with parsley.

Slow-Roasted Roast Beef

1 1-3/4 lb rib roast, bone in
3 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered
2 T salt
1 t pepper
1 t oregano

Cut 12 slits under the fat of the roast and insert garlic slices. Season roast with the salt, pepper and oregano. Place, fat side down, on a roasting rack. Place in roasting pan and fill with water, just skimming the bottom of the roast. Heat grill to medium high. If using a charcoal grill, build a very hot fire. When coals are white-hot, add another layer of charcoal. This will ensure the grill stays hot enough to cook the meat. Place pan directly on grill. Cover and allow roast to cook slowly. Cook about 20 minutes per pound for medium rare or until meat thermometer reads 130. Halfway through, turn roast and add water as needed. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

All About Grilling

CHICKEN
Wings – Buy ‘em big.
Legs: Thighs and drumsticks stay moist longer than white meat; a good choice.
Breasts – buy ‘em small so they cook through without drying out.

Get inexpensive, bone-in, skin on pieces. The skin keeps the meat moist and heat melts the fat under the skin, making for self-basting. Place chicken, skin-side up, over indirect heat. Close the lid and don’t touch it for 45 minutes.  You can also use the skin as a pouch for rubs or herb mixtures.

Slather with sauce or glaze only in last 10 minutes of grilling.

Do not turn pieces until done on each side.  Pieces will tighten and you’ll be able to lift from grill without tearing skin.

Grilling suggestions:
Wings
Cooking time:  25 min on indirect heat
Rub
Barbecue sauce
Salsa
Herb sauce

Drumsticks, thighs, breasts
Cooking time: 45 min on indirect heat
Rub
Barbecue sauce
Salsa
Herb sauce
Beef and sausage
Go with about inch-thick hunks. Cook with both direct and indirect heat. Pile smoldering coals at the ends of the grill for direct heat and arrange a single layer of coals in the middle for indirect.  Keep lid closed, and only turn meat once.

STEAK
NY strip and sirloin are good boneless options, or use bone-in options like T-bone and porterhouse. If you don’t see packages of inch-thick steaks, ask a butcher. Place over direct heat first to create grill marks, the transfer to indirect heat to finish up. Consider flank steak. Large cut has a thicker center and tapered ends, allowing for a range of doneness.

Cooking time and preparation recommendations:
Med-rare, 8 min on direct heat, turning once, then 4 more min on indirect heat.
Rub
Barbecue sauce
Salsa
Herb sauce

SAUSAGE
Expanding array of chicken and turkey links means lots of options, but these dry out quickly. Go with classic, low-maintenance pork.  Cook entirely over indirect heat.  Don’t prick skins, if you keep over moderate heat, casings won’t split.

Cooking time and preparation recommendations:
10 minutes on indirect heat, turning once

BURGERS
Fat equals flavor, so buy the cheapest ground beef, or 80 percent lean.  Place over direct heat first to create grill marks, the transfer to indirect heat to finish up. Indent centers with thumb, they’ll puff up in cooking.

Cooking time and preparation recommendations:
1-inch hamburgers
Cooking time:  Medium, 10 min on direct heat, turning once
Rub
Barbecue sauce
Salsa

SHRIMP & FISH
Buy ‘em big and leave shells on.  Frozen is fine.
Tuna steak: no thinner than an inch thick.
Flip seafood steak and shrimp once.

Fish cooks quickly, so keep an eye on it. But don’t fuss with it. Put it down and leave it til it’s ready.

Oil the fish, not the grate, to prevent sticking. Strew lemon on the grate before adding the fish.

Salmon fillet: Keep the skin on; it protects fish from heat and minimizes sticking.
For salmon, buy a big chunk allowing 6 oz per person and cut into individual pieces, slicing almost to but not through skin. When cooked, slide spatula between fish and skin (skin will stay on grate.) Fillet will lift off. Keep flame on grate and let skin burn off for easy cleanup.

Cooking time and preparation recommendations:
Shrimp
Cooking time: 2-4 min on direct heat, turning once
Rub
Barbecue sauce
Salsa
Herb sauce

1-inch tuna steaks
Cooking time:  4 min on direct heat, turning once
Rub
Barbecue sauce

Salmon fillets
Cooking time: 10 min on direct heat
Barbecue sauce

VEGETABLES
Slice summer vegetables ½ inch thick, slick with oil season with salt and place over diret heat. They’ll be just tender by the time grill marks appear. Potatoes and tomatoes work well when wrapped in a double layer of foil and placed over direct het. For corn on the cob, soak for an hour with husks on.  Then pull husks back, remove silk, add butter and replace husks, then steam in the husks over direct heat. If tips start to blacken, rearrange ears so tips hang off the edge of the grill.

Put veggies on grill before entrée; they tates as good cooled off as hot.
Use a spatula, not tongs, to turn vegetables.

Cooking time and preparation recommendations:
Corn in the husk
Cooking time:  15 min on direct heat, 5 min on indirect, turning often

Red onions, bell peppers,
Cooking time:  10 min on direct heat, turning once

Zucchini, eggplant
Cooking time: 10 min on direct heat, turning once
Herb sauce

Potatotes, in foil
Cooking time:  30 minutes on direct heat, turning once
Herb sauce

Tomatoes in foil
Cooking time:  15 min on direct heat, turning once
Herb sauce

SAUCES/SPICES
Herb sauce
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 c fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped
1 T chopped oregano
½ t red pepper flakes
¾ c extra-virgin olive oil
1 t red wine vinegar
½ t kosher salt
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Bring to room temperature and spoon over stuff after it’s grilled.

Barbecue Sauce
1 c ketchup
¼ c cider vinegar
2 T molasses
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T water
½ t kosher salt
½ t pepper
Cook 3-5 minutes. Baste during last 10 minutes of grilling.

Spice Rub
¼ c chili powder
½ t cumin
¼ t mustard
1/8 t cinnamon
½ t oregano
2 t salt
Add enough olive oil to make a paste and rub over raw meat, under and over chicken skin or on seafood.

All About Chicken

ANATOMY
Wing – boniest cut, considered white meat. Good for braising, broiling, grilling and roasting

Drumstick – dark meat, often with thigh attached. Good for braising, grilling and roasting

Thigh –sometimes sold boneless, often attached to drumstick. Hard to overcook. Good for braising, broiling grilling and roasting.

Breast – white meat – sold boneless/skinless, split into halves, or tenderloin strips. Good for broiling, pan-frying, poaching and sautéing.    Also sold as cutlets, cooks evenly and quickly, good for pan-frying and sautéing.

GRILLING
Wings – Buy ‘em big.
Legs: Thighs and drumsticks stay moist longer than white meat; a good choice.
Breasts – buy ‘em small so they cook through without drying out.

Get inexpensive, bone-in, skin on pieces. The skin keeps the meat moist and heat melts the fat under the skin, making for self-basting.  Place chicken, skin-side up, over indirect heat. Close the lid and don’t touch it for 45 minutes.  You can also use the skin as a pouch for rubs or herb mixtures.

Slather with sauce or glaze only in last 10 minutes of grilling.

Do not turn pieces until done on each side.  Pieces will tighten and you’ll be able to lift from grill without tearing skin.

Grilling suggestions:
Wings
Cooking time:  25 min on indirect heat
Rub
Barbecue sauce
Salsa
Herb sauce

Drumsticks, thighs, breasts
Cooking time: 45 min on indirect heat
Rub
Barbecue sauce
Salsa
Herb sauce

ROASTING
Roasting is great because meat emerges with crisp skin, moist interior and you can ignore it most of the cooking time.

Placed in an oven uncovered, chicken cooks surrounded by dry heat, usually around 400 degrees. Roasting is good for skin-on cuts, no basting required. Seasonings can be as simple as olive oil or complex as a spicy wet rub. Besure to save pan drippings. Simmered, they make fast flavorful sauce.
Use a shallow, heavy pan. More surface area means more browned and crispy skin.

Roast two birds at once, side by side in a  9x13 inch baking dish. Allow to cook a few minutes longer.

Truss the bird by tying legs together.

Start with a clean oven. The high temperature required for a crisp-skinned chicken can cause a cruddy oven to smoke.

Use a heavy pan. Avoid roasters with handles that fold down; they’re hard to grab. Skip the roasting rack for all but the fattiest meats such as prime rib, duck and goose.

Don’t overcrowd the pan.

Use a thermometer. Insert 2 inches to center of a thigh, careful not to touch bone.

Let food rest at least five minutes between removing from oven and starting to carve.

Cooking Times:
Whole chicken, 4-lb: 45 minutes to an hour.
Drumsticks and thighs: 45 minutes
Bone in breasts: 35-45
Wings 30-35.

BROILING
Advantages: Quick-cook, low-fat, produces char of the grill without outdoor hassle.
Direct overhead heat sears meat while broiler pan cooks underside. Small pieces are best because they cook through before exterior burns.  Frequent basting with marinade or barbecue sauce will caramelize and season meat.
For crispiest results, broil skin-side up. If recipe calls for turning meat, start bone-side up.

Cooking Times:
Thighs: 15-20 min.
Wings, 15
Boneless, skinless breasts: 8-12.

PAN FRYING
Crispy golden exterior, minus a lot of fat from deep frying.
Pan –frying cooks food in moderate amount of fat, which means meat will be turned during cooking.Use a fat or oil with high smoking point. Canola, grapeseed and vegetable oils work well.

Cooking Times:
Cutlets: 4-6 min.
Boneless skinless breasts: 10-12 minutes.

BRAISING
Advantages: Gentle and low-maintenance, slow cooking yields tender and flavorful meat.
Good for large cuts and dark meat. Coosk through a combination of simmering and steaming. Some stay on the stovetop, others move to oven.
Brown meat before adding braising liquid makes for better flavor and color.

Cooking Times:
Wings, thighs and drumsticks: 30 minutes
Bone-in breasts: 45 minutes.

POACHING
Low-fat process, clean delicate taste god at all temperatures.
Meat is immersed in liquid and cooked at a simmer. Remove skin before cooking; definitely before serving. Reserve poaching liquid and use it for cooking potatoes or rice.

Cooking Times:
Boneless, skinless breasts: 10 minutes
Whole 4-lb chicken: 1 hour.

Red Beans and Rice

1 T olive oil
1/2 c diced bacon
1-1/2 c diced onion
1/4 c green pepper
1 T garlic
4 bay leaves
6 oz sausage

Saute for 2 minutes. 

1 small smoked ham hock
2 c red beans, soaked overnight
1 t Worcestershire
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 t salt
6 T green onion
2-1/2 T paprika
2 T salt
2 T garlic
1 T pepper
1 T onion
1 T red pepper
1 T oregano
1 T thyme
Combine in large dutch oven. Add sauted mixture, bring to boil and let cook one hour on low heat. Add a dash more salt, cook 15 minutes covered. Turn off stove and let mixture stand for 20 minutes. Toss the ham hock, and serve mixture over white rice.

Quick Red Beans and Rice

1/2 lb diced ham
1 small onion
2 T celery
1 T oil
Saute.

2 15-oz cans kidney beans
1/4 t garlic powder
1/8 t chili powder
2 c. wter
2 c. rice
Put all, including rice, in large pot, add sauted items, bring to boil, then let simmer 30 minutes.

Ham and Rice Casserole

4 c cooked rice
1 can cream soup (mushroom, celery or chicken)
1/2 c milk
2 c diced ham
Mix all ingredients in casserole dish. Top with grated cheese and crumbled potato chips. Bake 20 minutes at 350.