Chinese Barbecued Pork

Chinese barbecued pork was one of my favorite special dinners my mom would make when I was growing up. I remember always trying to sneak some before dinner and especially after, (if there was any left) from the refrigerator. We visited my parents a few weeks ago and my mom surprised us by making this recipe before we even arrived- bringing back many happy memories. It is both flavorful and tender, delicious on its own as an appetizer, or as part of a Chinese meal.

 Chinese Barbecued Pork from Chinese Cooking Class Cookbook
Ingredients:
2 whole pork tenderloins (about 12oz. each)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS honey
2 tsp. red food coloring, if desired (we always use it)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 green onion, cut in half

Directions:
1. Remove and discard fat from meat.
2. Combine soy sauce, sugar, honey, food coloring, cinnamon, garlic and onion in a large bowl or ziploc bag. Add pork, turning tenderloins to coat completely. Cover or seal and let stand at room temperature 1 hour or overnight in refrigerator (I would refrigerate overnight), turning occasionally. 
3. Drain pork, reserving marinade. Place pork on wire rack over a baking pan. 
4. Bake in preheated 350° until done, about 45 minutes. Turn and baste frequently with reserved marinade during baking.
5. Remove pork from oven and let cool. Can be cooled completely and refrigerated. Cut into diagonal slices. Serve warm or cold.

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin and Hasselback Potatoes

Pinterest.  The website that inspires, overwhelms, motivates, and increases feelings of inadequacy all at once.  And I can't get enough of it.  Go figure.

I've pinned a few zillion recipes, and I've tried some of them, but none that would make it into my regular repertoire, until these two.  They are quick, fancy-schmancy, and taste fab-u-lous. 

Thank you, Pinterest, for introducing me to them.

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Adapted from C+C Marriage Factory

2 lb. pork tenderloin

1 teaspoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1. In a small bowl, combine sage, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Rub over pork tenderloin.

2. Place meat in slow cooker.  Add water.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. About 1 hour before the meat is finished cooking, combine ingredients for glaze in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until sauce has thickened.  (Watch it carefully so it doesn't boil over; this sauce is a booger to try to clean off of a glass cook top if it boils over and bakes on.  Trust me, I know.)

4. Remove any excessive liquids from the slow cooker (I left about 1/2 cup of liquid in the bottom, but removed the rest.  I also turned my slow cooker heat up to high for the last hour because my meat seemed extra liquid-y.) 

5. Baste tenderloin with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking.

6. Serve hot with any remaining glaze on the side.

Hasselback Potatoes

Adapted from Seasaltwithfood

6 medium Yellow or Gold or Red potatoes

2 - 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
Sea salt or kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

2. With the flattest side down,  start from one end of the potato and thinly slice without cutting all the way through.  (I placed my potatoes in the bowl part of a large wooden spoon to keep me from slicing all the way through.)

3. Arrange the potatoes in a baking sheet and insert the garlic in randomly between the slits.   Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some salt and freshly ground black pepper on top of each.

4. Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Jake's Barbecue Ribs

Our neighbor, Jake, has taken over the cooking at his house. His kids aren't necessarily too adventurous in the eating arena, so Mr. D and I get to be the "taste testers"- a job we thoroughly enjoy. Jake brought us a sample of these ribs and we thought they were so good- we made them two weeks in a row. Make sure to leave enough time for the rub to flavor the meat, we leave it on overnight.

Jake's Barbecue Ribs

BBQ Ribs
2 racks baby back ribs
3 cups BBQ sauce (recipe that follows or use your own favorite)
1 cup rib rub (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Remove silver skin from the back of the ribs. Liberally apply rib rub to the ribs 8-24 hours before cooking. Wrap in plastic wrap, place on a baking sheet or pan and place in refrigerator.

2. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350°. Coat ribs with a layer of BBQ sauce and place in a shallow baking dish, meat side down. (I use my half sheet cookie pan, with sides). Cook for 1 hour, 45 minutes.

3. Transfer ribs to preheated grill over medium heat. Baste with sauce, turning regularly and basting each turn. Grill about 10-15 minutes until sauce is thickened and rib meat is tender.

Rib Rub: 
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 TBS black pepper
1 TBS salt
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (can adjust to taste)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients together in small bowl, mix well. Transfer to airtight container or use immediately.

BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 TBS brown sugar
5 TBS sugar (or use all brown)
1/2 TBS black pepper
1/2 TBS onion powder
1/2 TBS ground mustard
1/2 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/2 TBS liquid smoke

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe in my Very Virginia cookbook.  I was looking for something new, but simple enough that I wouldn't be spending the whole day Sunday figuring it out.  This recipe would have fit that description...except I didn't read the recipe instructions very well and you are supposed to let it marinate overnight. 

Oops. 

We barbequed chicken on Sunday instead, and enjoyed this pork tenderloin on Monday night after it had it's required marinating time.  It was well worth the wait--the kids all asked for 2nds and 3rds and Dr. C and I about had a brawl over the last piece.

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin

1 1/2-2 pounds pork tenderloin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar (I used light brown because that's what I had)
2 Tablespoons honey
2/3 cup apricot preserves
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Place tenderloin in a large shallow dish (or a gallon-sized ziploc bag).  In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and honey.  Pour mixture over tenderloin.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drain tenderloin, reserving marinade, and place in a large shallow baking pan.  Spoon 1/4 cup of the reserved marinade over tenderloin.  Bake 30-40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with the remaining marinade.  Remove from oven and drain marinade.  In a small bowl, combine preserves and mustard.  Spoon over meat.  Bake 10 additional minutes or until a meat thermometer regiesters 160 degrees.  Cut into thin slices and serve with apricot mixture.