Quick Fix Meat Tips

When I was growing up, eating any kind of red meat was an absolutely revolting thought.  Beef... not a fan.  Pork... maybe.  Ham... forget it.  Up until I met my husband, it was very rare for me to eat or even cook some sort of red meat.

After we got married and moved in together, it became apparent that I was going to be cooking red meat.  It was also apparent that I would have to eat the red meat ..... or possibly go hungry.  Just kidding.  I definitely cook healthier meats, such as fish and chicken, more often.

So what happens on the days when a time consuming pork or steak recipe is not option?  You know... the days when your dog needs to be walked, the kids need homework help, your neighbor stops by at random and the dishes aren't washed.  Suddenly a 90-minute braised pork recipe begins to look less and less likely.

Fear not... there are plenty of quick fix options that will still create a delicious dish.

Quick Fix Ideas:

1.) 10-Minute Breaded Pork Chops:  1 cup of garlic bread crumbs, 1/4 TBSP of onion powder, 1/4 TBSP of Thyme, salt and pepper.  I don't bother messing with the flour and egg prior to the bread crumb dunk.  This will still give you a crispy, tasteful crunch in less time.  If you don't have garlic bread crumbs, then add a 1/3 TBSP of garlic powder to the mixture.  Mix thoroughly in a small bowl.  Evenly coat the boneless pork chops in the bread crumbs.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 425. 

2.) 10 minute marinade:  1 1/2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 TBSP oregano, 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 TBSP of soy sauce, 1 TBSP Italian dressing, salt, pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper.  Mix together and add to a large plastic zip bag.  Add the pork or beef to the bag.  Make sure the meat is evenly coated.  Set aside or in the refrigerator for 10 or 15 minutes.  Grill or bake for 15 - 20 minutes.  It's just that easy.

Quick fix ideas are very helpful on days when dinner is a last minute thought.  Do what ever you can to avoid running out to the local fast food restaurant or ordering a pizza.  Although, I am plenty guilty of doing this too.

Jon and I are blessed to have an ice chest freezer in our basement.  I usually watch for meat sales at the local grocery store and stock up when we can.  Typically, I will have a lot of fish, chicken and pork in stock.

Hopefully these quick fix tips are helpful to you and your family.  Take care, readers.  Have an excellent week. 

Coming soon: Flashback Friday - Chili


We could all use a hint of more time.
Copyright 2011 A Hint of Thyme.  All Rights Reserved.

Slow Cooker Meal - Braised Apple Butter Pork

Ever have some type of meat or vegetable that you'd like to throw in the slow cooker but not sure what kind of sauce or ingredients will go with it?  That's how this recipe started out for me.  I found a "family pack" of porkchops on sale for $6.00 and wasn't quite sure what to do with them.

Another snowy evening in northern Wisconsin made me bust out the slow cooker and put on my food creativity hat.  I knew that something sweet would pair perfectly with the pork.  I didn't have enough rasberry jam BUT, I did have an unused jar of Apple Butter.  Hmmm.  I started thinking "Asian cooking" and immediately got to work on what turned out to be a well executed dish!

Prep Time - 5 minutes
Cook Time - 2.5 hours (high) / 5 hours (low)

Braised Apple Butter Pork
- 4 to 6 porkchops
- 1/2 jar of apple butter (I had a 12oz jar and used the whole thing - my recommendation is to use less than that)
- 12 oz. can of chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 TBSP of brown sugar
- 1/2 of medium sweet onion; sliced
- 1 cup of dried or whole cranberries
- 1 sweet apple; diced (do not use a sour apple like Granny Smith, use a sweet one like Gala)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 tsp of chipotle or cayenne pepper (This gives it a nice kick but, add it after if your family doesn't like spicy food. A little goes a long way, trust me!)

Set the slow cooker to your desired temperature.  In the slow cooker combine the apple butter, broth, and brown sugar.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker.  Cook on high for 2.5 hours or on low for 5 hours.  My recommendation is to keep an eye on the pork so that it doesn't become too tough.  When the pork has reached the desired temperature (160), remove and let it set. 

Pour the remaining sauce into a separate dish.  You may find that the sauce is too thin for your preference.  If you would like the sauce to be thicker you can add a little corn starch (while over the heat) and stir until it becomes thick. 

The remaining apple butter sauce.

The idea of this dish is to combine all the ingredients together on the plate or in a bowl.  I steamed some white rice then added the sauce and pork over the top.  It pairs perfectly together.

I realize that apple butter might be hard to come by in March.  Typically you can find it in the fall months.  Keep an eye out for some at your local farmer's market though.  You may also be able to purchase some online.  Go to Google Shopping and type Apple Butter.

I really hope that you find comfort in this sweet and potentially spicy dish.  Enjoy!

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Tips from Mara: 

Always taste the sauce before cooking.  Add a small amount of the ingredients or seasoning at first.  You can always add more seasoning but you cannot take any out.  Your preference is obviously different than mine.  But ALWAYS add salt and pepper to what ever you cook!



Copyright 2011 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

A Slow Cooker Meal for 2

Slow cooker meals, as many of us might know, are perfect for the on-the-go woman!  You can set it on low or high and go about your day is normal. 

The day that I decided to make a slow-cooker meal was the night of a pretty large snow storm up in northern Wisconsin.  My husband was busy snow-blowing and snow-plowing for work.  I wanted to make him a meal that smelled fantastic and would comfort him after a long day. 

Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 8 hours on low/4 hours on high

Braised Ginger Cranberry Pork Roast
- 2 or 3 lb pork loin or roast
- Half of a medium sweet onion; sliced
- 1 1/2 cups of a Sesame Ginger marinade (the brand doesn't matter, pick your favorite)
- 1 TBSP of minced ginger
- 1 cup of whole cranberries (if you can't find whole cranberries try using canned whole cranberries)
- 2 TBSP of brown sugar
- Salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients into the slow cooker and walk away!  The internal temperature of the pork should be 160.  Set it on low for 8 hours if you are heading off to work or set it on high for 4 hours if you have errands to complete.  Let the smell take over your kitchen.  It's almost heavenly! 

Prior to cooking.

Ready to eat!

At the end, pour the remaining marinade and cooked ingredients over the top of the pork.  Serve with steamed rice or pasta.  As always... enjoy!  

Christmas Dinner Traditions

I can remember the smell of the cornish hens roasting in the oven, the sweet smell of Christmas cookies, and a lingering smell of wrapping paper.  These are all memories from my childhood Christmas with family.  Now that I am older and married.. we are starting new traditions.

The last few years I've started a new Christmas dinner tradition of mashed potatoes and pork tenderloin - among other things.  This year, I was trying to save myself $10 and decided to go with a regular cut of pork rather than a tenderloin.  Typically a pork tenderloin and can be found already seasoned.  The cut of pork that I bought was not seasoned.  It was time to get creative.

I found a couple of marinade tips on AllRecipes.com.  Yes, I always claim not to use recipes from others but, I was in need of some help.  So I took a recipe and made it my own...

Recipe of Pork Marinade
- 1/2 cup of soy sauce
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 3 TBSP of Liquid Smoke
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 cloves of grated or minced garlic

I marinated the pork in liquid smokiness for about 4 hours.  I placed the pork in a baking pan and baked at 400 degrees for 75 minutes.  The internal temperature should be 170 degrees if you are using a meat thermometer.  Continue cooking until the internal temp reaches 170.

A bottle of liquid smoke will run you about $10.  The price might be steep but the flavor is outstanding.  It will add great flavor to any cut of meat.

I paired the pork with cheesy, garlic mashed potatoes and a salad with homemade dressing (Honey Mustard Vinaigrette).

We also enjoyed a nice bottle of Christmas wine, which complimented the pork very well.  We both look forward to building on this new tradition for many more years to come.

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas.  Happy New Year too!