Pork Recipes
“Happy” Pork Chops
Description:
A traditional Mexican recipe, with ingredients common in everyone's pantry. Serve with corn tortillas. Recipe courtesy of the National Pork Board funded by the Pork Checkoff.
Ingredients:
6 pork blade steaks (1/2- to 3/4-inch thick), seasoned with salt and pepper
2 tablespoons corn or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cups uncooked rice
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 medium jalapeño chiles, minced (or to taste)
1 cup beer or water
2 cups chicken broth or water
Fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions:
Heat oil in large skillet; add pork. Sear pork on both sides on medium-high heat just until brown, about 1 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and cover loosely with foil. Add garlic and onions to skillet. Cook and stir until tender, about 2 minutes, scraping up brown bits from bottom of skillet. Add rice, stirring constantly until rice just begins to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, jalapeño chiles, beer and broth or water. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Place pork on top of rice; cover. Simmer 8 or 9 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro if desired. Makes 6 servings. Chicken broth or water may be substituted for the beer in this recipe. If using water only, additional salt and pepper may be needed.
Nutritional Information: Calories 590 calories Protein 30 grams Fat 24 grams Sodium 570 milligrams Cholesterol 94 milligrams Saturated Fat 7 grams Carbohydrates 59 grams Fiber 1 grams
Almond-Stuffed Pork Chops
Description:
Basic stuffed chops with almond crunch. Serve with a mixed green salad and sautéed green beans. Recipe courtesy of the National Pork Board funded by the Pork Checkoff.
Ingredients:
4 boneless pork loin chops, 1 1/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon almond flavor
2 slices firm white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon browning and seasoning sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon water (optional)
Instructions:
For stuffing, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook almonds, celery and onion in hot butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in the 2 tablespoons water, bouillon granules, parsley flakes and almond flavor. Add bread cubes; toss to moisten bread cubes. Cut opening in each chop from the outer side; widen opening into pocket, being careful not to cut through the other side of the chop. Fill pockets in chops with equal amounts of stuffing. Secure with toothpicks. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place stuffed chops on roasting rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, until internal temperature is 160 degrees F. (check temperature in thickest part of meat), 35-45 minutes. Combine browning and seasoning sauce and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl, if desired; brush over chops. Bake for 2 minutes more. Remove toothpicks from chops. Serves 4.
Nutritional Information: Calories 433 calories Protein 39 grams Fat 26 grams Sodium 284 milligrams Cholesterol 117 milligrams Saturated Fat 9 grams Carbohydrates 10 grams Fiber 1 grams
Apricot-stuffed Pork with potatoes and brussel sprouts
Description: Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1 Maverick Ranch Pork Tenderloin
1 pound red new potatoes, thinly sliced
2 pints Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 tbsp olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp apricot jam
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, tossing once. Meanwhile, combine apricots, shallot, and jam in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place pork on a work surface. Holding a chef's knife parallel to work surface, make a pocket by cutting lengthwise down center of tenderloin, stopping about 1/2 inch from other side (avoid cutting all the way through.) Open, and stuff with apricot mixture. Spacing evenly, tie 3-4 pieces of kitchen twine around pork to close pocket. Season with salt and pepper. Remove baking sheet from the oven when sprouts and potatoes have roasted 15 minutes. Toss, and push sides of baking sheet, then place pork in center. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork (avoid stuffing) registers 145 degrees, 25-30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
BLT Salad Wrap
Description:
Brought to you from the Maverick Ranch kitchen. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
8 slices Maverick Ranch thick-cut bacon
6 Tbl. Chipolte flavored mayonnaise
4 12-inch spinach wraps
4 iceberg lettuce leaves
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
8 slices Muenster cheese
Instructions:
1. Cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towel. 2. For each wrap: Spread 1/12 Tbl. mayonnaise over 1 side of wrap. In center of wrap, place 1 lettuce leaf; top with a quarter each of tomato and avocado slices. Lay 2 strips of bacon and top with 2 slices of cheese. 3. Roll up wraps burrito-style.
