Tag: pork
Minnesota-Style Chow Mein
Minnesota-Style Chow Mein
If you live in the Midwest, specifically Minnesota, you’ve probably eaten what we recognize as chow mein. MN chow mein can be traced back as early as the 1920s; adapted to fit the American palate. Actual Chinese chow mein is a lot closer to what we know as lo mein; stir fried noodles with meat and vegetables. Our version of chow mein consists of a brown slurry of ground pork and celery served over rice, topped with crispy fried chow mein noodles. Additions to the chow mein can include chicken, mushrooms, shrimp, and a variety of vegetables. You can find this particular style of chow mein on just about every Chinese American menu. You won’t find our indigenous version of chow mein in China.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 bunch celery chopped 1/2” thick
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 8 oz mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cold water
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp beef bouillon
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- white rice cooked
- chow mein noodles
Instructions
- Brown the ground pork in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Add the celery, onions, and mushrooms. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
- Pour in 1 cup of water. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix together the cold water, cornstarch, soy sauces, molasses, and beef bouillon.
- Pour the slurry in the chow mein.
- Simmer for 2 minutes until thickened.
Smoked Pork Shanks
Smoked Pork Shanks
Smoked pork shanks are great to have around when making collards greens, split pea soup, beans and rice, and many more dishes. They add copious amounts of hammy goodness to whatever you’re making. They also cost a fraction of the price smoking them yourself compared to buying them already smoked. The raw shanks I purchased are $1.49/lb compared to $5-$6/lb smoked.So what’s the difference between pork shanks and pork hocks? Shanks are from the front shins of the pig, aka forshank. They will have the shin bone through the center with a lot of meat surrounding the bone. The bone also contains marrow, which will add a lot of flavor. Pork hocks are from the ankle of the pig. They contain a little less meat. They contain a lot of collagen and cartilage that also adds flavor. The shanks will only need a day to brine. In the brine is pink curing salts, which will turn your shanks to ham. The shanks will take about 2 1/2 hours to smoke. I use hickory wood since it is a nice neutral flavored wood for smoking. They can be instantly used once finished, stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, or frozen in freezer paper for up to 6 months.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
Ingredients
- 2 pork shanks around 2” thick
Brine
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp pink curing salts
Wood Chips
- hickory wood chips
Instructions
- Mix together the brining ingredients.
- Place the pork shanks in a gallon sized storage bag with the brine. Brine for 24 hours.
- Pat dry. Place on a rack and leg dry out at room temp for an hour before smoking.
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Place your shanks in the smoker.
- Smoke your shanks for 2 1/2 hours.
Pork Saltado Sandwich
Pork Saltado Sandwich
Typically when you hear saltado in Peruvian cuisine, you think of the stir fried beef and french fry dish, lomo saltado. This version uses stir fried pork with tomatoes and onion without the fries on top of a ciabatta roll; hence the birth of the pork saltado sandwich.
Ingredients
Pork Saltado
- 1 lb boneless pork loin or tenderloin cut into thin strips
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1/4 cup aji amarillo paste
- 1/2 medium red onion sliced into big chunks
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
Sandwich
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- cilantro sprigs
Instructions
- Season the pork with salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, and aji amarillo paste.
- Heat up cooking oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Sauté the pork for 5 minutes.
- Add in the onions and tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the soy sauce and white wine vinegar to the pan. Give it a stir.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Sandwich Assembly
- Slice a bread roll in half. Scoop a heaping amount of the pork saltado on the roll. Top with sprigs of cilantro.
