Tag: pork
Chuzos o Pinchos de Cerdo (Grilled Pork Skewers)
Chuzos o Pinchos de Cerdo (Grilled Pork Skewers)
These pork skewers are found all over Columbia from street venders. What makes these unique is that they are both marinated and basted with the same marinade. The beer helps break down the connective tissues of the pork, acting as a tenderizer. The pinchos taste the best when they are marinated for 24 hours. These can be either grilled or broiled; both for the same amount of time over or under direct heat, depending on your chosen method of charification.I used pork sirloin for the meat. It is tender while still slightly lean, and costs $1.99lb. Pork sirloin is the equivalent cut as beef sirloin tip. Pork sirloin is an under utilized cut and is a better option in overall tenderness and price point compared to pork loin or tenderloin.
Equipment
- food processor
- metal skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork sirloin or tenderloin cubed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
- 4 green onion chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 cup beer
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients, minus the pork, in a blender.
- Purée
- Cut the pork sirloin into 1 1/2” cubes.
- Marinate in the beer marinade overnight.
- Turn on your broiler. Skewer the chunks of marinated pork. Place on a rack on a baking pan lined in foil.
- Broil the pork for 5 minutes a side.
Coffee Encrusted Pork Chops
Coffee Encrusted Pork Chops
Coffee is used a lot in Colombian cooking as a spice rub. Fresh ground coffee is combined with paprika, chili powder, garlic and onion, giving it a kind of smoky flavor. The coffee isn’t very overpowering, believe it or not. This spice rub is also great on ribs, lamb chops, and steaks.
Ingredients
- bone in pork chops 3/4” thick
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Coffee Spice Rub
- 2 tbsp ground coffee
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Mix all of the coffee rub ingredients together.
- Season your pork chops with salt and pepper. Coat each side with a generous amount of the coffee rub. This rub recipe is enough for 4 pork chops.
- Heat up cooking oil in a grill pan over medium high heat. Cook the pork chops for 4 minutes a side.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Costillas de Cerdo (Oven Baked Ribs)
Costillas de Cerdo(Oven baked ribs)
Ribs are very popular in South American cuisine. They are always marinated with some type of citrus and a chili pepper. The particular marinade I used contains aji panca pepper paste, which tastes similar to chipotle peppers in adobo, and orange juice. These ribs need to marinate for at least 24 hours to get full flavor. I let mine sit in the marinade for 2 days.
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb rack of spareribs
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 4 green onion
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp aji panca paste
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Mango Aj Panca Glaze
- 1 tbsp aji panca paste
- 1/2 cup mango juice
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
- Purée until smooth.
- Marinate the ribs for at least 24 hours. I did mine for 48.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the ribs on a roasting pan lined in foil. Completely wrap up the ribs in the foil, allowing the ribs to steam.
- Bake the ribs for 2 1/2 hours.
- Unwrap the ribs from the foil. Turn on your broiler. Broil the ribs for 8 minutes.
- Turn the oven back to 300 degrees. Mix together the aji panca and mango juice. Brush on a layer of the glaze. Bake for 10 minutes. Do this step 2 more times so you can get 3 layers of the glaze on the ribs.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
