Chipotle Garlic Marinade

 

This Chipotle-Garlic Marinade is delicious and so versatile. It is excellent on steak and pork, or use it to liven up your chicken or shrimp! A few simple ingredients and a zip through the blender is all you need to create a zippy, south-of-the-border flavor to any grilled meat. After you try this marinade, you may never go back to bottled marinades again!

We use this marinade multiple times a month, it has become a staple in our house for our steak tacos. We use it to add zip to roast chicken and shrimp kabobs.

Spice-rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mustard-Apple Gravy

This post is part of my Twenty Dollar Thursdays.

Pork and apples have a natural affinity for each other, but do you know what else goes well with pork? Dijon mustard. And bourbon. I have combined mustard, bourbon, and fresh-pressed apple cider to create a luscious sauce for a pork tenderloin seasoned with ginger and cumin. The smokiness of the cumin and spiciness of the ginger pair really well with the sweetness of the apple cider. The apple cider serves as a marinade and then is later simmered into the base for the sauce.

 



Spice-rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mustard-Apple Gravy

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pork tenderloins
• 1 cup fresh apple cider (Mine came from Rainbow Orchards, out of Camino, CA)
• 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

   For the Mustard-Apple Gravy:

• 1/2 c diced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp bourbon (see my Note)
• 1 cup apple cider- reserved from marinating the pork
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp butter

Note: If you are not one to keep a lot of alcohol in your house you can pick up miniature bottles (like the kind on airplanes) from your local liquor store. You can substitute bourbon for sherry or dry white wine, or you can omit alcohol from the sauce altogether.  

Directions:

1. Marinate your pork tenderloins in apple cider and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. I did this step for 1 hour, but you could let your meat marinate for up to 8 hours in advance.
2. After marinating, reserve liquid and pat the tenderloin dry. Make your spice mixture with the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, cumin, ground ginger and black pepper. Rub even over both tenderloins.
3. Heat your oven to 400 F and a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to your pan (enough to coat the bottom) and sear the pork on all sides. Transfer to a baking rack and roast for about 25 minutes (or until the internal temperature is 145 F-150 F).
4. In the same pan, sauté your onions and garlic until fragrant and browned. Remove pan from heat, add your bourbon, and return pan to heat. Scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
5. When the bourbon has just about evaporated, add your chicken stock, cider, and cider vinegar, and let your sauce reduce by half.
6. Remove from heat and whisk in the Dijon mustard and butter.
7. When the pork has reached temperature, let rest 10 minutes before slicing into medallions and serving. You can serve the sauce as is, or blitz it using an immersion blender for a smoother gravy-like sauce to drape over your pork. Either way is delicious, it just depends on personal preference. 

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Pork Stew with Kale and Fresh Herbs

We finally got a rainstorm this weekend, so I was in the mood for something hearty to make for dinner. Last week, I told you that I would share with you a recipe that included fresh herbs from my kitchen window. So to fulfill both of these, I decided on my pork stew. I first made this stew when I had a bit of pork loin and some staple vegetables and not much else in the refrigerator. It was not enough meat for five people (well, four and a mini) to make into a main course, so I had to bulk it up with lots of vegetables. It was a hit, especially with S, who would eat the vegetables in the gravy and then come to your bowl to see if you had any leftover carrots. Since he can be a bit of a picky eater, anything that gets him to want seconds is good in my book.

You can make this dish in the Crock-Pot as well! Cook on high for 6 hours, adding the kale in during the last hour of cooking - Creative Mama Renee

I have been making this Pork Stew with Kale and Fresh Herbs when I am craving stew but not the heaviness of beef, plus it cooks faster. It can be done in about a hour on the stovetop, but don't hesitate to put it into a crockpot and let it cook on low for 8-10 hours. Since the recipe relies on root vegetables, I don't feel guilty serving it over steamed rice, but if my mom came to dinner, it would probably be served over mashed potatoes. If you don't eat pork, you could use chicken thighs or even turkey. I bet it would be delicious with lamb as well!

 

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin

 

1 yellow onion

3 carrots

3 stalks of celery

1 large parsnip

1 bunch kale

 (I'm not one that got into the kale craze, but I think this stew is the perfect foil for dark leafy greens)

 

1 cup dry white wine 

2 cups chicken stock (homemade preferred)

1 teaspoon fresh marjoram

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

 

 

 

Method:

Heat a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium heat with about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Cube the pork into 1-1 1/2 inch cubes (or get it pre-cut and save a step). Combine the flour and spices together, dredge the pork cubes in it, shaking off the extra. Without overcrowding your pan, brown the pork, in batches.

While the pork is browning, dice up the onion, celery, carrots and parsnip, trying to create even pieces. While this is a more rustic dish, evenly cut vegetables will cook at the same rate. When the pork is browned, remove it and add the vegetables. Season with a pinch of salt and some pepper. Let the vegetables caramelize and sweat for 8-10 minutes until translucent and slightly browned.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping the browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the pork and the chicken stock and let it come to a simmer. De-rib the kale and give it a rough chop, then add to the stew. It will look like a lot a kale, but give it about 5 minutes and it will really wilt down. At this point, cover the stew and let simmer for 20-30 minutes.

 

Click here for a printable recipe