JBug's Kitchen Antics

Beef and Carrot Ragu

Don't fall over backward but I actually cooked this sauce in the crockpot yesterday. What with worrying about having to leave the house for showings at a moment's notice and at the same time trying to get some pre-Thanksgiving grunt work done, it seemed like a good idea to make something in the appliance I have so little use of (for).

I made a couple of not so subtle changes to the recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, the first being I browned the meat really well before adding it to the crockpot. In fact, rather than make a mess of the kitchen I'd just finished cleaning, I took the meat outside to Big Guy's bailiwick and gave the beef a good sear on the little red gas grill. A whole bulb of peeled garlic hit the pot followed by a pound of chopped fresh roma tomatoes, 8 ounces of chopped carrots and a glug of red wine along with a can of tomato paste. I added a chopped onion and spiced up the mixture with some dried Italian herbs and a good dash of red pepper flakes - too good a dash because the ragu ended up being so darned spicy, I had to add heavy cream at the end. 

So what's the verdict? I daresay I'm not the one to ask because as you know, I'm more than a little biased against slow cookers to begin with but let me admit it was convenient. I'm just sorry I didn't use the Dutch oven and pull double duty by cooking the ragu in the oven at the same time I browned off all the goodies for the turkey stock I also whipped up yesterday.

Oh, and should you want to know another truth, head on over to Fig's and Artichokes and take a gander at the ragu Lorraine posted yesterday. I'm absolutely positive I'd have been much happier with a bowl of her glorious flavor filled ragu instead of this one. Just sayin'.  

Beef and Carrot Ragu from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Better Homes (bhg.com)

2 pounds boneless beef short ribs

Salt and ground black pepper

1 bulb garlic, peeled and cloves smashed

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces peeled carrots, chopped

1 pound Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 6 ounce can tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

1/2 cup water or beef stock (if needed)

1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Season beef well with salt and pepper and brown in a hot non-stick pan. Cut into cubes and place into slow cooker. Add smashed garlic cloves, onion, carrots and tomatoes. Mix together tomato paste, red wine, Italian herbs, oregano and red pepper flakes. Pour over meat and vegetables, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir well before serving, adding additional water as necessary to create a sauce. Stir in heavy cream. Serve over pasta.  Makes 4 servings.

 

A year ago - Cajun Poached Shrimp Linguini

Two year's ago - Curly Corn Dogs

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Pork and Sweet Potato Chili

I'm always looking for ways to repurpose leftovers around here. Afterall when you cook as much as we do and there's just an audience of two, there's usually always something left over. As a result I've become rather creative, if you know what I mean. 

As an example, take Big Guy's slow cooker spicy country ribs that we had a while ago. I've been thinking about various ways to use the remains of them and pulled the container out of the freezer yesterday. Originally I thought about carnitas - crisping up the meat on the flat top grill and making tacos loaded with guacamole, salsa and slaw but then the wonderful gravy would have gone to waste. That would have been tragic because honestly, in my opinion that's where all the flavor is.

I could have put the whole thing into a casserole dish, added a few veggies, put a crust on it and called it a pot pie too and you all know how I love me some pot pie like this one, but something different was in the cards. 

Instead I sauteed some onion and garlic, added sweet potatoes and a couple of roasted fresh green Hatch chiles, some chipotle chile powder and a can each of drained pinto beans and diced tomatoes and the country ribs morphed into a pot of glorious spicy and totally satisfying chili.

So listen, are you wondering if it tasted like leftovers? Not on your life! 

Pork and Sweet Potato Chili (an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics)

Half a recipe of Slow Cooker Spicy Country Ribs with Gravy

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

1 tablespoon Knorr tomato bouillon (optional)

1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and diced

2 diced roasted Hatch chiles, skin and seeds removed

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 – 14 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup low sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

Sour cream, hot sauce and mango salsa as garnish

Warmed corn tortillas (optional)

Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil and when hot add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion has softened. Stir in chipotle chili powder, bouillon if using, sweet potato, green chiles, tomatoes and chicken stock. Cook, covered for 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add leftover country ribs with gravy and drained pinto beans. Heat to a simmer and taste for seasoning. If desired, thicken mixture with cornstarch/water slurry and cook for additional 3 or 4 minutes or until mixture boils. Serve with sour cream, hot sauce and salsa with corn tortillas on the side. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago - Chicken Parmigiana

Two year's ago -  Mac and Cheese

Big Guy's Slow Cooker Spicy Country Ribs

Don't fall over in a dead faint after reading the title here - Big Guy can take full credit for last night's dinner. You see, he doesn't have the same opinion about slow cookers that yours truly does. Personally, I'd have used the Dutch oven to achieve the same results but then I'd have been complaining all afternoon about the heat in the kitchen from having the oven on. Guess he just wanted to save his ears from the harangue. 

Anyway, inspired by a recipe from myrecipes.com, Big Guy made enough changes that we'll be calling this one after him. He browned the gorgeous meaty country style pork ribs on the barbecue before dumping them into the slow cooker where they bedded down with onion, apple juice, spices including dried chipotle chili powder and some of his infamous barbecue sauce.  Unfortunately he's not about to part with the recipe for his barbecue sauce, but you can jazz up any purchased kind with teaspoon or 3 of red pepper flakes depending on your heat tolerance level.

Cooked on low for 6 hours and thickened with a cornstarch slurry, the result is enough to rave about - extremely tender chunks of meaty pork with a sauce that's absolutely packed with flavor. We had the ribs along with some slaw since we're all about watching our P's and Q's these days, but serve these babies on a bed of rice and you'll have 'em screaming for seconds. I kid you not!

Personally, we have big plans for the leftovers - like fried up and loaded into corn tortillas as carnitas or piled into flour tortillas for burro's or even quesadillas or simply reheated along with sweet potato chunks and black beans for a fabulous new fangled chili/stew. Whatever they morph into, it's guaranteed to be delicious.

Big Guy’s Slow Cooker Spicy Country Ribs (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by myrecipes.com)

4 pounds pork country style ribs

1 medium onion, chopped

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup apple juice

1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with

3 tablespoons water

Brown country style ribs on all sides (we did it outside on the gas barbecue) and place into slow cooker. Combine chopped onion, barbecue sauce, red pepper flakes, salt, apple juice, chipotle chili powder and oregano together. Pour over ribs, cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until ribs are very tender. Remove cover, increase temperature to high. Skim excess fat from liquid and stir in cornstarch/water mixture. Bring sauce to a boil and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

A year ago - Pan Seared Halibut with Roasted Pearl Tomatoes

Two year's ago - Mahi Mahi in Tomato Olive Sauce

Three year's ago - Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

Pineapple Cranberry Pork Loin Roast in the Crockpot

Imagine if you can enjoying the aroma of pineapple and cranberry combined with pork wafting from a crockpot on your kitchen counter for an entire day. Well, we didn't have to imagine it because it was a fact. 

Now don't you all fall over in a dead faint because I used a crockpot you hear? If you're a regular here you'll already have gathered that I'm not much of a slow cooker fan but it's hotter than the proverbial hubs of hell and having the oven on for an extended period is just not an option. Enter my exception to the no-crockpot rule.

A lean pork roast, tied to keep its shape, and then seasoned and browned on all sides hit the crockpot early yesterday morning along with a large can of crushed pineapple and a can of whole cranberry sauce. Simmered on low for the balance of the day, this was the result - lovely tender and moist pork surrounded by a flavorful sauce.

Don't quote me OK? It was good; however, I think it may be better with another cut of pork, like say country style ribs done in the same manner. That's Big Guy's choice. You know how a lean pork loin gets all spongy textured when it braises, but I followed the instructions because it was my first kick at this recipe (actually I wasn't thinking at all). 

Personally, my choice would involve a certain oval cast iron Dutch oven, a pork butt trimmed of most of it's fat and a long lazy couple of hours spent sniffing the perfume coming from the oven in our rental at the beach. Just sayin'. 

Crockpot Pineapple Cranberry Pork Loin Roast (from JBug’s Kitchen adapted from Diana Rattray at about.com)

1 – 4 pound boneless pork loin roast

Salt, coarse ground black pepper

Garlic powder

1 large can crushed pineapple

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water or orange juice

Tie pork loin roast so it holds its shape and cooks evenly. Season roast well with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat a sauté pan large enough to hold the roast over medium high heat and brown roast on all sides.

Remove to crockpot along with undrained crushed pineapple, cranberry sauce and nutmeg. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the roast’s internal temperature reaches a minimum of 160.  Remove roast from pot and increase heat to high. Stir cornstarch/water or juice mixture into sauce and cook until mixture is thickened. Slice roast and serve with sauce over rice or noodles.  

A year ago - Prosciutto Crusted Burgers