I think fall cooking might be my favorite kind of cooking. I love comfort food meals that make the whole house smell good! And anything I can put over pasta is guaranteed to be a winning recipe in my house. So this Pressure Cooker Puttanesca Pork Ragu is right up my alley.
I came across a recipe for a puttanesca-style ragu and knew I had to try out my own version! Puttanesca sauces typically have a bunch of brine-y ingredients in them — capers, olives, anchovies — in a tomato sauce that may have a little heat to it as well. I honestly don’t make many puttanesca-inspired dishes because, well, I don’t love olives. But my husband does, so I figured it was worth a try!
This recipe uses a pressure cooker to get that cooking all day flavor in much less time. You’re still looking at a just under 2-hour recipe though, so plan ahead!
Who doesn’t love carnitas? Tender, juicy, and crispy all at the same time, they are definitely a favorite of mine!
They tend to come off as not exactly home-cook friendly though, because the meat used (typically pork shoulder) can take quite a bit of time to prepare.
This recipe for Pressure Cooker Carnitas using a multi-pot with a pressure cooker considerably cuts down the time, although I still consider this a make-ahead meal — perfect to make on a weekend and enjoy on a weeknight.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sauce from chipotle in adobo
1 (3 lb) boneless pork shoulder
1 pound pork belly (you can also just buy a 4lb boneless pork shoulder and omit the pork belly)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
For serving:
corn tortillas (my photos show blue tortillas because that’s what I had on hand. I suggest using traditional yellow corn tortillas)
I was recently invited to a tasting event, which was conveniently in my own neighborhood. Nick’s Roast Beef, an Old City staple, has changed their name to Nick’s Bar and Grille and has a snazzy new menu to go with it’s new name.
Nick’s Bar & Grille in Old City, established in 1969, is “the” neighborhood corner bar of Philadelphia. In 2012, bartender-turned-owner Joseph Schultice hung up most of his infamous shorts and trimmed his signature long hair to usher in a new era for the long-time Old City staple. Today, Nick’s continues to serve as a laid back and friendly alternative to neighboring clubs and upscale fine dining restaurants.
The new barbecue-themed menu is filled with house-smoked meats, including smoked applewood chicken wings, St. Louis BBQ spare ribs, pulled pork with jalapeno slaw, mac ‘n cheese, house-made sauces, and more.
Nick’s long-time dishes that will remain on the menu include the Ground Bacon Burger, Roast Beef and Pork, six flavors of chicken wings and other bar favorites. New cocktails and spirits will be added to the drink menu, and customers can look for drink tastings with local purveyors.
The tasting took place in Nick’s newly renovated dining room which included custom-designed tables and whiskey barrel high-tops, a new community tasting table, old-time Old City imagery on the walls, and embellishments to the walls and ceilings.
The food was super tasty, I really loved the smoked wings and ground bacon burger. But my favorite tasting of the night had to be their new Pulled Pork with Jalapeno Slaw. The smokiness of the pork was offset by crunchy and slightly spicy jalapeno slaw, making for one awesome sandwich.
I wanted to try to recreate a version of the pulled pork with jalapeno slaw, but I (obviously) don’t have a smoker hanging out in my tiny apartment. So I made a slow cooker version with a Chipotle-Guinness barbecue sauce to add some smokiness to it, so here are my Pulled Pork Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw!
Pulled Pork:
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (7 pound) pork shoulder or Boston butt
corn tortillas
Chipotle-Guinness Barbecue Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (~12 oz) bottle of Guinness
1 (14.5 oz) can tomato puree
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
I am a carb fanatic — I’d eat pasta with some day-old bread every single day if I could. But on really hot summer days, sometimes you need something that feels lighter while still filling you up. Cooking Light’s Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps are a nice filling meal that are perfect on warm days; pulled pork is wrapped in Boston Bibb lettuce rather than added to a roll. The result is a super yummy and crunchy dinner!
I use my slow cooker year-round and this adaptation is no exception. Slow Cookers are such a simple way to get an awesome meal on the table in no time. Plus, it gives your oven a break!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 white onion, quartered
1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted chicken stock
1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chile paste) (gluten free is available)
1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos to make gluten free)
Summer months are just meant for barbecue. And not just barbecued foods on the grill; your slow cooker can make some mean pulled pork for you as well! This recipe for Pulled Pork with Bourbon Peach Barbecue Sauce is perfect for a crowd and is great on a kaiser bun with some coleslaw!
I found this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine, made it over the weekend, and enjoyed it during the week for a quick meal to assemble. I also froze half of the pork to bring to the beach for my extended family to enjoy and it held up great! I changed the recipe a bit because I ended up with a 5.5 pound pork shoulder so I altered the amounts to compensate for that.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
