What did you eat Friday, August 16, 2024?

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msmofet

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Mongolian beef and jasmine rice.


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The other day I rescued a piece of pork butt (about 6.5 Lb.) from the freezer. I braised it with some spices and herbs in a beef broth until it was shreddable. Then I started thinking about what to make with it. I decided to make empanadas with some of it. So we went shopping and came home the necessary ingredients.

SO is always skeptical when I change a recipe so I got a raised eyebrow when I told her what I was doing (I usually make them with ground pork and beef). Then she tasted the filling. Big smile. So I made 20 empanadas and we had some for dinner tonight. They were pretty darned good. SO is now a fan.

Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of the shredded pork.

I also have a few cups of broth that needs a home.
 
The other day I rescued a piece of pork butt (about 6.5 Lb.) from the freezer. I braised it with some spices and herbs in a beef broth until it was shreddable. Then I started thinking about what to make with it. I decided to make empanadas with some of it. So we went shopping and came home the necessary ingredients.

SO is always skeptical when I change a recipe so I got a raised eyebrow when I told her what I was doing (I usually make them with ground pork and beef). Then she tasted the filling. Big smile. So I made 20 empanadas and we had some for dinner tonight. They were pretty darned good. SO is now a fan.

Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of the shredded pork.

I also have a few cups of broth that needs a home.
Carnitas tacos
 
The other day I rescued a piece of pork butt (about 6.5 Lb.) from the freezer. I braised it with some spices and herbs in a beef broth until it was shreddable. Then I started thinking about what to make with it. I decided to make empanadas with some of it. So we went shopping and came home the necessary ingredients.

SO is always skeptical when I change a recipe so I got a raised eyebrow when I told her what I was doing (I usually make them with ground pork and beef). Then she tasted the filling. Big smile. So I made 20 empanadas and we had some for dinner tonight. They were pretty darned good. SO is now a fan.

Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of the shredded pork.

I also have a few cups of broth that needs a home.

Carnitas sounds good to me, too.

I picked this up the other day. I plan to throw it on the pellet smoker. I may try the empanadas with some of it. Some will also go to tacos. I may also make a pulled pork sandwich. I can make a lot of meals from one pork butt.

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I don't make my own doughs. What kind of store bought dough would be best for empanadas?

CD
 
Carnitas sounds good to me, too.

I picked this up the other day. I plan to throw it on the pellet smoker. I may try the empanadas with some of it. Some will also go to tacos. I may also make a pulled pork sandwich. I can make a lot of meals from one pork butt.

View attachment 70357

I don't make my own doughs. What kind of store bought dough would be best for empanadas?

CD
Casey, you pay A LOT for pork butt! Around here can get a whole bone-in butt for $0.99/Lb. Rarely near $2.00/Lb.
 
I have another whole butt I plan to smoke and roast for pulled pork. Also another piece of pork butt I have to find a use for.
 
He had a meal sized salad with tomato dressing. I'm having fermented 9 grain flakes with strawberries, flax, chia, wheat germ, honey-breakfast for dinner.
 
Casey, you pay A LOT for pork butt! Around here can get a whole bone-in butt for $0.99/Lb. Rarely near $2.00/Lb.

If you look at the price I got it for, it works out to $1.59 a pound. It is a good grade, too. Most cheap pork is injected with a bunch of salt water, to make weigh more -- up to 15% more. This pork butt was not. I'm willing to pay a bit more for that.

I've purchased Kroger All-Natural pork before, butts and ribs, and it has always been very good.

CD
 
I have another whole butt I plan to smoke and roast for pulled pork. Also another piece of pork butt I have to find a use for.

Have you ever tried making Cuban Roast Pork? The way I do it involves an overnight marinade, then I cook it on the smoker. It is good with some black beans and plantains, and my favorite way to use it is on Cuban sandwiches. I have a panini press, but it is not necessary.

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CD
 
If you look at the price I got it for, it works out to $1.59 a pound. It is a good grade, too. Most cheap pork is injected with a bunch of salt water, to make weigh more -- up to 15% more. This pork butt was not. I'm willing to pay a bit more for that.

I've purchased Kroger All-Natural pork before, butts and ribs, and it has always been very good.

CD
I was wondering about that price, too, but also started to "scan" the label, wondering if it was some of the non-injected pork - something difficult to find anymore, and always costing more. I refuse to buy any of that brined pork (or whatever you want to call it) - if I don't want it brined, I'll do it myself.
 
Casey, I have made Cuban roast pork before along with a Cuban black bean recipe. Maybe I should do that with one of my butt packages. Then we can have Cubanos.
 
I was even more pooped out from dealing with my basement and getting the garbage out to the curb today, than yesterday. I did not cook supper. I heated a couple of samosas in the toaster oven and had some smoked sturgeon on Wasa crisp rye bread. I was looking for the smoked salmon in the freezer and found the sturgeon. That was in a clipped shut bag, so I chose that instead of salmon in an unopened package. I will probably have a ham sandwich on wholewheat toast in a little while.
 
At a friends for supper. Lamb chops! ohhhh sooo goood.

She marinated them yesterday and then read the rest of the recipe... duh - not her first time doing that!***
LOL we had a good laugh but she worried that she'd ruined these beautiful chops as the lemon juice was only supposed to be added later to 'brighten' them up. I'm sure they were close to 2" thick. From Cos co. and no, she certainly had not ruined them.

*** one other time she was making Strawberry Meringues. Added the sauce at the appropriate time, got them in the oven, started cleaning up, found she had a lot of sauce left over and threw it out. Come serving time (next day), read the recipe and realized she needed the rest of the sauce to serve....
Lesson learned? Well, obviously not... but I will say she is still a good cook LOL!
 
I was wondering about that price, too, but also started to "scan" the label, wondering if it was some of the non-injected pork - something difficult to find anymore, and always costing more. I refuse to buy any of that brined pork (or whatever you want to call it) - if I don't want it brined, I'll do it myself.

That's just it. It is not brined, it is injected with salt water. It makes the meat chewy, to me. It adds nothing. I am all for brining lean meats, like poultry and white meat pork, but for the right amount of time. If it was injected with salt water weeks before I buy it, I don't want that.

Like I said before, injecting pork at the processing plant is all about adding water weight. They can sell it for more money. It has absolutely nothing to improve the meat you cook and eat.

I look for pork that is not pumped up with salt water, and I can easily find it. I just have to read the labels, and hope that they are telling me the truth. It generally costs more, but IMO it tastes better, and I know that it has a better texture.

CD
 
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