Not just for sippin'

Presenting....

Tennessee Whiskey Glazed Pork Chops.

Yes, whiskey. That's what I said. Cooking with wine, fruits juices, vinegar, beer, vermouth... yeah, that I understand. But whiskey? Nah. No way. Uh uh. That is, until I tried this recipe.

If you have access to Lincoln County Tennessee whiskey (Jack Daniel's, in particular), use it. There is a smokiness that comes from a particular process used in the distilling that can make or break this recipe. I suppose, if you really want to go Whole Hog, you could use one of the single malt Scots or Irish whiskys. Those that are peaty and smoky but also 300 bucks a bottle....

• 1/2 cup whiskey, JD if you can get it
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 4 pork chops, bone-in center cut 1-inch thick
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Whisk whiskey, cider, sugar, mustard, cayenne, vanilla and 1 tsp vinegar together.
2. Transfer 1/2 c of this mixture to a bag, add chops. Press air from bag and zip. Turn to coat chops. Put in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, longer is better.
3. Keep remaining whiskey mixture separately.
4. Remove chops from bag, pat dry, discard marinade.
5. In small saucepan, heat remaining whiskey mixture to a simmer and reduce until thick and bubbly. Add the butter, whisking until melted in and the glaze has taken on a nice sheen.
6. Heat grill to high, reduce heat to medium-low. Place chops on grill to sear. Turn chops. Brush glaze on chops. Cook until almost done.
7. Turn chops, brush again with glaze.
8. Internal temperature should be 145 when done.
9. Remove from grill, plate and serve.

This recipe can be used for pan-frying if you modify things just a little bit. The original recipe came from an early 2007 issue of "Cook's Country." This great resource is published by the same folks who bring you America's Test Kitchen on television. Cook's Country and Cook's Illustrated subscriptions are a good choice if you wish to give someone who can't boil water something useful.

That chipotle marinade

My concern in a previous post about the new marinade recipe I am trying today are valid. To my taste, it is one-dimensional and lacks verve and brightness. The impression is nothing but heat from the chipotles.

I have added one cup of chopped, seeded heirloom tomatoes, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. It is simmering on the stove and I will use an immersion blender to mix when the tomatoes are done.

At that point, I may choose to do some more fiddling around with it. If I had orange juice I might try some of that, or perhaps dark syrup or molasses?More cumin will go in, as well and some garlic. The recipe was described as having depth and subtlety but it really doesn't.

We don't care much for sweet sauces so don't want to overdo the sugars but what I have added so far has made a difference.

Finally gave up and put in cider vinegar, ketchup and salad mustard. Better a typical sauce than a non-typical one that just doesn't work. It tasted OK but was too much trouble to pull together. Won't make that one again.

Dinner this evening is...

chipotle marinated round steak.

Yes. Round steak. I am hoping that by cooking it slowly, very very slowly, it won't turn into shoe leather. The recipe would be much better using something else, like sirloin but as I haven't tried this particular marinade/mop before and if it turns out we don't like it I won't feel like I have wasted a lovely sirloin.

It's a simple marinade. Chipotles in adobo, oil, cumin, cilantro, garlic, onion, paprika... that's it. I suspect that it could use a dash of lime juice or perhaps some lemon zest but we will see.*

Using a tip I found on another food blog for baked potatoes. (Kalofagas post from July 31, 2008) Slicing the taters almost all the way through, pouring melted butter over then sprinkling with Montreal Steak seasoning mix, wrap in foil and bake. Will report on the results of this experiment tomorrow. Think I may go looking for some sweet corn. Maybe when Himself goes to pick up the trailer I will go along and we will hunt for some corn.


Ingredients

# 2 tablespoons oil
# 1 onion , medium diced
# 4 chipotle chiles in adobo , cut up
# 2 cups chopped tomatoes
# 1/2 cup water or tomato juice
# 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
# 1 lemon, zest of

Directions
Heat oil in large pan and soften the onions slowly until translucent.
Add the tomatoes, chipotles and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer slowly until reduced a bit.
Remove pan from heat and let cool.
Using either a standard blender or a stick blender, puree the cooled sauce.
Add lemon zest and cilantro.

Curried Beef Kabobs

This is a recipe that my late father found in a magazine or somewhere over 30 years ago. It's a tradition in our family and I think I need to make it again.

A quick tip is to use boiling onions rather than hunks of cut-up onion. They hold together much better. Blanching the peppers allows them to cook more evenly on the grill and they will caramelize without burning. Use a good quality curry. We like Sunbird but it is your choice.

Cooking time will vary but please remember to figure in the overnight marination period. This allows plenty of time for the meat to soak up the marinade and it will give a tough cut a start at being more tender.

Curry Beef Kabobs

Serves 8, 16 skewers

meat
· 4-6 lbs beef, trimmed to 1-inch cubes
marinade
· 12 ounces beer
· 1/4 canola oil
· 1 medium onion, diced
· 4 teaspoons curry powder, to taste
· 1 tablespoon minced ginger
· 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
· 1 lb round steak, 1 inch cubes
vegetables
· 5 bell peppers, red and green cleaned halves
· 1 1/2 lbs white pearl onions, parboiled and peeled
· 1 1/2 roma tomatoes, quartered
sauce
· 1 cup beer
· 1/4 vegetable oil
· 1 medium onion, pureed
· 4 teaspoons curry powder, to taste
· 1 tablespoon ginger, pureed
· 1/2 teaspoon garlic, pureed

Directions

Day 1:
Measure beer without a head.
Mix with remaining ingredients, excepting meat and vegetables.
Pour marinade over beef in sealable container. Refrigerate overnight.
Day 2:
If you wish, the vegetables can all be prepped the day before and kept in the refrigerator until it's time to assemble the kebabs.
Bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add halved peppers. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the red peppers begin to lose their skins. Plunge in cold water to stop the cooking. Remove when cool, drain well and cut into 3 pieces for each half pepper. Remove skin from 14 red pepper pieces. Set all aside.
Dump meat and marinade into a colander over a saucepan. Rinse lightly to remove chunks of marinade. Remove meat and pat dry. Set aside.
To the marinade add sauce ingredients (except for beer): oil, curry, pureed onion, garlic and ginger. Bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes. You may skim if you wish, I usually don't. Reduce heat and add the beer. Stir well and simmer until reduced to the point where the sauce will stick to the meat and vegetables while cooking.
Preheat grill to 300 degrees.
Assemble kebabs in whatever order you wish. I do a piece of red pepper with skin, onion, meat, tomato, onion meat, etc and end up with a piece of tomato, skin out.
(Putting the pepper and tomato on the ends of the kebabs helps to hold the whole thing together on the grill.).
Place loaded skewers on preheated grill, turn every 10 minutes or so, brushing frequently with the sauce.
15. When the meat is firm and the tomatoes are soft and starting to blacken, give the kebabs a good brushing with the sauce and turn the heat to high for a short period of time. This will finish the caramelizing of the glaze and the veggies will be lovely, done through and slightly crispy on the outside.
Remove from grill, serve with anything you want.



I wish that photo were clearer, darn it. The recipe is so good that it deserves a better image.