Food Porn

So, here's the deal: I was a pesco-vegetarian for 21 years, and I was a pesco-vegetarian for the first three years of my marriage, until my daughter was three. She is a picky eater and it's frustrating and often times very disappointing. Food is very important to me. I love food. I love growing it, coming up with recipes, talking about it, preparing it, cooking it, entertaining with it.....yup, me and food have a bit of a passionate love affair. At any rate, I was having problems digesting processed soy, and the plant estrogen's were scaring me for my own health and my growing daughter's health. So, I opted to start eating meat again. Wow. It was a decision that was an internal battle, and I sat with it for a long time. I mulled it over, and I felt that the health benefits of eating low fat animal protein, for me and my family, outweighed the need to stick to my vegetarian values. I still value vegetarianism, I try to eat organically, live as lightly as I can in my current environment and community. I strive to always improve, and to eat animals that have been treated humanly. I'm not always eating organic meats, but where I can, I do buy it.

Now that I am a carnivore, I get teased by people who know and love me, that I eat quite a bit of meat for someone who hadn't eaten a bite of it in 20 years. On that note, I want to talk about pork. Pork is divine.

Pork tenderloin is the easiest "go to" meal in town. I usually get a gallon zip lock bag, but now that I say it, I could just as easily do it all in a washable casserole dish. My usual method is to put the meat into the zip lock bag, throw in Jane's Mixed Up Krazy Salt, olive oil, garlic granules, and minced fresh rosemary (that's my favorite), or whatever herb you like, or no herbs at all. You can let that marinade for up to 6 hours (I've had to leave it over night and it was excellent) and then grill it, or pan sear and roast it. It's so easy, every one loves it, and it pairs well with so many things.

Another fabulous way to do and eat pork, is ribs. Oh, MY, such a decadent, unhealthy, delicious contrast to the very lean, healthy choice of the pork tenderloin. I try to reserve it for either special occasions, such as having guests over, or for the rare, every once in a while thing with family. The thing I LOVE about the way I prepare my ribs is that I first do a dry rub.

Rub for Pork Ribs

1Tbls. Paprika

1Tbls. Garlic Powder (or granules)

1Tbls. Cumin

1Tbls. Old Bay Seasoning

(Optional 1Tblsp. Chili Powder)

Rub all over ribs and let marinade in the refrigerator for several hours, longer the better.

Brown your ribs in a roaster, or cast iron skillet. Add enough beer to cover the ribs, cover with foil and braise the meat slowly at 325-350 degrees for about an hour.

Finish on a hot grill, bones pointing down, put Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce over ONLY the top of the rib, (the meaty side) Put the lid on and let them get good and smokey for a few minutes, maybe 5 -8 minutes?

I have to say that I am absolutely in love with my pork ribs recipe. Serve them with potato salad, or as in this case where I braised boneless pork ribs, and serve it with mashed potatoes, corn and a Memphis style cole slaw. (Not to crazy about that slaw recipe, so, I'm not sharing it.)

Jerome said they were from a mutant boneless pig and that they were as big as shoes. They were amazing if I don't say so myself. That spice rub and braising them slow, in a 325 oven, in that good ole Wisconsin made beer is something special. (New Glarus beer, but I can't remember the flavor) Try the ribs; you won't be disappointed.

Smokey, flavorful goodness.

Yesterday's post may not have been in my top "best" list, however, what I was doing while limply presenting that entry, was pretty delectable. Are you ready to see that bird? Ooh, I have to say that chicken was food porn for me. I pulled it out of the oven and made a little whimpering noise. It smelled amazing.

See that fresh rosemary tucked under that skin on those breasts?? Ooh, yeah. And the skin was golden brown. Oh, I'm growing that rosemary in my living room, thank you very much. Mmm, hm!!

Come closer, my sweet....smell the aroma.

Chicken is another fabulous meat item to roast, or grill with beer. Ah, beer. Lovely, delicious beer. It really makes meat pop. I've yet to actually shove a can of beer up a bird's behind, but I'm not against it for one minute. If we'd purchased canned beer, you bet this bird would have been given the treatment with a can of beer. The way I LOVE to do this is to treat it as I did for this oven roasted bird: rub it all over with olive oil, sprinkle it with that all purpose Jane's Mixed Up Krazy Salt, season it however you like. Since this is going to be grilled, don't stuff the bird with onions or garlic because it would just take way too long to cook. I take my indirect grilling baskets and fill them with charcoal and fire them up. When the coals are good and hot, seperate the coal baskets and push them against the sides of the grill bowl. Place an aluminum roasting pan in between the coal baskets and fill half way with beer. I think it usually takes two beers. Then place the bird directly above the roasting pan on the grill grate and put the lid on. I try to maintain a temperature of 350-425 degrees and leave it in there for an hour to an hour and a half. At about an hour, you'll want to check the coals and see if you need to add some more to maintain the temperature. Give this method a try and I think you'll agree that it's some of the best chicken you'll ever taste.

Let's get those grills out and start cooking!!!!

I also promise to include vegetarian food porn sporadically throughout the summer.