This is another of our favorite recipes. I have no idea where I first got it, so I'm sorry I can't give credit, but I've been making it for years and it never fails to impress. If you've never brined pork chops before, you will likely never go back to un-brined pork chops. They are so much less flavorful and prone to drying out. Brining does wonders for lean cuts of meat like tenderloin and loin chops.

You could really use this brine for any cut of pork. We usually either do tenderloin, as pictured here, or pork chops. I supposed you could use it for a larger full loin too or even a shoulder butt.

As with brining anything, the time you leave the meat in the brine will have a large impact on the end result. For smaller cuts like a tenderloin or individual chops, overnight is usually fine. If you let them go too long they start to get more of a firm ham-like feel to them, which is still good in its own way. But you definitely want it at least over night (8-12 hours or so) to let the flavors and salt penetrate the meat deeply.

​One other note, the amount of brine this recipe makes is enough to make at least 2 or even 3 whole tenderloins or several chops (probably 4-6 or so depending on their size).

Ingredients:
4 cups good apple cider (I like Martinelli's unfiltered cider)
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper (start with whole peppercorns and just briefly grind them in a coffee grinder or crush them with the back of a cast iron skillet)
2 tsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1.5-3 lbs pork tenderloin or chops
Olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and Provençal herbs of your choice for cooking

1. The day before cooking, mix the cider, salt, sugar, pepper, sage, and cinnamon together in a large pot. Heat while stirring to get all the salt and sugar dissolved. Just before it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. When cool, add the pork and cover with a small plate to keep it submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight or longer for larger cuts of pork.

2. Several hours before cooking, remove the pork from the brine, pat dry, set on a tray or plate and let sit uncovered in the fridge for at least a couple hours. Take out and let come to room temperature as you are getting your grill ready.

3. Get grill ready for direct heat cooking. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the pork and rub to coat lightly all over. You do not need to season with additional salt, as the brine already provides quite a bit of saltiness. You can cook it as is but I sometimes like to add a bit of spice and herbs to the surface to develop a bit more of a crust. You can coat with a bit of freshly ground black pepper and any assortment of Provençal herbs you'd like (there is already sage in the brine so you could add some of that or some thyme, rosemary, marjoram, or others in any combination you like, to taste).

4. Grill the pork over direct heat until just beyond medium rare. The brine helps maintain moisture and the texture of the meat, so the cooking is pretty forgiving unless you far over cooking until it is a hockey puck. At high direct heat, tenderloins and chops generally cook pretty quickly, a few minutes or so on each side until they get good grill marks. If you are doing a bigger cut of meat, like a whole loin, you might want to do it over indirect heat and cook for longer until the internal temperature indicates it is cooked through.

5. Remove from grill and cover in foil to allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve chops whole or slice tenderloin into medallions to serve. Serve alongside whatever you'd like but this is good with rice, succotash, grilled veggies, baked or mashed potatoes, etc.

Optional note: Sometimes with larger tenderloins or loins that cook a bit longer I like to baste it part way through. This isn't so much to maintain moisture, the brine does that, but rather to develop a nice glaze on the surface. Mix up a mixture of apple cider, a splash of herb wine vinegar, and brown sugar, to taste (you want it a bit tangy, but noticeably sweet) and use this to baste the meat periodically as it cooks. It will darken and thicken as it cooks, building up a glazed outer coating that both looks good and tastes delicious.

Enjoy!
​

Kimchi is delicious and great for you. Natural probiotics yo (I don't usually say yo, I don't know why that came out.). This is my favorite recipe for real fermented kimchi. I think I originally adapted it from a recipe in Food & Wine magazine. But I've tweaked a few things. Most notably, I don' use the traditional gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes). In their place, I usually use a chili garlic sauce like the Huy Fong Foods version. It gives a bit deeper, more complex flavor while still giving it nice heat.

A few notes:

First of all, this recipe has pretty intense flavors and spice for most people. This isn't your supermarket kimchi, it gets spicy and stinky (in a good way). If you don't like that you can avoid the fish sauce (big mistake) or reduce the chili sauce for less spice (also a bad idea in my opinion, but to each their own). Both will rob the recipe of umami richness and depth of flavor.

If you aren't experienced with fermenting veggies, you might want to read up on the basic process elsewhere and I strongly suggest investing in some of the valved fermenting lids seen above, or something else like them. Also, weights or springs to hold down the veggies is important. You want your fermenting foods submerged and as little oxygen as possible hitting the top. Otherwise you can get mold contamination growing on top. With the valve lids and weights I've never had a batch go bad.

Finally, the original recipe calls for mostly napa cabbage with a bit of daikon radish. My family likes the satisfying crunch of the radish so I tend to shift the balance towards 50:50 or even mostly radish sometimes with much less cabbage. In the batch picture here you can see I used just one big head of cabbage but several large daikon. You can include other veggies as well. Sliced or shredded carrots are a nice addition, for example

Ingredients:
2 large head napa cabbage, halved, cored and cut into roughly 1-2 inch pieces, a few of the bigger out leaves reserved whole
2/3 cup kosher salt
10 garlic cloves, halved
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped coarsely
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped coarsely
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp Asian fish sauce (I strongly suggest you find Red Boat brand, it is by far the best I've found)
1/2 lb daikon radish, peeled and cut into dice-sized cubes (as mentioned above, you can use more daikon and less cabbage if you'd like)
1 bunch scallions/green onions, cut into 1/2" segments (both white and green parts are welcome)
3/4 cup chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek (the original recipe called for gochugaru but I like the added flavor and depth the chili sauces give)
Quart or 2 quart mason jars with fermentation lids and glass weights (optional but recommended)

1. In large bowls or pots, layer the cabbage with the salt. You want as much salt-to-cabbage contact as possible so spread in a layer of cabbage and then generously scatter salt over them and repeat. Don't worry, most of this salt gets washed off, you can't over salt at this point. Let sit for 45 minutes and then toss thee cabbage thoroughly. Let stand for another 45 minutes.

2. In the meantime, you can prepare the sauce. In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, onion, ginger, and sugar and process until well puréed. Add the fish sauce and chili sauce or powder and blend briefly.

3. Clean out your sink (I use a small amount of bleach to sterilize and then rinse and clean well). Fill it with cold water. Add the cabbage and swirl around to rinse off all the salt. If your sink isn't very large, you may want to drain and repeat to be sure you've gotten off most of the salt. Drain the cabbage in a large colander and pat dry if needed.

4. Transfer the cabbage to a large bowl or pot and add the daikon radish, scallions, and the puréed sauce mixture. Use your clean hands or a hearty utensil to mix thoroughly, coating the pieces of cabbage and daikon as completely as possible.

5. Prepare clean mason jars. For large batches I use 2 quart jars as pictured here. You can use several quart jars instead. Pack the cabbage into jars. You want to leave some headroom because it will throw off liquid and as it ferments it will expand as carbon dioxide gas is produced. If too full, they can start leaking fluid out the valve on day 2 or 3 when fermentation is most vigorous. You want to pack in the veggies pretty tight, trying to eliminate air pockets as much as possible. As it sits the veggies will give off liquid which will fill the space and eventually cover the veggies. Use the reserved cabbage leaves (or some plastic wrap) to cover the veggies and use a glass weight to weigh down. You want the veggies pretty much completely submerged at all times. Then cover the jars with fermentation valve lids and use the suction tool to suck out as much air as possible. If the fluid given off by the veggies isn't enough to cover them first try pushing them down with a clean spatula or wood spoon. Add a small amount of brine (salted water) to cover if need be.

6. Let ferment for as many days as you'd like at room temperature. Keep it on a tray or bowl to catch liquid if they overflow which typically can happen on day 2 or 3 after starting the ferment. You should see bubbles forming and bubbling up when you shake the jar within a couple days. Within 3-5 days you'll have fermented kimchi, but it gets tangier and more intense the longer it ferments. Mine usually go for about 2 weeks, sometimes even 3. As it ferments you want to keep oxygen out and you want the veggies mostly submerged. If they float up on all the carbon dioxide being produced, swirl or shake the jar some to try to compact them and get the gas out. If all else fails take the tops off and push the veggies down firmly with a clean utensil. Close back up and use the suction tool to remove air.

7. When fermented to your taste (you can take the lid off periodically and taste a bit), simply put it in the fridge and it will keep quite a long time like that. After tasting, if you'd like more saltiness, simply add a bit to the jar, stir it up and put it back in the fridge. I find it tastes best after being in the fridge for a week or two but the flavor continues to evolve and even improve over several weeks or months in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

This is another one of our long standing favorites. I don't remember where I originally got the inspiration for this recipe. It is basically just a delicious spice rub. It could be good on other things (chicken breasts, pork ribs, etc.), but I really love it on skirt steak. These can be served up like a steak, but I like to slice them up against the grain and then eat them as kinda an open-faced burrito or taco, alongside salsa, guacamole, refried beans, Mexican rice, or things like that.

Of note: The ratio of spice rub to meat is probably a bit on the light side here. I often make up to twice the amount I think I'll need, so you can practically double this recipe if you like intense flavor. Also note that this needs to be marinated at least over night so plan ahead.

Ingredients:
3/4 to 1 lb skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
1 tbsp chili powder (This is a big part of the flavor so use a good one. I sometimes even blend a few different chili powders together to create more interesting flavors. Ancho chili powder, a bit of cayenne for more heat, a bit of chipotle powder for a more pronounced smokiness, etc.)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 large clove garlic, minced and then mashed to a paste with 1 tsp of coarse sea salt in a mortar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar (I sometimes use brown sugar for a bit darker but fuller flavor)
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Simply combine all spice rub ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix thoroughly. Cut the skirt steak into grill sized pieces (sometimes you get skirt steak in an unwieldy long narrow piece). Rub the spice mix all over the meat, paying attention to get it into all the nooks and crannies. Then tightly cover the steak or put in a gallon ziplock bag and marinate in the fridge overnight or longer. I've left this in the fridge a few days before grilling and it is great.

2. The day you are going to grill, pull the marinated steak out of the fridge and let come to room temperature. I then usually lay them out on a plater or plate and add a bit more sea salt but you can adjust to taste. I tend to like things on the more heavily seasoned side.

3. Prepare a grill for direct, searing heat. Skirt steak is thin so it cooks fast! You want an intensely hot grill so you get some nice tasty grill mark caramelization. Simply sear each side of the steak pieces a few minutes or so until browned and lightly charred in spots. It should be just getting springy to the touch. Remove meat to a tray or plate and cover with foil. After a few minutes rest, simply serve the steak pieces up or pre-slice them, cutting in strips across the grain. If you want to serve these as tacos or burritos, you can chop them up into smaller cubes like a spicy carne asada.
​Enjoy!

What better way to start off my blog than to share one of our favorite recipes that we've made for years! It produces a super tender and flavorful roast chicken with yummy roasted garlic on the side.

This is adapted from an old Jacques Pépin recipe I saw him cook on some cooking show probably over 20 years ago. Of note, I cook this in a Römertopf clay baking pot and like the results I get. If you don't have a clay baker you can do this in any oven-safe pot with a tight fitting lid as well. Also, although it may seem like I overdo it with the garlic, using the whole cloves in their skins does not overpower the flavors of the dish. The whole cloves bake to a dark, soft, almost sweet goodness. You can squeeze the garlic out onto baguette slices, mashed potatoes, or other veggies. It is delicious!

​Ingredients:
1 whole roasting chicken
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Dry sherry wine (or other dry white wine)
Olive oil or butter (substitute dairy-free butter substitute if you avoid dairy)
Several large sprigs of fresh rosemary
​Lots of garlic, cloves separated but left in their skins! (I use 4-6 heads of garlic, but you can adjust this to your taste)
1 lemon, cut in half and then each half cut into 4 wedges

1. If you are using a clay baking pot, soak the lid in water in the sink while you prepare the chicken. You shouldn't preheat the oven with a clay cooker, it should be added to a cold oven and then preheated with it in place. If you are using a regular metal pot, you can preheat the oven to 375 F.

2. Although you don't have to, I like to inject my chicken with a mixture of dry sherry and olive oil or melted butter. I combine the oil/butter with sherry in a small pot and heat briefly. Then use a meat injector to inject the breasts and thighs with the mixture.

3. Drizzle just a small amount of olive oil on the chicken and rub it all over the skin. Take the rosemary sprigs and rub them all over the chicken's skin firmly. I even sometimes loosen the skin over the breasts and rub the rosemary on the breast meat directly, even leaving a sprig or two between each breast and skin.

4. If the chicken cavity has a couple fat pads just inside, pull those out and reserve. Season the chicken cavity generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with a rosemary sprig or two, a handful of the smaller garlic cloves, and a few pieces of lemon. Then continue seasoning all skin surfaces generously with salt and pepper.

5. Place the chicken breast side down in the roasting pot. If you reserved the chicken fat pads, push them onto the top of the chicken, they will render their fat slowly as the chicken cooks. Tuck in the remaining rosemary, garlic cloves, and lemon pieces around the chicken. I then add an additional splash of dry sherry to the pot, maybe a couple tablespoons or so. Cover the pot and add to the oven. If you are using a clay cooker and didn't preheat, set the oven temperature to 375 F once the pot is in the oven.

6. I generally baste a bit in the later half of cooking, using a turkey baster to suck up some of the liquids collecting in the bottom of the pan and basting the top. Roast the chicken until the meat is practically falling off the bone. You can see this where the skin and meat meet the bone of the drumstick. The meat there should start to pull back away from the bone. If in doubt, you can use a meat thermometer in the breast or thick part of the thigh to confirm doneness. How long this takes depends on the size of the chicken but I usually find it takes at least an hour and up to an hour and a half.

7. If you are in a rush to eat, you can serve as is, slicing off individual cuts of meat from the chicken and serving everyone several roasted garlic cloves in their skins. Again, once cooled a bit you can use your fingers or a fork to squeeze the tender, richly flavored garlic out to enjoy on bread or on mashed potatoes. However, if I have the time I sometimes like to do one fancy extra step to make a gravy...

8. Remove the chicken and all the garlic cloves and cover with foil to keep warm. Pass the remainder of the pot through a fine sieve and collect all the pan drippings. Add this to a small pan and bring to a simmer. Taste for salt and flavor. Season with salt to taste or reduce the sauce a bit to concentrate the flavors. When you are happy with the flavor and seasoning, add a small amount of cornstarch in a bit of water and whisk into the simmering sauce to thicken it. When you're reached your desired gravy consistency, remove from the heat and pour in a gravy boat or other serving bowl.

We love this chicken served alongside mashed potatoes with some of the gravy poured on top. Don't forget to enjoy the roasted garlic cloves, they are a big part of what makes this recipe unique and so delicious!