Pork Archives - The Midnight Baker

Air Fryer Sausage Rolls

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 00:00:12 +0000

Sausage rolls are a wonderful snack and also a quick dinner,

Air Fryer Sausage Rolls: Conventional Oven Too

Air fryer sausage rolls have the advantage of being made in the conventional oven as well. They do come out fluffier and crisper in the air fryer.

I was reminded of these recently on an air fryer group I belong to. Most of the people on there are British and sausage rolls are extremely popular in the UK–always have been. And they’re popular in the US as well. This is a food the US has in common with Britain. They can be an appetizer, snack or even a main course so they’re very versatile.

Sausage Flavors

When it comes to the sausage, there’s a lot to choose from as far as flavor.

In Britain, there’s lots of variations now on old-fashioned “bangers.” In fact, some of their trendier sausages are quite gourmet. Any kind would work here although you can’t go wrong with the old standard.

In the US, you have great choices too. To keep the fat down, chicken or turkey sausage is a fine option. We also have fancy flavors as well. Try them all. For mine I used brats and mild Italian sausage. I also removed the casings. You don’t have to do that but I think it makes eating them easier. Plus many people eschew casings anyway.

Big or Small

When I made these, I used the entire sausage. They were pretty big, but I was using them as a main dish.

If you are making them as a snack or appetizer, you might want to cut the sausage in half or even thirds. Then they are great finger food.

Keep in mind this will work if you substitute little smokies as well. And of course, hot dogs work with this too.

The Recipe

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Air Fryer Sausage Rolls

Quick and easy!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Appetizer, Main, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer sausage rolls, sausage in puff pastry, sausage rolls

Servings: 6

Calories: 623kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 pkg frozen puff pastry thawed
6 Italian sausage or brats
1 egg beaten

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove casing from sausage, if desired.
Roll out puff pastry and cut into 6 portions that will wrap around each sausage.
Wrap sausage and seal pastry. Cut slits in the top if desired and brush with beaten egg.
Air fry for 15-20 minutes at 400F/200C, Test with a meat thermometer to make sure sausage is fully cooked--it should be 165F/80C internally.
For conventional oven, bake a 425F/220C foe 18-20 minutes. Test foe doneness as above.

Nutrition

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Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 00:00:41 +0000

Honey mustard pork tenderloin makes a great Sunday dinner.

Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

The thing I love about this honey mustard pork tenderloin or any pork tenderloin for that matter is how quickly it cooks.

As with most tenderloin recipes, this one has to marinate. I usually marinate overnight but this time I was pressed for time and did the minimum of one hour. I was surprised at how well it was flavored even in that short amount of time.

Heading this off at the pass–because I know there will be emails and comments to that effect, but a bit of pink in pork is totally safe since pork is safe to eat at 140F/70C. I like mine a little more “done” so next time I’ll give it an extra few minutes. Truthfully, done like in the photo, it’s very juicy. However, I understand the reaction to pinkish pork as I have it myself.

Garlic? The More The Merrier

That describes me an many friends, but I do realize that a lot of garlic isn’t everyone’s dish of tea.

The recipe calls for four cloves. If you use small cloves that should not overwhelm the flavor. Of course with larger cloves you can alway cut the amount in half. I used four large cloves and found the flavor to be excellent, but bear in mind I love garlic. So if you don’t, then reduce the amount accordingly.

Air Fryer

Make It in the air fryer too! All you have to do is eliminate the step of browning the tenderloin in a skillet before roasting. I find the air fryer browns rather nicely. You might not want to skip that step since the air fryer cooks more quickly than a conventional oven–usually it will take 1/3 less time. But since air fryers only go up to 400F/200C, this tenderloin will need to cook the same amount of time as the conventional cooking method. To play it safe, always use an instant-read meat thermometer and remember letting the meat stand and it will continue to cook. It will raise the internal temp from 5-10 degrees.

The Recipe

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Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

Quick and easy

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Marinate8

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: honey dijon pork tenderloin, pork tenderloin in the air fryer

Servings: 6

Calories: 280kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lb pork tenderloins
3 tsp kosher salt divided
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp onion powder
pinch red pepper flakes
2 tbs oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Season two 1–1½-lb. pork tenderloins all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper and transfer to a large bowl or resealable bag. Add the thyme leaves and finely grate or crush 4 garlic cloves over the pork.
Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup honey, 1 tsp. onion powder, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until just combined. Season with remaining ½ tsp. kosher salt. Pour half of honey-mustard sauce over pork and turn to coat. Reserve remaining honey-mustard sauce for serving. Cover or seal bag and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 425F/220C.
Heat 2 tbs oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Remove pork from marinade and let excess drip off. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6–8 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and roast, flipping pork halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°F/70C 14–18 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing 1/2-inch thick. Serve drizzled with reserved honey-mustard sauce.
For air fryer--browning in the skillet is optional but it does produce a better color. Air fry at 400F/200C for 18-20 minutes. Test with instant read thermometer.

Nutrition

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Air Fryer Scotch Eggs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 23:00:19 +0000

Scotch eggs are a breakfast or dinner treat. They’re easy to make in your air fryer.

Air Fryer Scotch Eggs–A Real Treat

What can be better than a grab-and-go breakfast? That’s exactly what these air fryer Scotch eggs are. They’re so good you can serve them for brunch or even dinner.

Traditionally, they are shallow fried. And they’re delicious that way. Since sausage is pretty fatty, you don’t want to add any more fat than you have to. Air frying is the perfect solution. I’m not saying that because they’re air fried that they automatically become totally healthy, they’re still a treat that should be eaten in moderation.

Air frying does not affect the taste. In fact, I prefer them air fried and I’m not very observant about what I eat. They just have a “cleaner” taste to me.

The Sausage

Here’s where you can make the flavor as interesting as you like.

There are many varieties of sausage ranging from plain to spicy. If your family is into heat, then try these Scotch eggs with a hot-flavored sausage. Like maple? There’s maple flavored sausage too. And of course, the traditional breakfast variety. I choose a mild flavor because I like the taste.

There’s also plenty of store-made specialty sausage so they’re worth a try too. You just need a pound of sausage and bulk is the one to use. However, if there’s a flavor you like that only comes in links, then by all means remove the meat from the casings.

Egg Size

I prefer to use medium eggs for this. That way you are assured you’ll have enough sausage to wrap around them. That’s just a personal preference, but I wouldn’t use anything bigger than USDA large.

Mostly these are made with hard-boiled eggs, but I’ve seen them done with “jammy” eggs too. If you want to have a go with jammy eggs, these will have to be served immediately. With hard-boiled anything left over can be stored in the fridge to be reheated as necessary.

The Recipe

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Air Fryer Scotch Eggs

Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: scotch eggs in the air fryer, scotch eggs with jammy eggs

Servings: 6

Calories: 372kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

6 hard-cooked eggs shells removed and patted dry
1 lb bulk sausage meat
1/4 cup flour
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Divide sausage meat into 6 equal portions. Flatten the sausage in a circle about 1/4-inch thick.
Wrap each piece of sausage around each egg, making sure the egg is completely sealed in the sausage meat.
Roll each egg in the flour, then dip in the beaten egg and roll in the breadcrumbs
Place the eggs in the air fryer and air fry at 390F/200C for 12 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time.

Nutrition

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Slow Cooker Alfredo Ravioli Lasagna

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 23:00:57 +0000

Slow cooker Alfredo ravioli lasagna is a real treat!

Easy Peasy Slow Cooker Alfredo Ravioli Lasagna

This has got to be one of the easiest meals you can make. It’s versatile too because it’s fine to go off the reservation and use other flavors and meats.

I got this idea from a comment on a recipe posting by my friend Mary who runs Sweet Little Bluebird. Her recipe was with standard tomato sauce and cheese ravioli. I’ve made it that way and it’s totally delicious. We both opted for the fresh refrigerated ravioli instead of the frozen kind. I would imagine that you could substitute the frozen kind if you either par- cooked it or let it thaw. If not then this would have to cook longer, perhaps an hour or two, if you left it frozen.

Alfredo Sauce

What makes this slow cooker Alfredo ravioli lasagna so very easy is that it depends on convenience ingredients such as jarred Alfredo sauce. There are many good brands on the market so it’s up to you what you buy. And if you like stuff a bit more saucy, then double the amount called for in the recipe.

However, you may prefer to make your own. There’s many reasons why you should consider doing so. Your own is fresher, tastes better and is more economical. All you’d have to do is follow my simple recipe for quick Alfredo sauce.

Your Own Ravioli?

If you want to get really into totally homemade, you can make your own ravioli. There’s many contraptions made to do this, but making them without those contraptions is, believe it or not, a lot easier. If you have a pasta roller, it’s super simple. You can follow my guide on ravioli making in the linked post. If you want the classic cheese filling, a simple Google search will lead you to many recipes.

The Recipe

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Slow Cooker Alfredo Ravioli Lasagna

Easy prep

Prep Time5

Cook Time4

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: slow cooker ravioli lasagna, slow cooker white lasagna

Servings: 6

Calories: 877kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

24 oz fresh mushroom ravioli
1 lb sweet Italian sausage meat
28 oz Alfredo sauce or your own homemade

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brown the sausage meat and drain the fat.
Spray the bottom of a 5 quart (or larger) slow cooker with non-stick spray.
Layer sauce, ravioli and sausage in the slow cooker beginning and ending with the sauce. There should be at least 2 layers.
Cook on low for 4 hours.

Nutrition

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Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Tenderloin

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 23:00:35 +0000

Toss this jalapeño popper stuffed tenderloin on the grill for your next BBQ. Does it get any better than a bacon wrap?

Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Tenderloin

Tenderloin is one of my favorite pork cuts. The reason for that is that it cooks pretty quickly and can be flavored or stuffed in so many ways. In other words, it’s different each way you make it so you never get bored! This jalapeño popper stuffed tenderloin is just one of those ways.

Lucky for me, tenderloins have been on sale quite a bit in my area. I definitely take advantage of that. And nothing complements a pork loin like a zippy jalapeño popper stuffing. It’s wrapped in bacon too so what’s not to love about this?

Grill Smoker Or Oven

That choice is pretty much up to you–and the weather, of course.

Since I love my outdoor grills so much, my method of choice for this (and any tenderloin) is indirect grilling. To do this, you cook the meat on the unlit side of a gas grill. On a charcoal grill, you bank the coals to one side and cook the meat on the side with no coals underneath. One thing about charcoal grills and indirect cooking is the BBQ must have a lid. A Weber kettle is perfect.

If you have a smoker, that’s a perfect way to do this tenderloin. I’d recommend apple wood chips as it goes so well with pork.

The oven is probably the quickest way to do this. It should cook in about 45 minutes at 400F/200C.

Prepping The Tenderloin

First you must remove all membrane and silver skin. If left on, it will shrink and change the shape of the meat.

Next, in order to fill it, you have to butterfly the tenderloin. I also try to pound down the thick parts so it all cooks evenly.

I won’t lie here–you’re going to need about 2 pounds of bacon to wrap 2 pieces. The bacon should overlap so there are no bare spots. It’s also best to cook this seam side up so you don’t lose any delicious filling. I didn’t need toothpicks or skewers to keep the bacon in place, but have some handy just in case.

The Recipe

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Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Tenderloin

Three ways to cook

Prep Time25

Cook Time3

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jalapeño popper stuffed pork, pork tenderloin cooked on the grill, stuffed pork tenderloin

Servings: 8

Calories: 1005kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins
24 oz bacon approximately

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese softened
4 jalapeños cored, seeded and
2 tbs onion finely minced
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbs chili powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove membrane and any fat off the tenderloins.
Butterfly the tenderloins (there are great YouTube videos on butterflying); set aside.
Mix all the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Divide the filling equally down the center of each butterflied tenderloin.
Fold the ends of the tenderloin over the filling and wrap tightly with the bacon slices. FYI you may use more or less bacon than I did depending on how large the tenderloins are—mine were pretty big.
This can be cooked 3 ways—oven, indirect grill heat or in a smoker.
For oven: cook in a 400F/200C oven for 45-60 minutes
For indirect grill heat: place the tenderloins on the UNLIT side of a gas grill. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 hours or until the internal temperature is 160F/80C
For the smoker: applewood chips are nice for pork. Smoke at 200F/100C for 3-5 hours. Internal temperature should be the same as for indirect method

Nutrition

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Bourbon Molasses Pork Tenderloin

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 23:00:42 +0000

Fire up the grill for this delicious bourbon molasses pork tenderloin. Make it in the oven too.

Bourbon Molasses Pork Tenderloin–YUM

Have you noticed that pork tenderloins have been on sale a lot lately? They have been in my area and since I love this cut, I stock up big time.

Pork tenderloins are a great choice for when you want “roast” pork but want it quickly. Generally, they take less than an hour when oven roasted so that’s pretty quick. However, here we take the low and slow approach by using indirect heat on an outside grill. Even though this may take twice the time than in a regular oven, this method has many advantages. One of those is that the meat remains juicier.

Indirect Cooking Method

Indirect cooking is outside cooking’s version of slow cooking. A smoker uses the same method but with the addition of wood chips for extra flavor. As an aside, that will work very nicely here too so if you have a smoker, try it. The time will be approximately the same as the indirect method.

You can achieve indirect heat by either charcoal or gas grills. The charcoal grill will require a lid so if all you have is a a topless model, it won’t do here. A Weber kettle is the perfect instrument.

What you do with the charcoal is light it, let it catch so the briquettes are uniformly grey, then pile them up over on one side of the grill. Then place the meat on the side with no briquettes under it. With this method, you have to monitor the heat periodically so I tend to avoid it with longer-cooking pieces of meat. It does, however, produce great flavor.

Using a gas grill is so much simpler because it’s pretty much fuss free. Merely light one side of the grill and cook on the unlit side. No worries with a cover since they all have covers. And there’s little to no monitoring the temperature. This is my preferred method.

Let It Rest

As with all roasts cooked by any method, letting it rest is important. I can’t stress that enough here. Tent with foil and let these babies rest for at least 15 minutes.

You won’t be sorry.

The Recipe

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Bourbon Molasses Pork Tenderloin

Perfect for grilling

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Marinate8

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bbq tenderloin, boozy pork marinades, pork tenderloin on the outside grill

Servings: 6

Calories: 282kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs pork tenderloin trimmed of membrane

Marinade:

1/4 cup black coffee at room temperature
1/4 cup bourbon
3 tbs molasses
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs fresh thyme chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all marinade ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Place the tenderloins in a large plastic freezer bag and pour the marinade over the pork. Put the pork in the fridge and let it marinate for 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking. On a gas grill, this means cooking on the UNLIT side. On a charcoal grill it means piling up the charcoal on one side of the grill and cooking over the side with no coals (see photo in post). FYI the charcoal grill must have a cover (like a Weber kettle)
Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. You're going to baste the tenderloins with this.
Place the tenderloins on the prepared grill, cover and grill for about 2 hours or until internal temperature is at least 145F/70C. The ideal temperature is 160F/80C.
Move the tenderloins to the lit side of the grill to sear--about 5 minutes.
You can do this in a regular oven, but roast at 400F/200C for about 40 minutes.

Nutrition

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Instant Pot Make-Ahead Ribs

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 21 May 2022 23:00:07 +0000

With Instant Pot make-ahead ribs, you prep them now and finish them off later.

Instant Pot Make-Ahead Ribs

With Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays coming up, your Instant Pot will certainly be a boon. Since it will keep your kitchen relatively cool it will be a go-to appliance for the warmer months. It can also help with meal prep. Especially meats that need to be cooked then finished off on the grill.

This is one of those recipes. You prep, then cook these ribs. Then you keep them and the juices refrigerated until you’re ready to finish cooking them.

Exotic Flavors

The rub for these Instant Pot make-ahead ribs has an exotic and wonderful flavor. These flavors remind me of Moroccan cooking. Not sure if that’s entirely accurate but with the addition of cinnamon used for something savory, it’s reminiscent of those flavors. The taste of cinnamon is not strong; just a whisper but it’s ever so nice.

Another flavor comes from cumin. Straight up I’ll tell you it’s not one of my favorite flavors. However, how it blends with everything else it worked very well. I actually liked it very much. In this rub, you use crushed cumin seeds. I couldn’t find those in my local store but I was able to order it from Walmart and not at an inflated price either.

Most of the other ingredients I’m sure you already have like whole peppercorns, red pepper flakes and of course the cinnamon.

The Sauce

The basting sauce is what pulls this all together. The slightly tart essence from the vinegar is just the thing for this. So is the bit of garlic.

Because you make this ahead and refrigerate the juices, the congealed fat is easy to remove.

Now all you have to do is grill them and baste!

The Recipe

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Instant Pot Make-Ahead Ribs

Prep the ribs now to finish later

Prep Time20

Cook Time9

Course: Appetizer, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: instant pot ribs, party food you can make ahead, ribs with moroccan seasoning

Servings: 6

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 lbs pork baby back ribs
1/4 cup dry white wine
Oil

Rub:

1 tbs black peppercorns
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs kosher salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Sauce:

2 tbs red or white wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/4 cup chopped parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Crush peppercorns, cumin seeds and pepper flakes in a mortar & pestle. Place this in a small bowl then add the remaining rub ingredients.
Season the ribs on both sides with the rub.
Place the 1/4 cup of white wine into the Instant Pot and arrange the ribs around the side of the bowl--making a ring shape against the wall of the inner pot. Set the cooker to manual (high pressure) and set the timer for 9 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then manually release the pressure. Remove the ribs to a baking sheet to cool.
Now set the cooker to the saute function for 10 minutes to reduce the juices in the pot. Strain this through a fine mesh strainer. There should be about 3/4 cup of juices. Let it cool then chill (this will congeal any fat for easy removal).
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium-high heat (you can use an indoor broiler too).
Remove the congealed fat from the chilled juices and place in a small saucepan. Add the sauce ingredients and heat over medium heat until this mixture is reduced by half.
Lightly oil the ribs then place on the grill meaty side down until lightly browned. Turn ribs and baste with the sauce. Repeat this turning and basting until the ribs are lightly charred on both sides; about 5-10 minutes total.
Remove to a cutting board and cut into individual ribs. Drizzle the ribs with any remaining sauce.

Nutrition

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Wacky Pork Chops

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 23:00:47 +0000

Don’t let the name fool you–wacky pork chops are seriously delicious.

Wacky Pork Chops–Easy And Delicious

This looked a bit interesting when it appeared in my Facebook feed from a large contributor-based website.

Of course I checked out the recipe and the person who contributed it raved about it.. I happen to know that contributor and am a friend as well. That’s how I know I had to make this since anything Lillian raves about has got to be good. Lillian had a food blog although she hasn’t posted in years. It’s still available and she has tons of great family recipes–My Recipe Journey. She now makes custom wine jewelry and you can check her out here.

Grape Jelly? Heck Yeah

I’m convinced that the grape jelly is the ingredient that ties all this together.

Sure the sauce contains a lot of other tasty ingredients, but the grape jelly is the thing that makes all the others cohesive and form a wonderful sauce.

At first the jelly is very lumpy when you mix it, but take heart, it does melt when you heat it and there are no lumps in the final product.

Whenever mustard is called for in a recipe, I tend to use Dijon or whole grain. However, Lillian specified yellow mustard so that is what I used. As I mentioned before, I trust her taste in things.

Bone-In Or Boneless

This is where I deviated from the main recipe. I had a whole boneless loin in my freezer that I wanted to use. Since I’m always on about using what you have, I took my own advice.

Of course bone-in chops will be tastier because the bone will produce a better flavor, but I don’t think it will make a radical difference. Therefore, either/or is a good choice.

The Recipe

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Wacky Pork Chops

These pork chops in delicious gravy will be a big hit

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 30

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork chops cooked in sauce, slow cooked pork chops, wacky pork chops

Servings: 6

Calories: 706kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

6 pork chops preferably bone-in chops
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbs olive oil divided
12 oz egg noodles cooked per package directions
1/2 cup dry red wine not cooking wine
3 tbs butter

Gravy:

5 tbs ketchup
5 tbs grape jelly
3 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs yellow mustard
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the flour, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a plastic bag.
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Don't worry about the lumpy jelly--it will melt when cooking.
Place 3 pork chops in the flour mixture and shake to coat.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the olive oil and brown the 3 chops on both sides; remove to a plate and repeat with the last 3 chops. Frying in shifts doesn't crowd the pan and produces a better sear. Place the pork chops in a 13x9-inch pan in a single layer if possible.
Deglaze the skillet you fried the pork chops in with the red wine, then add the sauce mixture, stirring well for about 3 minutes until the jelly melts and it's heated through. Stir in butter.
Pour the sauce over the pork chops then cover the dish with foil and bake at 350F/180C for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve over noodles.

Video

Nutrition

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Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Ham

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 23:00:05 +0000

Brown sugar dijon glazed ham is perfect for Easter or any time.

Great For Easter–Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Ham

Ham is traditional for Easter dinner. There’s so many great glaze flavors, it’s often hard to choose which one to use. I usually make Virginia ham for Easter, but I got to thinking out of the box on this.

If you want to get away from the usual cherry and pineapple flavored glazes, this brown sugar Dijon glaze may be what you’re looking for. It’s sweet but that’s cut a lot with the mustard. It’s a very interesting flavor and one I really like.

My suggestion is to make up a small batch of the glaze so you can taste it and decide whether your guests or family will like it. I don’t think it’ll go oe=ver big with very young children. This appeals more to adult tastes.

Cooking The Ham

Most hams sold are fully cooked so all you have to do is reheat them. That’s what I used here.

So the choice of how you reheat it is up to you. What I do is put the ham face-side down in a roasting pan with 1 cup of water added. I cover the pan with foil then set it in a 325F/160C oven for 2 hours.

You can also reheat in a slow cooker or Instant Pot provided the appliance is large enough to hold the ham.

When the ham is heated to the proper temperature–at least 140F/70C–just pop it in a roasting pan, face-side up and paint with the glaze. Preheat your oven to 400F/200C and let that glaze caramelize on the ham. I usually do about 20 minutes basting every 5 minutes or so.

For The Mustard Lovers

The Dijon in the glaze gives a nice zing to the ham, but I know many folks who like mustard as an additional condiment at the table.

I suggest a whole-grain imported mustard for the table. The seeds give a great crunchy texture and the taste is outstanding.

The Recipe

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Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Ham

Great glaze for a ham

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easter ham dinners, Ham glaze with dijon mustard, holiday ham glazes

Servings: 10

Calories: 71kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 shank or butt portion ham

Glaze:

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 cup orange or pineapple juice
1 tsp butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat ham by desired method. My method is in the post.
Heat the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan too boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer until glaze is slightly thick and syrupy; about 5-8 minutes.
Heat oven to 400F/200C. Bush ham with some glaze and cook ham until glaze begin to caramelize, basting frequently with more glaze during cook time. Ham should cook about 10-15 minutes basting periodically.

Notes

Nutrition information is for glaze ONLY

Nutrition

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Authentic Lo Mein

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 23 Oct 2021 23:00:47 +0000

Don’t bother with take-out when this authentic lo mein is even better than the restaurant.

Authentic Lo Mein

There’s nothing I like better than a nice hearty lo mein. In fact, it’s my go-to dish when I go to a Cantonese restaurant.

You can duplicate the restaurant or take-out place right at home. This recipe is pretty basic and it’s pretty much the standard for most restaurants. There are slight variations, for instance when I lived in New York City, carrots never formed a part of this dish. At least at my favorite place. Carrots are used in it and it’s still authentic. Since I like carrot, I add it. But you can go beyond the basic if you wish and add veggies you think would go well.

Chinese BBQ Pork

This recipe uses pork, specifically Chinese-style roast/BBQ pork. The recipe for that is included in the card below.

However, if you happen to have any leftover roast pork, that will work just as well and eliminate that step. Likewise, instead of pork, chicken (leftover or breast you cook in the dish) will work too as well as shrimp. Leave out any meat or seafood and it’s vegetarian. This lo mein is quite versatile when you think about it.

And if you make the pork in this recipe, any leftovers can be combined with broccoli and a stir fry sauce to make up some pork and broccoli or Chinese vegetables.

Dark Soy Sauce

The stuff that’s available on your grocery shelf such as a house brand is actually light soy sauce–and that doesn’t mean lower sodium. It’s just a distinction made in Asian condiments.

This recipe calls for that variety plus the dark variety. Dark soy sauce is not as liquidy as the typical kind. It’s a bit thick and slightly sweet. It adds a great depth of flavor.

You may be able to find this in a larger supermarket if you live in a major metropolitan area. Of course it is also available in Chinese and Asian markets. I got my dark soy sauce (affiliate link) from Amazon. It may seem a bit pricy, but it lasts for ages.

The Recipe

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Authentic Cantonese Lo Mein

Just like the restaurant!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 10

Marinate2

Total Time3 40

Course: Main, Main Course, Main/Side

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: chinese roat pork, restaurant style lo mein, take-out pork lo mein

Servings: 2

Calories: 1083kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 oz Chinese roast pork
8 oz Chinese lo mein noodles uncooked
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced bok choy
2 tbs julienne carrots
1 clove garlic crushed
3 tbs oil
2 scallions sliced for garnish.

Sauce:

2 tbs dark soy sauce
2 tbs regular soy sauce
1 tbs Chinese wine or dry sherry
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp creamy peanut butter
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp white pepper

Chinese Roast Pork:

2 lbs boneless pork loin

Marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Chinese wine or dry sherry
2 tbs hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp red food coloring Optional
pinch Chinese five-spice powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make roast pork: mix all marinade ingredients. Poke a few holes in the pork with a fork. Place the pork in a zipper freezer bag and pour in marinade. Squish the bag a bit to coat the roast. Place in the refrigerator and marinate at least 2 hours but overnight is better.
Spray a small pan with non-stick spray and preheat oven to 375F/190C. Roast meat for 1 hour or until internal temperature is 145F/63C. Let rest for 10 minutes then slice 4 oz/113 g of the roast into strips about 1/4-inch/0.64 cm wide. Set aside.
To make lo mein: Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Cook Chinese lo mein noodles per package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it just begins to get golden; remove and discard. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to sear. Add the bok choy and carrots; stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the cooked noodles and the sauce. Toss until the noodles are well coated with sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so the cornstarch cooks.
Garnish with sliced scallions.

Nutrition

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