BBQ Pork

Ingredients :

1.5 lbs of pork butt /rump roast

15 bamboo skewers

Marinade :

1/3 c. lemon juice

1/2 c. of dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. of finely minced garlic

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 c. of Ketchup (banana catsup, preferably)

1 tsp. of ground black pepper

2 tbsp. of sugar

1/2 c. of 7Up

Cooking method:

Rub two bamboo skewers together to smoothen them. Repeat for the rest. Wash them under the tap then soak in water for at least 30 minutes prior to use to avoid burning in the grill.

Slice the pork meat into 1/4 inch thick slices. Cut the slices into 2 x 3 pieces. Place in a glass bowl.

Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the pork meat. Mix in the marinade well using your hands.

Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for at least an hour, mixing the meat every fifteen minutes or so to let the pork pieces marinate evenly. (I let it marinate for at least 4 hours).

Drain the bamboo skewers and wipe with a clean kitchen towel.

Thread the pork pieces, about 5 pieces per bamboo skewer. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting.

Grill about 6 inches from live coals. Using a kitchen brush, baste with the marinade every few minutes on both sides.

To test for doneness, slice a piece of pork at the middle of the skewer. If the juices run clear, the meat is done.

Beef Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Marinade:
2 lb Beef or lamb cut into 1 1/2" cubes/chunks
2 cups dry red wine (I didn't use two cups of wine, personal preference)
1 tsp Black pepper
1 tsp Oregano
2 Cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup Olive oil
4 tbsp Lemon juice

Kebabs:
2 med Onions, quartered
2 med Green peppers, cut into 1" pieces
12 Cherry tomatoes or tomato wedges
12 Fresh mushrooms
Salt to taste
Skewers

Place the meat in a large bowl. Pour in the wine and sprinkle minced garlic and oregano. Place the lemon strips among the cubes of meat and drizzle with olive oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight to absorb the wine and garlic. Shake or stir the mixture several times during the marination period.

About 30 minutes before serving drain off and discard the marinade.

Thread the chunks of meat and the veggies onto long skewers, brush with a little olive oil. (You can BBQ the peppers and tomatoes on separate skewers but it's really up to the chef.) Over medium heat/coals, barbeque the souvlaki until it's done the way you like it.

TZAZIKI:
2 c Plain Yogurt
1/2 English Cucumber, peeled & grated
2 Garlic cloves minced
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp salt

Begin preparing the tzaziki a few hours before serving. The flavours need time to blend.

Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth (or gauze) and set it over a bowl. Pour in the yogurt and allow it to drip for an hour or so. After the yogurt has drained combine it in a small bowl with the cucumber and the garlic. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until just before serving.

While the meat is BBQing, drizzle the olive oil over the surface, and without stirring, sprinkle on the salt. It needs no mixing as it will mix when you scoop some onto your plate. Makes about 3 cups.

Hal and I tend to buy Tzaziki to save time but homemade is really good sometimes too. I usually serve this dish with Rice Pilaf, Pita and Greek Salad.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast - Oven

I copied the recipe for this one from here: Blog Chef - Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast/

Ingredients:
12 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
2 (8 oz) cartons chive and onion cream cheese
12 slices of bacon
salt (to taste)
2 tablespoons butter


Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Between 2 sheets of wax paper with a mallet flatten chicken breasts to ½” thickness.
Step 2: Spread 3 tablespoons of cream cheese over each chicken breast. Then Dot with butter and season with salt. Wrap with bacon and stick a toothpick through the rolled chicken breast to hold it together. Roll up and stick a toothpick through to hold it together.
Step 3: Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes (or until juices run clear).
Step 4: Turn on the broiler and broil six inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast - Slow Cooker

This recipe was what we used for the slow cooker

250 ml Sour Cream
2 - 10 oz cans of Mushroom Soup
1 tsp of minced/chopped garlic
1/3 cup of flour
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices of bacon

Mix the sour cream, mushroom soup, garlic and flour - whisk together until well blended.

Wrap bacon around the chicken breast - you may need more then one slice depending on the size of the breast (insert giggle here).

Place bacon wrapped breasts in the slow cooker, pour mushroom soup sauce over it.

We baked it on high for 3 hours and then low for another 2 hours. It fell apart with a fork. The meat probably was cooked sooner but we had company.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

In 2004 on my journey to Nashville, TN I had the opportunity to try BBQ pulled pork in Kansas City. The tantalizing taste is a memory that has stuck with me for over 4 years.

This year I received a brand new slow cooker that beats the heck out of the little round one that's been sitting in the pantry for years. Before Christmas I bought a little pork roast that would be perfect for making 'pulled pork' should I receive the gift I most wanted. *thanks my sweet Santa*

Recipe

2.5 to 3 lb roast
1 tsp of California seasoning (purchased at Overwaitea and is yummy on Steak too!)
1/2 medium onion
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 to 2 cups of bbq sauce (depending on how much sauce you want on your pulled pork)

Place roast seasoned with garlic, paprika, onion, a sprinkle of California seasoning and a bit of water.
Cook on high for 4 hours, then on low for another 2 on low. Roll the roast at least once in this time.

Remove the roast from the slow cooker and start pull the pork apart with two forks.
Place the meat back in the slow cooker smothered with the other 1/2 of the onion and two cups of your favourite bbq sauce and let it continue to cook for another 2 hours.

By 6:30 p.m. both of us were anxiously awaiting to taste this delicious dish as the smell was putting our taste buds into overdrive!

We cut some thick slices of Calabrese bread, smothered it with the pulled pork and added some baked brown beans and coleslaw as the side dishes - we were in heaven and this is a dish that will be cooked again and again over the years in our home!

I knew that what I cooked yesterday would not have the same taste as what they served in Kansas but my goal was to come as close as possible - It was sweet success!!

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Chicken

1 (5 to 6 lb.) roasting chicken
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 md. red onions, quartered
2 heads garlic
2 tsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat.

Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers and gently pushing fingers between the skin and meat.

Place rosemary and crushed garlic beneath skin of breast and drumsticks.

Place chicken, breast side up, on a broiler pan.

Cut a thin slice from end of each onion.

Remove white papery skins from garlic heads (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut tops off garlic heads, leaving root end intact.

Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes.

Brush onions and garlic heads with olive oil. Arrange onions and garlic heads around chicken.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes

Cover chicken loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes.

Discard skin from chicken.

Squeeze roasted heads of garlic to extract pulp; serve as a spread on French bread, if desired.