How you doin’? Do you know who Leonard Heuberger was? He was a very important man. No, he’s not the inventor of the hamburger—the name is spelled differently. Well, according to barbecue historians in the know, old Len founded a barbecue restaurant in Memphis named Leonard's in 1922. Leonard was the inventor of the classic Memphis pulled pork barbecue sandwich. This sandwich was prepared on a bun with pulled pork, a tomato-based barbecue sauce and coleslaw.
 
If you love original barbecued pulled pork sandwiches as much as I do, you’ll love this simple recipe that takes just over an hour to prepare—most of that time is watching the “pot boil”.
 
Root Beer BBQ Pulled Pork is easy to make, juicy and fall-apart tender. The secret is in the second Instant Pot cook after you pull the pork apart. Please read below and check out my ChefSecret on making a great recipe even greater.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cooking time:  1 hour 30 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3- to 4-pound pork shoulder cut into 4 to 6 large chunks
1 can root beer soda
2-1/2 cups barbecue sauce (I use KC Masterpiece Original)
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 toasted over-sized hamburger buns for serving
1 cup coleslaw
 
Directions

1. Add the pork to a lightly greased Instant Pot.
2. Pour the root beer over the pork.
3. Stir together 2 cups barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pour mixture over the pork.
4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, sliding into the locked position. Set to PRESSURE COOK for 45 MINUTES.
5. When the pressure cook is complete, run a NATURAL RELEASE for 10 MINUTES, then turn valve to the vent position. Once float valve has dropped, remove lid.
6. Remove the pork chunks from the pot and drain them. Place the drained pork chunks on a cutting board. Using two forks shred the pork into small pieces.
7. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork back to the Instant Pot insert. Set to PRESSURE COOK for 15 MINUTES. Immediately, and carefully, do a QUICK RELEASE. This will further tenderize the pork.
8. Drain and discard the liquid from the Instant Pot and stir the remaining 1/2 cup barbecue sauce together with shredded pork.
9. Pile the pulled pork on the base of a toasted hamburger bun and add coleslaw over it. Top the sandwich with the toasted bun crown.

ChefSecret: I leave the shredded pork in the cooking liquid and chill it down for a couple of hours and then refrigerate it overnight. Before using the pork, I lift off and discard the layer of fat. I reheat the amount of shredded pork needed in the microwave and serve on a burger bun topped with chopped coleslaw.

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Please remember when making purchases—Give our American farmers and ranchers the business—source local foods, shop small (neighborhood owned stores) and buy when you see Made in the USA on the label.

To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Thanks for reading!

#PulledPork #RootBeer #BBQPulledPork #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #InstantPot #ComfortFoods #KCMasterpiece

How you doin’? I hope this morning’s missive finds you doing well. As for me, I’m not doing so well today. Over the last week I have been reading about farmers and ranchers having to destroy their crops and livestock because they can’t process or sell their harvest. It is true that several meat processing plants have closed temporarily because some workers have contracted Covid-19 and there are not enough people to man the “knives.” This is going to have a terrible whiplash effect on the ability to get good, healthy American proteins (chickens, pork and beef) and produce to market.
 
I hate to hear about farmers plowing their crops under or ranchers euthanizing animals because they can’t afford to feed them or they are past the point of harvest. When you figure that a rancher raises a calf to maturity for 18 to 20 months on pasture and feed and makes just under $200 per animal (graded choice, not prime) at the end of the cycle you can see how devastating this can be to their livelihoods.
 
We have a family dairy farm near Montfort, Wisconsin. They have a couple hundred milking cows that require daily attention. I know how hard they and all family farmers work to bring milk and cheese to our collective tables. For them and others to even have to think about pouring out milk or destroy good milking cows would be devastating to their lives and livelihoods. 
 
This really pisses me off! I don’t want to turn this blog to political issues, but I must get a few things off my chest. It’s important to understand when the economy shuts down, crops keep growing. With schools, restaurants and some retail stores closed, this pandemic could blow-up the national food supply logistics chain. This will start to cause shortages where food is most needed leaving an abundance of newly harvested produce, grains and livestock with nowhere to go.
 
Several of Smithfield’s pork processing plants have either been closed or are on reduced output. It makes me doubly mad because the Wuhan Virus Pandemic which was caused by the Chinese Communist Party’s shoddy information could have been contained in late December or early January if they hadn’t tried to cover it up. Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork processor—was acquired by a Chinese firm in 2013 for nearly $5 billion—well more than the company's market value. Was this part of their plan? Who’s makin’ your bacon?
 
You can say what you want, but this is what I would call an act of war not only against the United States but the other 187 countries who find their economies shut down and their citizens dying of this Chinese virus. More Americans have died of Covid-19 in the last 2 months than died during the entire Vietnam War. And, it all could have been prevented or at least severely mitigated. 
 
A side story… I bought a bunch of masks for the test kitchen—they were made in China. One of the strings breaks loose in the same place on every mask. I tried gluing it with one of the super glues we had in the office (made in China, of course) and that wouldn’t hold. I then tried Elmer’s Glue… that didn’t work either.  Lo and behold, when I looked at the back label on Elmer’s I saw it, too, is now made in China. We can’t continue to aid and abet our enemies. My advice to all good Americans—buy locally, buy from merchants who live and work in your state and above all, look for the proud label—MADE IN THE USA!
 
So, now that I got that off my chest, it’s safe to assume we are going to see some shortages and price increases (hopefully short-term shortages) in our food supply over the next several weeks and possibly months. We are going to have to really be savvy in the way we shop for proteins and prepare our meals.  Get ready to think Instant Pot, slow cookers or even Dutch ovens.

We all know that steaks are tender and juicy and just take a few minutes on the barbi to get a perfectly grilled or broiled piece of heaven. Steaks are pricier than tougher cuts of meats. That toughness is due to fibrous connective tissue found in working muscles—not in the lazier muscles where New York and Ribeye steaks come from (same is true in pork). When you cook all those working muscle cuts of meat correctly—under pressure or low and slow with enough liquid to keep things moist—it turns the meat tender enough to cut with a fork. The right cuts of meat go a long way to extend your butcher budget. So, pull out your Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Dutch oven and start cooking gourmet meals on a budget.

                                               Orange and Beer-Braised Pork Carnitas

This is my all-time favorite Cheap Meat Eats pork carnitas recipe made in an Instant Pot. You don’t have to let the pork slowly simmer all day; it can be done in an hour or so and it will be perfectly tender and shred-able. Give it a fast turn under the broiler in the oven to crisp it up.  Get ready to Instant Pot!

Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  1 hours
Yield:  8 servings

Ingredients:
For the braising liquid
1 cup Corona beer (or any beer that’s handy)
1 12-ounce can of cola
5 tablespoons garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
 
For the pork carnitas
5-pounds pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-Inch cubes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 orange cut in quarters (leave rind on)
1 split jalapeño pepper
 
Directions
To make the braising liquid

1. Whisk together the beer, cola, garlic, orange and lime juice, oregano, cumin and salt until well combined. Set aside.

To make pork carnitas

1. Generously season the pork cubes with salt and pepper. Then set the SAUTÉ function on the Instant Pot to briefly sear the pork on all sides in the oil.  Do this in two batches, so you don’t steam the meat.
2. Add the braising liquid, the cut orange and split jalapeño to the pork, then pressure cook on HIGH for 30 minutes, followed by a NATURAL RELEASE.
3. When the pork is cooked and cooled just a little, shred it with 2 forks.
4. If you prefer the carnitas to be nice and crispy, spread the shredded pork out in an even layer on a large baking sheet, and spoon about 1/3 of the remaining juices from the Instant Pot evenly on top of the pork. 
5. Pop the baking sheet under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes, or until the edges of the pork are golden and crispy. Then remove from the oven, give the pork a good toss with half of the remaining juices, and broil for 4-5 more minutes. 
6. Remove from the broiler, toss with the remaining juices.
7. Serve the carnitas as tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, enchiladas and tostadas salads.

Here are some ideas for other Cheat Meat Eats—the best inexpensive cuts of protein to use for great tasting meals:
 
Beef Chuck Roast:

• Shredded Barbecue Beef
• Red Wine Beef Pot Roast
• Italian Beef
• Mexican-Style Shredded Meat

 
Pork Shoulder Roast

• Chile Colorado (red sauce)
• Spicy Pork Chile Verde (green sauce)
• Texas Pulled Pork (barbecue sauce)
• Apple Cider Braised Pork

 
Lamb Shanks

• Wine Braised Lamb Shanks
• Indian-Style Lamb Shank Vindaloo
• Guinness-Braised Lamb Shanks
• Honey Braised Lamb Shanks

 
Beef Short Ribs

• Short Ribs Braised with Mushrooms and Tomatoes
• Slow-Cooked German Short Ribs
• Korean Braised Short Ribs
• Bloody Mary Short Ribs (braised in bloody Mary mix)

All these dishes taste even better the next day. Plus, you can make a little meat go a long way by serving it with plenty of vegetables and starches like potatoes, polenta, rice and noodles.

ChefSecret: I always sear the meat along with sautéing the vegetables to caramelize them before adding to the selected cooker. Use plenty of liquids—low sodium stock or red or white wines—or a combination of both.

#Carnitas #Pork #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #InstantPot #Covid19 #USA #SlowCooker #DutchOven #Braise

How you doin’? We have had lots strange days lately. One way to change a ho-hum day is a rasher of bacon. Bacon makes a day very special—even McDonald’s has bacon sales, where you can put slices on anything—as an extra—for just a few extra pennies. When it comes to bacon, there is only one brand that rises to the level of “gourmet”—Benton Bacon.
 
Allan Benton is his name and bacon is his game. He is known as the “pig whisper,” “bacon god” and the “ham hero.” He is the darling of high-end restaurant chefs in New York, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Los Angeles. His country hams can be found in Momofuku Noodle Bar's ramen bowls in New York City and his bacon is ground into the patties of Husk's legendary cheeseburgers in Charleston. It’s safe to say, Allan Benton’s phone number is on the speed dial of many of this country’s celebrity chefs. If you want to try the “real stuff” check Benton out at https://bentonscountryhams2.com/about.html.
 
Now let’s talk about another bacon maven--Tabitha Brown. I’m not sure she has ever seen a live pig or worked in a smoke house, but she does know her way around a kitchen.
 
Tabitha is a wife, cook, mother, actress and fashion designer from Eden, North Carolina. She also claims to be the inventor of Carrot Bacon—a simple substitute for the real fatty, piggy stuff—and it’s damn good. She has about 12.5 million followers on social media. Many swear they can’t tell the difference between the real stuff and Carrot Bacon.
 
So, now it is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done—here’s how to make a healthier, vegan Carrot Bacon.
 
Ingredients
1 large, thick carrot (the big honking ones)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke, Wright’s
1/2 cup real maple syrup (do not use “pancake” syrup… real maple only)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
 
Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients together and gently heat in a saucepan.
2. While the maple syrup and spices are heating, peel the carrot.
3. Then, using your vegetable peeler, shave the carrot into long thin strips. It will kind of look like bacon slices.
4. Soak the carrot strips in the maple syrup mixture for about 10 minutes.
5. Using an air fryer*, cook the carrot strip at 380⁰F for 5 minutes
6. Serve immediately for bacony-flavored, crisp breakfast strips.

ChefSecret: If you don’t have an air fryer, try cooking it on a rack in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. You might have to experiment a little with time and temperature.

#Breakfast #Brunch #Lunch #Bacon #Pork #BentonsBacon #CarrotBacon #TabithaBrown #AllanBenton #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #ComfortFoods

How you doin’? Here we are on day number… oh, heck—it’s just another day. It appears that most of the people reading this blog are doing okay. I continue to cook up a storm. My favorite Los Angeles meat and poultry markets, Huntington Meat and Farmers Market Poultry, are still open (no lines), have plenty of variety and they even deliver (locally). Gelson’s markets still have had a great selection of produce, but with the farmers having problems selling their crops I don’t know how long that will last. 
 
From the emails and photo images all of you have sent (keep 'em coming), it appears that you are up for the challenge of my recipes. I haven’t segregated them based on easy to hard, just some of my favorites. So, I decided to take it up a notch today and give you a recipe that is a little baroque (complex) and see how many of you are going to give it a try—Instant Pot Caramel Pork Belly.

The best Pork Belly I’ve eaten came from the kitchen of Tom Colicchio at Craft, Century City. It was and still is one of the most sensational dishes to come out of any restaurant kitchen—each bite is pure indulgence. Now, thanks to the Instant Pot, it takes a lot less time to prepare. What else do you have to do? Not everyone can get to Huntington Meat Market, but you will be able to find pork belly in specialty meat markets or a good Asian market. Buy a whole slab and don’t cut it before you cook it. Now, let the adventure begin.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour 40 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
For the spice blend
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
 
For cooking the pork belly
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup sherry
1-pound thick cut pork belly (not bacon)
 
For finishing the pork belly
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch green onions: white parts chopped; green parts cut into 3 1/2-inch lengths
whole pork belly (cooked in the Instant Pot)
salt to taste
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon ginger juice
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup water
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4 whole dried red chile peppers
 
Directions

1. In a small bowl combine the ingredients of the spice blend.
2. Rub the fatty side of the pork belly with the spice blend.
3. Pour the broth and the sherry into the Instant Pot.
4. Now place the spiced pork belly on a trivet in the Instant Pot, spice side up.
5. Close and lock the lid.  Set to HIGH manual pressure for 80 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.
6. When the 80 minutes are up, carefully Quick Release the pressure using the pot’s pressure release valve.
7. Preheat your oven to 400° F. 
8. Lay a large sheet of aluminum foil on a half sheet pan.  Pour the vegetable oil over the foil lined half sheet pan. 
9. Cut pork into 8- to 16-pieces.
10. Sprinkle the chopped white portion of the green onions down the center of the foil.  Carefully place pork belly pieces, fatty side down, on top of the onions.
11. Place the remaining green onions (the green part) on top of pork belly.
12. In a skillet over medium heat, mix 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar and all of the rice vinegar, fish sauce, ginger juice, and soy sauce. Stir to combine.
13. Stir in additional tablespoon of the brown sugar and increase heat to medium-high.
14. Pour water, garlic cloves, chile peppers and the remaining brown sugar into the glaze; simmer until sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes
15. Brush the glaze over the pork belly to coat on the exposed sides of the pork belly pieces. Be sure they remain fatty side down.
16. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes to crisp.
17. Serve hot and crisp.

#PorkBelly #HuntingtonMeats #FarmersMarketPoulty #Entree# PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19

How you doin’? It’s day 23 and we are still staying on top of the curve. All of us at Perspectives are well and continuing to distance ourselves from other people. In Los Angeles we have been asked not to shop or go to the pharmacy for the next week or two. Consider doubling up on your recipes to tide you over. Stay in and stay safe!

Now you might be thinking to yourself, who the heck would make barbecued ribs in an Instant Pot? I sure did. But as the winner of Best Barbecue in Austin, Texas 3-years running (for one of our clients), you can imagine I was more than a little skeptical. I quickly found, however, that using an Instant Pot is a great way to make ribs in hurry when you don’t have access to a “real” smoker. You will need one accessory for your 6-quart Instant Pot—a trivet or steamer basket makes the job a lot easier.

Serve ribs with barbecued beans, coleslaw and/or corn on the cob. Enjoy!
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  35 minutes
Cool Time:  30 minutes
Yield:  Serves 4 to 6
 
Ingredients
 
For the barbecue spice rub
4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons paprika
4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons smoked salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 
For the ribs
2 racks baby back ribs (about 4 pounds total)
1 cup water
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup barbecue sauce
 
Instructions
To make the spice rub

1. Place the brown sugar, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl; stir well to combine; set aside.

To prep and cook the ribs

1. Remove the membrane that covers the bones on the underside of the ribs. (See my ChefsSecret below).
2. Sprinkle the rub evenly over the ribs on both sides and on the ends.  Gently rub the spice mixture into the ribs.  Set aside for at least 2 hours to get the maximum flavor.
3. Set a steamer basket or trivet inside your Instant Pot.  Add 1 cup of water.  Place the ribs on the steamer or trivet by gently rolling them and standing them up in the pot. Put with the first rack of ribs in the pot, then make a tighter roll with the second rack and put them inside the first rack of ribs.
4. Drizzle the rolled ribs with balsamic vinegar.
5. Put the lid on the Instant Pot; seal making sure the pressure valve is closed. Set to HIGH manual pressure for 25 minutes.  The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure.
6. When the 25 minutes are up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then Quick Release any remaining pressure using the pressure cooker’s release valve.
7. Using tongs, immediately transfer the ribs meaty side up to a foil-lined baking sheet; the ribs should gently bend but not break when lifted, and the meat should be just pulling away from the ribs.
8. Brush the finished ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce on all sides. Broil or grill on medium-high heat until some of the sauce is browned and sticky, 5 to 7 minutes.
9. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and cut between the ribs into desired servings. Serve immediately.

ChefSecrets:

• I like to use extra meaty back ribs when available or St. Louis Cut Pork Ribs. 
• Removing the connective membrane usually guarantees tender ribs. To do so, flip the ribs over so they're meat-side down, then slide a knife in between the ribs and the thin membrane of the first rack — start in the center of the rack, which tends to be easier than the ends. Once you’ve got a few inches pulled up, use a clean needle nose pliers or regular pliers to pull the membrane up and off the bones. If you purchase your ribs frozen remove the membrane while still frozen. 
• The ribs can be coated with the dry rub and refrigerated overnight.   
• The cooked ribs can also be cooled, wrapped in food film and refrigerated for up to 4 days before reheating medium-high heat and finishing with the sauce. 
• If you don’t have smoked salt, drizzle 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke over the ribs with the balsamic vinegar.

#BabyBackRibs #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #InstantPot #Covid19