Pernil

Prep Time: 4-5 hours
Serving: About 1/3 pound per person

I took this picture of my father-in-law seasoning the pork for me.  He is great at it!

1 picnic pork shoulder
Adobo:
1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven* to 300F.  Mix all ingredients for Adobo together and set aside.  Cut skin and fat from pork.  If the pork shoulder is extra fatty, cut as much fat as possible from the skin.  Set skin aside.  Using a steak knife or other narrow knife, stab the meat and move the knife to one side to make a hole and sprinkle some Adobo into the hole (see photo above).  Do this all over the meat.  Sprinkle Adobo all over meat.  Place meat on a rack in a large pan and cover with skin.  Cook for 4 hours or until a fork inserted in meat and twisted breaks meat apart easily.  Remove from oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes before slicing. If desired, crisp up skin under broiler.

Serve with Arroz con Gandules, tostones, and salad.

*I always cook pernil in my 18-qt Nesco roaster.  The pernil comes out so moist and tender and it doesn't heat up my house either!

We usually make a gravy to go with the pernil.  I put 1-2 cups of water into a saucepan and add the drippings that has most of the fat skimmed off and heat it over high heat.  Then I take about 1/2 cup cold water and whisk in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour.  Then, I slowly drizzle the flour mixture into the saucepan while whisking the water and drippings mixture.  Cook while stirring constantly until it starts to boil.  I carefully taste it and if it needs more flavor or salt, I add a crushed chicken bouillon to it and taste it.  I just add more water or flour/water mixture or crushed chicken bouillon until it tastes right and is the right thickness.

BBQ Ribs

This recipe was given to me from my mother-in-law.  They are fall-off-the-bones goodness!

Prep. Time: 4 1/2 hours

Serves: About 6

4 lbs. pork ribs

1/4 cup dry spices, divided*

1 cup white grape juice**

1 cup apple juice**

3/4 cup brown sugar, divided

1 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 300F.

Stage 1: Place ribs in a roaster pan with lid.  (My MIL uses stoneware, I use a Nesco roaster oven with a rack.) Sprinkle both sides of ribs with 2 Tbsp dry spices, cover and bake 1 1/2 hours.

Stage 2: Pour in the juices; cover and bake 1 hour.

Stage 3: Mix 2 Tbsp dry spices with 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Sprinkle over ribs; cover and bake 1 hour.

Stage 4: Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar with barbecue sauce. Pour over ribs. Bake UNCOVERED 45 minutes (if in a roaster, leave lid on).

For honey barbecue sauce: Mix 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup honey

*I like Chicken/Poultry Seasoning from Sam's Club

**Or use 2 cups of either white grape or apple juice

Tip:  Since this takes so long to make, make extra and freeze it before you do Stage 4.  When ready to use, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and do the last step that day.

Easy Shredded Beef

Prep Time for Meat: 4 to 8 hours
Prep Time for Meals: 20 to 30 minutes
Serves: About 4 per pound of meat

Put London Broil (the amount is up to you) into a crock pot on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. When it pulls apart easily with a fork, shred it with two forks, removing any fat.

Now make a recipe using shredded beef or freeze it in two- or four-cup portions in quart-size freezer bags. Flatten the meat out and remove as much air as possible. Label and freeze up to six months.


Tacos or Tostadas
Put 2 cups shredded beef in a skillet and add taco seasoning and water (according to package directions) to make 1-pound of taco meat.
Meanwhile, fry corn tortillas in a little oil for a couple of minutes on each side over medium-high heat. For tostadas, fry until tortilla is crisp. Top with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, sour cream, and salsa.

Burritos or Chimichangas
Thaw beef if frozen and add salt and pepper to taste to 2 cups shredded beef. Heat over medium until warm. Optional: add a can of green chilies, 1 to 2 cups cooked rice, a can of pinto beans and/or refried beans. Put 1/4 to 1/2 cup beef in the middle of a burrito-size flour tortilla. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Fold up bottom, then both sides, and roll over (To make rolling tortillas easier, warm slightly in microwave).
For burritos, make all the burritos and put in a baking dish. Top with more cheddar cheese and salsa and cook at 375 degrees until cheese is melted.
For chimichangas, heat about an inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry on both sides until golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Beef Flautas
Thaw 2 cups of beef and make as for tacos. Mix in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional). Spread 2 tablespoons meat mixture in a line across corn tortillas and roll up (if needed, dip tortillas in warm oil to make rolling easier). Fry in 1/2 inch hot oil (over medium-high heat) until light golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Serve hot with salsa and sour cream.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Add 1/2 to 1 cup barbecue sauce to 2 cups shredded beef and heat in microwave or on the stove. Serve on kaiser rolls or hamburger buns when heated through.