Meatballs

This is also a recipe from my wonderful mother-in-law, Louise.  They are so delicious!

1 pound ground beef*
1 pound ground pork*
1 pound ground veal*
2 1/4 cups bread crumbs**
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or 1/2 cup dry parsley
3 eggs
4 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
4 1/2 tsp granulated onion
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together and shape into uniform balls.  Place on cookie sheet with sides (like a jelly roll pan or 9"x13" pan) and bake at 350F for 30 to 45 minutes, until cooked through (length of bake time will depend on size of meatballs).

*Optional:  Use 3 pounds meatloaf mixture or 3 pounds ground beef (the meatballs are more flavorful using all of the different meats or a meatloaf mixture).

**I make my own Italian-flavored bread crumbs, but you can use store-bought.

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.