Coop and I hit the road a bit after Noon headed south toward North-West NJ and dinner with my cousin Carol and her son Christopher.
Read moreThe Fat Boy Summer Road Trip 2014 - Day 3
Day 3 I woke up to this amazing view of the Mississippi River while rolling down the tracks in Northern Minnesota
Day 3 of the Fat Boy Summer Road Trip of 2014 found me waking to an awesome view of the Mississippi River west of Red Wing, Minnesota. Most of the day was the same as the last, with places and views the only real difference.
Read moreDinner Tonight: Pulled Pork with Sweet Corn Cake
In my last post, I talked about the great pulled pork I made. Here is another dinner I made with it, and it was another winner. What this shows more than anything is that some base proteins can be used for endless meals if they are versatile enough to be re-seasoned to fit the flavor profile of the type of food you want to prepare.
Read moreDinner Time - Slow Cooker Maple Pumpkin Pulled Pork
I love experimenting with new ways to use ingredients, and thought this would be a great flavor combination. It exceeded my expectations. The delicate moistness of the pumpkin holds up well to the maple but the bourbon and worcteshire sauce help smooth the transition. When combined with the salty goodness of the pork it is amazing. Give this a try, you won't regret your visit to Fat Boy Heaven.
Slow Cooker Maple Pumpkin Pulled Pork
If you like pulled pork, you're going to love this beautiful recipe for slow cooker pulled pork. Rich & salty, with just enough sweet to make you crave it nightly, you're gonna love this recipe twist!
INGREDIENTS
-
- 3 pound pork roast
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- hamburger buns
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place pork roast in a slow cooker. Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, and maple extract. Use a spatula to mix together the pumpkin mixture over the top of the pork. Cover and set slow cooker to high. Cook for 4-6 hours, or until pork is tender.
- Using two forks, pull the pork apart until well shredded. Stir well into the pumpkin mixture. Cover and allow to cook for another hour, until the sauce thickens.
- Spoon mixture onto hamburger buns. Serve and enjoy!
Dinner Time: Slow Cooker Pumpkin Maple Pulled Pork
I was looking through recipes last night, and thought this one seemed an awesome way to blend summer BBQ with the flavors of fall. It really has amazing depth of flavor, and hits spice notes you don't usually think of as being a part of BBQ. The cloves and allspice from the pumpkin pie spice blend with the maple and pumpkin to smell like thanksgiving came to your backyard BBQ. Add to the thanksgiving feel the creamy richness of slow-cooked pork and you end up with an amazing and EASY dinner. I served this with onion hamburger buns, but you can use any bun you prefer. Next time I think I'll use a corn-muffin style bun to bring in the cornbread stuffing element. Enjoy another little piece of Fat Boy Heaven right here:
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Maple Pulled Pork
If you like pulled pork, you're going to love this beautiful recipe for slow cooker pulled pork. Rich & salty, with just enough sweet to make you crave it nightly, you're gonna love this recipe twist!
YIELD 8 servings
ACTIVE TIME 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME 4 hours
INGREDIENTS
3 pound pork roast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon maple extract
2 tablespoons bourbon
hamburger buns
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place pork roast in a slow cooker. Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, and maple extract. Use a spatula to mix together the pumpkin mixture over the top of the pork. Cover and set slow cooker to high. Cook for 4-6 hours, or until pork is tender.
2. Using two forks, pull the pork apart until well shredded. Stir well into the pumpkin mixture. Cover and allow to cook for another hour, until the sauce thickens.
3. Spoon mixture onto hamburger buns. Serve and enjoy!
Oregon Brews and BBQs: Slick's Big Time BBQ
First on the list today was Slick's Big Time BBQ out if Newberg. We tried the Chef's Special, which included 2 Ribs, a Pulled Pork sandwich and 2 sides for $12.00
The ribs were juicy and tender, with a very nice bark. They were cooked the way I would do them in the back yard, cut thick and falling off the bone. In a competition they would be overcooked with the way the whole piece of meat came off when I tried to take a bite. The pulled pork was tender, but I didn't care for the heavy sauce they paired with this one. It was supposed to be sweet and spicy, but the spice overwhelmed the sweet here. The baked beans were more of a chili than a baked bean, and the slaw was good but not great.
Overall it was decent but not great BBQ, but well above average for a fair-type setting.
Dinner Time - Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork on GF Cornbread bun
I was looking for a new pulled pork recipe yesterday, and this one looked so easy and interesting that I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful the meat came out, and how easy it was to do the pork this way. I will try this method this summer on the grill, but keeping a constant temp on my Webber Kettle for 6 hours takes some work. The combination of fruit flavors from the Dr. Pepper combined with the smoky spice of the chipotles worked really well together. The kids said it was good enough to do again, but that it was kind of spicy. Carrie and I will be having leftovers for lunch today.
The gluten-free cornbread buns I found here. I think something was wrong with my baking powder, as they didn't rise as much as I expected. I'll give the recipe another try soon and let you know how they turn out. The flavor was great, and they held up well despite the wonderful dripping pork fat from the pork.