Apple Cider Pork Chop Sammies with Apple Slaw

Yesterday I finally had the chance got motivated enough to go around and check out some of the Secret Recipe Club Group C reveals from the December reveal. Wow! There were some great posts - what a talented group of people. Some of my favorites were Saltine Cracker Toffee over at Allie's Clean Plate Club, Salmon Creme at the Kitchen Witch Blog, and the Chocolate Peppermint Brownie at Foodness Gracious. But I think my absolute favorite of the bunch was the Apple Cider Pork Chop Sammies with Apple Slaw over at Cookin with Moxie, in fact, I was so excited about these "sammies" that I just had to make them last night for dinner!

It was sooooo worth it! The house smelled amazing, they were quite easy, but the only thing they weren't was quick. The key to the deliciousness of these sammies is the slow simmering of the pork chops. I tweaked the recipe a bit, and I think I will tweak it a bit more next time I make it (because there will most definitely be a next time when I'm through with all these turkey leftovers!!). Here is the recipe, because I can tell you're dying to give it a try. I've noted the changes (though there aren't many) that I will make next time I make it in blue.

Apple Cider Pork Chop Sammies

Recipe adapted from Cookin' with Moxie

Ingredients:

•  3 lbs pork chops (next time I will use a pork roast and cut into thick pieces)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 4 cups apple cider
• 1 bottle dark beer (I used Dead Frog Brewery's Nut Brown Ale)
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 sandwich buns
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp celery salt
• 1/2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 bag prepared coleslaw mix
• 3 granny smith apples, shredded
• BBQ sauce

Method:

1. Sprinkle pork generously on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large heavy bottomed, deep skillet, over medium high heat, add the olive oil and sear the chops on all sides. Remove to a plate while searing batches of the pork until all pork has been browned (work in batches to prevent over crowding the pan - overcrowding the pan results in decreasing the temperature of the pan and then boiling your pork instead of searing. We want to sear to ensure that we develop those delicious caremlization flavours!!).
2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions. Sweat for five minutes, then add the garlic and sweat for five more minutes. Deglaze the pan with the apple cider and the beer. Scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add pork chops and any juices that have accumulated back to the pan. Add the thyme. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the pork is falling apart. Remove the pork from the liquid with a slotted spoon and shred with two forks.
3. While the pork is cooking, make the coleslaw. Whisk together the mayo, cider vinegar, celery salt, and both mustards. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Add coleslaw mix and shredded apples. Toss thoroughly.
4. To assemble the sammies, place a generous scoop of coleslaw on one side of the bun, place a generous scoop of the shredded pork on the other side of the bun. Then drizzle the pork side of the bun generously with your favorite bbq sauce. Enjoy a sloppy, but delicious dinner!

So, pretty easy, just takes a bit of time. Make this one on a weekend or better yet, make it while you're still on Christmas vacation! :)

Happy Cooking my Friends!

 

On the First Day of Christmas... Warm Mulled Cider

Welcome to the first day of Christmas on my blog! We'll start off with a Christmassy drink - warm mulled cider. The recipe is courtesy of Chef Michael Smith and it is really good! A little on the sweeter side though - I'm posting the recipe with reduced sugar so that it is not quite so sweet, but you can make it however sweet you like!

I'm sure most of you have started decorating for Christmas and likely started on your Christmas shopping too! I'm trying to avoid as much of that as possible! I find Christmas to be very distracting and all-encompassing and right now I have to focus on writing my exam on December 17th. Sooooo Christmas doesn't really officially start for me until then! I did sneak out front to put my wreath up yesterday evening though while on a "study-break"!! So you can imagine that I'm a little bit excited to be testing a few Christmassy recipes when I really don't get to acknowledge the holiday season yet! :)

Warm Mulled Cider
Recipe Adapted from Chef Michael Smith's Chef at Home

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 8 cups fresh apple cider
• 1 orange
• handful of cloves
• a few cinnamon sticks
• several bay leaves
• branch or two of fresh rosemary
• splash of vanilla extract
• bottle of great chardonnay

Method:

1. Place sugar in a tight pile in the centre of a large saucepot - large enough to hold the cider and the wine. Pour the water around it and begin heating the works over high heat. Don't stir or shake the pot! The sugar mixture will quickly form a syrup and come to a boil. Continue simmering as the water boils away. When the syrup begins to brown around the edges, swirl it gently until the resulting caramel turns a beautiful golden brown.
2. Working quickly, and carefully, add the cider to shock the caramel and prevent it from further browning. It will spatter, so e careful. Bring entire mixture to a simmer.
3. Pierce the orange skil with the cloves, forming an even pattern, then add to the cider. Add cinnamon, bay leaves, rosemary and vanilla. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes or so, until the cider reduces by a third.
4. Add the wine and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Serve immediately in a festive mug. Garnish each serving with a fresh rosemary sprig and a cinnamon stick.

Definitely a yummy and festive drink! I hope you have enjoyed the first day of Christmas here on my blog! Stay tuned as we progress through the 12 days of Christmas and through a delicious and festive holiday menu! Coming up next are some great starters to serve to your guests while you're putting dinner together.

Cheers!