Category: Pork
Asian Pork Bowl
Marmalade & Dijon Glazed Ham
Braised Pork Hocks
Fork tender braised pork hocks, drizzled with a reduced wine and stock au jus served over creamy cheesy grits!
In an attempt to come up with cost effective and also interesting meals, we like to poke around the supermarket and look for foods that might be a little outside our wheelhouse
You never know when you come across a little treasure like pork hocks!
What is a pork hock?
Hocks, though technically not considered an ankle are the part of a pig’s leg that connect the foot to the shin
Though pork hocks can either come from the front or back legs the more familiar ham hock typically comes from the back
The difference between a ham hock and a pork hock is that like a ham this hock is typically smoked and used as the protein in soup and especially greens like collards
We were super excited to find these pork hocks in the unsmoked form
Not only are they very economical but with a proper braising they are super delicious
So let’s get started!
Preheat your oven to 350 F
Next heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat
Here we have 4 pork hocks, skin removed (roughly 4 pounds) sprinkled with kosher salt and ground black pepper
Once the oil in the dutch oven starts to lightly smoke add in the hocks seasoned side down
Season the back side with more kosher salt and ground black pepper
Sear for 3-4 minutes then flip and sear another 3-4
Remove from the pot and set aside
Next we will need a mirepoix (pronounced Meer – Pwaa)
What is a mirepoix?
A mirepoix is basically vegetables that are sweated down in a pot to start building the flavors for the sauce or gravy
The most known consists of onions, carrots and celery which is what we are using with the addition of garlic
What is life without some garlic!
Peel and chopped 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 garlic cloves and chop 1 celery stalk
Lower the heat
Add the veggies to the dutch oven and sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper, sweat the veggies for at least 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally
While the vegetables cook let’s get the next set of ingredients together
We will need 2 cups of a dry red wine (like a Cabernet), 2 cups of beef stock, 2 tablespoons of Gravy Master and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
Click on our link to make Homemade Beef Stock
Add the wine to the pot and stir up any bits off the bottom
Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes
Next, add in the stock, Gravy Master and Worcestershire Sauce
Mix, then bring to a boil then remove from heat and nestle the pork hocks into the dutch oven
Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour
At the 1 hour mark remove the hocks from the oven and flip them over in the pot
Add in a fresh rosemary sprig
By the way this could have been done when you first placed the hocks in the pot but I forgot 😏
Place the pot back into the oven and cook 45-60 minutes more or until the meat is very very tender
Remove the hocks and set aside to rest
Strain the juices from the pot reserving them and discard the vegetables as they were only there to build flavors
At this time what you have here is the natural cooked juice from the meat, with the wine and stock forming an au jus
To thicken into a gravy simply return the au jus to a pot, bring to a simmer
In a separate pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle in 1/4 cup of flour
Whisk the mixture until lightly browned to remove the flour flavor
Start adding the roux to the juice from the pot until you achieve your desire thickness
We dipped the hocks into the au jus and served it over cheesy grits with more sauce on top!
Dig in!!
Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Braised Pork Hocks
Ingredients
4 pork hocks (skin removed)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
1 celery stalk
2 garlic cloves
2 cups of dry red wine (like a Cabernet)
2 cups of beef stock
2 tablespoons of Gravy Master
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Optional for gravy
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of flour
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Next heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle four skinless pork hocks with kosher salt and ground black pepper
Once the oil starts to smoke lightly place the hocks in the pot seasoning side down. Sprinkle the back with more kosher salt and pepper. Sear for 3-4 minutes then flip and sear another 3-4. Remove from the pot and set aside
Lower the heat. Peel and chop 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 garlic cloves and chop 1 celery stalk and add these to the pot. Sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Sweat the veggies for at least 8-10 minutes
Next add in 2 cups of dry red wine ( like a Cabernet) and stir up any bits off the bottom. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes. Next add in 2 cups of beef stock, 2 tablespoons of Gravy Master and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat
Nestle the pork hocks into the dutch oven. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour. At the 1 hour mark remove the hocks from the over and flip them over in the pot. Add in a fresh rosemary sprig
Place the pot back into the oven and cook 45-60 minutes more or until the meat is very very tender. Remove the hocks and set aside to rest. Strain the juices from the pot reserving them and discard the vegetables
Dip the hocks in the reserved au jus and serve over cheesy grits with more juice spooned over the hock and grits
Optional for gravy
To thicken into a gravy simply return the au jous to a pot, bring to a simmer. In a separate pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle in 1/4 cup of flour
Whisk the mixture until lightly browned to remove the flour flavor. Start adding the roux to the juice from the pot until you achieve your desire thickness
Anchor Hocking 8 Cup Measuring Cup Glass Batter Bowl with Spout
Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Architec Carving Board, Gripperwood
© Simply Sundays 2020
All rights reserved
Cuban Style Pork Roast
Perfectly roasted pork stuffed with tangy mustard, creamy swiss, ham and tart pickles
Unless you never turn on any cooking shows, you’ve more than likely have heard of the Cuban sandwich
Though there seems to be a lot of speculation around this sandwich the most constant thread is that the origins came over to Miami, Tampa and Key West by immigrant Cuban workers
No matter what the truth is there is no denying that the combo of roast pork, ham, swiss, mustard and pickles is just fantastic and we are grateful to whomever got this sandwich started
We decided the only way to improve on this classic is to roast them all together
And thus the Cuban style pork roast was born!
We are starting out with this beautiful 3.5 pound center cut pork loin roast
With a sharp knife make a thin cut along the fat cap making sure not to cut all the way through
Flip the roast over and continue to cut as you roll the pork away from the knife
And there you have it!
A nice filleted pork roast
Remember you can certainly have a butcher do this step for you
Next we will need 4 tablespoons of mustard (we used dijon) and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
Spread the mustard over the pork and sprinkle with the seasonings
Next we will need some swiss cheese and ham
I would have preferred slightly thicker sizes of cold cuts but I worked with what I had
Keep that in mind as they will hold up better in the roast
Lay the swiss out along the pork
We used 8 slices
Next is the ham
We also used 8 slices
Since 8 seems to be the magic number let’s continue and use 8 dill pickle slices
I like to press the pickle slices in paper towel to draw out some of the excess moisture
Lay the pickles on the pork
Now start rolling the pork from the left to the right side trying to keep it tight
We basically want the pork back to its original shape with the fat cap back on top
And there you have it!
Back to square one!
Lay butchers string out at 1-1 1/2 inch intervals under the roast
The string will help the roast maintain its shape
Tie the roast up and snip off the excess string
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the roast
Rub the oil all over the roast
Sprinkle the roast with some kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika
I like to let the roast sit for awhile to allow the seasonings to penetrate the meat
Preheat your oven to 350 F
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in an oven proof pan
Once the pan is lightly smoking lay the roast fat cap side down and sear 1-2 minutes
Sear on all sides
Why put a sear on meat you’re going to roast anyway?
When you sear the roast you form a crust on the outside. Not only does this amp up the flavor it helps seal in the natural juices
Notice I use my meat fork as a little helper when searing the sides
Once seared on all sides remove the roast and set aside
I’m going to line the pan with some veggies
This will keep the roast suspended off the bottom of the pan which will help keep it from sticking
The veggies will also add flavor to whatever juice we get from the pork
I used 1 stalk of celery, 1 carrot and one onion all sliced thinly
Lay the veggies in the bottom of the pan
Pour in an inch or two of chicken stock
Lay the roast across the veggies and place in the oven
Cook for 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 F
Remove the roast from the oven and set aside to rest for at least 10-12 minutes
Remember to remove the butcher string and discard
Now you can slice the roast and serve
We like this simply with some beans and rice however you can certainly wrap this up let it cool and slice it deli style for a true Cuban sandwich
Any way you decide to cut it you won’t be sorry!
Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Cuban Style Pork Roast
Ingredients
3.5 pound center cut pork loin roast
4 tablespoons of dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (plus more for the exterior)
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper (plus more for the exterior)
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (plus more for the exterior)
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder (plus more for the exterior)
8 slices of swiss cheese
8 slices of ham
8 dill pickle slices
2 tablespoons of olive oil
paprika
1 onion
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
chicken stock
Directions
With a sharp knife make a thin cut along the fat cap making sure not to cut all the way through a 3.5 pound center cut pork loin roast. Flip the roast over and continue to cut as you roll the pork away from the knife until you have a flattened pork fillet
Spread 4 tablespoons of dijon mustard on the pork and sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
Lay the swiss out along the pork. We used 8 slices. Next lay out 8 slices of ham. Press 8 dill pickle slices between paper towels to draw out any excess moisture. Lay the pickle slices on the pork
Start rolling the pork from the left to the right side trying to keep it tight until the pork is back to its original shape with the fat cap back on top. Lay butchers string out at 1-1 1/2 inch intervals under the roast. Tie the roast up and snip off the excess string
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the roast. Rub the oil all over the roast. Sprinkle the roast with kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and some paprika. Let the roast sit for awhile to allow the seasonings to kind of penetrate the meat
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in an oven proof pan. Once the pan is lightly smoking lay the roast in fat cap side down and sear 1-2 minutes. Sear on all sides
Once seared, remove the roast and set aside. In the pan layer 1 sliced onion, 1 sliced carrot and 1 sliced celery stalk. Pour in an inch or two of chicken stock. Lay the roast across the veggies and place in the oven. Cook for 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 F
Remove the roast from the oven and set aside to rest for at least 10-12 minutes. Remove the butcher string and discard. Slice the roast thinly and serve
Tools used to make this recipe
Architec Carving Board, Gripperwood
Simply Bamboo Maui Bamboo Cutting Board
ZELITE INFINITY Chef Knife 8 inch
Regency Natural Cooking Twine 1/2 Cone 100% Cotton 500ft
@Simply Sundays 2020
All rights reserved