Coffee Pulled Pork

Less "pulled" and a bit more "chunks"

I had a large pork butt (7 pounds) that I made in the slow cooker the other day, and now I have lots of leftovers! I found this particular rub and spice blend tasty and easy, which I modified from this Paleo/Gluten Free Blog. I thought the pork was good as is, and also with the addition of some bbq sauce. It doesn't need much - I had some fancy bbq sauce in the fridge that I bought at the co-op a year ago, and I just gave a pour atop my re-heating meat. The bbq flavor was especially festive with homemade coleslaw.

Coffee Pulled Pork

2.5-3 lbs. boneless pork butt
1.5 T finely ground coffee (I used decaf!)
1 T chili powder 

2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon mustard powder

2-3 cloves fresh garlic, sliced or minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1. (I have never done this step that is often recommended for cooking pork butt, but my roast was so large this time, I wish I would have!) Slice off the thick slab of fat (known as the fat cap) along one side of the pork butt. Place the whole butt into the slow cooker insert.

2. Mix together all the spices and rub all over the meat, making sure to cover both ends and get into the nooks and crannies. You might think you don't need all of the rub but keep massaging it all over the meat until it's all used.

3. Set your slow cooker to high for 5 hours or low for 9.

4. You can shred the meat one of two ways. You can shred it directly in the slow cooker with two forks. But when you transfer it to a serving bowl or container, you probably won't need all of the sauce. Leave about half behind. Stir to blend the meat with the liquid, taste, and add more liquid if you think it needs it. If you want to serve directly from the slow cooker, leave as is. The liquid will help keep it moist. Or you can transfer the meat to a bowl, shred it with two forks, and stir in about half the liquid. Taste the meat and add more liquid if it's a bit too dry, no more than 2 tablespoons at a time.

Optional step: if you want crispy bits of meat, spread the shredded pork out onto a baking sheet. Broil for 5-8 minutes, or until some parts are crisp.

Serve is as, with Tequila Pineapple Barbecue Sauce, or sauce of your choice. 

Here it is slightly more pulled, with some bbq sauce mixed in

Snap Pea Salad with Mint and Feta

The snap peas are in full swing and I am finding them so tasty! I've been eating them with eggs and garlic scapes for breakfast, or with some salad greens, but tonight decided to make them the primary salad feature. This is just a simple, garden fresh salad using what I had: garlic scapes, mint, and the snap peas. Had I any radishes left, they would also be delicious in here. I also had some mild feta, though the salad was good plain, so you wouldn't need it.

Snap Pea Salad (makes one larger salad or 2 mini ones)
2 cups snap peas, sliced thinly at an angle
1 garlic scape, sliced thinly
2-3 mint sprigs, chopped
2 T mild feta crumble (opt)
juice of half a (large) lemon
1+ T olive oil (long pour!)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together and eat!

Smashed Sunchokes

The past days and weeks have felt rife with turmoil, grief and rage around this other  pandemic of black trauma and racism. Something shifted after the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and again with image after image of police violence against protesters demanding justice. None of it is new of course, but things that once seemed far away (police abolition, white people en mass reckoning with our racism and continued systems of enslavement) are beginning to happen, and it is a new feeling for me to have so much hope and possibility amidst the trauma.

Near the George Floyd Memorial on 38th Street & Chicago Ave

Last weekend my friend and I finally got to cook our goat leg, and we also watched the entire 2nd season of Ramy, released last Satuday, as some balm and distraction from the helicopters overhead and the knocks on the door from neighbors checking to make sure we were aware of the protocols to prevent the white supremacists from burning our garages and trash cans here in south Minneapolis. It was a heartbreaking week. The season of Ramy was excellent, with its exploration of faith, racism, and homophobia centered around the main character Ramy, who in his search for himself, meaning & intimacy, also hurts people and lies in earnest. I cringed a good half of the time in recognition and angst.

Today I made some smashed sunchokes, harvested last month. It is feeling good to be eating things from my own yard right now. These turned out really good - I ate a full half batch. It seemed to work best to choose sunchokes of about the same size, and I didn't change the recipe from Serious Eats at all. I am learning that sunchokes and melted butter are a stellar combo. Yum.

Smashed Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem Artichokes)
1 pound sunchokes, rinsed and trimmed of any dark spots
Kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons oil/cooking fat
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Large pinch freshly picked thyme leaves
Flaky salt, such as Maldon, for serving

1. In a medium saucepan, cover sunchokes with 1 inch cold water. Season generously with salt (the water should taste nicely salted, as if you were seasoning soup). Set over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until paring knife inserted into a sunchoke meets little resistance, about 10 minutes; be careful not to overcook.

2. Drain sunchokes using fine-mesh strainer or colander. When cool enough to handle, place sunchokes on work surface or cutting board. Working 1 sunchoke at a time, use the bottom of a heavy skillet to press firmly on each sunchoke until it is flattened but not still in one piece; take care not to press so hard that the sunchokes break apart. 

3. In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add sunchokes in a single layer and cook without moving until well browned, about 3 minutes. Flip sunchokes, then add butter to the pan and allow to melt. Add half of thyme to the melted butter and continue to cook, spooning butter over sunchokes, until browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer.

4. Transfer sunchokes to a serving plate and spoon the thyme butter on top. Garnish with remaining freshly picked thyme leaves and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve immediately.