Pork Loin Gone Wrong

I was inspired by a friend's mention of a slow cooked pork loin and wanted to make it at home. I had written down some of the ingredients, but since we had been *ahem* drinking when this occurred, I'm sure I got it wrong. So I Googled, found what I thought was it, and made it. I should have just called. The recipe I made was totally different, and I managed to mess it up. It was for a pork loin with cranberries. Many of my slow cooker recipes say "7-8 hours on low, 5-6 hours on high". This one did not. But I only had 6 hours, so I cooked it on high. Mistake. I caramelized the fruit and destroyed the pork. Maybe I'll try again since it really looked good. 

Meanwhile I've called my friend and gotten the correct recipe for her "ginger spiced pork rub".

Below is what I made and messed up. And this photo is not what mine looked like!

Pork Loin with Cranberries

1 1 can whole berry sauce
1/2 C quartered dried apricots
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
1/4 C fresh OJ
1 shallot, chopped
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp fresh ginger
2 lb boneless pork loin roast
snipped chives

1. Mix cranberry sauce, apricots, orange peel and juice, shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt, and ginger in 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add pork and spoon some of cranberry mixture on top. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours or until pork is tender.

2. Remove pork to cutting board. Spoon off any fat from top of cranberry mixture in slow cooker. Slice pork into 6 thick slices. Serve topped with sauce. Garnish with chives, if desired.

$5 Brownies

I had these awesome brownies at New Year's and managed to get a hold of the recipe. These are incredibly rich, chocolatey, and over-the-top. I did a little twist and put caramel and sea salt on a couple. Yowza.  I only made a half recipe. And I cooked it 10 minutes longer than this says.

If you want a brownie that will thoroughly kick your ass, these are it. (caramel & sea salt at your own risk!)

3 sticks unsalted butter
12 oz fine quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 eggs
1 1/4 C cake flour (not self rising)
1 C plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch process)
3 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan, knocking out excess flour.

2. Melt butter with chocolate in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and whisk in eggs, 1 at a time.

3. Sift together flour and cocoa powder in a separate bowl and stir into batter with sugar and salt. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and a tester inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours, before cutting into 20 squares.

Experiment

This is sort of new territory for me - the cupcake. I don't make them. However, I do make the Guinness Brownie, so this is just a twist on that. 

I've made the brownies for years now but I'm still fighting with the texture and baking times along with the materials of pan (glass vs. metal). After many variations I've nailed down the ingredient brands to our taste. So I make them a lot and we enjoy them.

The other day I was cruising through Surfas and broke down and purchased a silicone cupcake pan. Tonight I made cupcakes using the recipe in that. I've been using silpats for years for cookies so I suppose it's a natural progression. What's really new is designing this as a "half" recipe. I have no idea the baking time, how much to fill them, how long to cook them, etc. I had so much batter with even a half recipe that I had enough to make 12 cupcakes. I filled some high and some low and cooked it for 4 minutes longer than I expected and I still don't think I cooked them long enough (the trouble with the other recipe!) but we'll see. At least I didn't waste as many ingredients in the process. 

And I have lots of extra Guinness to enjoy in the can while they bake!

Pork & Apples

Tonight we headed to P's house and made a meal of slow cooked pork butt with dried apple rings and dumplings. It wasn't bad and was about the easiest thing I've ever made. We made baked apples for dessert - a warm winter meal!