Thursday Recipe - Orange Ginger Pork

I had a big pork roast the other day and a bunch of assorted leftovers. So I did what I usually do and improvised. I loved the taste of this one. It makes a great pulled pork. The orange and lemon gives it a nice tang and the ginger gives it a mild kick.

Orange Ginger Pork

about 2 lbs boneless pork roast, cut into large chunks (5 or 6 big pieces)
1 orange, sliced really thin, don't peel it
1/2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
2 T. fresh ginger, chopped fine
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. brown sugar
2 t. salt
1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper

Stick pork into a 2 quart slow cooker. Stuff the orange slices between the pieces of pork. Mix together everything else. Pour over the pork. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Remove the orange slices and discard. Take two forks and use them to pull the pork apart. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes.

Serve over rolls, mashed potatoes, or rice. Add a green salad and baked yams for a complete and yummy meal.

Thursday Recipe - Paprika Pork

We did this in the crockpot last night. It turned out very moist and tasty. This makes a basic pulled pork so you can dress it up with whatever sides or sauces that sound tasty to you. Serve it on sandwiches or with mashed potatoes or just eat it. It's that tasty.

Paprika comes in a variety of flavors. It's ground chili peppers so it ranges from sweet to spicy. The smoked variety is really good with this kind of dish. Paprika is usually associated with Hungarian cuisine. It isn't the same as chili powder, it's a different variety of pepper. Here, go read the wikipedia article if you want to learn more.

Paprika Pork

2 lb boneless pork roast (I used a lean sirloin roast)
2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1 T. paprika
1 t. Italian herb mix
1/4 c. peach jam
1/2 c. water

Put the roast in a small crockpot (1-2 qt). Sprinkle with spices and herbs. Spoon the jam on top. Pour the water over everything. Cook on high for 1-2 hours, until it's hot. Turn to low. Cook another 4-5 hours. Shred pork. Return to liquid and cook for another 30 minutes.

Serves 4-6 people.