Guinness Glaze Syrup

Guinness is my favorite beer so whenever I get the chance to cook with it, mostly around St. Patricks’ day, I jump on it. This is a recipe I pull out every year.

The glaze is very simple and can be used in several applications. Just think of it as a simple syrup but using the Guinness instead of water. Start with equal parts by volume of Guinness and sugar, so 1 quart of Guinness and 1 quart of sugar. Combine the two in a pot and warm over medium heat.

Whisk as it warms to dissolve the sugar evenly then allow to simmer until the syrup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Once the syrup is finished, cool and store in an airtight container.

The glaze tastes great as a dipping sauce with olive oil for fresh bread and is also a great sauce for sweet baby back ribs. I also like to use it as a sauce on an Irish Car Bomb Sunday.

Whatever you decide to use it with, just make sure you save half of the six pack for yourself.

 

SHATTO MILK COMPANY

Shatto milk, the best milk you can’t get outside of Missouri!  A long trip to California from Kansas City.

 

Bonfire at the beach!

I love cooking over an open fire at the beach!  There is so much more you can cook at a bonfire besides hotdogs and s’mores.

 

Pineapple braised pork shoulder

Braising meats is simple and delicious.  It is a great way to get a lot of flavor into your protein.  You typically only want to braise meats that are tougher cuts (for example, the shoulder, roasts, chicken legs, etc.).

Braising is a combination of moist and dry heat methods.  Usually you will sear the meat in a hot pan, then cover with a liquid (usually a stock) and cook at a low temperature for a few hours.  Pressure cooking and slow cooking are forms of braising.

For my braised pork I started out by breaking down the pork shoulder into manageable pieces.  Season the pork with salt, pepper, and a mix of your favorite chili powders.  After it has been seasoned let it sit at room temperature for a half an hour.  The meat will sear better if it has had time to loosen up.

In a hot pan, add canola or grape seed oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan.  Gently place your meat in the pan using a pair of tongs so you do not burn yourself.  Let the meat sear for a couple of minutes until it has a dark caramelized color then flip the meat and repeat the process until all sides of the meat are browned.

Remove the caramelized meat from the pan and place in your baking pan.  Sear carrots, celery, onions, and pineapple in the same pan that you cooked the pork in.  Keep turning every couple of minutes until the vegetables have a nice color.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the pineapple juice and add a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary.  Pour your pork stock over the vegetables, then transfer to the pork.  Make sure the liquid covers the meat completely and then cover with foil and place in the oven at 325 degrees.  Bake until it is fork tender all the way through.   This will take at least an hour (depending on the size of the pork it could take a couple of hours).

Once the meat is finished braising, discard the vegetables and strain off the liquid, saving a little to toss with the meat.  To serve, you can break the meat into portion sizes and serve with your favorite side dishes.  You can also shred it into a bowl with a fork with a little of the braising liquid and BBQ or teriyaki sauce for a sandwich or slider.

Once you master braising, a whole new world opens up and your meals will become much more exciting.  Have Fun Braising!!!

 

Fire Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Fire Roasted Red Bell Peppers