Satay Marinade

This marinade is suitable for 1lb chicken, pork, beef or extra large shrimp. Marinate for at least 2 hours and for best results overnight.  If marinating shrimp a shorter period is required.

Ingredients

1 TBSP Palm sugar
1/2 Cup coconut cream
1 TBSP commercial curry powder
4 cloves garlic
1 TBSP Fish sauce
2 TBSP finely chopped coriander root and stem.

Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Marinate meat for a minimum of 2 hours, preferable overnight.

Fall Off the bone BBQ Ribs

I love the flavor of ribs, I used to hate that you had to pick it up to gnaw on it and get all that great meat off the bone, so I never really ever made them. A friend of mine showed me how to create fall off the bone.. and I do not exaggerate people, the meat literally slides off the bone. Combine that with some spice rub and BBQ sauce you have yourself a showstopper BBQ dinner.

Recipe courtesy Tim Strand 

Ingredients

2-3 racks Baby Back or spare  Ribs  whatever you prefer (Costco has a great pack of baby back ribs that are excellent quality and cook to perfection each pack has 3 racks)

1 bottle your favorite BBQ Sauce

2 TBS Liquid smoke

Water

Rib Rub (see rub recipe)

Rib Rub Ingredients

1/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup salt (Kosher is best)

1/8 cup onion powder

1/8 cup paprika
1 TBS black pepper
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS dry mustard
1 TBS red pepper (Cayenne Pepper)
1 TBS garlic powder
Makes enough for 2 racks of ribs

Pre-Heat oven to 270F (132C)

Remove ribs from packet. Pat dry with a paper towel.

To prepare the ribs for maximum tenderness you need to strip the back of the clear membranes. 

With a sharp knife (preferably one that is long and skinny) you need to try to slip it between the membrane and the flesh. If you have too much difficulty doing this (it took me 2 racks to perfect it myself) at least scour the membrane so it can split off the meat when it cooks. If you do this be careful
 not to slice too deep so as to get into the flesh.

This takes time but I think it makes a huge difference in the end product, if you can try to slice the membrane 

off altogether that will produce the best result.

Prepare a roasting pan by placing approx 1 inch water in the bottom. Add your liquid smoke to this water.

place the roasting rack in the pan to check the water will not be touching the meat.

Apply rub liberally all over the racks of ribs (note if your ribs are too long for the pan you might have to cut them in half)

Once spiced place them on the roasting rack, it is o.k. to place some on top of each other.

Cover with tin foil. Place in ven on middle rack and cook for 7-8 hours.

 When ribs are done in the oven heat your BBQ/Grill to medium temp.

While the ribs are laying on one side coat it with your BBQ sauce. 

coat some nonstick oil on the BBQ right before you put on your ribs .. the tender meat will stick!

Using long tongs or a super long spatula VERY carefully pick up ribs (1 rack at a time people). They are so tender they will slide off the bone when you try to pick them up. Place them on the BBQ sauce side down. Quickly coat the other side with sauce.

Flip oh so carefully when the front side is heated through. Remember the meat is already cooked you are just basting and infusing your bbq sauce flavor.

this is how clean your bones will be!

When heated on both sides remove from grill and serve juicy hot!!!

Grilled Marinated Ginger, Lime and Garlic Pork Tenderloin

This recipe is everything it's name says it is. I should put in extremely miost and tasty as the title as well! Using only a few key ingredients this is a really tasty, zingy... and not too spicey meal. My kids and husband both loved it. Try it yourself and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

1 plain pork tenderloin roast, trim off any excess fat or rhind
5 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp freshly chopped garlic
1 heaped Tbsp finely chopped ginger
juice of 2 limes
peel of lime chopped finely
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp chilli paste

Directions

in a bowl mix all ingredients except pork and whisk together until all the sauces are well blended and incorporated together.
Slice pork roast ultra thin, then cut down into bite size strips.
In a zip lock bag put your sauce in first getting all the yummy little lime ginger and garlic pieces in. Then add your pork strips. Before sealing squish it around to get the sauce all through the pieces. Then seal and refridgerate for 4-5 hours.

Before cooking is a good time to start steaming your rice as it cooks in approx. 5 minutes.

To cook heat up 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan or lightly grease your BBQ, heat up to Medium high.
(If BBQ-ing leave strips long so they don't fall through grates on the grill)
Once oil (grill) is heated add pork in single layers to the heated cooking area ..., allow it to sear the sides well. With the remaining juices in the bag, place in a small sauce pan on medium high and simmer and reduce the marinade while the pork cooks.
When meat is done all the way through (it cooks EXTREMELY fast) remove it from the heat. Let it rest a minute and it will get very happy in your pan/plate!.
Serve over steamed rice and pour reduced marinade over the top.
YUM!

Chimichurri Brine (with pork chops)

It's Official BRINE IS BEST... I will never cook pork without brine again. I've never been a huge fan of pork with too many times being served hard chops and lack lustre flavor, it sits like a brick in your tummy .... I went out on a limb and thought.. alright alright I'll give it one more chance, everyone keeps telling me about brine so will try it. So here it is folks.. I dare you to try it and love it too.

Recipe Adapted from BHG Grilling Spring 2009

Prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients

6 Cups of water

1 Small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 tbsp finely shredded lime peel

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup fresh parsely, chopped

1 tbsp oregano , chopped

1/4 cup white sugar

4 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Desired Meat or Poulty (in this case Pork Loin Chops)

1. In a large bowl, combine the water, onion, salt, lime juice, parsley, oregano, sugar, garlic, black pepper. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.

2. Place desired meat in bowl and covering completely in the brine. For Pork Chops marinate 4-6 hours in the fridge turning occasionally. Drain chops; discard brine. Allow lime bits to stick if they want to.. it gives each bite an extra zing!

3. Prepare grill for indirect grilling with drip pan. Place chops on the grill rack over driop pan. Cover and gril for 35 minutes.. or until done (160F), turning once halfway through grilling.

Stir Fry of Pork with Chili Jam and Lime

Recipe Courtesy "The Spirit House" Cooking School

Ingredients

400 gms (.88 lbs) Pork loin or fillet, cut into stir fry strips (the thinner you slice the quicker and more tender it cooks)
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
*2 tbsp of chili jam
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tbsp lime juice
200 gms (0.44 lbs) green beans, topped and tailed , then blanched
2 tbsp Vegetable oil

Heat oil in wok to medium heat. Stir fry garlic until just starting to colour. Add pork and stir fry until nearly cooked. Add chili jam, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice and stir fry over high heat until the sauce has reduced to a thick coating consistency. Add beans, toss through to warm.
Serve with Jasmine rice or see recipe coconut rice.

* Chili Jam/paste is used in Tom Yum soups and many salad dressings. Don't confuse this product with Sambel Olek or ground chilis. Look for "Chili Paste with Soya Bean Oil" in your asian supermarket, some local supermarkets do carry it in the asian section as well.