LEFTOVERS, YOU KNOW THE FOOD THAT SITS IN THE FRIDGE FOR A WEEK, ALL BY IT'S LONESOME IN A TUPPERWARE CONTAINER UNTIL IT STARTS TO TURN INTO A SCIENCE PROJECT. BUT WHY? SO MANY PEOPLE TEND JUST TOSS IT INTO THE MICROWAVE OR THROW THEM OUT COMPLETELY WITHOUT REALIZING THE POTENTIAL THESE FORGOTTEN "INGREDIENTS" HOLD. YUP, I CALLED THEM AN INGREDIENT. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WITH A LITTLE CREATIVITY AND EFFORT YOU CAN BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THOSE MASHED POTATOES OR CORN ON THE COB...OR PULLED PORK AND SMOKED CHICKEN LIKE I DID HERE...
FOR JULY FOURTH WE HAD A BLOWOUT AT HOME, JUST LIKE WE DO EVERY YEAR. AND EVERY YEAR WE MAKE TOO MUCH FOOD, BUT THATS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING. SO WHEN IT WAS TIME TO HEAD INTO WORK AT THE FIREHOUSE I KNEW I COULD NOT LET THE PULLED PORK, THAT I WOKE UP TO START AT 4 A.M., GO TO WASTE. SAME GOES FOR THE CHICKEN THIGHS I SMOKED OVER APPLEWOOD AND GLAZED WITH MY PEACH BBQ SAUCE. I KNEW THEY DESERVED MORE THAN JUST ZAP IN THE OL' MICROWAVE, DRYING THEM OUT TO WHAT MIGHT AS WELL BE JERKY...
SO WHAT BETTER WAY TO HONOR THY PIG AND CHICKEN THAN STUFF THEM INSIDE A PORK LOIN THAT I ROLLED OUT LIKE A J.K. ROWLING NOVEL. NOW TOP IT WITH SOME ONION, CHEDDAR CHEESE (LEFTOVER FROM THE MAC N' CHEESE OF COURSE) AND AN UNBELIEVABLY GOOD SPICY RUB FROM FLAVOR GOD. AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT WE MIGHT AS WELL THROW IN SOME PEACHES TO COMPLIMENT THE PEACH BBQ SAUCE. BOOM! YOUV'E JUST ADDED NEW LIFE INTO THOSE LEFTOVERS! AND NOW, WE GRILL....
THIS MY FRIENDS, IS WHAT A STUFFED PORK LOIN SHOULD LOOK LIKE AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF ON A GRILL OVER INDIRECT HEAT. THE CRISPY, SALTY SKIN WAS DELICIOUS.
THERE WAS SO MUCH GOING ON HERE...SPICY, SALTY AND SWEET. NOT TO MENTION TEXTURES GALORE WITH THE CRUNCHY EXTERIOR, TENDER PULLED PORK AND STICKY GLAZE. SO THE MORAL OF THIS FIREHOUSE KITCHEN STORY...DONT CHUCK THOSE LEFTOVERS SO QUICK! USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND HAVE FUN, IT'S ONLY COOKING AFTER ALL. WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? A KITCHEN FULL OF HUNGRY FIREFIGHTERS? ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING SO WHATEVER YOU DO, MAKE IT DELICIOUS! OH, AND HERE IS THE RECIPE.....
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 lb. BONELESS PORK ROAST, butterflied
LEFTOVER PULLED PORK AND OR CHICKEN
1 cup of CHEDDAR CHEESE
1/2 ONION, chopped
1 PEACH, pitted and chopped
1 sprig of ROSEMARY, leaves removed/chopped
BBQ RUB OF YOUR CHOICE ( Flavor God Everything Spicy is great )
SALT/PEPPER
BBQ SAUCE OF YOUR CHOICE
3 tbs. PEACH PRESERVES
PROCEDURE:
Preheat grill with medium heat. Set up for indirect heat. Temp should be around 400*
Combine your bbq sauce and peach preserves, set aside.
Lay out the pork roast like a book. Season with your rub, salt and pepper. ( Be careful with the salt if the rub contains any). Next, layer on your pulled pork, onion, cheese and peaches. Roll up and tie with butchers twine. Season the outside with more rub, salt, pepper and rosemary. Be liberal with the salt on the skin if the roast still has it intact.
Place the roast on the grill, with indirect heat, skin-side up. Roast for about an hour, then turn over skin-side down for the next 20-30 minutes, periodically basting the meat with the bbq-peach glaze. When the skin is crisped up and internal temp reaches 145*, remove from the grill and let rest.
Slice, serve and devour. Pairs well with leftover green beans and asparagus
AND FOR THE RECORD, I HATE CHINESE FOOD LEFTOVERS! THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THAT GELATINOUS THING GOING ON THAT I CAN'T GET PAST.
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STAY SAFE, EAT WELL!