FROM THE COOKBOOK SHELF
If you have a slow cooker no more than 4-quart capacity, you may want to invest in a 6-quart one because more and more recipes call for the larger size and the bigger cookers have more options. Mine is a Hamilton Beach, one of the less expensive appliances but it's working fine for me. With the slow cooker revival comes a bevy of new cookbooks including The Art of the Slow Cooker, 80 Exciting New Recipes, by Andrew Schloss, published in 2008 by Chronicle Books for $24.95.
Choose from hearty stews, succulent braises, vegetarian dishes, even desserts. There are cooking charts to help with timing and plenty of tips on tools and techniques, even advice about which type of slow cooker is best for you. Andrew Schloss wants you to cook more and he has devoted his career to easing the way. As a well known teacher, food writer, cookbook author and food industry consultant, he concentrates his decades of experience on making a once tedious job more pleasurable.
Country-style pork ribs are often specially priced at Chief and Rays so next time they're on sale make the author's Barbecued Pork Ribs. One thing I've learned about slow cooking is that meat is better if it's seared first. Schloss browns the ribs on both sides under the broiler.
BARBECUED PORK RIBS
- 3 pounds country-style pork ribs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- Nonstick oil spray
- 3/4 cup catsup
- 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce such as Franks Red Hot
Preheat broiler. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Set on a broiler tray and spray with nonstick spray. Broil until the meaty parts are browned on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Mix the catsup, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl and pour over ribs. Cover the cooker and cook until the ribs are tender, 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Remove ribs to platter and serve. Recipe makes 6 servings.
TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT HARD PLASTICS
Government agencies that assess the safety of chemicals in our food supply have been at odds with one another about the dangers of plastic bottles that contain an industrial chemical called bisphenol-A or BPA for short. Although the verdict is still out, more and more manufacturers and retailers are phasing out products with BPA. Though the final word is not yet in, limiting exposure to BPA makes sense. Instead of polycarbonate plastic water bottles, baby bottles or sippy cups, use glass, stainless steel or aluminum bottles. Increasingly,
|
plastic bottles are being made with chemicals that do not contain BPA. To be sure, check with the manufacturers.
If you do use polycarbonate bottles, don't put hot liquids in them. Heating the plastic greatly increases the release of BPA into fluids subsequently stored in it. For instance, after being filled with boiling water, polycarbonate bottles released as much as 5 times more BPA, according to a 2008 study from the University of Cincinnati. Wash such bottles by hand with mild detergents and warm (not hot) water .... never in the dishwasher. Keep them out of heat and sunlight and discard if they discolor or develop spider cracks. Do not put them in the microwave.
When possible, opt for food in jars or cartons instead of cans or better yet, fresh or frozen food. Acidic foods, such as tomatoes, cause more leaching of BPA from cans than other foods. Note that disposable plastic water bottles, as well as juice and soda bottles, are typically made from polyethylene (PETE) which has no BPA. They are considered safe for a single use but repeated use is not advised. The plastic may break down with repeated use, increasing the risk of other plastic chemicals will be released. But a better reason not to refill them over and over is that they can become contaminated with bacteria that are hard to clean off.
Source: University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, February 2009.
THE OTHER WHITE MEAT WINS AGAIN
I never buy a package of pork chops. Instead, when a boneless pork loin or half loin is on sale I have it cut into 1-inch chops (which Chief and Rays are glad to do for you). At home they're wrapped separately and stored in a freezer bag, dated and frozen, ready to use in pork chop recipes. Lemonade Pork Chops caught my attention on the internet recently. I used my neighbor as a taster and she thought they were delicious. I also split one in half to make a sandwich.
LEMONADE PORK CHOPS
- 6-ounces frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 1-inch thick boneless pork chops (about 2 pounds)
In a shallow glass dish, stir together the lemonade concentrate, soy sauce, celery salt, seasoned salt and garlic powder. Place chops in the mixture and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat your oven broiler. Remove meat from marinade and discard marinade. Place chops on broiler pan. Broil about 4-inches from heat source for 5 minutes per side or until desired degree of doneness. For me the ideal cooked pork chop is still pink inside so to be sure I cut one in the center just before the time was up.
Source: Provided by www.Allrecipes.com, the world's favorite recipe web site. |
