Maple-Fennel Pork Chop

A quick editorial note first. I know it’s been quite some time since I posted a new recipe here. I’ve written before about the challenges of keeping up regular posts between work and school, so I won’t get into it again. Since my last post, however, I’ve also gotten engaged (!!!) and adopted a cute but mischievous little pup (!). Needless to say, finding time to write – and even cook – has been difficult.

In the past I’ve always said that I would get back to posting on a more regular schedule. I honestly don’t know if that will ever be the case. Cooking is a hobby and a passion for me, and sharing it with others – whether in person or on this blog – brings me a lot of joy. But when it feels like a chore or I feel guilty for not posting, the magic fades pretty quickly.

So I hope you’ll check back now and again for new recipes – or better yet sign up for updates! – but no promises about getting back to new recipes every week.

Now enough talk – to the recipe!

Apple-Pumpkin Pulled Pork

Now that Halloween and Thanksgiving have come and gone and the holidays are on the horizon, I know there’s one thing on everybody’s mind – how much you miss pumpkin.

From pies and soups to beers and spiced lattes, it seems like pumpkins get the short end of the stick when it comes to being in vogue. They are relegated to September, October and November when they have so much more offer us! Luckily, this dish is the perfect antidote to your pumpkin woes.

This dish is an autumnal twist on classic, backyard barbecue pulled pork. The apple cider, pumpkin and spices are more subtle and multidimensional than the traditional, wrecking ball-style barbecue soaking that pulled pork receives. Meanwhile, the Brussels Sprout slaw is crunchy and earthy, providing the perfect interlude between bites of meat. Together

Just because fall has passed and the doldrums of winter are here doesn’t mean you have to abandon your favorite flavors. This hearty sandwich will keep you warm and full all through the holidays!

Pulled Pork & Pickled Apple Sandwich with Horseradish-Chèvre Aioli

I started this blog – at least in part – to push myself to come up with new and interesting recipe to share. One of my favorite ways of doing this has been through a culinary challenge: combining unusual ingredients, putting a new spin on an old dish, or some other difficult task.

My last culinary challenge, however, was more than a year ago, and had less to do with creative ingredients and more to do with creative uses of a gas grill.

So when a group of friends offered a new challenge by picking three disparate ingredients for me to make a dish out of, I could barely contain my excitement.

Their selection? Apples, horseradish, and chèvre cheese.

And thus this new pulled pork sandwich was born! The homemade barbecue sauce is a bit more mild than most store-bought versions, which allows the flavors of the meat and other ingredients to shine through. The pickled apples are sour and tart, but still slightly sweet. The aioli is creamy and sharp with just the right amount of horseradish bite. All three components come together to form a creative and tasty new pulled pork recipe!

When I made this my pork wound up closer to stewed than pulled. I was using my awesome new pressure cooker and only cooked it for about 30 minutes, which didn’t quite do the trick. Regardless, I would recommend using a pressure cooker for this recipe (and buying one if you don’t have one) because it cuts the cook time for the pork by several hours.

Have a culinary challenge? Go to the Dear Chef tab and let me know!

SliderPalooza!

Patrick and Quinn present to you: The All-Star Lineup of SliderPalooza!

We know, we know, this post is long overdue. After all, we previewed this post with our Mashed Potato Slider with Apple-Fennel Slaw over four months ago.