Biscuit Pancakes with Sausage Cream Gravy

 

I turned a biscuits and gravy recipe into biscuit pancakes with sausage gravy.  I've listed the directions for both below.  Either option is delicious, the gravy is the real star here; you could practically serve this sausage gravy on a shoe and it would still be mouthwatering!

Biscuit Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more if rolling)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
1 cup cold buttermilk

Note:  If you're in a hurry you can just use Bisquick and milk.  Add a little melted butter to it for more flavor!

Sausage Cream Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound ground pork
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 1/2 cups heavy cream (can sub milk for less calories)
Salt and pepper, to taste 

Chopped Rosemary, to garnish, for color, if desired

Directions:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and using a mixer or pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mostly combined.  Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough comes together.  The dough will be lumpy but that's okay!

If making pancakes, drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto a griddle at about 300 degrees and allow to cook for about 1 minute per side or until risen.  Note: for the pancake version, you may need to add more water or milk to make the batter easier to pour.

For biscuits, preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking sheet.  Place dough onto floured surface and sprinkle with additional flour.  Pat the dough into an approximately one inch thick circle.

Use a round cookie cutter to cut out biscuits.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Gather any scraps and cut out additional biscuits.  Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top, about 15 minutes.

Sausage Cream Gravy:

Heat butter in a skillet until melted and then add the ground pork.  Cook until brown, breaking up into smaller pieces as it cooks.  Do not drain fat.  Reduce heat to low and sprinkle meat with flour and cayenne pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes or until flour has cooked slightly.  Gradually stir in the cream and bring to a simmer.  Cook until mixture has thickened and then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle sausage cream gravy over the biscuits or pancakes just before serving.  If using the fresh rosemary, sprinkle over the gravy and serve. Yum!

 

 

Char Siu - Chinese BBQ Pork

I wanted to make BBQ pork fried rice and had never realized that the pork in the rice is itself, from a classic Chinese recipe called "Char Siu". It's used in various recipes or just served alone.... and it's delicious.

Ingredients:
4 lb pork shoulder roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
4 cubes red bean curd
4 tablespoons five spice powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup marinade


Directions:

Slice the pork roast along the grain into long strips no thicker than 2 inches. Trim off any large pieces of fat.

Mix all the ingredients (with the exception of the glaze items) and mash in the bean curd.  Whisk until combined.

Pour marinade over pork until coated and marinate for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator, turning the pork at least once to ensure even distribution.  Reserve some of the leftover marinade for the glaze.

When ready to cook the pork, heat an oven to 400 degrees. Roast the pork uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes or until it starts to brown.  Whisk the glaze ingredients together until combined. Remove the pork from the oven and brush with the glaze, then return to oven for about 10 minutes, or until the glaze has dried.  Remove and glaze again.

You can glaze the pork as many times as you like, but somewhere between 3-5 times should do the trick.  Roast for about an hour or until the internal temp reaches 155 degrees, then remove.

If the pork does not have a crispy exterior at this point, glaze it again and turn the oven to broil, leaving the oven door open, until the meat is charred as desired.

Be sure to let the pork rest for at least 10 or 15 minutes before serving.  If making for fried rice, dice the pork into 1 inch pieces and combine with rice - here's a recipe for fried rice.  Enjoy!

Double Decker Inside-Out Grilled Ham & Cheese Sammie

This makes an enormous sandwich that you can share with a sandwich loving friend, or eat for two meals!  The method of cooking the cheese into each side of the bread makes for an extra crispy, cheesy sandwich.

Yield: 1 giant sandwich (serves 2)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

4 large slices crusty Italian or Panini bread

1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/2 pound sliced Swiss cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 pound deli sliced ham

Optional:  any desired condiments or vegetables

Directions:

Heat a griddle, grill pan, or large skillet to medium high heat.  Butter each side of the slices of bread.  Place the bread pieces (you may have to work in batches, depending on the size of your surface) onto the hot surface.  Sprinkle the top of each slice of bread with Parmigiano, cheddar and mozzarella, a light coating for the surface of each slice, about a teaspoon of each cheese.  Allow the cheese to melt for about a minute, then flip over to cook into the bread.  If the cheese falls off, don't worry!  Just place the slide of bread right on top of it, it will still cook into the bread.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is cooked into each slice of bread and is golden brown.  Repeat on each side for all remaining pieces of bread, then remove from heat, leaving the heat on but turning down to medium.

Top three of the slices with the swiss cheese and ham and sprinkle with remaining cheeses, repeating and stacking the sandwich as you go.  Cover with the fourth slide of bread and press together, then place back on the hot surface and cook until the cheese melts, turning once, about 5 more minutes. Cut in half and serve warm, with any desired garnishes.  Enjoy!

 

Biscuit Pancakes with Sausage Cream Gravy

So I turned a biscuits and gravy recipe into biscuit pancakes with sausage gravy.  I've listed the directions for both below.  Either option is delicious, the gravy is the real star here; you could practically serve this sausage gravy on a shoe and it would still be mouthwatering!

Biscuit Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more if rolling)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cold butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
1 cup cold buttermilk

Note:  If you're in a hurry you can just use Bisquick and milk.  Add a little melted butter to it for more flavor!

Sausage Cream Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound ground pork
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 1/2 cups heavy cream (can sub milk for less calories)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and using a mixer or pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mostly combined.  Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough comes together.  The dough will be lumpy but that's okay!

If making pancakes, drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto a griddle at about 300 degrees and allow to cook for about 1 minute per side or until risen.  Note: for the pancake version, you may need to add more water or milk to make the batter easier to pour.

For biscuits, preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking sheet.  Place dough onto floured surface and sprinkle with additional flour.  Pat the dough into an approximately one inch thick circle.

Use a round cookie cutter to cut out biscuits.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Gather any scraps and cut out additional biscuits.  Bake in the preheated oven until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top, about 15 minutes.

Sausage Cream Gravy:

Heat butter in a skillet until melted and then add the ground pork.  Cook until brown, breaking up into smaller pieces as it cooks.  Do not drain fat.  Reduce heat to low and sprinkle meat with flour and cayenne pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes or until flour has cooked slightly.  Gradually stir in the cream and bring to a simmer.  Cook until mixture has thickened and then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle sausage cream gravy over the biscuits or pancakes just before serving.  Yum!

Spicy Red Beans and Rice

This was an easy weeknight dish to whip up.  I used turkey andouille, to make it a bit more healthy, but you could use standard pork sausage with the same results.

Ingredients:
1 pound turkey or pork andouille, sliced 
5 -6 slices bacon, cooked and roughly chopped or crumbled
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (13 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 bay leaf
3 cups cooked white rice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp and set aside on paper towels to drain.  Using the same pan, brown the sausage.  Add the onion, garlic and red pepper and cook in the bacon fat until soft.  Next, add the beans, chicken broth, stewed tomatoes, spices, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove the bay leaf and add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the beans over the rice or mix them together before serving.  Sprinkle bacon pieces over and serve.  Enjoy!

Note:  These were the basic measurements I started with, but I like things spicy so I ended up adding more heat... as noted by the color of the rice, ha ha.  Make it as hot as you can stand!

Triple Sub Party

 

I thought this would be a good time to post this, with the Superbowl coming up!  I got this idea from the Food Network magazine.  One of the subs is my own recipe, and two of them are from their mag.

Recipes:

Big Ol' Beer Brat Sub

Chicken Teriyaki Sub

Spicy Skirt Steak Sub with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream

Gooo.... team!  Ha ha.  I don't really watch sports, so I'll just root for the meat and cheese to win.  They always do.

Big Ol' Beer Brat Sub

The beer brat sub is the one on the end there.  As you can see, it was very, very cheesy!

Yield: Serves 1-4, depending on whether it's an appetizer or a meal

2 12-ounce cans dark beer
1 onion, sliced
4 bratwurst sausages
6 ounces Velveeta, cubed
2 tbsp chopped nacho jalapenos (more, or less, as desired)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 24-inch baguette

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium high. Combine the beer, onion, and some salt and pepper in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the brats and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Strain the brats and reserve 1 cup of the poaching liquid.  Brown the pre-cooked brats on the grill, turning once, approximately 2 minutes per side.

To make the beer cheese sauce, combine the velveeta, 3/4 cup of the reserved liquid, jalapenos and mustard in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until melted.  Add more liquid for a thinner sauce.  Reduce heat and keep warm until serving.

Time to make the sammie!  Split the baguette in half lengthwise and lightly toast. Slice the brats and layer over the baguette bottom. Top with a drizzle of the cheese sauce and the baguette top. Cut into individual sandwiches and serve with the remaining sauce.  Yum!

Note: The original recipe called for sauerkraut, but I don't really like it.  It won't bother me if you do though!

This recipe is one of three I made for a Triple Sub Party, check out the link for the other recipes!

Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops

This is really delicious and a great seasonal fall dish. I served it with pumpkin cheddar biscuits.

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon
1 cup chopped apple (I used 2 red delicious)
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup herb stuffing mix
3/4 cup chicken broth
4 thick or butterflied pork chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring pork chops to room temperature, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

In a skillet, cook bacon slices over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Set bacon on paper towels to drain and cool.  Add the apple, celery and onion to the drippings in the pan and cook until the vegetables and apple soften, about 5-10 minutes.
 
Next, chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces and add to pan. Pour in chicken broth and then add the stuffing and season to taste.

Heat a second pan to high heat and add the chops, searing until lightly browned on each side.  Remove from pan and stuff the chops - if the pork chops are already butterflied, simply fold the pork chop over the stuffing. Or, if using thick chops, cut a pocket into each chop and stuff with the bacon apple mixture.

Place stuffed pork chops on a baking sheet and into the oven. Cook the pork chops for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Kabob Party

I had a hard time thinking of what to make for dinner one night and then decided... I'll just make everything! This would be fun as an appetizer or a nice family style item at a party.  Or, you can just have three different types of skewers for dinner one night,  like Kyle and I did.

For all of these recipes, soak the skewers for at least 15 minutes before using, or they will catch on fire, like mine always do, because I usually forget that step!

Buffalo Chicken Kabobs:

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cubed

1 bottle Louisiana hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot!)

1 cup melted butter

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

If you have never made buffalo sauce, you may be horrified and/or excited by what I've just revealed to you.  Yes, it's comprised of mostly just butter and hot sauce....... Butter and hot sauce!  No wonder it's so good!

Cut the chicken breast into bite sized cubes.  Thread onto skewers and lay in a flat pan.  Mix sauce ingredients well and set about 1/2 cup aside.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the skewers and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to overnight.

When ready to cook, heat grill to medium high and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, until you get a nice char.  Pour reserved marinade over the chicken if desired, or serve on the side. 

Asian Style Steak Kabobs

1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak, cubed
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup sesame oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

Follow basic instructions above, except the steak will only need to cook 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, and the grill should be on high. 

Sweet & Sour Pork Kabobs
1 1/2 lbs pork, sliced into cubes (I used a small pork tenderloin)
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Follow same directions and temperature as the chicken to cook the pork, but for less time (approx 4-5 mins per side) so that it's tender.

Finally, I served these kabobs with this summery salad: Grilled Corn and Pepper Salad
Enjoy!

Swine Symphony

My boyfriend Kyle came up with the name for this little gem.  I had decided to make mini meatloaf bites and was going to make them in a mini muffin pan, but then I remembered I have a tea cake pan.  It makes tiny little cakes with a nice cavity that you can fill with frosting, or, in this case, mashed potatoes.

Anyway, I did some tweaking to my normal meatloaf recipe and think I've finally perfected it!

Yield:

24 mini meatloaves

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground sirloin

1 12 ounce package ground chorizo

1 package bacon

3 eggs

3 tbsp thai chili garlic sauce (or to taste)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp sea salt (or to taste)

2 tsp chopped fresh oregano

2 tsp chopped fresh basil

1 tsp black pepper

1 cup panko crumbs

Garnish:

Mashed potatoes (your recipe!)

Basil leaf

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Grease the pan you are using (here's an example of the one I used: Tea Cake Pan) with cooking spray.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  This is a pretty messy process so if you don't like the idea of wet, raw ground meat stuck under your fingernails, I'd suggest you wear gloves.  It's probably the most sanitary thing to do anyway.

Now at this point you have to make a choice.  You can taste the raw meat for seasoning, or you can guess.  I chose to guess and just poured in a bunch of salt and spices.  Or, you can cook just one, then taste it and adjust for seasoning.

Shape the meat and fill the pan about 3/4 full, as these do swell a bit when cooking.  Place in the oven. These meatloaves will cook fast, about 8-12 minutes per pan.  While the meatloaf is in the oven, cook the bacon in a skillet until just cooked but still pliable (not crisp).  When the meatloaves are done, remove from the oven and turn over onto paper towels to drain the grease.

Now, for assembly!  Take 1/2 a slice of bacon and wrap around the outside of each meatloaf, securing with a toothpick. If you want the bacon more crisp, you can throw it back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so.

Fill a pastry or ziplock bag with the mashed potatoes (make sure they are at least lukewarm or they won't squeeze out easily) and pipe some into each meatloaf.  Garnish with basil, if desired and serve.  Yay!

Tips:  I used roasted garlic mashed potatoes to give this recipe even more flavor.  These can also be pre-cooked, filled and garnished, then reheated in the oven for just about 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Look at me... what an idiot, I submitted this for a recipe contest and didn't win.  Wait, it wasn't me that was the idiot, it was the judges!!!!!!!!!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Cream Sauce

Garlic.  Cream.  Yum.


Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin, 2 - 3 lbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves roasted garlic, creamed
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine spices with olive oil. Rub over the meat and place the tenderloin on a sheet tray or small roasting pan. Cook until the temperature registers 155 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 20 minutes or so.  Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice into 1/2 inch slices.

While the pork is roasitng, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper. Add the garlic and cream and heat until the sauce boils, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Spoon sauce over pork slices and serve.  Enjoy!

Cheese Stuffed Meatball Sliders

My little brother lives in California and I live in Chicago, but he likes to send me recipes anyway, and then ask me how they turned out... somehow, he is eating vicariously through this blog!  He sent me a picture of a meatball slider one day, so this post is in ode to him.  Thanks Lee!

Yield:

20 slider size meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground turkey

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 eggs

3/4 cup parmesan cheese

3 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup dried bread crumb

2 tablespoons basil leaves

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes

4 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese

Slider or dinner rolls

1 cup pasta sauce, jarred or homemade

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a bowl, place meats, egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic, and seasonings.  Mix until combined.  Spray one or two baking sheets with non-stick spray.

Take a large tablespoon of the meat mixture and one of the mozzarella chunks.  Wrap the meat around the mozzarella, rolling to seal.  Each meatball should be approximately golf ball sized.

Once all of the meatballs have been set on the tray(s), place in the oven.  The meatballs should bake for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees.  Turn them once, halfway through, so that both sides get browned.

I was worried that the cheese would pour out during the cooking process, but that didn't happen at all.  Some of the smaller balls leaked a bit, but for the most part the cheese stayed encased within the meatballs.


So, the meatballs are out of the oven... and you're probably wondering, what do I do now?  The answer is obvious - add more cheese, of course!  Take the shredded mozzarella and sprinkle it over the meatballs.  If it does not seem to be melting easily, you can put them back in the still warm oven, or use a microwave to melt the cheese.

Time to serve!  I recommend toasting the buns so the sandwiches don't get soggy.  After that, add one hot meatball to the bun, drench in marinara sauce, and add the basil garnish.  Delicious!  Enjoy!

Pork Gyoza

This is one of my favorite appetizer recipes – I can never make enough of these, they disappear instantly! 

A note on ground pork - all ground pork is not the same! In particular, there is a brand called Smithfield which I would avoid at all costs. It has a really, really bad flavor. Try to get the ground pork from your grocery store's meat counter if they have it, otherwise, any brand but Smithfield should work.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 lb ground pork
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
4 scallions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp Thai Garlic Chili sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
30 won ton wrappers
1 to 2 cups peanut or vegetable oil

1 egg yolk, beaten (for assembling)

Dipping Sauce:

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon red rice vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
2 teaspoons chopped green onion

Directions:

Brown pork in a skillet.  While meat is browning, chop vegetables.  Add to pan.  Next, add beaten egg, Thai Chili Sauce and ginger.  Continue cooking until vegetables are soft.  Taste and season, then allow to cool.

To assemble, place 1 tablespoon filling in middle of each won ton wrapper, about 1/2 inch from edge and shape horizontally.  Fold left and right corners of wedge over filling, overlapping slightly.  There are usually directions on how to do this on the back of the won ton package.

Dab top corner with egg yolk, then tightly roll wedge away from you, making sure ends stay tucked inside. Place roll, seam side down, on wax paper. Continue until all wrappers are used.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Fry rolls in small batches until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

For dipping sauce, simply chop onion and ginger, then mix into oil and vinegar.  Serve room temp or cold with finished gyoza.

Tips:  You can add additional Thai Chili Sauce to make this more spicy, substitute baby shrimp for the pork, or omit meat/seafood altogether for a vegetarian version.  Enjoy!

Mini Bacon Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce

How many ways can you make meatballs?  Unlimited, as far as I can tell!  I wanted to try this recipe... because of the bacon. Then I thought about adding a sauce, and let's face it, bacon and mushroom are like Romeo and Juliet - they belong together.

Ingredients:
4 strips bacon, diced
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground beef sirloin
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup red wine
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook bacon over medium-high heat until starting to brown, about 4 minutes.  Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet.  Saute onions in skillet in reserved drippings over medium heat until softened.  Add garlic to skillet and cook 1 minute.  Deglaze with red wine.

Combine beef, pork, bacon, onion, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Stir in beaten eggs.  Form mixture into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.  Bake meatballs until fully cooked, about 10 minutes.

For sauce:
Any type of mushrooms can be used to make this sauce.  The mushrooms can be chopped, sliced or cut into chunks, depending on preference.

Ingredients
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp beef broth
2 oz butter
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat oil and melt butter into it.  Add mushrooms and sauté until soft.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Add flour, broth and cream.  Mix together, stirring continuously.  Return pan to medium heat and stir constantly until it thickens.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 - 8 minutes.

Tips:  These meatballs can be frozen uncooked for up to a year.  For this particular recipe, I squeezed a bit of mushroom sauce onto each toothpick skewered meatball and placed them on a serving platter.  They disappeared like government employees.  Enjoy!

Kalua Pork

I first made this for a luau, and have made it many times since.  This is a great recipe for a party or to bring to an event, and since it's cooked in a crockpot, it requires very little active work.

Don't confuse this with the coffee liqueur - kālua is a Hawaiian cooking method that utilizes an underground oven.  Kālua Pig is a popular dish served at luaus, where the entire pig is wrapped in banana leaves and roasted in a hole in the ground.  This version is simpler to make, and easier on your back - no shovel required!

Ingredients:

1 6 lb pork butt roast (can also use shoulder or picnic)
1 tablespoon Hawaiian sea salt
3 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
1 cup pineapple juice

Directions:
Pierce pork all over with a fork.  Rub salt, then liquid smoke over meat.  Place roast in a crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for as little as 6, or as many as 20 hours, turning once during cooking time.  During the last hour, add the pineapple juice.  When ready, remove meat from slow cooker, and place on a cutting board. 

If you want to let the roast cool off before shredding, this is also a good time to remove some of the fat.  Pour the crock pot juices into a bowl and place in the refrigerator.  When the pork is cool enough, shred it.  The easiest way to do this is with your hands!  Put it back in the crock pot.  Then remove the bowl from the refrigerator - the fat should have risen to the top by now, and you can remove it, then pour in the juices back into the crock pot, over the pork.  Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.  Add more liquid smoke if it doesn't seem smoky enough.

The best way to serve this is on toasted Hawaiian sweet rolls.  Enjoy!