Friday, June 15, 2007

Damn Good Pork-n-Taters

Just a quick stop-in to post the aforementioned pork loin recipe. I am in LUV with this dish which I've adapted from a recipe originally posted at All Recipes. I've adjusted the cooking time based on reviewer recommendations and added a few ingredients. The thing is pretty much no-fail at this point and is a perfect WOW dish for company.

I'm no ingredient snob, but if you don't have it, RUN to the grocery and add the largest container possible of Tone's Canadian Steak Seasoning to your pantry. I seriously don't know how I cooked without it. I use it on hamburgers, potatoes, pork, steak, damn near anything is improved by it. It is an absolute STAPLE for me now. Trust me on this.

Also, while this may look like a bunch of steps? It's really not. I like my recipes very specific. This is super easy and only takes about fifteen minutes of actual work on your part, all total.

Also? While you and I will know this recipe as "Damn Good Pork-n-'Taters" as in,

"Honey, will you sling me and Junior up another batch of some a that there damn good pork-n-taters and then brang me a Bud?" (This is Kentucky, after all.)

I highly recommend you refer to it to any dinner guests you might serve it to (while carefully extending your chin so that your bottom teeth extend passed your top) as the:

"Herb Encrusted Pork Loin with Roasted Potatoes"

3 Cloves Garlic
2-3 Stalks fresh Rosemary or Lavender or a combination (more, if you like it spicy)
2 handfuls Tone’s Canadian Steak Seasoning
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 Pork Loin
1 Can Chicken Broth
3 or 4 Scrubbed Potatoes Chopped into 1-inch pieces (skin on)
½ Cup of Whatever Good Tasting Wine is on your Counter Today (I hear tell you can substitute red wine vinegar, but I’ve never tried it my own self.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Total cooking time is 1 hr 30 minutes.

2. Strip the leaves off the rosemary or lavender and place them along with the garlic, steak seasoning, and olive into a food processor or blender and pulse until combined (not long).
3. Put the loin on a rack and place in a layer cake pan; cut some criss-cross slits in the top of the loin and rub the whole thing with the processed mixture.
4. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan and place the whole shebang into the oven.
5. Baste w/pan liquids while cooking.
6. 45 minutes into the cooking time (which means another 45 remain) take the loin out and arrange the chopped potatoes in a single layer in the broth in the bottom of pan. Sprinkle the potatoes liberally with steak seasoning and return to the oven for the final 45 minutes.
7. Remove loin onto cutting board (and let it rest!) and remove potatoes w/slotted spoon.
8. De-glaze the pan over low heat on a burner (use low heat if you have a thin pan!) with the wine, stirring with a wooden spoon to remove all yummy food bits and then pour the liquid into a sauce pan and reduce for a while.
9. Mean time, slice the loin and arrange attractively. Pour reduced sauce over all. Or, alternatively, serve as a dipping sauce on the side.
10. Be really, really impressed with your bad-assed cooking self.

2 comments:

MCD said...

Beautiful and very impressive. I will definitely try this recipe. Incidentally, I just received Tom Colicchio's book "Think Like a Chef." You've must have it THIS MINUTE! Very cool...much like Tom himself.

Suzanne said...

Excellent! Let me know how it turns out. I'm woefully behind the times on the whole Top Chef situation. I must ketchup.