Slow-Roasted EVERYTHING! Pork 5 ways!

For those of you who don't cook or stress about dinner, welcome to my new way of life.  Slow-roasted everything!

So, this all began 12 years ago when I was in college.  We went to Smithfield to stay with my college roommate's sister and her family.  Now, she has a big family (4 kids) and adding two more mouths was not an easy feat.  But, one evening, she made the most delicious chicken.  So, I asked for the recipe.  On a college food budget, a whole chicken is totally doable.  On sale, they are 5 bucks!  And, it makes multiple meals (when you talk about cooking for girls.  Maybe not so much if you are talking about boys.)  

When meats are on a good sale, I try to stock-up.  At Thanksgiving, I bought a 12lb turkey for $6.00.  When pork butts/shoulders go on sale for 1.49/lb, you buy!   

Just last month, I looked at the freezer and realized I had a huge pork butt and a huge turkey that I needed to cook.  In cooking either of these, my family is fed for about a week!  So, being the end of the month (aka the end of the grocery cash in our budget), it was the perfect plan.  But, then, there's the dilemma of how to cook it.  If I make BBQ, we will be eating BBQ every night for a week.  Though not a bad option, it's not ideal when your husband and kids don't care for leftovers.  If I make pork tacos, then, there's the same problem but it's mexican every night for a week.  So, I went in search of a yummy way to cook it that would all me the versatility to do many different preparations in hopes my family wouldn't notice they were eating pork every night.  

Light Bulb Moment

Enter the slow-roast chicken!  It's versatile.  It doesn't lean toward one culinary style or another.  Why couldn't I do the same with pork?  I can!  I did!  It was fabulous.   

The How-To

I used the rub from this RECIPE and doubled it.  I, just like for the chicken, rubbed the rub onto the meat.  (Note: If there is a fat cap, trim it off before adding the rub if you prefer.)  Then, I wrapped it overnight.  The next morning, I used my husband's dutch oven (you can use a roasting pan) and placed it in the oven at 250.  We cooked it for 8 hours.  After 8 hours, it was falling apart and still super-moist.    

What to do with all this meat?

Dinner #1        FRENCH DIPS

I shredded the meat which fell apart easily.  I sauteed an onion, added a little beef broth (probably about a cup) and let the meat simmer for a few minutes. Then, I split some crusty rolls and we had "french dip" sandwiches. Oh so good!

Dinner #2       TACOS

Tortilla shells toasted.  Top with meat, cheese, sour cream, avocado, and some salsa!

Dinner #3       BBQ Nachos

Lay tortilla chips on a baking sheet.  Top with cheddar, queso, colby jack, or whatever you have and need to use up.  I add pickled red onion.  (It's so easy to make and totally worth the effort even if you don't like raw onion.  It adds a completely different flavor.)   Layer with pork and add Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce drizzled on top.  My husband tops it with jalapenos.  The kids and I stop here.  

Dinner #4     Quesadillas

 Okay, I know, it's mexican again.  But, at least we got a break twice in the week!

Same deal.  A little butter into the saute pan.  Add tortilla and layer with cheese, meat, and pickled onions if you are a fan.   Top with another tortilla.  Brown both sides and allow cheese to melt.  Cut into quarters and serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping.  I made rice and black beans as a side.











Leftover Meat
Believe it or not, we still had meat left over.  Granted, my boys are 5 and 1.  So, they are not eating to their full potential, yet.  With the leftovers, I made 3 dishes of enchiladas.  At some point, I will share my husband's grandma's tortilla and enchilada recipe.  I stuck two of the dishes in the freezer.  (Super easy mid-week dinners) and gave the other to my in-laws.  

That's what I call "stretching a buck."

Turkey-Week to come in the next post.  Same rub, same method, different dinner options!