Maple Chipotle Pulled Pork and Beans

Maple Chipotle Pulled Pork and Beans

On a cold, rainy Saturday a few weeks ago I decided a slow cooked day was in order. How better to ignore the torrent of rain outside than to sit back and watch old movies all afternoon while supper languidly bubbles away in the oven for several hours, needing very little attention.

On days like that, my son usually requests one of his two slow cooked favorites, either baked beans or pulled pork. Since pork and beans is a natural combination I decided to try combining the two. Needless to say, the boy was very pleased.

Before preparing the slow cooked meal for the oven, I took the time to make some bread dough, which would also take its time to rise for the better part of the afternoon before sharing some oven time with the pork and beans. This rainy day supper was a slice of comfort food heaven; a thoroughly satisfying meal.

This would make such an ideal pot-luck contribution but be sure to bring along some of that Homemade Bread too.

Maple Chipotle Pulled Pork and Beans

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Maple Chipotle Pulled Pork and Beans - an ultimate comfort food meal combining two slow cooked favorites, pulled pork and baked beans.

Prep time: 1/2 hour
Cook time: 4 hours
Total time: 4 1/2 hours
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry white beans
• 3 pounds pork shoulder or butt
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2tsp salt
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 pound smoked bacon, cut in small pieces
• 1 large white onion chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp chipotle powder (more or less to taste)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dry thyme
• 4 cups pureed canned tomatoes
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 3 large bay leaves

Cooking Directions

1. You will need to pre-soak the beans in water at least overnight. The longer you soak the beans the less time it takes to cook them, although it will still be several hours. I have soaked beans for up to 48 hours in advance.
2. Cut the pork into about 1/2 to 2 inch cubes.
3. Mix together the ginger, pepper, cumin, chili powder and salt to form a rub for the pork. Rub it into the cubed pork.
4. Heat the canola oil in the bottom of a large dutch oven over medium to medium high heat. Add the seasoned pork cubes and brown them well. Remove from the pot and set aside.
5. Add the bacon to the pot and cook until almost crispy. Drain excess fat.
6. Add the onion and minced garlic and cook until softened.
7. Drain the beans from the water they were soaked in and add them to the pot.
8. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pot. If your dutch oven is not large enough you can transfer everything to a large covered roaster.
9. Stir all together well, cover and place in a 325 degree F oven for 3 to 4 hours stirring occasionally.
10. The beans should be fully cooked and tender and the sauce should thicken. I sometimes add a little extra boiling water during the cooking time if the sauce thickens too quickly before the beans are fully cooked. This is not a problem at all and can be done more than once if necessary. 

Maple Chipotle Glazed Roast Chicken

Maple Chipotle Glazed Roast Chicken

A roast chicken dinner is about as homey as good cooking gets. At our house roasted potatoes are a must with a good roast chicken; not making roast potatoes would be a cardinal sin in my son's eyes especially. You can find our very popular version of English style roast potatoes here. We often roast off other root vegetables like carrots and Spouse's favorite parsnip to serve as well but the star of the show is always a perfectly roasted chicken.  

  

I like to brine my poultry before roasting but it's not essential if you are pressed for time. You can read more about my brining technique here. 

This one was particularly good with a sweet and smoky glaze to make for a perfect Sunday roast dinner.

Maple Chipotle Glaze

In a small pot sauté together:

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

Add

1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tsp chipotle powder

Simmer slowly stirring often until the glaze reduces by at least half in volume.

Roast your chicken uncovered in a 350 degree oven. In the last half hour or so of cooking time, brush several layers of the glaze all over the chicken about every 10 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes when it comes out of the oven before carving and serving.

Smoky Chipotle Fried Chicken

Smoky Chipotle Fried Chicken

I have had this idea for a while now and was inspired to push it up in my "recipes to complete" list after having enjoyed some succulent , juicy brined poultry last week in our Lemon and Rosemary Brined Roast Turkey. Brining poultry is something you just  must try  if you never have; it adds great seasoning and extra juiciness throughout the meat, making it tender and perfect.

While it works well for roasting, I think it works even better for fried chicken. I have never brined chicken parts for more than a full day but when I unexpectedly had to leave it for a second day I was flabbergasted by the result. I had been wanting to try a very simple smoky spiced fried chicken for a while now, using two of my favorite smoked spices, smoked paprika and chipotle powder, so  I thought this was the perfect opportunity. 

I don't say this lightly at all...this was the best fried chicken that I have ever eaten. 

Smokey Chipotle Fried Chicken

It was amazingly moist and juicy. The meat was completely seasoned throughout from the brine and using a tip I saw on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives",  I added some butter to my canola oil to fry the crust to an amazingly perfect crispy texture with just the right amount of smoky spice. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. I absolutely know I will make this again and again. This is one recipe you absolutely have to try!

We served this outstanding fried chicken with grilled corn, mashed potatoes, buttermilk biscuits and gravy. Does it get any better than that?  Need a recipe for great Buttermilk Biscuits? Click right here!

I begin by washing:

• one large chicken, about  3 1/2 to 4 pounds

Cut and trim the chicken into 8 pieces ( 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings and 2 breasts)

Place the chicken in a large plastic container and cover it with the brine mixture. Cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. If you need to add a little more water to completely cover the chicken, that's not a problem.

Tabasco Brine Mixture

 Begin with 2 quarts (liters) of water
  

Add:

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

Stir until the salt and sugar is dissolved, then add:

• 3 tbsp black peppercorns
• 8 cloves thinly sliced garlic
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup Tabasco sauce (add more if you like)

After 48 hours, remove the chicken from the brine mixture. Toss it into the flour and spice dredge.|

Flour and Spice Dredge

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 heaping tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 heaping tbsp chipotle powder

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until very well combined. Add the brined chicken pieces. Toss well and press the chicken pieces into the flour dredge with your palms to get good contact with the meat. \let stand for ten minutes, then toss again and press down with your palms again. Now it's time to warm up your oil.

In a 12 inch cast iron skillet heat 1 inch canola or corn oil with 1/2 cup real dairy butter until it reaches 35O degrees F. Just below medium heat works well on my stove but use a thermometer to be sure.  A cast iron skillet is the best for fried chicken. Be extra careful to regulate the heat properly of using anything other than cast iron. Even cooking is essential.

Drop the dredged chicken pieces into the hot oil/butter mix and cook for approximately 35- 40 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces, turning at least once halfway through the  cooking time. I start with the dark meat pieces and add the breasts about 10-15 minutes into the cooking time because these will cook faster. I always use my meat thermometer to ensure that the largest pieces have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, which is perfect for fried chicken. The chicken should be a beautiful golden brown when it comes out of the oil. Let it rest on a wire rack to drain for 5 minutes before serving.

Chipotle Jack Bacon Burgers

Chipotle Jack Bacon Burgers

With grilling season heating up, our family will probably be eating more than our fair share of juicy burgers and this is a great one. With cubes of Monterey Jack Cheese melting inside a thick ground beef patty which has been seasoned with spicy chipotle powder, these are some of the most flavorful burgers you will pull off the grill this season.

For each burger combine:

• 6 ounces lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 ounces monterey jack or pepper jack cheese, cut in 1 cm cubes
• pinch kosher salt 
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
• 1 clove roasted garlic, mashed into a paste (or 1/2 clove finely minced garlic)
• 2 tbsp hot sauce or 1 tbsp minced fresh jalapeno pepper (optional)

 
Form into patties and cook in a hot, lightly oiled cast iron pan or on a preheated grill until well done (internal temperature with a meat thermometer should read 160 degrees F or higher. Serve on toasted crusty rolls with:

• oil packed, sundried tomatoes
• crisp cooked smoky bacon
• baby lettuce leaves

Crispy Fried Maple Chipotle Sticky Glazed Chicken Wings

Crispy Fried Maple Chipotle Sticky Glazed Chicken Wings

I love any kind of crispy sticky wings and these were a big hit when I served them to some friends last weekend. Sweet, smokey, spicy, crispy, crunchy tender, glazed, juicy delicious-ness!

Maple Chipotle Glaze

1 cup maple syrup
1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

2 to 3 tsp ground chipotle powder

Simmer together very slowly for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool thoroughly. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.

Mix together:

2 cups flour
6 tbsp powdered ginger
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper

Prepare an egg wash of 2 eggs and 4 tbsp cold water whisked together.

Wash, pat dry, trim the tips and cut into sections,

3 pounds chicken wings

Dip the wing pieces into the egg wash and then toss in the flour mixture. Drop the coated wings into a preheated 350 degree F deep fryer, filled with canola, peanut, or soy oil.

Fry until golden brown, about 15-20 min depending on the size of the wing pieces. While still hot out of the oil toss the wing pieces in a large bowl with some of the maple chipotle glaze. Serve immediately.