Braised Ribs with Curry & Almond Butter Sauce

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Sometimes, I just want something different. We currently have an abundance of ribs in the freezer and while, don’t get me wrong, I love a good ole fashioned bbq rib with sauce, sometimes, I just wanna put a spin on it.

My family LOVES asian fusion food, especially my kids who literally sip soy sauce out the bottle if I don’t catch them. We make stir fry frequently and I have become very good at making a sauce on the fly. This idea was based loosely off of one of our favorite stir fry sauces that is based in a nut butter and curry powder. We most usually use almond butter, but peanut, cashew, even tahini would be delicious here. I often make mine own curry powder, but when I don’t I have some of this on hand.

I still applied the same concept of rib cooking: rub with dry rub, cook low and slow in an oven, then baste in delicious sauce. This sauce can double as a salad dressing too, so two for one deal!

Ingredients:

  • 1 rack of spare ribs
  • Dry Rub: 1 TB garlic power, onion powder, ginger power; 2 tspn coriander, cumin, 1 tspn cinnamon, crushed red pepper; S&P
  • Sauce: 1.5 TB curry powder, 1/2 cup nut butter, 3 TB soy sauce, 2 TB honey or maple syrup, ~1/2 cup water, squirt of sriracha

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the dry rub ingredients.
  2. Season the ribs with salt and then coat aggressively with the dry rub. You will still have some leftover.
  3. On a half sheet pan, line with a “T” of aluminum foil. Place ribs, drizzle with oil, and wrap up tightly with foil. Bake for ~3 hours.
  4. When your ribs are about 30 minutes away from being done, start the sauce. In a small sauce pan, combine all the ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and stir until slightly thickened about 5 minutes.
  5. When the ribs are done, unwrap and take a moment to appreciate that smell! Crank the oven up to broil or crank your grill up. Baste the ribs with sauce and cook until blackened and crispy in some spots.
  6. Serve with extra sauce drizzled on top and rice to soak it up.
  7. For salad dressing: I added a splash or rice wine vinegar (lime juice would be great too!) and dressed basic salad greens, radishes, cucumbers, and carrots.

SALE – Pork Chops!

We are clearing out the freezers for another batch of pork coming in and have an abundance of pork chops! Usually $11/lb, we are selling packs of 2 bone-in chops each for $10. Each package is roughly 1.2-1.6 lbs and usually sells for $16! You can find some listed at the discounted rate this weekend online at the Clemson Area Food Exchange or hop by the farm (call/text/email first) and pick some up…we’ll be here all weekend! Get em’ while they last!

Need some recipe inspiration?

Pork Chops with Red Wine Radicchio Risotto

This is a meal you would expect on your plate at a nice restaurant, and I want to show you how EASY it is to prepare it at home! We’ve been fortunate with local radicchio recently, and this recipe is a stellar way to let this cool-weather crop shine. While it is mostly commonly known as that cheerful “red and white crunchy stuff” in salad mixes, radicchio is a delightful green and a lovely addition to meals in its own right. Bitter, yes, but with the right counter-flavors, it is exquisite. It’s great roasted or grilled to bring out the sweetness. For this dish, the bitterness pairs perfectly with creamy risotto. It’s a perfect cook-at-home special occasion meal. Treat yourself or your partner to a delicious, locally sourced fancy dish! 

To serve: We served this with pork chops – recipe here (pan seared instead of grilled), but you could serve with a big steak, roasted chicken, pan seared trout and even some beautiful mushrooms or tofu for my plant based friends. Check out original recipe that inspired my version for some plant based variations you might find helpful, too!

Ingredients: 

  • 5-6 cups bone broth
  • 1 large head of radicchio, sliced thin
  • 4 tablespoon butter, divided 
  • 1 medium onion or 2 shallots, diced small
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced 
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ cups arborio rice 
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme and rosemary leaves 
  • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 

Instructions: 

  1. Heat the broth over low heat on a back burner, so that it’s nice and hot to add to your risotto during cooking. 
  2. In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and saute another minute until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. 
  3. Pour in the rice and toast the rice by stirring around, about 2-3 minutes. The rice grains should be translucent on the outside and still have a white center. Season the rice with salt and pepper.
  4. Turn the heat to medium-high. Deglaze the pan with the cup of wine, turning the heat down to low after the initial alcohol bubbles off. 
  5. Once the wine has been absorbed, you will start the process of adding broth. Using a ladle, add 2 scoops of broth to the pan and continue stirring to incorporate all the liquid into the rice. If you’re cooking on gas, you can manipulate the heat to keep a constant simmer, increasing when you add stock and decreasing as it simmers, like a dance. When the liquid has been absorbed, add another few more ladles full of broth. 
  6. After 3-4 rounds of broth additions, it’s time to add your radicchio and fresh herbs by folding it into the rice.
  7. Continue adding broth. You will need between 5-6 cups. So, you have to keep your eyes on it. You will know it’s done as the rice will slow it’s absorbency of the broth and the grains become nice and plump. I keep a tasting spoon close by and taste as it gets close (this also helps you keep an eye on salt level, too). Some people prefer more al dente, some like it done well. However, I caution you from overcooking too soon. The rice will become sticky and mushy, so err on the side of undercooking. 
  8. When it’s just about done, turn off the heat. Add the cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, adjust seasonings, and one more ladle full of broth and stir to combine. 

Kohlrabi, Carrot, Scallion Fritters

Kohlrabi, Carrot, Scallion Fritters

Recipe adapted from: https://www.acouplecooks.com/kohrabi-fritters-with-avocado/

It’s Kohlrabi season and I love this vegetable! While it is a new vegetable to many of us here in the states, it is a very popular vegetable in Eastern Europe and Australia. It is often cooked and prepared similar to potatoes – soups, mashed, simmered in cream, etc. Peeled, diced, seasoned and roasted like potatoes is probably my favorite preparation (until this creation)! I also greatly enjoy raw (peeled) kohlrabi – it makes a great salad addition, but honestly I also eat them like radishes, smeared with butter and topped with sea salt. 

A friend of mine recently texted me in a kitchen emergency situation. She was making veggie fritters and had run out of all purpose flour and wondered if rice flour would work in a vegetable fritter recipe she was making from a cookbook. And that’s where this idea started! We make summer squash and zucchini fritters in the summer all the time. Served alongside something from the grill – it’s an excellent way to use up a bumper crop. So I applied the same technique to some winter vegetables. Honestly – this recipe is super flexible. I used chickpea flour, because I had it and I love the flavor. It can be “thirsty” and an excellent, unique thickener. I also served this alongside a vegetarian spread and was looking to add as much protein as possible to my dinner plate. But you can use all purpose flour, wheat flour, rice flour — all will work great. Not a fan of kohlrabi? I encourage you to try it in this recipe, but if it’s a hard no, I bet butternut squash or sweet potatoes would be divine too!

This was a huge hit with my kids, too, though maybe they were just in it for the avocado yogurt sauce. Either way – they gobbled up their servings! 

Ingredients:

  • 2 small kohlrabi, peeled
  • 2 large carrots, peeled
  • 1 large scallion, sliced lengthwise and then sliced into thin ribbons
  • 1 garlic clove, grated into bowl
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup chickpea flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for salting after frying
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Frying oil of choice. I used avocado oil – enough to spread a nice thin layer (more than coat the pan, but we’re not deep frying here) on the bottom of your frying pan (~ ½ cup, depending on size of your vessel)

For the avocado yogurt sauce 

  • 1 small avocado
  • 1/4 cup yogurt
  • 1/2-1 lime, juiced
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • Salt & pepper

For sauce – blend all ingredients – I wiped out my food processor after shredding and used that, but combining by hand would work out just fine too. 

Directions for fritters:

  1. Shred kohlrabi and carrots in a food processor or using the large holes in a box grater. 
  2. Place shredded vegetables in a clean tea towel. Wring out all the excess moisture. If you’re using purple carrots (as pictured here), you may want to consider what tea towel you’re using as the carrots stain!
  3. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix well. I found my hands to be the best tool for the job, to ensure there weren’t any pockets of flour or eggs that hadn’t penetrated the vegetables. You may also find that more liquid escapes the vegetables during this step. I just strained it out of the bowl over the sink. 
  4. Set your oven to warm or lowest heat. Set aside a baking pan, preferably with a rack on top. Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the oil. You can test when the oil is ready by placing a small piece of batter into the pan to test it’s readiness to fry!
  5. When the oil is hot, use your hands to scoop about ⅓ cup of vegetables out and make a patty shape. 
  6. Gently place into pan and fry on each side about 2-3 minutes until nicely browned and crispy. Remove the done patties to the rack on the baking sheet, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set in the oven until everything is done. Your goal is to keep everything hot and crispy! Continue frying until all the batter has been used. 
  7. Top with avocado yogurt sauce and dig in right away – the hotter and crispier, the better! 

Creamy Whiskey Pork Chops with Rutabaga Mash

This has been a standard for Farmer B and I for years. Originally based off this recipe , I have adapted and simplified it over the years, to suite our needs and likes. My kids enjoy this dish as much as we do (don’t worry, the alcohol from the whiskey cooks off entirely!), I mean, who doesn’t like pork chops and mushrooms in a creamy sauce over mashed potatoes. Truly a stick to your ribs, comfort food night!

In this recipe, I pair it with some seasonal rutabaga available from a neighboring local farm. Rutabaga’s are in the brassica family (brassica napus which is a cross between a cabbage and turnip), so do have some bitterness to them, but they’re also a root vegetable and can have some of that sweetness if you know how to prepare them right! I do a 50/50 split with rutabaga and Yukon gold potatoes to achieve a similar but slightly different taste and feel to your normal mashed potato side.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!

For the Pork Chops

  • 4 bone-in pork chops
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh thyme leaves 
  • 1-2 TB EVOO 
  • 2 TB butter 
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced 
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 
  • ½ cup whiskey
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • Chicken stock/water to thin sauce if desired or needed

Rosemary Rutabaga Mash

  • 1 lb rutabaga, peeled and diced
  • 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 6 TB butter, plus more for serving
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled (keep whole)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Splash of cream or milk for mashing

Directions:

1. Season pork chops with salt, pepper and fresh thyme leaves on both sides. Let sit while you prep your ingredients.

2. In a large pot, boil rutabaga and potatoes until fork tender, about 25 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, in a small wide saucepan, brown the butter. On medium, let the butter melt and then continue cooking. It will start foaming and then milk solids will drop to the bottom and the butter will start to smell nutty and delicious. This takes about 5 to 10 minutes depending on your heat. Keep a watch and don’t let it burn! Once it’s browned and smelling great, remove from heat and drop the rosemary springs and garlic cloves in — they will sizzle. Swirl to combine and set aside to let the rosemary and garlic infuse into the butter. 

4. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium- high heat. Brown the pork chops for three minutes on each side to create a nice, brown crust. Remove from the pan and set onto a plate. Cover with foil. Set aside. This is the initial step to create flavor, but you will complete the cooking later.

5. Turn the heat down a bit to medium, and melt butter in the same cast iron skillet used for the chops. Add the onions and mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about eight minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release some liquid and onions are well-cooked and browning. 

6. Turn the heat back up to high and deglaze the pan with the whiskey, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan. After about a minute and the alcohol has cooked off, turn the heat to low. There should still be some liquid, you don’t want it to evaporate entirely. Add the sour cream and stir to combine. Taste to adjust your seasonings, and when you’re satisfied, place your pork chops and any accumulated liquid back in your pan. Cover with foil and let it cook on your lowest setting while you finish your mashed rutabaga. 

7. Strain the rutabaga and potatoes, and place back in the same pot. Discard the rosemary and garlic from the browned butter and add any remaining butter to the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and start to mash. If you need more liquid, slowly add only a splash of milk/cream. Rutabagas have a higher water content than potatoes so you’ll find you don’t need as much liquid when mashing them. Keep mashing to desired consistency and taste as you go. 

8. Test your pork chops to ensure they’re done cooking. If you’re a temp person, you’re looking for an internal 145 degrees, and if you’re a feeling kinda person you can test by pressing for firmness to your liking. 

9. Load your plate with mashed rutabaga, top with a pork chop and a heart helping of the creamy mushrooms and onions. We served it with a Caesar salad!

Pork Sampler Packs!

We are stocked with pork right now! We realize how busy this season can be and know that sometimes it’s just easier and more convenient to buy from the grocery. So, in an effort to make things easy and accessible for all, we’re offering a pork sampler pack with discounts and various options for pickup and delivery! Here’s how it will work:

  1. Choose a large or small sampler pack.
  2. Figure out how you want to get it: Pickup (on farm, at FNKY Music Studios/Seneca or Sisters Restaurant in Salem) or delivery (added fee).
  3. Email us (callywoodfarms@gmail.com) ASAP to reserve yours and let us know your pickup location/day/time or if you need it delivered. These packs are limited.
  4. Pickups will start on Tuesday, November 22nd. You will pay at time of pickup and sent an invoice ahead of time. Total price is determined by weights of cuts and selections.

The possibilities are endless as to how to use them up! Here are some awesome ideas of how to use pork for this holiday season!

  • Appetizer ideas: Sausage balls! Sausage & cream cheese dip, Bourbon glazed pork belly chunks
  • On the table: Sausage Dressing (try it with our Sourdough!)
  • Leftover Sausage & Turkey soup (add some local collards, yumm!)

Can’t wait to see what you’ll create with yours!

As always – thanks for choosing to support our little family farm this holiday season. It means the world to us!