Balsamic Cherry Pulled Pork & Sweet Plantain Romaine Boats (AIP, Paleo)

For some reason I always struggle to decide how to serve pulled pork. You can obviously just serve it on it's own, but it always felt like something was missing. It is that starchiness and support of a roll to shovel the goodness in your mouth I just couldn't find. Good news, I have found a solution; fried plantains and romaine leaves.

Balsamic Cherry Pulled Pork & Sweet Plantain Romaine Boats

Ingredients

• 1½ cup pitted cherries (fresh or frozen), roughly chopped
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 5-6 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast
• 1 cup bone broth
• 1 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 4 yellow plantains (not yet black, but can have a few spots)
• 1 head of romaine

Instructions

This recipe uses an Instant Pot, however, I have included modifications at the bottom for those using a slow cooker.

1. In a small bowl, combine cherries, vinegar, and coconut aminos, set aside.
2. Pat dry pork shoulder, and cut in to 4-5 even pieces.
3. Set Instant Pot on sauté and add avocado oil to pot. When pot is hot, brown all sides of pork. You may have to do this in a few rounds to make sure there is enough room for each to brown.
4. Once pork is browned, place back all pieces into instant pot and cancel sauté function 
5. Pour bone broth over pork, then the balsamic cherry mix, and lastly, sprinkle sea salt, ginger, and rosemary all over.
6. Set Instant Pot on manual and use the "+" to set it to 75 mins. Close the lid and make sure the valve is on steaming.
7. When pork is done, turn off the pot and let pressure release naturally.

While the pot is releasing pressure you can start working on the plantains.

1. In a medium cast iron skillet, warm coconut oil over medium heat.
2. Peel the plantains, and cut in thirds, then slice lengthwise, so they are about a 1/4 inch thick.
3. When oil is hot, add plantain slices in a single layer to pan, don't over fill the pan.
4. Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes, or until it gets a nice brown color, flip and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. 
5. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. Continue until all pieces have been cooked.

Now the pork should be ready so time to shred!

1. Remove pork from pot and place in large deep baking sheet or dish. Using two forks, shred pork and remove bone. 
2. Add shredded pork back to pot and stir to combine with juices and cherries.

Time to assemble!

1. Take 3 medium romaine leaves, wash and pat dry and set on serving plate.
2. Place 2 slices of the fried plantains on each leaf.
3. Spoon shredded pork and cherries on the plantains.
4. Enjoy!!

**If using a slow cooker you can make the follow modifications: use a large frying pan over medium heat to brown the pork and cook pork and cherries on low for 6 hours.**

Serves: 8

Pan Seared Boneless Pork Chops (AIP, Paleo)

As as simple week night meal, these pork chops are used frequently in our meal rotation. My favorite part about pan searing pork chops is that it keeps in all the juices. It comes out perfect every time and never dry, which let's face it, often happens when cooking pork. This recipe is super easy and is another one of our go to lazy meals. I pop the pork in the fridge in the morning and it will be defrosted by dinner time. From prep to serve time you are looking at around 15 mins.

Pan-Seared Boneless Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 center cut boneless pork chops
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Instructions

1. Pat dry pork chops and set on a cutting board or plate.
2. Mix together all spices in a small bowl.
3. Cover pork chops all over with spice mix, be sure to pat it down to stick.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
5. Once oil is hot, add pork chops to the pan. 
6. Cook for 4 mins. Don't touch it at all, just let it cook away.
7. Now flip and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. You will want a nice sear on both sides by the time it's done.
8. Remove from pan and let rest for 2-3 minutes on cutting board.
9. Slice only when you are ready to serve or serve as a full chop. It will keep the juices in the pork longer this way.

Cabbage and Ground Pork Curry (AIP, Paleo)

Prior to AIP, I was actually never a huge curry fan. Mostly because it always made me feel so icky afterwards. Having now learned about AIP, I realize that is likely I am sensitive to those spices like cumin and coriander. It was not my intention to create a curry recipe. Right now, I am seriously obsessed with putting ginger and turmeric in any dish that works. Additionally, sage and cinnamon are basically the only spices I use when cooking pork, so I decided to through them all in a pan together with some cabbage and see what happened. To my surprise, it tasted great! So I've decided to share this one pan dish with you all.

Cabbage and Ground Pork Curry

Ingredients 

• 1/2 large head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground sage or 1/2 teaspoon of rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric* 
• 1/4 cup of bone broth (preferably pork or beef)

*If you have access to fresh turmeric, you can also add another 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated turmeric.

Instruction

1. Preheat large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook until browned.
2. Divide cabbage in half and add half to the pan with pork. Mix and cook for about 2-3 mins, or until cabbage starts to wilt a little. 
3. Add in the remaining cabbage and sea salt to pan and stir to combine and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Add cinnamon, garlic powder, ground ginger, ground sage, and ground turmeric to pan and stir until seasons cover the pork and cabbage.
5. Lastly add bone broth to pan. Once broth is boiling, reduce heat to low and cover pan with lid or aluminum foil.
6. Cook covered for 20 minutes on low heat. 
7. Remove lid and cook for another 5 minutes or until all liquid has disappeared.
8. Enjoy!

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable

Super Easy Pork Shoulder Roast (AIP, Paleo)

I have absolutely zero luck with pork in the crock pot, there I said it. Phew. I try recipes over and over again, either I over cook or under cook or I grab the wrong cut and it just never seems to work out. This may sound strange, but it's the truth. I am also super bad at following directions, so this may be part of it. This was the reason why I need something that required the least amount of instruction to equal the best results.

The recipe for this came as a bit of a fluke. I picked up a pork shoulder roast for a good deal at the store and had no clue what I was going to do with it, but had to buy it. When I went to prepare it, I literally grabbed a few of my favorite herbs, tossed them on top of the roast, turned the crock pot on low, and walked away. What came out was perfection! I love it when that works out. And best of all, this is completely approved by my non-paleo hubby, so you know it's a hit!

Super Easy Pork Shoulder Roast

Ingredients

• 3-5 lb pork shoulder roast
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons each of the following: oregano, thyme, marjoram, basil, and rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Instruction

1. Place pork shoulder roast in slow cooker. If it is wrapped in kitchen netting, you can leave it on.
2. Rub garlic over the top of roast. Mix herbs together and sprinkle over the top of the roast.
3. Set slow cooker on low and cook for 9-10 hrs or until roast reaches 165 degrees F.
4. Remove roast and set on cutting board. Tent it with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 mins. This would be a good time to make your sides, like the Caramelized Fennel and Sweet Potato Sauté
5. Slice, serve, drool, and enjoy!

Shared on AIP Recipe Roundtable