Bacon Jalapeno Popper Puffs � Seeing Spots

I had everything I needed to shoot a brand new chicken wing video, except for one key ingredient; a working oven. Yes, my oven decided to take the rest of Super Bowl week off, as did my oven repairman, but these bacon jalapeno popper puffs came out so well, I decided to designate this as an official blessing in disguise.

These pepper poppers in puff form really did come out incredibly well, as long as you don�t have a problem with lots of unsightly dark spots. Since we loaded these with so much diced pepper, the pieces on the outside caramelized (which is chef-speak for burned), and my beautiful, golden-brown balls were spotted with golden-black.

Apparently, I�m having more of a problem with the appearance than your average viewer, at least according to the first wave of YouTube comments, but I may still try to figure out a way to make these a little more camera friendly next time. Maybe I�ll puree the peppers first, or possibly char off the skin, which I believe gets even darker than the flesh. Stay tuned.

Superficial beauty aside, if you enjoy the gut-bombs that are classic, bacon-wrapped, jalapeno poppers, I think you�ll love these shockingly light puffs. All the same flavors are there, especially when served with the easy cream cheese dip, and the prep is much easier. I really hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 40 Bacon Jalapeno Popper Puffs:

For the dough:

2/3 cup water

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon bacon fat

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon fine salt)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

Then add:

2 ounces extra sharp white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup finely diced jalapeno peppers

1/3 cup finely chopped bacon

pinch cayenne

pinch freshly ground black pepper

- Fry at 375 F. for about 3 1/2 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through

For the dipping sauce:

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/4 cup cr�me fraiche or sour cream

2 tablespoons minced green onions

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

- add enough water to thin mixture out to proper dip consistency

B�nh M� � More Than a Sandwich

I�ll never forget my first real b�nh m�. It was here in San Francisco, at a place called Saigon Sandwich, and I remember thinking to myself, this just isn�t one of the best sandwiches I�ve ever had to eat, but one of the best things, period.

Not only do we get amazing contrasts in flavor, and texture, but also the temperature difference between the crisp, warm, meat-filled roll, and cool, crunchy vegetables, makes this so much fun to eat.

By the way, the secret sauce should be just sweet enough to temporarily put out the fire from the sriracha and jalapenos. Which reminds me, everything here is �to taste.� The amounts below are just guidelines, and by guidelines, I mean guesses.

If you�re not into our roasted 5-spice pork for this sandwich, you can pretty much use any of your favorite sandwich ingredients. Ham is great, as is smoked turkey, and while I�ve not tried it yet, I bet many of our grilled chicken breast recipes would be stellar here. Just don�t forget the pate!

I prefer the smooth, buttery type of pate, and you don�t have to get to fancy. That one from the cheese shop, made with pork and chicken livers is just fine. Stay tuned for the French rolls video coming soon, and at some point very soon, I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one B�nh M�:

1 crusty French sandwich roll

3 tablespoons secret sauce (mayo, seasoned to taste with hoisin sauce, and sriracha)

4 ounces roasted pork

2 ounces smooth pate

1/2 cup *pickled daikon and carrot

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

6-7 jalapeno slices

6 thin spears English cucumber

* To make the pickled daikon and carrot, use equal parts and toss in enough seasoned rice vinegar to coat well. Let sit for 15-20 minutes, or until the veggies get slightly limp. Drain and use, or refrigerate. If using regular vinegar, add a pinch of salt and sugar.

Pan-Roasted 5-Spice Pork Loin � Pleasing and Teasing

Now that it�s been posted, I can admit this easy, pan-roasted pork loin was just an elaborate tease for a video I�ve wanted to post for years; the Vietnamese b�nh m� sandwich! If you�ve had one, you�ll fully understand my excitement. If you haven�t, do not miss the next video.

Having admitted my true motivation, I will also say that this very tasty technique is impressive enough in its own right. The misleadingly simple marinade produces big flavor, and by splitting/scoring the pork, we not only have something that absorbs the seasoning quickly, but also cooked faster, and more uniformly.

I�ve been trying to get you to buy that bottle of Asian fish sauce for years now, and maybe this will be the recipe that does it. That really is a key here, as is the Chinese 5-spice powder. Mine included cinnamon, ginger, anise seed, fennel seed, and clove; but this can vary brand to brand. Whatever you find should work, otherwise, just combine equal parts of what I just listed, and you�ve made you own.

I think this particular marinade works great for a 30-minute soak at room temp. Just keep turning it over every so often, and that�s it, you�re ready to cook. Or simply wrap and keep in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or even up to overnight. So, stay tuned for the upcoming b�nh m� video, and in the meantime, I really hope you give pan-roasted pork loin a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

2 pound boneless pork loin roast, cut in half lengthwise, and scored

For the marinade:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sriracha, or to taste

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil for the pan

One-Pot Chicken & Sausage Orzo � Tastes Like You Used at Least 3 or 4 Pots

There�s something extra satisfying about a recipe like this one-pot chicken and sausage orzo, where you just basically dump the ingredients in a pot, and wait until it�s cooked. Sure, you have to stir it a few times, and it helps if you add stuff in the right order, but for how delicious this comes out, you�re doing very little actual work.

Having said that, there are a few variables involved, so you will have to really keep and eye on the pot for the entire 10-15 minutes, or however long it takes. The size of the orzo �grain� can really vary, so be sure to check for doneness early, and stop when it�s 95% tender, as it will continue to soften as you complete the final steps.

I like to keep a little extra broth on the side, in case my mixture gets too dry, and the pasta is not yet cooked. Just splash some in and keep on stirring. On the other hand, if your pasta is cooked and there is a little too much liquid, well, that�s life. You�ll just be enjoying an extra �saucy� dish that day.

Of course this will work with countless combos of sausage, veggies, and other small-sized pastas, so go forth and multiply. By the way, the nice thing about using a very flavorful sausage, like a spicy Italian, is that most of the seasoning is done for you. Or, go with fresh ground meat, and you can flavor it any way you want. No matter what you use, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 (6 ounce) spicy Italian sausages, casing removed

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces, OR 2 chicken breasts, cut into bit sized pieces

3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons sliced fresh chives

4 tablespoons ricotta cheese to garnish

Sausage Cheese Balls - Rolling into Christmas

What these sausage cheese balls lack in sophistication, they more than make up for with their taste, simplicity, and proven track record for making party-goers happy. No one goes to a holiday party thinking, �I hope they serve sausage cheese balls,� but they all leave very grateful you did.

I�m not sure how these evolved into a Christmas snack, but I bet it has something to do with the fact you can stretch a few pounds of meat and cheese into enough finger food for a large crowd. They can also be made ahead, which helps in the old holiday time management department.

This is a recipe where everyone uses the same basic ingredients, but in wildly different proportions. Look online, and you�ll see versions with half the amount of biscuit mix, as well as ones with three times as much. It all depends on how bready verses cheesy/meaty you want your balls to be.

The bad news is, the only way to figure out your ideal formula is to test multiple versions. This is also the good news. Speaking of formulas, this originally calls for biscuit mix (like Bisquick), but I prefer to use self-rising flour. Besides some added fat, that�s all biscuit mix is, and a little extra cheese more than makes up for any missing shortening.

If you have some biscuit mix in the cupboard, by all means use it, but otherwise I see no need to go out and buy a box. If you don�t have self-rising flour, I�ve given instructions below for how to make your own. I really hope you give these sausage cheese balls a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes about 48 sausage cheese balls:

1 1/4 pounds raw hot Italian pork sausage meat (just remove the casing from uncooked, link-style sausages)

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup finely sliced green onions

1/2 pound shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 cups)

2 cups biscuit mix, or self-rising flour (*see below to make your own)

2 tablespoons milk

- Bake at 450F. for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through (I like to broil for a minute or two for extra color)

* To make your own self-rising flour, sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, with 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine salt.

Home-Cured Holiday Ham � First You Brine, Then You Brag

There are many reasons for making your own holiday ham, but the best one of all, may be the most superficial. After the holidays, as people are standing around the water cooler, bragging how great their glazed carrots were, or how amazing the cranberry sauce came out, you can say, �That sounds great, but did anyone else cure their own ham? I didn�t think so.�

Above and beyond establishing your culinary dominance with friends, the other reasons are pretty good too. You can flavor your ham any way you want; you can somewhat control the salt content; and depending on how many people you need to feed, can cure any size cut of pork you want, from a whole leg to a small loin roast.

There are thousands of different brine and spice combinations, but the procedure is pretty much the same no matter which way you go. However, there is one thing all these recipes have in common, pink salt. To make a true ham, you�re going to need a curing salt that contains sodium nitrite, which is what gives the meat its pink color, and signature �ham� taste, verses something that just tastes like roast pork.

This magical ingredient goes by several names, including Pink Curing Salt #, Insta Cure #1, or the one I used, Prague Powder #1. Yes, you can theoretically use things like celery juice, but long story short, nitrites are nitrites, and it doesn�t matter where they come from. For more info on that, and potential health issues, this article by Michael Ruhlman is a good read.

Once the ham is cured, you�ll want to give it a soak to rinse off the brine, and how long you do this can effect how salty your meat is. I prefer just a quick dunk, but you can leave it for as long as 24 hours, which will produce what I�ll call a low-sodium ham. It�s still pink, and flavorful, but barely salty. Experimentation is the only way to figure out how long to you should go, but I wanted to give you the range.

If you do want a home-cured ham gracing your Christmas table, I�ve given you just enough time to get it done. A local butcher should be happy to give you a few tablespoons of pink salt, otherwise it�s quite easy to find online. Whether it�s for a holiday dinner or not, I really hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

7 to 10 pound fresh, bone-in pork shoulder �picnic� arm roast (or any large hunk of pork)

For the brine (adapted from Ruhlman�s basic ham brine recipe):

6 quarts water

18 ounces kosher salt (this is about 2 1/4 cups Morton's Kosher Salt, or 3 2/3 cups Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, as they have difference size grains)

2 cups brown sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pink salt #1

1 rounded tbsp pickling spice, or any spices you want

For the optional glaze:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
pinch of cayenne
pinch of salt  

- Once cured, you should smoke and/or roast your ham until it reaches an internal temp of at least 145-150 F. 

- For a more detailed video on how I prep a ham for the oven, check out this Crispy Honey-Glazed Ham video.

Bacon Cheddar and Spinach Strata � We�re Rocking the Breakfast Casserole

For such a simple dish, I sure have a lot of additional info to cover regarding the construction of this beautiful bacon, cheddar, and spinach strata. First of which, is the somewhat unusual name. Whoever invented this recipe apparently thought it looked like layers of rock, known in geological circles as, �strata.�

I guess it sort of does, and probably would a lot more, if we used a deeper dish, and did more layers. Regardless, even with just one layer of filling in the middle, you�ll still be looking at a gorgeous casserole, which should thoroughly impress your brunch guests�bottomless Mimosas or no.

As I mentioned in the video, if you want something a little eggier, a little more quiche-like, just simply increase the amount of egg custard used. As long as your pan is deep enough, you could as much as double the eggs and cream in this.

Speaking of the cream, this is a very rich dish, so you may want to cut the cream with milk. In fact, many people use all milk for this, but I do enjoy the extra butterfat the cream provides. As usual, let your conscience be your guide.

Above and beyond that, this recipe just begs for personalization. I�m not sure what your favorite omelet ingredients are, but I do know they would work in this, and work really well. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 portions:

1 pound loaf of day old bread, cubed

12 large eggs

2 1/2 cups heavy cream, milk, or any combination thereof

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch cayenne

pinch nutmeg

1 pound bacon, sliced and cooked crisp

1 pound fresh spinach, wilted, and squeezed dry (or enough thawed, drained frozen spinach to cover one layer)

12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided (use 1/2 over the first layer of bread, 1/4 over the spinach, and the last 1/4 over the top layer of bread)

- Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes or until set. Then broil for a minute or two to brown the top.

Creamy Pork Stew � Easy Does It

I didn�t want to end my vacation by filming anything too strenuous, so I went with this creamy pork stew, which is one of my favorite cold weather dishes of all time. This comforting stew is very delicious, quite easy, and ready to accept all sorts of seasonal produce.

As usual, I kept the ingredient list to a minimum, as not to get in the way of demonstrating this simple procedure, but things like squash, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mushrooms, and root vegetables, would all be wonderful swimming around in the subtly sweet, just-rich-enough sauce.

As I mention in the video, you always want to buy a nice hunk of pork shoulder, and cut your own chunks. If you want to save five minutes of work buying the pre-cut stuff in the package, go ahead, but please know you�re paying more money for a lower quality product. Not to mention, you can�t control the size and shape of the cut.

If pork isn�t your thing, this would be lovely with veal, beef, or chicken thighs. No matter which meat you use, simmer it until tender, and this simple, cider-spiked, cream sauce will turn it into a big bowl of autumn goodness. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

2 tbsp vegetable oil for browning meat

2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp horseradish

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chicken broth, or as needed

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 cup sliced carrots

a few sage leaves

2 sprigs thyme

2 small sprigs rosemary

*Fresh herb note: I just tossed mine in whole, but if you don�t like that texture, you can simply pick and chop herbs before adding.

1 dry bay leaf

pinch of cayenne
1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen

fresh apple strips and fresh chive to garnish

- Serve on steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles.

Pork Chili Verde (Green Pork Chili) � Green and Sometimes Browned

As I mentioned in the intro, this chili verde was one of the first recipes I ever learned, and also one of the first times I was forced to question proper culinary technique. Having just learned the importance of browning meats in culinary school, I was, at the same time, working for a chef who rarely did. 

Whether it was pork, chicken, or beef, he simply cut up the meat, threw it in a pot with the rest of the ingredients, and simmered everything until tender. By the way, he claimed that he had learned how to cook these recipes while traveling through Mexico. I remember sheepishly asking about this, and his response was something like, �Well, that's how they did it, and it tastes good to me.� He was right, it did. 

In fact, it tasted great. It was then I realized that this whole cooking thing might be a little more complicated than I had imagined. So, which is really the best method? There�s no answer for that question, which is frustrating. Having said that, I do think browned meat is always going to add extra flavor, so I usually do it. The point is, everybody�s right.

Regarding the pickled red onions I used on top of my chili: I was going to save this for a video, but it�s so ultra simple that I�ll just tell you right now. Slice some red onions, add a pinch of salt, and cover with red wine vinegar. Leave this overnight in your fridge, and the next day you�ll be looking at one of the most gorgeous garnishes ever.

They�re wonderful with everything from salads, to charcuterie, to cheeseburgers; but my real hope is that you enjoy them on a bowl of this delicious green pork chili. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

2 tbsp vegetable oil (heat to almost smoking before browning meat)

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (aka pork butt), cut into 2-inch cubes

1 yellow onion, diced

2 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 to 3 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

about 10-12 tomatillos (about 4 cups once quartered)

3 jalapenos, seeded

1 poblano chili, seeded

6 cloves peeled garlic

1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves

2 1/2 cups chicken stock, or as needed

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
freshly ground black pepper

sour cream and pickled red onions to garnish

- Simmer pork and sauce for an hour, add potatoes, and simmer until everything is tender.

Grilled Pattypan Squash with Hot Chorizo Vinaigrette � Almost Stuffed

Michele does a fantastic, sausage-stuffed pattypan squash, which was actually how these were supposed to be prepared, but someone, and we won�t name names, didn�t pay attention to buying ones of a uniform size, which is kind of a big deal if you want them to bake evenly. Okay, it was me.

In an attempt to redeem myself, I decided to grill them instead � a cooking method where any size will work � and top them with a hot chorizo vinaigrette. It�s something I�ve wanted to try for a while, and it really turned out to be a wonderful combination.

The ingredients below are just a rough guide, and you�ll have to figure out your own amounts, depending on how much squash you grill, but I do recommend a 1-to-1 ratio of sherry vinegar to olive oil/rendered chorizo fat.

I used a veal chorizo, which was very lean, so I had to add a good amount of olive oil. If you use pork chorizo, you�ll have a lot of rendered fat, so you may want to drain off most of it, keeping a few tablespoons, before adding your oil and vinegar.

Speaking of oil, don�t put any on your squash before you toss it on the grill. I used to do this myself, because it seemed logical, but it�s a bad idea. The dripping oil causes flare-ups that can make your veggies taste like gasoline, which is not good eats. Other than that, not much can go wrong with this simple summer dish. I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions

8 pattypan squash

kosher salt to taste

6-8 ounces fresh, raw chorizo sausage
(crumbled fine, and browned well in olive oil)

*you want to leave about 2 tablespoons rendered chorizo fat in the pan

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup sherry vinegar (or, use any vinegar you like)

splash of water to maintain moisture level if needed

1 tablespoon freshly sliced mint leaves

Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Peaches with Burrata and Basil � An Exceptional Summer Exception

There are many people, myself included, that think cooking prosciutto is basically a crime against nature; but there are exceptions, and this plate of grilled peaches with burrata is one incredibly delicious example. 

Having said that, I used a domestic version, which works beautifully here, so we�re not expecting you to use up your precious prosciutto di Parma.

As far as the peaches go, you want something ripe, and sweet, but still somewhat firm. Above and beyond not being too soft, you must also make sure you�re buying �freestone� peaches. Non-freestone varieties will not separate as seen in the video. Ask the produce person at the market, and if they�re not sure, have them cut one open. They�re usually happy to do so!

After you talk to them, head over to the cheese department, and pick up some burrata. This extra rich and creamy cousin of mozzarella is not that hard to find, and really puts this over the top. You could use a nice, fresh mozzarella, or even a full-fat ricotta instead, but, if at all possible, find some burrata, and treat yourself to one of the world�s great cheese experiences. I hope you give this great summer recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:

2 ripe, sweet, but not soft peaches (must be �freestone�)

3 or 4 thin slices prosciutto, torn in ribbons

6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) burrata cheese

salt and pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil as needed

1 tbsp finely sliced fresh basil leaves

Bacon and Egg Doughnuts! Perfect for Real and Made-Up Holidays

I�ve always wanted to try making some kind of sweet/savory bacon-studded fritter using p�te � choux, also known as that stuff you make cream puffs with. It�s such beautifully rich, eggy dough, yet fries up to a surprisingly light, puffy texture.

Today is National Doughnut Day, as you know if you�ve been on Twitter in the last 48 hours, and so I decided to give it a go, and called it a "doughnut" in a cheap attempt to garner extra National Doughnut Day web traffic. That's also why I keep mentioning National Doughnut Day.

I went full breakfast theme, and topped mine with a little maple syrup, but feel free to get your beignet on, and cover them with a pile of powdered sugar. That�s not my preference, due to the mustache issue mentioned in the clip, but people with hair-free lips seem to like it.

Whether you�re going to surprise dad with a plate of these for Fathers Day, or you just want to tell your friends and co-workers you made bacon and egg doughnuts, I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 to 10 small Bacon and Egg Doughnuts:

(this is a half a recipe, so I would highly recommend doubling everything)

6 strips bacon, sliced, browned, cooled, and chopped (save some for the tops)

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp cold water

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/8 tsp salt

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch of fresh nutmeg

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

vegetable oil for deep frying

maple syrup to garnish

- Fry at 350 F. for about 7 minutes, turning often, until puffed and well-browned

* If doing in batches, hold in a warm oven

Deep-Fried Creamy Chicken Gravy � Almost Chicken Croquettes

There are two kinds of chicken croquettes. They all have a crispy, deep-fried exterior, but some are firm, meaty, and nugget-like, while others are much softer and creamier. It was that second kind I was attempting here, and I got so close.

To make a long story short, I used too much butter, and milk, and while they did stay together enough to form the signature, golden-brown crust, the inside was positively sauce-like.

I had no intention of turning this classic into some kind of gimmicky attempt at a viral video, but as I ate them, I couldn�t help but think of how much they tasted like deep-fried chicken gravy. Yes, I sometimes put a little ham in my chicken gravy.

I�ve listed exactly what I used in the ingredient list below, and also a second version, which theoretically would come out closer to actual chicken croquettes. I hope you get this, or that, a try soon. Enjoy!

The Deep-Fried Creamy Chicken Gravy Version:

Makes about 16 appetizer sized portions

2 packed cups finely chopped cooked chicken meat

1/2 cup finely chopped ham

2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch freshly ground nutmeg

pinch cayenne

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

The More Like Chicken Croquettes Version:

Makes about 16 appetizer sized portions

2 packed cups finely chopped cooked chicken meat

1/2 cup finely chopped ham

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch freshly ground nutmeg

pinch cayenne

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

For breading:

2 beaten eggs

flour as needed

2 cups bread crumbs

Memorial Day Grilling Special: Hot Dog Sausage aka �Hot Dogage�

The idea of making actual hot dogs doesn�t really interest me that much. Like French fries, and sushi, I believe hot dogs are best enjoyed out�; preferably at a baseball game, with a cold beer. However, I didn�t say anything about hotdog-inspired sausage hybrids.

This meaty mash-up came about thanks to some lamb kebab experiments. The meat mixture is prepared in a similar fashion, and while the seasonings are totally different, the firm texture of the kebab reminded me of a hot dog�s �snap.�

I wondered what would happen if I did a skewer-less kebab using the same ingredients that would typically go into a hotdog. What happened was better than I could've expected. I ended up with a fresh, mostly beef sausage, that tasted pretty much exactly like a hot dog.

Technically, this ended up being a lot closer to a bratwurst, but I�m pretty sure hot dogs are a more popular search, so that�s what I went with. As always, be sure to season these �to taste.� Just like when making meatballs, you can cook a small piece of the mixture, and adjust from there.

Like I said in the video, if you�re looking for something a little different for your Memorial Day cookout, I hope you give these hot dog sausages a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Giants Hot Dog Sausages:

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef (10 to 15% fat is fine)

1/4 pound ground pork

4 tsp kosher salt (1/2 ounce by weight)

2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp granulated onion powder

1/3 cup ice water

Orange & Milk Braised Pork Carnitas � Apparently for Cinco de Mayo

It must have been the subliminal beer and liquor advertising that got me, because I wasn�t even thinking about Cinco de Mayo when I decided to film this milk-braised pork carnitas recipe. 

It�s pretty hard to make a bad batch of oven-fried pork chunks, no matter what method you use, but the milk braising beforehand seems to give the meat a little extra succulence.

The subtle sweetness from the orange is also very nice, but I wanted more, so upped the amount below. As I mentioned in the video, you always want to use these ingredient amounts, and not necessarily what you see in the video. Especially when I�m trying something for the first time, I�ll go kind of light on the ingredients and then adjust here if I think it needs little more or less of something.

By the way, proper carnitas are much �richer,� and by that I mean much fattier. The chunks of meat are crisped in a caldron of pork fat, and copious amounts of this insanely delicious stuff sticks to the meat as it�s chopped or smashed. So, feel free to use more than I did during the oven step, and enjoy something even more flavorful.

You�ll probably use these for tacos, but rumor has it, if you smash them up, and mix in some of your favorite barbecue sauce, they make incredible pulled pork style sandwich.  And don�t even get me started on how amazing these are fried up with some eggs in the morning. I hope you give this carnitas recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions Orange & Milk Braised Pork Carnitas:

3 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/2  cup freshly squeezed orange juice

zest peeled from 1 large orange
2 cups whole milk

Note: You can strain and reduce the cooking liquid if you want, and do "wet" tacos by adding some of the juice to chopped meat.