Braising is the ultimate way to cook tougher cuts of meat into flavorful fork-tender perfection. This Coca-Cola braised pork is cooked low and slow in the oven until it is perfectly shreddable for tacos or barbecue sandwiches.
This recipe by Marcela Valladolid comes from Food & Wine magazine. It quickly caught my attention not only because I love braised meat especially if it involves a Mexican meal, but also because of its simplicity. It doesn’t call for any hard-to-find ingredients and you don’t need to watch over it while it’s cooking.
After 2 hours in the oven, the pork is ready to be served.
You can serve the pork alongside rice and beans or shred it for tacos.
This Coke-braised pork is so versatile. I freeze leftovers and use it for barbecue pork sandwiches.
Adapted from Marcella Valladolid/Food & Wine magazine
Ingredients
2 pounds pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 4-inch chunks
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 – 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola (original taste) combined with 3/4 cup water
1 large bay leaf split into two pieces
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Optional for serving: Corn tortillas warmed in a comal, cast iron skillet or directly over a gas burner, diced onions, salsa, guacamole or diced avocado, cheese, hot sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (rack in the middle).
Place the pork in a large bowl and toss with the garlic powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a medium Dutch oven (or other oven-safe pot with lid) over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork and sear on both sides until nicely browned, adjusting heat if too hot. Transfer to a bowl and continue with the remaining pork. Once the second batch of pork has been browned, pour in 1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola along with 3/4 cup water and deglaze the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula (no need to remove the second batch of pork in the pan while you deglaze). Return the first batch of pork to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add the split bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 hours or until the meat is fork tender.
Notes
If you do not have an oven-safe pot with a lid, you may cook the pork on the stovetop instead. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours until the pork is very tender.
The pork can be used in multiple ways such as tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, with barbecue sauce for sandwiches and in ramen dishes.
Sometimes just a few simple ingredients can turn a dish into a delectable treat, as is the case with these roasted green beans. Though there’s nothing fancy about this side dish, it reminds me of something I might find at a fine restaurant. I love how uncomplicated this recipe is. You can have it ready in less than 30 minutes.
Capers are the definition of a flavor bomb. Briny, bold, salty and tart they add umami to the butter and other ingredients. The lemon zest adds a bright flavor and the fresh thyme (don’t leave it out!) is just delightful with the roasted beans. This basic compound butter can be whisked up in a jiffy.
The green beans are quickly roasted at high heat, 450 degrees for just about 12 minutes, or until slightly charred in areas.
Once roasted, the beans get tossed with the caper butter before being served.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy clean up.
Toss green beans with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Roast green beans (in one layer) for 10-12 minutes or until lightly charred in areas, stirring once. They will soften a bit more once they are out of the oven.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together Buttery Sticks (or regular butter), mustard, thyme, capers, lemon zest and a dash of salt. Toss roasted green beans with the butter and serve immediately.
Nothing quite whets my appetite like roasted chicken. It’s one of the most simple yet satisfying meals I can think of. I’m sure we all agree that Ina Garten has created some of the best recipes for home cooks. The ingredients are accessible, presentation is beautiful and the food is delicious. This particular roasted chicken recipe is just delightful. The chicken is butterflied which means it cooks evenly and fast. Dinner can be ready in short order.
The seasoning for the chicken includes lots of fresh thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
What lies beneath our bird? Sliced onions, lemon, and garlic. These aromatics along with a splash of wine and the juices from the chicken will turn into a luxurious pan sauce.
Serve the chicken with your favorite side dishes. You can’t go wrong with roasted potatoes and beans or asparagus.
1 4-pound chicken, backbone removed and butterflied
½ cup dry white wine
Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degrees (I used convection roast setting)
Place thyme, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor (or use a mortar and pestle) and process until ground. Pour olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, stir in herb mixture, and set aside.
Distribute the lemon slices in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and distribute the onion and garlic on top. Place the chicken, skin side down, on top of the onion and brush with half of the oil and herb mixture. Turn chicken skin side up, pat it dry with paper towels (very important!) and brush it all over with the rest of the oil and herb mixture.
Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan (not on the chicken) and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 - 160 degrees.
Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths, sprinkle with flaky salt, and serve hot with pan juices, cooked lemon, and onion.
Make Ahead: Assemble the chicken in the pan and refrigerate for a few hours before roasting.
I saved this focaccia recipe from a 1996 Food & Wine magazine (yes 24 years ago!). Over that period, I have made it quite a few times, but not for several years. So with extra time on my hands (and a nudge from John) I decided to bake this beautiful focaccia last weekend. The dough rises quickly and smells divine even before it is formed and baked. This recipe has been fool-proof, turning out perfectly time after time.
Luckily if you don’t grow your own herbs, you can find them easily in any market.
A cup of minced onion is cooked in a bit of olive oil and the fresh herbs are added to the onions before being mixed into the dough. Don’t skip this step. The few minutes it takes to mince the onion and herbs and sauté until slightly softened will be well worth your time.
I used rapid rise (bread machine) yeast so the dough doubled quickly, in about an hour. If you use regular active dry yeast, the rising time could take up to 2 hours. Either of these is fine.
The dough rises until it has doubled in bulk. You will then punch down the dough and let it rise again for another 45 minutes or so. Now it is ready to be shaped and placed in your pan. Along with the onion that is incorporated in the dough, extra slivers of softened onion are added on top with raw sesame seeds and Maldon salt. Chili flakes, poppy seeds, more fresh herbs, and olives are other options. Or leave it plain with just a sprinkling of coarse salt.
The dough is billowy and soft, and flecked with herbs.
Beautiful focaccia with a light open crumb makes for a tender bread that is perfect with your favorite Italian meal or split and used for salami and cheese sandwiches. This is the reason I saved my old favorite.
1 large onion, sliced into thin wedges and separated into strips
Raw sesame seeds
Maldon sea salt for sprinkling
olive oil
Preparation
For the herbs & onion mixture: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, reduce the heat to low and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the herbs and a generous amount of pepper and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the water, milk, salt and sugar.
Measure bread flour into a medium bowl, add yeast and whisk together.
Stir flour 1 cup at a time into the herb-liquid mixture until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until smooth, supple and elastic, about 5 minutes, kneading in only as much flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
Generously grease a large bowl with olive oil. The dough is very lively and will double in size so use the largest bowl you have. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn to coat with the olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours.
While the dough is rising, sauté the onion slices for the topping in a bit of olive oil on medium-low heat until just softened, about 4 minutes or so. Don't let them brown or soften too much as they will cook again in the oven.
Once doubled in bulk, punch down the dough. Re-cover the bowl and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Brush olive oil over the bottom and sides of a 17-by-13-by1-inch dark heavy aluminum baking sheet (I use my jelly roll pan). Sprinkle cornmeal on the pan and tap out excess.
Punch down the dough and turn it onto a cornmeal-dusted work surface. Turn the dough over and over to coat lightly with cornmeal and shape into a large, rough rectangle. Lift the dough and place in the prepared pan. Don't worry if it loses its shape in the transfer, it is very forgiving. Gently pull, push and pat the dough so it fills the baking sheet. Let the dough rise uncovered in a draft-free spot until billowy, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
While dough is rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees with the rack positioned in the bottom third. If using a baking stone, place on the rack and heat for at least 30 minutes.
Scatter the sautéed onions evenly over the top of the dough. Dip your fingers in olive oil and make many deep indentations in the dough, pressing sautéed onion strips into the dough gently. Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and Maldon sea salt.
Place the baking sheet in the oven (on the baking stone if using) and bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are crisp and the focaccia is a deep golden color. Remove from the oven and brush extra virgin olive oil (optional) over the top. Using a large metal spatula, slide focaccia onto a large rack to cool.
Let cool before cutting into pieces with a bread knife. Leftover focaccia can be frozen in Ziploc freezer bags.
Who would have thought that using potato chips in a Spanish tortilla would produce a perfect version of this traditional dish? Thanks to Food52 for posting this terrific recipe from Ferran Adria. Adria was the genius Chef at the acclaimed El Bulli restaurant in Spain. I find it amusing that a 3-star Michelin Chef who was at the forefront of the molecular gastronomy movement would come up with such a simple recipe. But then molecular gastronomy is all about experimentation.
According to Senior Editor at Food52 Kristen Miglore, she prefers thin potato chips such as Lay’s rather than kettle-style chips. Out of curiosity, I tried both Lay’s and those scrumptious thick, kettle-style Maui potato chips that I love dearly. But Lay’s was the clear winner for me as well. The tortilla made with the thinner chips was toothsome yet tender. By comparison, the tortilla made with the kettle-style chips was noticeably more dense and a bit dry, likely due to the egg mixture not softening the thicker chips as well as the thinner ones. I suppose you could leave the chips in the egg mixture longer, but this is supposed to be a quick recipe that takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish.
The original recipe from Food52 recommends either serrano ham or prosciutto. I went with the serrano ham and it was a winner. Our local Whole Foods market will slice the ham according to your request. They also stock jarred piquillo peppers that are just gorgeous. You may substitute pimentos if you are unable to find these. They add beautiful specks of color and are mild in flavor.
I bought a broiler-safe ceramic pan just for this recipe. It was relatively inexpensive which made it easier to click the Buy Now button on Amazon. Can one ever have too many pans in the kitchen?
The potato chips soak up the egg mixture and become a glorious tortilla with bits of ham, peppers and thyme. The fresh thyme compliments the other ingredients and should not be left out. I like to serve it with sliced tomatoes, avocado and a slice or two of good bread.
Position the rack in the upper third of the oven (about 6 inches from the heat source).
Heat the broiler to high.
Combine the potato chips, serrano ham, piquillo peppers, thyme, eggs, and salt and pepper in a large bowl and let sit to allow chips to soften in the eggs, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat the oil in a 10-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook without stirring, until the bottom begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer pan to the broiler, and broil until the top is set but still slightly jiggly on top, about 2 minutes. Transfer tortilla to a plate and cut into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
