Slow Roasted Pork with Root Beer Chili Sauce

This may sound disgustingly sweet, but it's not at all.  There is a subtleness to it, with a nice spicy kick.  And it has a pleasant aftertaste.  And it's pork!  Hell, I'd eat it without the sauce, but you should really try it.  Go ahead… Just one tiny spoonful.  I triple dog dare you.

Slow Roasted Pork with Root Beer Chili Sauce

• 2-3 lb pork roast
• a bit of salt
• a smidge of pepper
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, cut in thin slices
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup root beer (not diet!)

For the sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups root beer
• 1/2 cup chili sauce (sriracha works)
• hot sauce

Rub the pork roast with salt and pepper, and lightly sear in the hot cooking oil on all sides.

Put the roast in a crock-pot with 1 cup of root beer, tho onion, and minced garlic. Cook it on low for 8-10 hours. (Even without the sauce the pork will smell amazing and it's juicy and awesome!  Also you can save the juices and make gravy later on!)

To make the sauce, in a small sauce pan bring to boil 1 1/2 cups of root beer and 1/2 cup of chili sauce (I used sriracha). Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 20-25 minutes. It should reduce to about 1 cup total, maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less… depends on how thick you want it.  

Add a few dashes of hot sauce, if you like, and serve over the pork (don't forget the onions!)  I served the pork and sauce over rice, but you could make pulled pork sandwiches with this and it would probably be pretty tasty. And the bread from the buns may offer a nice counter-balance for the heat of the sauce.

Note: The original sauce recipe called for 3 cups of root beer and 1 cup chili sauce… That's just way too much sauce.  Especially with as much kick as it has… But try it out and decide for yourself.

Enjoy! (Even if you're Amanda!)

Chicken with Damn Good Sauce

This is loosely based off of Ina Garten's Chicken with Shallots recipe found in How Easy Is That?

I like my name better.  :)

Chicken with Damn Good Sauce

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced in strips

For the sauce

• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2-3 Tbsp cream
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 3 Tbsp butter, diced

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp butter.  

Fry the chicken skin side up for 2-3 minutes.  Turn and fry skin side down for another 3-4 minutes. Chicken should be barely golden brown.  

Turn the chicken back, skin side up. Add the onions to the skillet and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through and juices run clear.  The onions will caramelize in the process, and will make the sauce better.

When the chicken is done, remove from the pan and set aside.  Drain all but about 1 Tbsp of the fatty juices from the skillet.

Add the white wine and lemon juice and reduce over medium-high heat.  The liquid should reduce a bit over half-way.  

Add the cream, a dash of salt and pepper and bring to a boil. 

Remove from heat and stir in the diced butter until melted.

Immediately serve the sauce over the chicken.

Enjoy.  And try not to lick your plate.