Pork

crowdsource Community Insights

This recipe generally turns out well, but people who made it noticed three things that really change the result. First, brown the meat until it’s a deep brown before you add liquids, combining while the meat is still watery or steaming leaves the sauce weak. Second, using a homemade stock or broth instead of plain boiling water gives the sauce noticeably more body. And third, don’t skip seasoning while it cooks: people who omitted salt early found the finished dish flat, and many found seasoning earlier (rather than only at the end) preserved more aroma and flavor.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 1 onion (or brown onion)
• Red onion (or brown onion)
• 3 stick celery
• 3 carrot
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• 150g tomato paste
• 400g peeled tomato
• 1l Italian passata
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 glass red wine (or white wine)
• 1 mug full cream milk
• 500g pork mince
• 300g beef mince
• 200g veal mince
• Pappardelle, fresh, handmade (or penne, tagliatelle)
• 1l water
• Rock salt, to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Place a large pot on the stove and add a good amount of extra virgin olive oil; heat for a few minutes until the oil comes to temperature.
2. Add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes until it is a little bit golden.
3. Add the carrot and celery and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes to make the soffritto.
4. Add half a glass of red wine (you can use white wine instead) and let it cook off for a few minutes so the alcohol evaporates.
5. Add the pork (500 g), beef (300 g), and veal (200 g) mince; add a little bit of salt and a little bit of pepper, separate the meat pieces while cooking, and continue until the meat turns the classic gray color.
6. When the meat releases liquid and that liquid has mostly evaporated, add the second half of the glass of wine and let it cook off.
7. Add the tomato paste (150 g), the peeled tomato (400 g), and the Italian passata (1 L). Use a little water from the passata bottle to rinse the bottle into the pot and avoid waste, then crush the peeled tomato and mix everything together.
8. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then maintain on very low heat with small bubbles (do not run the fire too strong). Do not cover (optional to cover), allow some evaporation, and let the ragu00f9 cook for about 4 to 5 hours total, checking it periodically and adding hot water as needed to keep the meat moist.
9. Check and taste the ragu00f9 after about 1 hour; adjust with a little more salt or pepper as needed. If the ragu00f9 becomes too dry (as around 2 hours in), add hot water u2014 the cook suggests adding about 0.5 L and then checking again in about an hour u2014 and continue to simmer.
10. About half an hour before serving (when the sauce is nice and thick), add the full cream milk (add the stated milk amount) and return the ragu00f9 to the stove; stir and heat for another 4 or 5 minutes to smooth the milk into the sauce.
11. Meanwhile, boil 1 L of water for the pasta; when the water boils add a generous handful of rock salt, then add the fresh pappardelle and cook until done. Reserve some pasta cooking water, then strain the pasta.
12. Add some ragu00f9 to a frying pan, add the drained pasta to the pan with the sauce in the bottom, add a little reserved pasta cooking water to help combine, toss over heat so the pasta absorbs the sauce, and add more ragu00f9 on top as desired.
13. Serve the pasta with extra Parmigiano Reggiano grated on top if desired.

crowdsource Community Insights

This sandwich comes together quickly, but most people who made it found the difference is cooking it low and slow, tossing the bread into a cool pan and keeping the heat down so the outside browns without the inside burning. People who put butter in the pan, and spread butter on the outside of the bread, got the most even, golden toasting, and many also toasted both sides. One common regret: those who used mayonnaise didn't like the results, so people who skipped mayo were happier with the texture and flavor.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 2 slice sandwich bread
• Country sourdough loaf, sliced
• Brioche loaf, sliced
• 1/2 tbsp butter, softened (or mayonnaise, salted butter, unsalted butter)
• Mayonnaise
• 3 American cheese slices
• 1/4 cup cheddar, grated
• 1/4 cup raclette, grated
• 1/4 cup Gouda, grated
• 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into small pieces
• 3 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• Salt, to taste
• Brie, sliced
• Pepper jack cheese
• Cooked bacon, cooked, slightly crispy

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Spread room-temperature softened butter on one slice of bread and mayonnaise on an identical slice; place both slices in the same pan at the same temperature and toast until each reaches the desired level of browning, flipping as needed.
2. For a classic American grilled cheese: spread softened butter on both outside faces of two slices of bread; place one slice butter-side down in a cold pan, top with American cheese slices (he used three), place the other slice butter-side up on top, and cook over medium heat for anywhere between 3 to 6 minutes until the bottom is toasted; flip and cook until the second side is toasted and the cheese is melted.
3. For a three-cheese sourdough grilled cheese: slather country sourdough slices with softened butter (about 0.5 tablespoon or 7 grams per slice), place a butter-side-down slice in a cold pan, mix grated cheddar, raclette, and Gouda (each about 0.25 cup / 28 grams), spread the mixed grated cheeses on the bread and compress into a cheese patty, top with the second buttered slice (butter side up), turn the heat to medium and toast 5 to 8 minutes or until golden and the cheese begins to mound; flip and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty brown.
4. To make the caramelized apples: toss peeled, cored, and small-diced apples (two apples, about 242 grams after processing) with 3.5 tablespoons (44 grams) granulated sugar and a small pinch of salt; let sit for about 20 minutes, then set a pot over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the apples are caramelized and sticky but not mushy. (This caramelized-apple amount is enough for about one sandwich.)
5. Assemble the apple-and-Brie grilled cheese: butter brioche slices, place one butter-side down in a cold pan, add a single layer of caramelized apples, some grated cheddar, and enough sliced brie to coat the surface, top with the other buttered slice butter-side up, and toast 5 to 8 minutes on both sides or until the cheese is melted and the crust is brown; optionally finish under a broiler if the stack is tall and needs extra melting.
6. For a bacon and pepper-jack variant: use cooked, slightly crispy bacon and a generous amount of pepper jack cheese between buttered bread slices; toast in a pan until the cheese melts and the exterior is crisp.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 1 lb (454g) 80/20 ground beef
• 1 lb (454g) ground pork (or ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken)
• 1 box Boursin Garlic and Herbs
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, diced (or red bell pepper, green bell pepper)
• 1/2 onion, large, diced
• Avocado oil
• 1-2 tbsp garlic paste (or fresh garlic, minced garlic)
• All-purpose seasoning, to taste
• Smoked paprika
• Italian seasoning, to taste
• Crushed red pepper
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2-2 cup bread crumbs (or Parmesan-flavored breadcrumbs, Italian-style breadcrumbs, plain breadcrumbs)
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (or spicy brown mustard)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1-2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Chop about 1/4 cup parsley and roughly dice 1 bell pepper and 1/2 large onion so the pieces are about the same size.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add a little avocado oil, then add the diced onions and bell pepper and sautu00e9 about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and tender.
3. After 1 to 2 minutes of cooking the vegetables, add 1 to 2 tablespoons garlic paste and some all-purpose seasoning, sweat the mixture until tender, then transfer the vegetables to the refrigerator and let them cool before adding to the meat.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. In a large mixing bowl combine 1 pound 80/20 ground beef and 1 pound ground pork; mix by hand until combined.
6. Add the chilled sautu00e9ed vegetables, 1 box Boursin Garlic and Herbs cheese, and 2 tablespoons sour cream to the meat; mix to combine.
7. Season the meat mixture with smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, all-purpose seasoning, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and the chopped parsley.
8. Add 2 beaten eggs as a binder, then add 1 1/2 to 2 cups breadcrumbs a little at a time, working the mixture by hand until it holds together (it should form into one large cohesive mass).
9. Place the mixed meat in the refrigerator for about 30 to 45 minutes to firm up and take shape.
10. Remove the mixture, shape it into a loaf by hand (or place in a loaf pan if desired), and season the outside with a little all-purpose seasoning, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
11. Transfer the shaped loaf to a wire rack set over a sheet pan and bake in the preheated 375u00b0F oven for about 45 minutes.
12. While the meatloaf bakes, make the sauce: whisk together 1 cup barbecue sauce, 1 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste, about 1/4 cup brown sugar, a little smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and optional onion or garlic powder; warm and taste-adjust as needed.
13. After about 45 minutes of baking, brush a thick layer of the warm sauce over the top of the meatloaf and return to the oven for a final 20 to 30 minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize (total cook time is about 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 20, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit).
14. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for about 20 minutes before slicing so juices redistribute.
15. Slice and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Dough

• Warm water
• Dried yeast
• Sugar, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Flour
• Extra virgin olive oil

Sauce & Toppings

• Whole tomatoes (or tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes)
• Semolina (or flour)
• Fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces
• Fresh ricotta
• Pesto
• Dried oregano
• Fresh basil, torn into bite-size pieces
• Pepperoni, spicy
• Parmesan, freshly grated
• Bacon
• Olives

book_ribbon Instructions

Dough

1. Bloom the dried yeast by stirring it into warm water (water should be not cold or hot; testable by fingertip) with a bit of sugar until it produces bubbles, indicating the yeast is alive; discard and restart if no bubbles form.
2. Put salt into the flour (do not add salt to the yeast water) and add extra-virgin olive oil to the flour.
3. Add the yeast-water-sugar mixture to the flour-oil mixture in a bowl and hydrate the flour, stirring until it mostly comes together, then turn the dough out onto a board.
4. Knead the dough by rolling it over itself and pushing forward, rotating to incorporate all parts, for 10 minutes until the surface is smooth and springs back when pressed.
5. Shape the dough into a tight round by pulling the sides inward, turning it over, pushing your pinkies in, and rotating to form a smooth top.

First rise

1. Put a little oil in a large bowl, place the dough inside and coat the dough with oil so it won't stick, then cover the bowl and dough with cling film.
2. Let the dough rise for 1 hour; alternatively you can let it rise overnight (the creator shows a 24-hour rise as an option for more flavor).

Punch down, divide and second rise

1. Turn the risen dough out and knead briefly for 1 to 2 minutes to even out the bubbles, then reshape into a round.
2. Divide or cut the dough into portions (the full batch should make about four good-sized pizzas); add a little more flour to the pieces, cover with a towel, and let them rise for one more hour while you prepare other elements.

Preheat and equipment

1. Preheat your oven as hot as it will go and place a heat-retaining surface inside to get good bottom heat: an upside-down baking sheet, a cast-iron pan, or a pizza stone are all acceptable options.

Sauce and cheese prep

1. Prepare the sauce by using whole canned tomatoes and crushing them by hand or with an immersion blender; if using an immersion blender, blend until desired consistency.
2. Store leftover sauce in a separate container (do not store leftover sauce in the tin can) and discard the can.
3. Shred or tear fresh mozzarella yourself (do not use pre-shredded cheese if you want better melting); tear the mozzarella into small pieces for even distribution.

Shape, assemble and bake

1. Shape each dough portion by poking and stretching by hand to preserve larger bubbles, or toss if desired; stretch to desired diameter.
2. Use an upside-down baking sheet as a peel and dust it with semolina (or flour if you don't have semolina) so the pizza can slide off onto the preheated surface.
3. Work quickly when adding sauce and toppings so the pizza does not stick to the peel; transfer the pizza from the peel to the preheated baking sheet/cast iron/pizza stone in the oven.
4. Bake until the cheese is a deep brown and the crust is golden brown, then remove from the oven.

Finish and variations

1. For a classic Margherita: top baked pizza with fresh basil torn into bite-size pieces.
2. For a pizza bianca (white pizza): skip sauce, brush the dough with olive oil, top with mozzarella and a sprinkle of dried oregano, bake, then add spoonfuls of fresh ricotta and a drizzle or dollop of pesto after baking.
3. For pepperoni: top with sauce, mozzarella, and spicy pepperoni; grate fresh parmesan over the finished pizza if desired.
4. Additional topping option: bacon and olives together are suggested as a salty, crunchy favorite.

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna tests out best when you give the big components a little time. People who made the ragu a day ahead liked how it tightened up and made assembly easier, and it becomes simpler to store once chilled. A lot of folks learned the hard way that putting hot or warm pans straight into the fridge or freezer warmed the fridge or left the pasta gummy, which is why people let things cool before storing. If you want to freeze for quick meals, freeze the sauce or portioned leftovers, because freezing an already-assembled lasagna often leaves the pasta mushy.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Ragu

• Carrot, brunoise
• Onion, brunoise
• Celery, brunoise
• 4 clove garlic
• Parmesan rind
• 500g beef mince, 80/20
• 500g pork mince, reasonably high fat
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp rendered meat fat, from cooked mince
• Salt, to taste
• Red wine (or stock, water)
• Tomato passata
• 100ml milk

Pasta dough

• 3 egg
• 320g 00 flour
• Spinach, baby spinach (or omit (skip spinach for plain pasta))
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Béchamel & finishing

• Butter
• Plain flour
• 100-150ml milk
• 1/8 whole nutmeg nutmeg, freshly grated
• Mozzarella
• Parmesan, freshly grated
• Basil leaves

book_ribbon Instructions

Ragu

1. Trim, peel and brunoise the carrots; brunoise the onions and celery.
2. Heat a Dutch oven on high, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until smoking.
3. Break 500 gram beef mince into small pieces and brown in two batches: season with salt, let sit and brown for about 8 to 10 minutes before chopping/stirring to brown all sides; remove and set aside.
4. Repeat browning with remaining beef mince and then with the 500 gram pork mince; set all browned meat aside.
5. Pour out excess fat from the pot, keeping some; add about 1 tablespoon of the fat back to the pan.
6. Add carrots and a little pinch of salt and sweat for a couple of minutes, then add onions and sweat for about 2 minutes, then add celery and garlic and continue to sweat until softened.
7. Return the browned meat to the pot and stir to combine.
8. Add red wine and reduce for about 5 to 6 minutes to burn off harsh alcohol (use a full-bodied red); if not using wine, replace with stock or water.
9. Add tomato passata, a little water to get the passata out of the container if needed, and add the Parmesan rind.
10. Bring to a very slow simmer and cook gently, ideally for up to 6 hours, or for 2 to 4 hours if shorter; stir every 20 to 30 minutes and scrape down the sides.
11. Before assembling, remove and discard the Parmesan rind, stir in 100 milliliter milk, then transfer the ragu to a shallow tray to cool quickly (about an hour in the fridge or less in the freezer) and chill until ready to assemble.

Pasta dough and sheets

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil.
2. If making verde pasta: blanch the baby spinach in the boiling water until it comes back to the surface, drain, rinse under cold water, then plunge into ice water; drain and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
3. Put the drained spinach into a blender with the 3 eggs and 1 tablespoon olive oil and blend until very smooth, starting low then finishing at high speed; avoid over-blending to prevent cooking the eggs.
4. On a clean bench, pile 320 gram 00 flour and make a well; add the egg-spinach mixture (or just whisked eggs if not using spinach) and incorporate the flour slowly with a fork without breaking the outer wall of the well.
5. Use a bench scraper to bring the dough together, then knead on the bench for about 5 to 6 minutes until smooth and elastic; shape into a square, wrap in cling film or a zip-top bag and rest in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours or overnight (bring to room temperature for about an hour before rolling if rested overnight).
6. Roll the dough by folding (envelope fold) and passing through a pasta machine starting on the thickest setting, fold and pass again, cut in half if necessary, dust lightly with flour and cover with a tea towel as you work.
7. Continue passing the dough through the machine progressively thinner until you reach the desired thickness (the video uses the second-to-thinnest setting).
8. Cook each pasta sheet one at a time in the boiling salted water for about 45 seconds, remove and immediately transfer to ice cold water to stop cooking, drain and lay in a tray; repeat for all sheets and trim to the size of your lasagna dish when assembling.

Béchamel

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add plain flour and whisk to form a blond roux; keep the heat at medium and cook the flour without browning.
2. Season the roux with salt.
3. Add milk in increments of about 100 to 150 milliliter at a time, whisking after each addition until the milk is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth and lump-free; do not add all the milk at once.
4. Once all the milk is incorporated, whisk over medium heat until the sauce thickens to a consistency that will coat the back of a spoon but is not overly stiff.
5. Remove from heat and season with salt and freshly grated nutmeg (about an eighth of a whole nutmeg); taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Keep the béchamel warm, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming, until ready to assemble.

Assembly and baking

1. Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius.
2. Make sure the meat sauce is not ice cold (room temperature is ideal); divide the meat sauce roughly into five portions for even layering.
3. Spread the first portion of meat sauce evenly across the bottom of your lasagna dish.
4. Lay a pasta sheet over the sauce, trimming or folding the edges as needed so the dish is mostly covered with minimal overlap.
5. Drizzle some béchamel over the pasta sheet, add a restrained amount of torn or sliced mozzarella and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan.
6. Repeat layering (meat sauce, pasta sheet, béchamel, mozzarella, Parmesan) until you have five pasta layers; on the top (final) pasta layer, use plain tomato passata instead of meat sauce and spread it across the top.
7. Cover the assembled lasagna with foil and bake at 180° Celsius for about 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Remove the foil, arrange basil leaves on top, sprinkle more Parmesan and mozzarella, then bake at 180° Celsius until golden brown; if not browning after 10 to 12 minutes, use the oven grill (broiler) function and watch closely.
9. Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

crowdsource Community Insights

This comes out well for most people, but a few practical things kept tripping cooks up. If you plan to smoke it, don’t leave plastic wrap on, people who did that had problems, so remove any wrap before putting it in the smoker. Also, people who hand-formed their loaves found that if the loaf won’t hold its shape, the mixture is too wet, so shape gently and be ready to firm it up. And don’t forget basic hygiene: wash your hands and don’t keep touching other surfaces or utensils with the same gloves after handling raw meat.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• 3 lb (1361g) ground chuck
• 1 lb (454g) breakfast sausage
• 1 onion, diced, large
• 4 slice white bread, cubed
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk
• 2 egg
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (or your favorite barbecue sauce)
• 1/4 cup Meat Church Womp Sauce (or your favorite barbecue sauce)
• 1/4 cup Fireshire
• 2 tbsp All-Purpose Holy Gospel seasoning (or salt, black pepper)
• Worcestershire sauce

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Cube 4 slices white bread and soak with 1/4u20131/2 cup milk; let sit up to 10 minutes (recipe says 10 minutes) while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In a bowl combine 3 pounds ground chuck (80/20) and 1 pound breakfast sausage.
3. Add the diced large onion, the soaked bread (including any remaining milk), and 2 eggs to the meat.
4. Add 1/2 cup total barbecue sauce (the video uses half Meat Church Womp Sauce and half Fireshire Worcestershire u2014 1/4 cup each) and about 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Holy Gospel (garlic and herb) seasoning; mix very thoroughly.
5. Pack the mixture into a 9x13 loaf pan, pressing to fill corners and shape the loaf(s). Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about four hours, until firm.
6. Remove the loaf(s) from the pan and peel off the plastic wrap.
7. Optionally brush or rub additional Worcestershire sauce on the exterior as a binder, then season the outside with All-Purpose Holy Gospel or your preferred seasoning.
8. Place the loaf(s) on an offset smoker (post oak, middle scale) set near 250 degrees Fahrenheit (225u2013250u00b0F is acceptable). Smoke until internal temperature reaches 165u00b0F (from experience this takes about four hours; the video cooked to 160u00b0F allowing carryover to ~165u00b0F).
9. Heat additional barbecue sauce and glaze the meatloaf after it reaches temperature.
10. Let the meatloaf rest/cool for about 15 minutes, then slice and serve.

crowdsource Community Insights

People who made this usually ended up with a straightforward, satisfying sauce, but a few choices kept tripping people up. The cooks who added rosemary found it overpowered the dish, so most avoided it. Adding stock was another thing that tended to dilute the result, people who skipped stock liked the cleaner flavor. And a practical finishing move lots of people used was not rinsing the pasta and saving a cup of the cooking water; those who did that found the sauce clings and comes together much better. In short, keep it simple and save the pasta water.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

• Tagliatelle
• Minced veal, very finely minced
• Minced pork, coarsely minced
• 100g pancetta, sofrito, softened
• 1 carrot, sofrito, softened
• 1 onion, sofrito, softened
• 1 stalk celery, sofrito, softened
• Red wine
• Tomato concentrate, diluted with stock
• Stock (or chicken stock, vegetable stock)
• Pasta water
• Parmesan, grated

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Prepare a sofrito of celery, carrot, onion and pancetta and soften it slightly in a pan.
2. Add the minced veal and minced pork to the sofrito and break up the meat in the pan.
3. Seal the meat over heat so that excess water is driven off and the meat browns rather than boils.
4. Add a bit of red wine and stir after adding it.
5. Add tomato concentrate diluted with a little water or stock, and add the rest of the stock.
6. Cover the pan, turn the heat down, and simmer slowly for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
7. Cook the tagliatelle until ready and reserve some pasta cooking water.
8. Warm a small pan, add a little pasta water, then add the cooked tagliatelle to the pan with the ragu.
9. Toss the pasta and sauce together in the pan so the pasta grabs the flavors and the sauce sticks to the pasta.
10. Turn off the heat, add a little more pasta water if needed, grate Parmesan over the pasta, and serve.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.

grocery Ingredients

Pulled pork

• 6 1/2 lb (2948g) pork butt, fat cap scored
• 1/4 cup liquid smoke
• 1/3 cup yellow mustard, plain
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper, freshly cracked
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2-3 cup apple juice (or water)
• 1 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, favorite
• Pork drippings

For serving / assemblies

• Tortilla chips
• Triple cheddar blend, shredded
• Red onion
• Corn
• Red pepper
• Sour cream, dolloped
• Cilantro, chopped
• Buns, toasted
• Coleslaw, creamy
• Pickle, sliced
• Tortilla
• White onion

book_ribbon Instructions

Main

1. Score the fat cap of the pork butt in a crisscross pattern.
2. Coat the pork all over with liquid smoke.
3. Spread yellow mustard over the pork with your hands or a brush, including between the scored cuts.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the rub: 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon pepper, 1½ tablespoons smoked paprika, ½ tablespoon ground cumin, ½ tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons salt (or salt to taste).
5. Sprinkle the rub generously on all sides of the pork.
6. Pour 2 to 3 cups apple juice into the roasting tray (you can use water instead if desired), cover the tray, and let the pork marinate for at least 1 hour (overnight recommended).
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
8. Roast the covered pork until the internal temperature reaches 203°F (95°C), about 5 to 6 hours.
9. Uncover the pork, slather it with barbecue sauce, then place under the broiler for about 5 to 10 minutes to caramelize the glaze; watch closely to achieve golden and not burnt.
10. Remove the pork from the oven and rest for at least 1 hour.
11. Transfer the cooked pork to another dish, remove the bone (it will slide out), and shred the pork with two forks.
12. Reserve the drippings; pour some back into the shredded pork for extra flavor and add additional barbecue sauce as desired.

Nachos

1. Place tortilla chips into a baking dish and top with shredded triple cheddar blend.
2. Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven until the cheese is just melted.
3. Top the melted cheese with pulled pork, red onions, corn, red pepper, dollops of sour cream, and chopped cilantro.

Sandwiches

1. Toast buns and spread barbecue sauce on the base.
2. Pile on pulled pork, top with creamy coleslaw, and finish with a slice of pickle.

Birria-style tacos

1. Dip a tortilla into the reserved pork drippings and place it onto a hot skillet.
2. Fry until crispy on one side, flip and crisp the other side while topping with shredded cheese and pulled pork, then flip again and remove from heat.
3. Open the taco and add white onion and cilantro, then dip the finished taco into the drippings to serve.

crowdsource Community Insights

This lasagna benefits from combining the ricotta into the béchamel rather than trying to swap one for the other. People who made it found melting the ricotta into the béchamel and stirring grated cheese into that mix made a smoother, creamier filling and steadied the layers. For a lump-free béchamel, people found adding all the milk at once and blending any curds kept it silky. Also, a bunch of people ran short on red sauce, so if you like saucier slices plan for a little extra.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.
• Repeat Worthy: People who make this tend to come back and make it again.

grocery Ingredients

Sauce

• 1/4 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• Olive oil
• 4 clove garlic, lightly crushed
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (28 ounce) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 sprig fresh basil
• 1 cup water

Pasta

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 eggs, large
• 2 tsp kosher salt

Bechamel

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 cup whole milk, cold
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, at least
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4-1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Cheeses & finishing

• 1 lb (454g) low moisture full fat mozzarella, vacuum packed block
• 1 oz (28g) Parmesan, freshly grated

Meat

• 1 lb (454g) Italian sausage, raw, to be crumbled
• Freshly ground black pepper

book_ribbon Instructions

Sauce

1. Heat a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil and sauté a quarter of a Spanish onion, finely chopped, for one to three minutes or until soft and translucent.
2. Add four cloves of lightly crushed garlic and three tablespoons of tomato paste; sauté about 30 seconds or until fragrant and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Add three quarters of a teaspoon of dried oregano, toast for a couple seconds, then add one 28 ounce can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes.
4. Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher or a pastry cutter to your desired texture.
5. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, lower the heat, and gently cook for 45 minutes to an hour, adding as little water as necessary; (note: normally the chef would add a solid cup of water, but this recipe minimizes added moisture).
6. Add a whole sprig of fresh basil and continue cooking over low heat until the sauce is mellow and sweet.

Pasta dough

1. Pile 550 grams of all-purpose flour on the worktop and press into a wide volcano shape.
2. Deposit five large eggs (about 280 grams) and two teaspoons of kosher salt into the well.
3. Use a fork to beat the eggs into a slurry, slowly incorporating flour while maintaining the walls of the well until a thick, fork-proof slurry forms.
4. Switch to your hands or a bench scraper and continue coaxing the flour and eggs into a shaggy dough.
5. Knead until no dry patches remain; wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and hydrate the flour.
6. Divide the dough into four pieces and, one piece at a time, pass through a pasta roller on its widest setting, fold into thirds and pass through again one to three times depending on how well-kneaded the dough is.
7. Roll each sheet to about an eighth of an inch thick (second thinnest setting), trim into lasagna-sheet sized sheets, dust generously with flour, stack, and keep soft under a moist kitchen towel until ready.

Bechamel

1. Bring one stick (eight tablespoons, 113 grams) of unsalted butter to a bare simmer.
2. Add 63 grams (about a half cup) of all-purpose flour and whisk into a thin paste (a roux); cook over medium heat for one to two minutes until it smells slightly nutty.
3. Slowly add four and a half cups of cold whole milk in small splashes, making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding more.
4. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook for three to five minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
5. Season the bechamel with at least three quarters of a teaspoon of kosher salt, a half teaspoon of ground white pepper, and a quarter to a half teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg.
6. If the sauce has lumps, pass it through a fine mesh sieve, then cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.

Sausage (optional "sausagify" step)

1. Crumble and brown one pound of Italian sausage just until it gets a little color.
2. Add the tomato sauce to the browned sausage and allow the sausage to finish cooking as you bring the sauce up to a simmer.
3. Season the sausage-sauce mixture to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Allow the sausage-sauce mixture to cool for 20 minutes before assembling.

Assembly and baking

1. Spread a bit of sauce evenly on the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
2. Trim pasta sheets to size so they fit with minimal overlapping and commence layering.
3. For each layer, start with about a quarter of the sauce, a quarter of the grated mozzarella, and about one ounce of freshly grated Parmesan; also add a generous channel of cooled bechamel to each layer.
4. Repeat layering until the casserole is full, making the top layer light on sauce and heavy on cheese.
5. Cover the assembled lasagna with aluminum foil, a lid, or similar and bake in a preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the edges begin to bubble.
6. Return the lasagna to the oven uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the top is nicely browned.
7. Use something thin and sharp like a cocktail pick to pop any big bubbles to prevent cavities.
8. Run a knife or offset spatula around the outside of the lasagna and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing to set the layers.
9. Garnish as desired with extra bechamel, tomato sauce, basil, or a grating of nutmeg.

military_tech Why This Recipe Stands Out

• Reliable Results: It turns out well consistently, with few reported problems.

grocery Ingredients

• 5 lb (2268g) pork shoulder, bone-in
• Garlic, whole cloves
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper
• 1/2-1 cup water

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Using a paring knife, make multiple slits in the pork shoulder and stud the slits all over with whole garlic cloves; cut very large cloves in half before inserting.
2. Season the entire roast generously all over with salt and black pepper.
3. Place the roast in a baking pan that is not too large so the pan will retain its cooking liquid.
4. Roast in the oven at 450°F for about 30 minutes to brown the outside.
5. Pour about 1/2 cup to 1 cup water into the pan around the roast and leave the roast uncovered.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and continue to cook for about 2 to 3 hours more, until the meat is falling off the bone and shreds easily.
7. Remove the roast from the oven and shred (pull) the meat for serving.