RECIPE: SLOW-ROASTED CHIPOTLE PORK

This Slow-Roasted Pork recipe is one of my favorite recipes for entertaining because you can do so much with it. You can serve it over creamy, cheesy grits or put it into tortillas with a squeeze of lime to make street tacos. Best of all, you can make it ahead and it is super inexpensive to feed a big crowd. Get my party plan for a DIY Taco Bar where guests have a variety of condiments and serve themselves. Set it and forget it... nothing easier for game day, tailgating, a Super Bowl party, or New Year's Day.

My Slow-Roasted Chipotle Pork is one of the most delicious and easiest recipes I have to feed a big crowd. You can also cook it in your slow cooker but I usually put mine in my cast-iron Dutch oven. (Photos by Arden Photography)

PREP TIME: 1 hour     COOK TIME: 3 1/2-4 hours depending on size

SLOW-ROASTED CHIPOTLE PORK

INGREDIENTS

 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

1 ½  tablespoons chipotle powder  **

1 pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt) about 3-1/2 -4 pounds

2 dozen small corn tortillas***

2 limes, cut into wedges

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Before you plan to cook the pork, take it out of the refrigerator for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together kosher salt and chipotle powder and rub in into the pork, being sure to cover the entire surface of the meat with the mixture. Put the pork in heavy covered cooker, Dutch oven, or roasting pan. Allow it to sit for one hour before you put it in the oven.  

 Place in the oven. Turn the heat to 275 degrees.  Cook until the port falls apart when you press it with the back of a fork—approximately 3-1/2 to 4 hours or about an hour per pound.  Remove it from the oven and let it rest covered for 15 minutes. (Of course, you can also cook this in your Crock-Pot or slow cooker,)

For the tortillas: Heat the tortillas on a medium-hot griddle, turning them frequently, until they are warmed through and soft (or heat them in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel).  Wrap them in a towel and place in a basket.  Transfer the pork to a large serving platter and use tongs or two forks to shred into chunks.  Add the lime wedges to the platter, place the cilantro in a small serving bowl and serve immediately, with the warm tortillas on the side.

To fill the tortillas, double them up so they don’t tear apart; place one on top of another on a plate, spoon some of the pork on top, squeeze a little lime juice over the pork, sprinkle some cilantro on top and fold in half.

 ** McCormick brand chipotle powder is what I use.  If you can’t find the powder, look for the whole dried chilies and grind them.  If you can’t find that, use the canned chipotles in adobo sauce and puree them in a blender.

 *** Tip: Get fresh, homemade tortillas at a favorite restaurant! Cheaper and better!

GET MY PARTY PLAN FOR A DIY TACO BAR!

EASY TAILGATING SERVING SUGGESTIONS, RECIPES AND GAME DAY TIPS!

IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON... FOUR MONTHS OF GAME DAY TAILGATES, PARTIES, AND TEAM PRIDE. HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO KEEP IT FRESH, FUN, AND EASY!

VARIATIONS ON A THEME: MIX IT UP…one week Mexican with hats and decor, the next week you can take it to New Orleans with a Mardi Gras menu, the following week make it a Lowcountry crab boil, Italian, Pirate Party, Chili cook-off, beach party, etc. You don't have to go with BBQ, wings, or typical tailgate food every weekend.

MULTI-PURPOSE FOOD: For example, chili works for a variety of different foods... chili pie, tacos, hot dogs, nachos, and more. You can host a chili throwdown where everyone brings a Crock-Pot with their favorite recipe. Add a condiment and hot sauce bar so everyone can add their favorite toppings. Serve chili in individual Fritos or Doritos bags.... yes, serving right in the bag makes yummy Frito chili pie or nachos! This is so good and makes clean up a breeze. Best of all, no dirty dishes to take home.

Serve your chili in individual Frito or Dorito bags... delish and no dishes!

MY TOP 12 TAILGATING AND GAME DAY TIPS

1. When it is still hot outside, make sure to take an extra cooler filled with ice so you can keep drinks and food items cold and have plenty of clean ice for drinks.

2. Use multi-purpose glasses like the insulated glasses from Tervis Tumblers – they keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. LOVE THEM... especially when I have a party inside. No condensation rings and no broken glass. Plus they go right in the dishwasher.

3. A great way to keep hot food hot is to wrap and store them in a cheap Styrofoam cooler and pack it with newspaper. This will keep it hot until you are ready to serve.

4. Do most of the prep at home so you just have simple assembly or grilling when you get to the stadium.

5. If you don’t want to take a cooler- get a case of your favorite drinks, empty it and line with a white or clear garbage bag and put the drinks back and fill with ice. Afterwards, put the whole thing in the trash. I always double the bag so I don't have any leaks. You can also use a beer carton as a condiment holder. Works great! Save the carton from your next 6-pack!

6. Another use for a cardboard drink carrier- is to use it for a condiment carrier or a dip holder. Next time you go to Starbucks, save the carrier. Keeps dips and dippers organized and neat.

7. Pre-cook what you can. You can even pre-cook ribs and finish them on the grill. Just make sure to keep them well chilled.

8. Get in on the Crock-Pot craze…. Plug it in before you go to bed the night before and you’ve got a good start on lunch when you get there. My super easy Fire Roasted Tomato Chipotle Chili is one of my all-time favorite chili recipes and I've had great reviews from people who have made it. Get the recipe....

9. One of the most frustrating things about going to the game is not being able to find your friends or their tailgate! Use a cluster of helium balloons and fly them way over the top of your tent so your friends can spot you from a distance! I got huge balloons and wrote on them with a marker to define our tailgate and help friends locate us easily. Don't use team colors; use pink or something easy to spot.

10. You don’t have to buy special football items or tableware- you can easily make a football field runner from placemats or some other item. I used a green chenille kitchen rug I got on sale for $4 at Target and lined it with white plastic electrician's tape. I got the numbers at Wal-Mart in the mailbox section but you can get stick-on numbers where you get scrapbook supplies also.

A chenille bath rug is a great, cheap table covering... this one was $4 on sale. Stripe with electrician's tape. Afterwards you can wash it and reuse.

11. Bring items in a large plastic tub. When you are ready to pack up, line the tub with a garbage bag and then put your dirty dishes inside. Makes for super easy clean up when you get home!

I love making a few big sandwiches rather than lots of little ones. This is a New Orleans style Muffuletta with lots of cured meats, cheese, and olive salad... it isn't a Central Grocery Muffuletta but really good and perfect for game day.

12. Make giant sandwiches instead of lots of small sandwiches. Just take a large loaf of bread and make one large sandwich. Slice it up and you are good to go! If you make hot sandwiches, make sure to double the foil on the bottom so you do not burn the bread. Open up the top of the foil for the last few minutes to get the bread toasty. Add a little cheese on top and toast it for some extra yum.

EASY PARTY THEME: HOST A CHILI COOKOFF!

Are you ready for some football? Get the whole gang together and host a chili cook-off!

Bring a “throwdown” to your tailgate or your kitchen as the competition heats up when guests battle for first place with their best chili recipes. You might even make it an annual event with a "traveling" award that goes from winner to winner each year.

One of the easiest parties to host for every occasion from game day to neighborhood get-togethers... a chili cook off can become an annual event with big bragging rights on the line!

THE HOW-TO: Send out invitations or call your guests to issue the “cook-off” challenge. 

Your guests should bring their best chili concoction in a crock pot or slow cooker. Iinclude printed copies of the recipe to share with other guests, if desired.  

When the guests turn in the chili, number or name it for voting and make up a ballot. Ask everyone to taste and vote for their favorite. Award prizes for first, second, and third place.

1. Decorations for can be as simple as football themed plates and napkins. Instead of flowers, get a simple flowering plant at the grocery. Set out bowls, serving spoons, lots of napkins, and have kitchen wipes on hand for drips and spills.
2. Have other munchies to have on hand for snacking.
3. Use bowls and trays for snacks instead of their original packaging.
4. Pass snacks for guests glued to the game.

Make up ballots and award prizes. If it is an annual event, create a trophy that can be passed down from year to year.

Make a condiment station with different types of crackers, Fritos, grated chesses, sour cream, chopped scallions and peppers, chopped onion, Tabasco or other hot sauces, etc.

Set up a condiment station with hot sauces, crackers, and other toppings.

Ham Delights are one of those recipes I've been making for 20+ years and still get requests for all the time. People never get tired of them!

Find a good spot to set up the bar; make sure it is away from the food to avoid congestion. Bloody Marys are a good choice for this party. Ice down some beer or wine and your bar is set.