Do you have a hang-up about not wasting or tossing out food? I do, and Saturday night when I was straightening out my freezer I came across a couple of pork chops wrapped in foil that was speckled with little holes (is there such a thing as freezer moths?) and written in a smear of blue, CHOPS 3/7/18.
Earlier I’d come across a bag of brussel sprouts that were shrunk to the look & size of black-eyed peas; I had no problem tossing those out, but meat? I had to see if these were still edible!
Overnight Pork Chop Marinade
- 1 TBL Soy Sauce
- 1 TBL Worchester Sauce
- 2 TBL Vegetable (Canola) Oil
- 1 TSP Lemon Juice
- 2 TBL Brown sugar
- 2 TBL Ketchup
I figured as long as they need to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, why not let them thaw in a tasty marinade? I peeled off that speckled foil, rinsed them in cold water, then poured the marinade on top and covered the dish with plastic wrap.
(By the way, I am a huge fan of that Heinz ‘Simply Ketchup’. It turns out it’s their 1950’s ketchup recipe, using a little more vinegar and cane sugar, versus today’s recipe made with TWO corn syrups. It’s a bit more tangy and just right.)
After spending overnight in the fridge, I preheated the oven to 375F and transferred the 2 chops to a 9 x 9 pyrex bakiing dish. I poured HALF of the sauce over the top. Baked 25 minutes, turned the chops over and poured in remaining sauce, then baked another 20 minutes. (Don’t bake them any longer, that sauce begins to smoke!)
Half the sauce, ready to go into the oven
Finally, I guess you can see in the picture my box of instant potatoes and canned green beans. I never claimed to be a Julia Child or Gigi Hawaii!
But here’s a couple good hacks; for the mashed potatoes (where I make 2 servings), the box says to use 2/3 cup water & 1/3 cup milk.
Use 2/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup water instead; I also stir in 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic. They’ll taste more homemade.
For the canned green beans, don’t just heat them up; drain the water and saute them in a teaspoon of olive oil and 1/4 chunk of one slice of bacon for 5 minutes. It makes all the difference. By the way, that sauce is PERFECT over the mashed potatoes!
Dug, I take it the pork chops were fine even after that long in the freezer. They looked good. Tasted fine too? I'm one of those weirdos who won't use food after it's due date (oh, maybe a few days after). But since 1918... I think not. And I know you can use food in the freezer for 6 months to a year. But I doubt if I would ever go over 6 months. And I too don't like to waste food and will use things up in strange combinations before they go bad... but that's usually after a few days in the refrig - (like we had Brussell sprouts with browned butter and bacon with our hamburgers last night because they were left over and I didn't want to throw them out). But kudos for your ingenuity!
ReplyDeleteRian you make me laugh--and hungry for brussel sprouts and hamburgers! I'm going to buy more brussel sprouts today!! 😊
DeleteNice salvage job Doug. I'm assuming since you are posting that you survived the pork chops. They look good. I like how you doctored the mashed potatoes. We need to get you a tall white hat.
ReplyDeletePatti, thank you so much. I know this was like my 3rd blog about salvaging old or leftover food, so you're too kind! I admit I'm not good at creating, but I am good at doctoring. 😊
DeleteWhen I used to eat meat, I wouldn't let it go over a year in the freezer. But it sounds like a tasty recipe and you survived to tell the tale. One of my weaknesses is hanging on to condiments in the fridge that get to be years old. Time flies, doesn't it?!
ReplyDeleteFlorence I was always told that too (about frozen meat). I think I just lucked out here, I don't plan on trying this again too soon. BTW, you made me laugh about the old condiments, I've got a bottle of chili sauce in my fridge I KNOW I bought before I retired 😄
DeleteThat sounds like a yummy meal and I like your creativity in doctoring. That's the key to any good recipe. I've recently read that the "expiration" dates are actually "best by" and that most/many items can be safely consumed quite a while after them. I'm a little scared of pork from 2018 but it sounds like it turned out very well! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Margaret! Trust me, I was ALL SET to toss those cooked pork chops if they had tasted funny in the slightest! Well, to be honest I've got a box of Stovetop Stuffing in my cupboard with a "Best By" of 2016, so I'll be testing out that Best By theory next :^)
DeleteThat looks like a meal fit for a king! King Douglas, that is. Thanks for the plug, by the way.
ReplyDeleteHaha, thanks Gigi--and you're very welcome, you know I love your food blogs. :^)
DeleteWhen I use instant potatoes, I like to add garlic, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and bacon. It's kind of like loaded potatoes, only you cheat.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of expiration dates: https://www.today.com/health/does-vicks-vaporub-ever-expire-experts-discuss-today-t230844
I like adding shredded cheese too, never tried the bacon I'll give that a shot, thanks! Debby--I loved this Vicks Vaporub story!! So great, thanks for sharing!
DeleteI've had to defrost somethings from our freezer before I could determine what they were. But the record has to be when my dad cleaned the farm freezer last year and found a twenty year old tater tot casserole in the bottom that my mom must have made, froze and forgotten about. None of us were brave enough to try that.
ReplyDeleteOmigod, Ed the 20 year tater tot casserole--I would've given anything to see that. :^) But I don't think I would've been brave enough to try it either!
DeleteDoug, you sure are a great cook but I think you are also a bit braver than me! I am uneasy about food that's been kept too long, especially meat. Your cooking skills are amazing though! That recipe sounds good and I love your tip about the green beans. I have sautéed green beans with butter and sliced almonds but I bet the bacon makes them taste like the ones our Grandmothers used to make! I will agree with you about the Heinz ‘Simply Ketchup’. It's the only one I will buy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your wonderful cooking skills! Bon Appétit!
Bonnie I am NO COOK but you sure make me feel good about the stuff I sling together, thanks so much! I knew I was taking my chances with those chops, I'm planning on playing it safe going forward--and glad to hear somebody else likes that Simply Ketchup!
DeleteGood for you for not wasting food, but I hope your GI tract is working okay after that. I myself am mostly vegetarian (I eat fish and chicken. But red meat? hardly ever.)
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom and you're right, not taking anymore chances! But what happened to pork being 'the other white meat'? Anyway, I want to be more like you and cut back 90% on the red meat intake--I mean it.
DeleteHa ha ... well, Doug, I wouldn't necessarily advise you to be more like me. My wife and I joke (but it's almost true) that we have all of the seven deadly sins covered quite nicely.
DeleteReminds me I need to get into my freezer 'cause I'm sure there's lots of stuff in there way past it's "use by" date. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture says this which maybe you've read:
ReplyDelete"Food poisoning bacteria does not grow in the freezer, so no matter how long a food is frozen, it is safe to eat. Foods that have been in the freezer for months (recommended freezer times chart) may be dry, or may not taste as good, but they will be safe to eat."
Check out their website as they talk about more of interest, including canned goods.
I didn't know this! Thanks very much Joared, much appreciated. I mean, one of the chops DID have some freezer burn (that was obvious after cooking) but at least I didn't poison myself. :^)
DeleteGood meal Mr. Dug! I bet those chops cost more than pork does now. (Beef prices are just horrid.) Sam's Club usually has a whole pork loin for the lowest price per pound of meat. I just slice it up for chops and freeze 2-4 in freezer bags. A sister-in-law told me in the '70s about flipping the milk for water, and water for milk on the potatoes preparation. I'm still stunned at Ed's 20-year-old tater tot casserole being found. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda, and boy are you right about the meat costs. I was at the store yesterday, planning on buying a pound of ground beef and the price was too much to handle, like 8.00 a lb?! Like I commented to Tom earlier, I'm cutting back on the red meat for awhile--especially at these prices.
DeleteGround beef is $8.00 a pound? Goodness, that is terrible! We have been vegetarian for 25 years so I don’t tend to notice meat prices. I think I saw chicken breast were $2.98 at a local store last week. I know our grocery bill has gone up quite a bit in the last year!
DeleteRobin, vegetarian for 25 years, that's incredible! I am very impressed. Anyway, you're right--meat or not, grocery bills HAVE gone up a lot, I've noticed that too. Well--I'm not paying a small fortune for meat, so maybe this will help me cut down on my caveman diet :^(
DeleteAustralian meat prices are horrendous, way up in the stratosphere!
DeleteRiver is that why your fast food prices are so high? I watch this Australian bloke on Youtube, "Gregs Kitchen" who reviews hot sandwiches--he pays a small fortune for McDonald's hamburgers!
DeleteBut google their minimum wage, as well. Different world over there. Our red meat is generally venison. I buy 80 lbs of chicken and split it down into packages for the freezer. That's the bulk of our meat, although I do buy sausage and fish.
DeleteWhat a coincidence! I'm having mashed potato and green beans tonight, but with a homemade garlic burger instead of the chop and I'm using real potato that needs peeling and boiling and fresh beans, I hate the canned ones. I'll boil the potatoes and beans in the one pot and mash them together. I won't bother with a gravy though, that's one pot too many at washing up time.
ReplyDeleteHaha, River that sounds very good and I'd PREFER the beans and potatoes your way, but I'm not very good with even the basic stuff. Well, I used to eat a lot of frozen dinners, at least I stopped that.. :^)
DeleteMorning Doug, you are a brave man! I am like Rian and follow due dates closely. Veggies and fruit I have prepared and frozen myself I will use up to a year but that’s it. I try to keep track of everything and use it up before the year.
ReplyDeleteYour sauce sounds delicious! I imagine it was yummy over your potatoes. I love your initiative in the kitchen!
I don’t know if we have Simply Ketchup here. Can’t say I have ever seen it. Next shopping day I will look for it.
Enjoy the rest of your week!
Robin
Thanks very much Robin! Believe me, I'm done with the eating stuff beyond it's expiration date. This is why I put the date on everything I freeze, to use it within the year like yourself. But that sauce DID save the day, I just found it on Google, loved it. :^) Hope your rest of the week is good too, my friend.
DeleteI sure enjoyed reading about your adventures in cooking. I haven't eaten red meat in decades and had no idea it has become so expensive. Since I'm dieting, I have started eating more chicken and fish to stave off hunger, but I don't like using so much animal protein. I'm going back to tofu. :-)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if things that are frozen, no matter how long are safe to eat…since they’re frozen. Hmmm… should look it up. I take everything out of the freezer in January and toss what we don’t want, but usually nothing is kept that long. Sort of. Your are the most amazing cook. Actually everything we eat at our house is soft because of my mom’s dentures. We were just talking about how our diet has changed since moving to Hawaii to take care of my mother.
ReplyDeleteRead my note above re Dept. of Agri. that food safe.
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