Recipe Swap: Pork-Stuffed Bread with Cherry Relish

The monthly Recipe Swap challenges a group of bloggers to recreate an old recipe by varying the ingredients or method. These recipes are chosen from old hymnals, pioneer journals and treasured recipe books; often they are quite intriguing. Take this month's recipe for example -  pork fruit cake. The recipe literally says to mix all the ingredients (a pound of pork and a pound of currants) and then bake very slowly. Priceless.


My recipe goal is to stick with most of the original ingredients while messing with the method. But wanting to be somewhat true to the original recipe, I wanted the pork to be encased in bread. Steamed buns were calling out. But I had an overload of Asian food leading up to my weekend cooking. So I decided to stuff the pork into fresh bread loaf and use the fruit aspect as a compote on the side.

I have to admit, time got away from me and and in a rare moment of weakness I decided to purchase the bread rather than make it from scratch. The baking gods wouldn't allow it - there was no frozen bread dough to be found. I was meant to make it from scratch. So I set my alarm for early and kneaded my way through it.

What did I end up with? Exactly what it sounds like. Luscious pulled pork wrapped in warm, buttery, crunchy, doughy bread with a titillating spicy, fruity relish. Freaking yummy! Seriously.

There is life in those old recipes yet, you just gotta make them yours. Make this delicious Fat and Happy pork bread in the mean time.

Fat and Happy Food Blog Tips and Techniques: There is no harm in using frozen bread and leftover pulled pork for ease, as long as you can find it in your grocers freezer.

Pork-Stuffed Bread Loaf with Cherry Relish

Shredded Spiced Pork

1.5 lbs pork

1/2 cup sliced onion

1 cup beer

1 tsp allspice

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

seasoning salt

pepper

Season the pork well with the seasoning salt and pepper. Add all the ingredients in a crock pot, cook on high about 2 hours, just until cooked. Cool slightly and then shred using 2 forks. Let the pulled pork sit in the juices until cool. Continue as directed below.

Can be made ahead of time.

Cherry Apple Relish

1 tbls white balsamic vinegar

1 tbls sugar

1/2 cup white wine

 1 shallot, diced

1/2 green apple

1 cup craisins 

1 tsp minced jalapeno

1 clove

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbls lemon juice

In a small sauce pan,  add the vinegar and sugar. Cook over medium heat until it becomes slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add in the white wine and shallots. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes. 

Add in the remaining ingredients. Remove from heat and let sit until cool. 

Serve with the bread wrapped pork.

Be sure to remove the clove before serving. Can be made ahead of time.

Homemade Bread

3 1/2 cups flour + some for kneading

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 package yeast

2 tsp honey

1 cup warm milk

4 tbls melted butter

Combine the wet ingredients (milk, butter and honey) with the yeast. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Add the flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the middle. Add the egg and the yeast mixture to the well. Stir to combine, then pour out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough, adding flour as needed until the dough is smooth and not sticky.

Place back in the large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 2 hours. 

Punch down, knead a little to get it all together.

To Assemble Pork-stuffed Bread Loaf

 

 Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Place the pork down the center of the dough. Make about 8 angled slices from the where the pork ends to the edges of the dough on each side. Fold each slice on top of the pork with its counter part on the other side of the pork, pinch together. Continue until all dough slices have been pinched together. 

Brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with salt and a little cumin and allspice. Bake on a dry sheet pan at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Please take a moment to view my fellow bloggers creations below: