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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Smoked Root Beer Ham leftover

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is a perfect way to use that leftover ham. Bringing back fond memories of Mom’s homemade scalloped potatoes with lots of leftover ham. Growing up in Wisconsin on a farm we had lots of cheddar cheese, butter, milk and cream. We had a large garden, as a 4H member gardening was my thing. I usually planted more then 100+ hills of potatoes. These are some of the main ingredients in making a wonderful scalloped potatoes and ham dish. Just thinking about those days makes my mouth watering for Mom’s great Scalloped potatoes and ham dish.

Scalloped Potatoes is different form Gratin Potatoes

The potatoes in scalloped potatoes and Gratin potatoes are the same. Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes are better choices. The trending choice is using the Yukon Gold potatoes. Especially the B size Yukon Gold potatoes, with their thin tender skin and golden slightly cream texture. Both the Yukon Gold and the Russet potatoes are starchy potatoes. Starchy potatoes make perfect choice for either Scallop potatoes or Gratin potatoes. With Russets potatoes need to be peeled, that’s time consuming and really not that fun of a task to do. Where the Yukon Golds skin is tender and nutritious, just remember to get B size, about the size of a golf ball.

These potatoes need to be sliced evenly, so using mandolin or food processor is best choice. Even slices will provide even cooking process throughout the whole dish. Hand sliced could result in some potatoes to be mushy or partially raw potato dish. The slices should be about 1/8th inch thick or 2 to 4 mm setting.

Slicing Yukon Gold Potatoes with food processor.

What’s Scalloped Potatoes:

Scalloped Potatoes is what Mom made me, with potato slices tossed in some flour, Salt and pepper, scallions, whole milk, melted butter, and lots of shredded Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese. Often she would add leftover ham from special holiday dinner. Oh this bring back the memories again, thinking of big plate of those potatoes.

Why Gratin Potatoes:

Culinary School introduction Gratin Potatoes, with sliced potatoes, heavy cream, shallots, white pepper, kosher salt and Gruyère cheese shredded. Wow this really brings back memories, introduced me to whole different approaches to cooking, with a little more flair. The rich melting properties of Gruyère cheese, sweetness and mild shallots, gave different meaning to Gratin Potatoes.

The Choice is Yours:

The choice is totally up to the individual, if you like more country home style potato dish go for scalloped potatoes. But if you’re into a little more sarcastic potato dish with some culinary flair Gratin Potatoes is perfect choice. Either way they are both winner potato dish to enjoy and don’t forget to use some of that leftover ham.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Smoked Root Beer Ham
Great way to use this smoked root beer Ham with scalloped potatoes.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is childhood favorite, made with potatoes, cheese, milk and leftover holiday ham.
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is childhood favorite, made with potatoes, cheese, milk and leftover holiday ham.
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 Serving 20 Minutes
Cook Time
90 Minutes
Ingredients
Scalloped Potato and Ham
Toppings
Servings: Serving
Units:
Instructions
  1. Wash potatoes and slice them with food processor or mandolin. Set the slicing between 2 to 4 mm, using slicing blade.
  2. Slice ham and then dice into medium size pieces.
  3. Using a large bowl combine the sliced potatoes with flour, salt and pepper. Mixing potatoes so they are coated with flour and seasoning.
  4. Adding the diced ham to floured potatoes.
  5. Mixing the ham into the potatoes until evenly distributed.
  6. Grease a casserole dish with food spray, then place about half of the potatoes mixture into casserole dish.
  7. Next sprinkle about half of cheese mixture over sliced potatoes mixture. The place the other half of the sliced potatoes mixture over cheese layer.
  8. Continue with pouring melted butter over all potato mixture layers. Then sprinkle more cheeses over buttered potatoes layers.
  9. Place in small bow, soften butter, cheddar cheese, and panko breading. Now mix together the crumb topping in small mixing bowl.
  10. Sprinkle the crumb topping over all the layered potatoes evenly.
  11. Cover the top of the scalloped potatoes and ham with foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for 60 to 90 minutes. This depends on how deep of casserole dish filled with scalloped potatoes and ham.
  12. Remove the foil for last 15 to 20 minutes to get nice golden brown crumb topping on scalloped potatoes and ham. Remove from oven when potatoes reach 200 degrees or knife goes through potatoes disdain easy. Cool on trivet for 15 minutes.
  13. Plate good size portions try to get good height and some of the crunchy crumb topping on top of the potatoes.
Recipe Notes

For spicy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, add some chilies, and replace some cheddar cheese with pepper jack cheese. 

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Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops

Looking for a Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops recipe with southwest flavors, then this recipe is a great choice. These pork chops filled with Bacon, Green Chilies, and Cheeses. The key is in the balance of spices with the chilies, and still keeping the pork chops moist and tender. The Air Fryer is perfect cooking appliance for quick and easy preparation.

Seasoning Pork Chops:

Mexican Seasoning Homemade
Homemade Southwestern Seasoning Recipe

Southwestern Seasoning is based on the Mexican Seasonings recipe, and just add a few extra types of dried chilies and spices. A good Supermarket shortcuts is to buying Mexican Seasoning, then adjusting your spicy hot preferences with chilies, cumin, and coriander seeds. Using mortar and pestle is best way to grind together the spices, this infuses the flavors. Next store seasonings the mixture in a spice shaker jar. Hint save Those used spice jars for your own special blends. Be sure to labels for the jars, this a fun task to make Crazy labels with unique names.

Grind peppercorns first before other spices.

Use the Southwestern seasoning sprinkling generously over pork chops.

Southwestern Filling:

Start by building the Southwestern flavors using the right aromatics, like bacon, green chilies, garlic and cheeses. This is where your creativity can be used to heighten overall filling for the chicken breasts. If your preference is more spicy hot then use a hotter dried red chilies varieties. Caution some of these super hot chilies have great flavor but also pack a tremendously hot punch.

Southwest Filling Ingredients

Use your favorite cheeses to calm the heat. Try cheeses like, Pepper Jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar cheese, Colby cheese and cream cheese.

Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops
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Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops are stuffed with bacon, green chilies and cheeses. Enjoy this quick and easy Southwest flavors, that’s moist and tender. That can be prepared in 30 minutes.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops
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Air Fryer Stuffed Pork Chops are stuffed with bacon, green chilies and cheeses. Enjoy this quick and easy Southwest flavors, that’s moist and tender. That can be prepared in 30 minutes.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 10 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Ingredients
Pork Chop Prep:
Southwestern Filling:
Final Preparation:
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
Pork Chop Prep
  1. Using a boning knife butterfly pork chops through middle about 1/2 inch from end. Opening pork chop like butterfly.
  2. Using a meat mallet place plastic wrap over pork chops, then pounding pork flat.
  3. Next season pork with Mexican Seasoning on both sides of the pork.
  4. Prepare all the ingredients for the filling. Shred cheeses, chop peppers, Onions, and mince garlic. Dice uncooked bacon.
  5. Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Drain most of the grease off skillet. Remove bacon onto paper towel to absorb excess fat. Then add peppers, onions and garlic in skillet with some bacon fat. Cook until vegetables aren’t tender.
  6. Combine filling ingredients cheeses, cooked bacon, peppers, garlic stirring well.
  7. Divide the filling between pork chops, placing filling in the center of each chop.
  8. Roll pork chops to surround the filling with pork chop. Seasoning the pork chops again with Mexican Seasoning mixture. Spray with extra virgin olive oil.
  9. Place in Air fryer basket and spray again with olive oil.
  10. Place the basket into air fryer and set air fryer to 350 degrees.
  11. Set the timer to 16 minutes.
  12. Remove basket and check internal temperature 145 to 150 degrees with instant read thermometer.
Plating Stuffed Pork Chops
  1. Cut cooked stuffed pork chops with knife on diagonal. Place choice of starch this time using BBQ Beans topped with Pepper Jack cheese. Then sprinkling red, orange and yellow peppers and choked bacon bits.
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Chicken Enchilada Air Fryer

Enchilada Sauce:

Enchilada sauce is heart of making chicken enchiladas in the air fryer. The supermarket short cut is buying enchilada sauce, but the best is homemade. The sauce lays down the fundamentals to wonderful chicken enchiladas.

Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce
Chicken Enchilada Sauce Recipe Link

Best way to cook chicken breasts:

Chicken breasts is great choice lower in fats and less cholesterol making A better healthier selection. The trick of cooking flavorful filling is using proper Mexican seasoning and slow cooking chicken breasts. My first test was using the Instant Pot, this worked fast but can result in dryer texture. The best result takes a longer but results moist and tender flavorful meat, using cast iron braising pan.

Braising Chicken Breasts in Cast Iron Skillet low and slow

Braising chicken breast is a winner, slowly infusion of Mexican Seasonings into the chicken. The key to success is keeping braising temperature low, somewhere between 190 to 210 degrees. By using cast iron braising pan with lid and induction burner the temperature can be kept perfect. Slow cooker works also, but you don’t often have the control that induction range keeps. Many of the slow cooker just offer high and low temperature, all to often the high temperature is too fast and low temperature takes too long. Braised chicken should take about 90 minutes, to reach to safe temperature of 170 degrees. Cooking chicken breasts slowly reduce moisture loss, but still builds flavors and promotes tenderness.

Cool the cooked seasoned chicken breasts in the cooking liquid. When chicken breasts are cool drain off cooking liquid and reserve the liquid. Place chicken breasts in standmixer fitted with paddle attachment, and mix on low speed until shredded. Another way to shred chicken breast using two large forks pulling the meat into shreds.

Shredding chicken breasts using stand-mixer with paddle attachment.

Chicken Enchilada Filling:

Creative ways to make the chicken enchilada filling is by starting with the core ingredients. First start with the shredded seasoned chicken, and selection of cheeses. The cheese selection can range from a wide variety, like Monterey Jack, Colby Cheese, Cheddar Cheese to Pepper Jack Cheese. Choosing a low fat Colby Cheese rather than higher fat Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheeses promotes healthy choices. But add what ever you enjoy the most, be sure to shred your own cheese for a fresher taste. Pre shredded cheese has additives to prevent sticking and prevents mold, doesn’t enhance the profile.

Mexican seasoned shredded chicken breasts with cheese, peppers, onions and garlic.

Next building even more flavor into chicken enchilada filling profile by adding, aromatic vegetables. This is option that adds another layer of flavors to the chicken enchilada filling. Start with, garlic, onions and chilies, choosing right amount of each will determine spicy profile to your liking.

Assembling Chicken Enchiladas:

First choose the type wrapper to roll chicken enchilada filling around, using corn tortillas or flour tortillas. The soft flour tortillas are easy to roll and have less chances of breaking. Where to corn tortillas can be brittle and crack quick easy. To prevent cracking heating corn tortillas in hot oil or hot enchilada sauce soften them for easy rolling. Corn tortillas are a little more messy to work with but have wonderful flavor and texture. But the flour tortillas become more crispy in air fryer giving a more crunchy texture to enchiladas. So choices are all to your preference and ease of preparation.

Continue on to rolling of enchiladas, lay the Soften tortilla flat onto work surface and scoop right amount of filling for size of tortillas. Carefully rolling up tortillas so they don’t crack.

Using Air Fryer To quickly cook and crisp enchiladas:

The air fryer makes quick work in final cooking of the enchiladas, giving you some crunchy texture to tortillas. Enjoy the contrast of spicy enchilada sauce, with flavorful Moist shredded chicken and aromatics. Set the air fryer to 350 degrees and timer to 10 minutes. Resisting putting too much enchilada sauce while air frying, the enchiladas brown quickly. Put extra Warm enchilada sauce after plating, giving a nicely presented plate. Enjoy 😊

Chicken Enchilada Air Fryer
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Quick recipe to use shredded chicken or pork leftovers, wrapped up in tortillas covered with enchilada sauce and topped with cheese. Air fryer is easy way to quickly cook enchiladas.
Servings Prep Time
8 Servings 10 Minutes
Cook Time
10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 Servings 10 Minutes
Cook Time
10 Minutes
Chicken Enchilada Air Fryer
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Quick recipe to use shredded chicken or pork leftovers, wrapped up in tortillas covered with enchilada sauce and topped with cheese. Air fryer is easy way to quickly cook enchiladas.
Servings Prep Time
8 Servings 10 Minutes
Cook Time
10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 Servings 10 Minutes
Cook Time
10 Minutes
Ingredients
Filling Enchilada Tortillas
Assembling Enchiladas
Garnishing Enchiladas
Servings: Servings
Units:
Instructions
Chicken Enchilada Filling
  1. Trim chicken breasts with knife, removing excess fat and cartilage.
  2. Season each chicken breast with Mexican Seasoning, sprinkling well on both sides of each breast.
  3. Place seasoned chicken breasts into cast-iron braising pan or skillet. Add enough water to come half way up on chicken breasts. Then sprinkling aromatics (onions, garlic) overall chicken.
  4. Cover braising pan with lid, I like glass lids then you can see how cooking process is coming along. The goal is to simmer 200 to 210 degrees, just below boiling point 212 degrees. Simmer for about 90 minutes.
  5. Remove cooking lid and check the internal temperature 170 to 190 degrees. This depends on sizes of chicken breasts. Try not to get internal temperature over 190 degrees. Cool chicken breasts in the cooking liquid.
  6. Place just the cooked chicken breasts into stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until nicely shredded. Note you can use two large forks and manually shredded chicken, this technique is quick and easy.
  7. Sauté your choice of aromatics, (onions, peppers, garlic and chilies). Cook the aromatics until tender and translucent.
  8. Combine together the cheeses, aromatics and shredded chicken. Add so extra Mexican Seasoning to taste. Note if you’re using large chicken breasts this should be enough to fill 12 + tortillas.
Enchilada assembly
  1. Coat each tortilla by dipping the tortilla into warm enchilada sauce. Place onto plate for easy filling. This keep messy sauce getting everywhere.
  2. Add enough filling to each tortilla. Roll tortilla up and place in air fryer. Note don’t be tempered to put extra enchilada sauce over enchiladas in air fryer, this will cause the enchiladas to get very brown and possibly burn.
  3. Set air fryer to 350 degrees and timer to 10 minutes. Check half way into cooking progress see how browning. Adjust time accordingly.
Plating ideas
  1. Place some hot enchilada sauce onto plate first. Then add accompaniment like Mexican Rice. Next carefully lift enchiladas out of air fryer basket on top of rice. Spoon extra enchilada sauce over enchiladas. Top with cheeses and herbs. Enjoy
Recipe Notes

Mexican Seasoning Recipe

 

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Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast

Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast over zucchini noodles

Pizza stuffed chicken breasts low carbohydrates and higher in protein:

Hungry for pizza but don’t want all those carbohydrates, well the Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts is the perfect choice. With a taste like a pizza chicken Parmesan, that’s stuffed with cheese, sweet peppers and pepperoni. Served with favorite pizza sauce of your choice, then topped with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Air Frying the stuffed chicken breasts reduces the fats down to minimal. Swapping out cooked pasta with sautéed zucchini noodles really helps reduce carbohydrates,and provide more vegetables into diet.

Chicken Fabrication:

Butterfly Chicken Breasts

To obtain a wonderful stuffed chicken select nice size chicken breasts. Trim the excess fat and cartilage with sharp boning knife or pairing knife. Next cut through thicker part horizontally through middle of the breast until half inch from end. Fold open the breasts up to look like a open book.

Flattened Chicken Breasts

Next cover butterfly chicken with plastic wrap, using a meat mallet pound chicken. Caution that you don’t pound holes into chicken breasts, the goal is to have even flat chicken breasts to be stuffed. Before stuffing the chicken season each breast with salt, pepper and pizza seasoning.

Pizza Stuffing:

Shaped Pizza Stuffing

Creative filling are almost infinite, picking right ingredients is matter of preference. This recipe uses familiar ingredients that everyone loves, Mozzarella, pepperoni, sweet peppers and onions. By all means be venturesome choosing your favorite companion as stuffing. A helpful hint is to have good binder like cheeses, cream cheese works very well to hold shape.

Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Pizza stuffed chicken breasts cooked in air fryer is a quick low carbohydrate meal. This stuffed chicken breast tastes like pizza chicken Parmesan.
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Pizza stuffed chicken breasts cooked in air fryer is a quick low carbohydrate meal. This stuffed chicken breast tastes like pizza chicken Parmesan.
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 People 20 Minutes
Cook Time
18 Minutes
Ingredients
Pizza Stuffing:
Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Service:
Servings: People
Units:
Instructions
  1. Gather all ingredients together and probably measure into containers.
  2. Grate mozzarella cheese using the course side of box grater.
  3. Sauté the onions, peppers and garlic with some olive oil. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Combine together sautéed veggies with cheeses, pepperoni and pizza seasoning.
  5. Divide the stuffing into number of portions, forming large quenelle. Set aside
  6. Trim chicken breasts free of fat and cartilage.
  7. Butterfly chicken breasts using boning knife or pairing knife.
  8. Place plastic wrap over chicken breasts
  9. Pound chicken breast with meat mallet, flatten evenly.
  10. Season chicken breast with salt, pepper and pizza seasoning.
  11. Place a portion of pizza cheese and pepperoni filling onto each breast.
  12. Roll up chicken breasts to completely enrobing filling. Sprinkle pizza seasoning, salt and pepper over each stuffed chicken breasts.
  13. Combine panko bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese in a bowl.
  14. Combine flour, pizza seasoning, salt and pepper together in bowl.
  15. Set up breading station to coat each stuffed chicken breasts. First seasoned flour mixture, next beaten eggs in bowl, then seasoned bread crumbs.
  16. Dredging chicken breast into seasoned flour, then put into egg wash coating stuffed chicken breasts well.
  17. Place the egg wash coated chicken breast into seasoned bread crumbs. Coat stuffed chicken breasts well.
  18. Place coated chicken breasts on tray and spray with olive oil.
  19. Set air fryer to 350 degrees
  20. Set timer for 20 minutes, turn chicken breasts half way in to cooking process.
  21. Remove air fried Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts and let rest 5 minutes.
  22. Cut stuffed chicken breasts in half on bias.
  23. Place on bed on sautéed zucchini noodles. Top with pizza sauce and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
    Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Ham & Bean Soup
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Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup

Ham & Bean Soup is a perfect way to enjoy that leftover ham bone from the holiday meal. The Instant Pot is a perfect way to cook beans and ham together in a quick easy manner, without a lot of fuss. This wonderful hearty yet is still healthy soup for those cold winters day. In just about 90 minutes or less you can be enjoying this classic homemade soup.

Cooked Ham Bone
Ham Bone Steamed 45 minutes in instant pot.

This recipe used my wonderful ham bone from Smoked Root Beer Ham. The smoky flavors that infused into beans from this ham bone is outstanding.

Smoked Root Beer Ham

Selecting right beans:

Great Northern Beans

Choosing the right beans can be very confusing, making the right choice is simple task knowing about dry beans. The Northern Bean is wonderful larger white bean packed with fiber and has lots of good carbohydrates and some protein. When these beans are cooked properly they are larger then navy pea bean and have nice meaty texture. So these beans are perfect for hearty soups, baked beans and alternative protein sources. Using dry beans rather than canned cooked beans gives more natural and flavorful bean. Canned beans often have more processed taste, the only benefit is time saving. Using the instant pot makes all the right reason to use dry Northern Beans because high pressure steam cuts time by almost two third.

Ham & Bean Soup
Plated Ham & Bean Soup with Cornbread
Ham & Bean Soup
Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup
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Ham & Bean Soup is a wonderful way to use that ham bone left from the holiday dinner. It’s the perfect hearty meal for those winter days. Served with wedge of yummy cornbread, that leaves you satisfied.
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Ham & Bean Soup
Instant Pot Ham & Bean Soup
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Ham & Bean Soup is a wonderful way to use that ham bone left from the holiday dinner. It’s the perfect hearty meal for those winter days. Served with wedge of yummy cornbread, that leaves you satisfied.
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
8 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
45 Minutes 10 Minutes
Ingredients
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
  1. Sorting Northern Beans by spreading the beans out on sheet pan. Picking through bad looking beans and any rocks or foreign items, then discarding them.
  2. Wash the northern beans well with water in strainer. Allow the water to drain off.
  3. Mise en place all the ingredients, trimming, chopping and measuring ingredients before starting the soup.
  4. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and cook the carrots, celery and onions for 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the drained northern beans to sautéed vegetables. Stirring well and cook for 1 minute.
  6. And to beans and vegetables the chicken stock or water. Stir well.
  7. Place the ham bone into instant pot arrange so fits into pot.
  8. Close the lid and set the steam leaver to closed position.
  9. Set to mode button to soup and adjust time to 45 minutes. Using the + & - buttons.
  10. Let the pressure come down naturally, this takes an additional 15 minutes but produces a more tender ham and maximum flavor extraction. If you’re in hurry set top pressure valve to open mode. Be careful of the very hot steam. This can burn hands or arm instantly.
  11. Remove ham bone and stir soup, you may have to adjust amount of stock or water to soup. If needs more liquid add 1 to 2 more cups of stock or water.
  12. Remove skin, bone and fat from ham.
  13. Chop the ham into bite size pieces. Add the ham back to the soup, stirring well. Adjust seasonings with pepper, salt if needed.
  14. Place a good size portion of soup in a bowl. I like to use wide rim bowl, heaping beans and ham in middle for height. Cornbread is perfect accompaniment with green garnish like celery leaves. Enjoy 😊
    Ham & Bean Soup
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Bacon Tomato Rice Stuffed Chicken using Air Fryer

Bacon Tomato Rice stuffed Chicken Breast

Bacon Tomato Rice stuffed Chicken Breast is a perfect healthy meal choice. Using a air fryer speeds up cooking time and helps keep the stuffed chicken stay moist and tender. This recipe uses healthy brown rice, fresh tomatoes, with some bacon to added A little extra boost to the flavor profile. Serve this Bacon Tomato Rice Stuffed Chicken with some tomato sauce and choice of green vegetable. Making a wonderful satisfying comfort healthy meal in under an hours time.

Perfecting a rice stuffing:

Choosing the right rice keeping healthy and flavorful is key to successful stuffing. The grocery store has large sections of shelves with all different choices. A big portions of selections are pre-cooked or instant rice. These are good choices if you want quick preparation. But all too often you loose flavor and texture, if you need Stuffing in just minutes take good look these varieties.

The Brown Basmati Rice or Brown Jasmine Rice are too wonderful choices, they are very aromatic and have outstanding flavors. But they have a very long slow cooking time about 45 minutes. Wow 45 minutes to cook rice is too long for most fast paced families. The solution is using the Instant Pot, in about 10 minutes of cooking time and about 15 minutes overall time to make perfect rice. That’s cutting the cooking time down to a third of the time.

Just plain Brown Basmati Rice needs more supporting flavors for the stuffing. Bacon, Tomatoes, Onions and garlic are wonderful flavor boosters. The combination of these flavors transform this into a classic taste often called Spanish Rice or Mexican Rice. Adding just a few spices like cumin, chili powder and some herbs, oregano, cilantro finishes the rice profile.

Fabricating Chicken Breasts:

Butterfly Boneless chicken breasts

Fabrication is fancy terminology used if trimming and cutting chicken to meet preparation needs. Sanitation is upmost importance, when handling poultry products. First start with wiping down all areas including cutting boards with sanitizer (1 tbsp bleach with gallon water). Be sure to let the sanitizer stand on surface for 15 to 30 seconds, before wiping dry. Put on some disposable gloves before handing chicken.

Butterfly chicken breasts with sharp knife, a pairing knife or boning knife. Cutting the chicken breast almost in half horizontally, so opens up like butterfly wings. Then place a piece of plastic wrap over chicken and pound with meat mallet until evenly flat. The breast should be about half inch thick, with no holes in meat.

Pounding chicken breasts covered with plastic wrap

Stuffing Chicken Breasts:

Scoop 1/3 cup of Bacon Tomato Rice Stuffing onto chicken breasts

Stuffing chicken breasts is made easy by using a number 12 scoop of the Bacon Tomato Rice Stuffing. Then carefully wrap chicken breasts around stuffing. Be sure to season both sides of the chicken breast with Mexican seasoning. Store bought Mexican Seasoning works out as quick short cut or make your own blend.

Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Try this Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken that tastes like Chicken Parmesan Pizza

Bacon Spanish Rice stuffed Chicken in Air Fryer
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Bacon Tomato Rice stuffed chicken breast using Air Fryer makes a delicious moist and tender entree cooked in 20 minutes. Enjoy having all flavors of chicken and rice in one encased breast.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 35 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 35 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Bacon Spanish Rice stuffed Chicken in Air Fryer
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Bacon Tomato Rice stuffed chicken breast using Air Fryer makes a delicious moist and tender entree cooked in 20 minutes. Enjoy having all flavors of chicken and rice in one encased breast.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 35 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 35 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Ingredients
Bacon Tomato Rice Stuffing:
Stuffed Chicken Breasts:
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
Bacon Tomato Rice Stuffing:
  1. In heavy duty sauce pan cook the diced bacon with some olive oil. Cook bacon until it’s crisp, about 5 minutes.
  2. Drain off excess bacon fat leaving just small amount fat left in sauce pan with crisp bacon pieces.
  3. Next add onions, peppers and garlic to bacon. Cook vegetables mixture for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, stir often.
  4. Continue cooking mixture adding rice, stirring well to coat all rice well. This should take about 1 minute.
  5. Now add the stock and tomatoes chili sauce to rice mixture stirring well. Season this mixture with Mexican seasoning, taste liquid mixture to see if seasoned properly. Adjust with Mexican seasoning and salt to taste.
  6. Cover rice mixture with lid and turn the heat to medium heat. When steam comes out, reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 18 to 20 minutes.
  7. Remove the lid from rice and fluff with fork. Set aside while fabrication of chicken breasts.
Chicken Fabrication
  1. Using a sharp knife butterfly chicken breasts. Cutting half way through middle almost to end opening chicken breast like butterfly.
  2. Next cover butterfly chicken with plastic wrap, pound with meat mallet. Just pound hard enough to flatten chicken breasts, but do not put holes into breasts.
  3. Remove plastic wrap that covers chicken, sprinkle with Mexican seasoning generously.
  4. Now scoop 1/3 cup of bacon tomato rice stuffing into center of the chicken breasts.
  5. Rap the chicken breasts around rice stuffing, then sprinkle generously with Mexican seasoning.
Cooking Bacon Tomato Rice stuffed chicken breast:
  1. Place the stuffed chicken breasts into air Fryer basket. Spray with olive oil. I like to use EVO sprayer to spay oil onto food. Push basket into air fryer
  2. Set air fryer temperature to 350 degrees.
    Air Fryer temperature set to 350 degrees
  3. Set timer to 20 minutes, this is just guidelines for cooking time depending on size of stuffed chicken could take longer.
  4. Use a instant reading thermometer, place probe into thickest part of breast. The temperature should read at least 170 degrees.
  5. To serve cut stuffed chicken breasts in half on bias. Serve with green vegetables of your choice. Be creative with sauce, my favorite Sriracha sauce.
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Bacon Spanish Rice stuffed Chicken in Air Fryer
Amount Per Serving
Calories 615 Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 130mg 43%
Sodium 1180mg 49%
Potassium 151mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 3g
Protein 44g 88%
Vitamin A 21%
Vitamin C 59%
Calcium 4%
Iron 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Mexican Seasoning Recipe 

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Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
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Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops

Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops on a bed of braised beets with side of potato wedges.

Air Fryers makes summer foods fast and tasty, the Air fryer peach pork chops is perfect choice. This recipe only takes 5 to 6 ingredients and less then 30 minutes to make. First season Pork Chops with my BBQ spice rub or your favorite store bought varieties, give the rubbed chops some time to rest.

Air Fryer setup

Each air fryer is a little different. Pork chops cook best at 350 degrees temperature settings. Some air fryers have pre settings, use the appropriate setting. Warm up air fryer for about 2 to 3 minutes with basket. Then after preheated place season Chops in air fryer basket, and set timer for 18 minutes for thick chops. If you have thin chops use 12 minutes. Spritz the seasoned pork chops with EVO Oil Sprayer. Caution don’t use PAM spray or vegetable spray they mess up non stick basket. Close basket in air fry and let air fry for have the time. This takes about 6 to 9 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops. The goal is to get the chops nicely browned.

Air Fryer Timer Setting 18 minutes
Air Fryer Timer Setting 18 minutes

Peach Glazed Pork Chops

Peach Riesling Jam

The peach glaze is the magic to this recipe, a simple mixture of my Peach Riesling Jam thinned out with more Riesling Wine. About Half way through air frying remove basket and turn the pork chops over. Then brush with the thinned out Peach Riesling Jam mixture over each chop. Now continue air frying to end of cooking time. Check internal temperature of the Pork Chops close to end of cooking, the temperature should be 145 degrees. The finished chop should be around 150 degrees with a nice caramelized glaze. If all possible let the Chops rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
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Peach Pork Chops cooked in air fryer is perfect way to make summer meals quick and easy. This recipe only takes 5 to 6 ingredients.
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
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Peach Pork Chops cooked in air fryer is perfect way to make summer meals quick and easy. This recipe only takes 5 to 6 ingredients.
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Chops 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
16 Minutes 5 Minutes
Ingredients
Servings: Chops
Units:
Instructions
  1. Season each pork chop with 1 teaspoon of BBQ Spice Rub. Work the spice rub in with your fingers. Allow pork chops to rest for 5 minutes minimum.
    BBQ Season Pork Chops
  2. Make peach glaze by mixing peach Riesling Jam with some Riesling Wine to achieve right consistency. Set aside for future step.
    Peach Riesling Jam with Riesling Wine added.
  3. Set up air fryer temperature to 350 degrees, let the air fryer heat up 2 to 3 minutes.
    Air Fryer temperature set to 350 degrees
  4. Place seasoned pork chops in basket and spritz with EVO sprayer using olive oil.
    Pork chops cooked halfway
  5. Place basket back into air fryer and set timer to 16 - 18 minutes for large chops. Set timer to 12 - 15 minutes thin chops. Air fry chops half way through time.
    Air Fryer Timer Setting 18 minutes
  6. Remove basket from air fryer half way into cooking time about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn chops over and brush liberal amount of peach glaze on each chop.
    Pork chops cooked halfway
  7. Place peach halves along side pork chops in basket and season with BBQ spice rub, and brush with some peach glaze. Put basket back into air fry and continue to air fry for remainder of time.
    Glaze pork chops with peach Riesling Glaze
  8. Remove basket from air fryer and check the internal temperature of chop. It should read 145 to 150 degrees. If less then 145 degree put back in air fryer and continue to cook a few more minutes.
  9. Remove basket from air fryer and let the pork chops rest 5 minutes before serving if all possible.
  10. Plate peach glaze pork chop on bed beets or greens. Serve with potato wedges and garnish with peach halves.
    Plated Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Peach Pork Chops
Amount Per Serving
Calories 433 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 96mg 32%
Sodium 1240mg 52%
Potassium 1032mg 29%
Total Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 29g
Protein 38g 76%
Vitamin A 9%
Vitamin C 18%
Calcium 1%
Iron 8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

An alternate cooking method is to grill peach glaze chops with indirect heat, this will take a little longer to prepare. About 12 to 15 minutes a side brushing glaze on every time turn chops. This give chops a more smoked flavor profile. Grilling peaches will have more depth and smoked flavor profile.

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Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce

Is making the homemade Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce verses the store bought, really worth the extra effort? One thing for sure is that not all the store bought enchilada sauces are the same. Looking closely they all use similar ingredients but the big factor is all about the flavor profile differences. This prompted me to see if making a homemade enchilada sauce is  worth the effort.

Lessons to be learned

In the past I have made many different southwestern red sauces, using all different types of chilies. I love hot sauces, that was my biggest mistake. Most of my red sauces was so hot they overpowered the foods. Lessons to be learned save my super hot chilies for the hot sauces, but not in the red enchilada sauce.

Where to start

First thing to start when you are looking to make enchilada sauce, is the chilies. So this prompted me to use Hatch Dry Red Chilies. Why Hatch Chilies? Well Hatch New Mexico is the Red Chili Capital of USA. They produce most of the Red Chilies, they are so famous that they have Chili festivals every year. These New Mexican Red Chilies are mild and flavorful, perfect for making enchilada sauces.

Next is choosing the right companion chilies, this is where I always made my mistakes. I use some of my super hot chilies that would peel the paint off the wall, that’s not a good match. So this time tried ancho chilies which have a good depth of flavor without all the heat. The red sauce turns out darker in color but with a more deep complex flavor. Giving the sauce a wonderful flavor profile. Making this a perfect companionship to enchilada sauce.

Over the many of tries in making enchilada sauces, key is to have the right aromatics. Again in the past I always put too many aromatics and messed up the end flavors. So this time kept simple, using just garlic, onions, cumin, chipotle pepper for smoky flavor, salt and pepper.

Chicken Enchilada Air Fryer

Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce
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Red Enchilada Sauce recipe uses Hatch Chilies that makes this sauce worth extra effort. This recipe has wonderful mild flavors of chilies perfect for Chicken or Cheese Enchiladas.
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce
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Red Enchilada Sauce recipe uses Hatch Chilies that makes this sauce worth extra effort. This recipe has wonderful mild flavors of chilies perfect for Chicken or Cheese Enchiladas.
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Servings Prep Time
3 cups 15 minutes
Cook Time
60 minutes
Ingredients
Enchilada ingredients
Aromatics
Servings: cups
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mise en place enchilada sauce, peeling garlic, chopping onions, measuring aromatics, gathering chilies.
    Ingredients to make Red Enchilada Sauce
  2. Heat olive oil and garlic until light golden brown, stirring often with spatula. This takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
    Sauté garlic cloves with olive oil in sauce pan
  3. Add the chopped onions to light golden brown garlic cloves. Stirring well until onions start to caramelize. Remove from sauce pan into holding bowl.
    Sauté garlic and onions with olive oil in sauce pan.
  4. Add the dry chilies to sauce pan add a little extra olive oil if need. Toast dry chilies turning often with tongs. Do not allow the chilies to burn. Remove from heat right away, to prevent chilies from burning.
    Toast dry chilies with olive oil in hot sauce pan.
  5. Add onions and garlic back to sauce pan with chilies. Pour water to cover chilies about 4 cups. Place plate on top of chilies to keep them covered with water. Bring chilies, garlic and onions to boil. Keep cooking chilies for about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.
    Cook chilies with water, onions and garlic. Weighting down with plate.
  6. Remove any stems from chilies using tongs. Be sure to wear gloves when handling chiles.
    Remove the stems of the chilies using tongs.
  7. Place cooked chilies, onions, garlic and most of cooking liquid into blender. Reserve the remainder of cooking liquid if needed to finish cooking process.
    Placing cooked chilies, onion and garlic with most of cooking liquid in blender.
  8. Process the enchilada sauce in blender, starting at low speed and going to high speed. Be sure to place a towel over blend to prevent any splattering of chili puree as it's blending.
    Blending chilies mixture until smooth puree.
  9. Pour chili puree into sauce pan.
    Pour puree into sauce pan.
  10. Add the aromatics, oregano, cumin, chipotle powder, salt, pepper and Turbinado sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to simmer.
    Adding all the aromatics to chili puree in sauce pan.
  11. Cook the enchilada sauce for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust with salt, pepper and sugar as needed.
    Finished cooking of the enchiladas sauce
Using Enchilada Sauce
  1. Coat baking dish with food spray like PAM. Spread a nice layer of enchilada sauce on bottom of baking dish. Place filled rolled enchilada like beef taco meat on top of enchilada sauce. Cover all enchiladas with enchilada sauce top with cheese. Bake in 350°f oven or grill until internal temperature reaches 165°f.
  2. Place some warm enchilada sauce on plate and lift with spatula cooked enchiladas onto plate. Garnish with cheese, radish slices. Enjoy
Recipe Notes

For recipe to make Chicken Enchilada Air fryer

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Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
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Air fryer Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Greek Style Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer

Greek Style Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Looking for a new Spinach Stuffed Chicken recipe using the Air Fryer? This Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast with Greek flavor is perfect choice. The Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast only takes 20 minutes in Air Fryer with moist flavorful Greek profile. Key is to use Cavenders Greek Seasoning in stuffing and on chicken breasts.

Air Fryer Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breast
Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
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Greek style spinach filling stuffed into chicken breasts that only takes 20 minutes in the Air Fryer to make.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
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Greek style spinach filling stuffed into chicken breasts that only takes 20 minutes in the Air Fryer to make.
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 Portions 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Ingredients
Greek Spinach Stuffing
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Servings: Portions
Units:
Instructions
Greek Spinach Stuffing Mixture:
  1. Sauté onions with mince garlic and olive oil in skillet until fragrant. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat.
    Sauté onions with garlic and olive oil
  2. Next sauté the onions, garlic, spinach, Greek seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper with some olive oil in the same skillet. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes to cook, until the excess moisture is evaporate off the filling.
  3. Combine cooked spinach mixture with, Manchego cheese, Feta Cheese in mixing bowl. Adding some extra Greek Seasoning and Oregano, with salt and pepper to taste. Mix this filling with spatula until combined.
    Combine cooked spinach mixture with cheeses and Greek seasoning, salt and pepper.
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
  1. First Butterfly boneless skinless chicken breast using sharp knife, folding chicken breast open with cut side up. Next sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Salt and Pepper.
    Butterfly boneless chicken breasts and sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Salt and Pepper.
  2. Flattening seasoned chicken breasts with plastic wrap and meat mallet. Use the flat side of mallet by pounding chicken until even thickness.
    Flattening seasoned chicken breasts with plastic wrap and meat mallet. Use the flat side of mallet by pounding chicken until even thickness.
  3. Stuff each flattened seasoned chicken breast with Greek Spinach Stuffing mixture. Then carefully fold the chicken breast up covering all the stuffing.
    Stuff each flattened seasoned chicken breast with Greek Spinach Stuffing mixture. Then carefully fold the chicken breast up covering all the stuffing.
  4. Rolled Stuffed chicken breast, sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. Spray with Olive Oil using EVO Sprayer to get an even coating of Olive Oil over all the chicken.
    Rolled Stuffed chicken breast, sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, Oregano, Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. Spray with Olive Oil using EVO Sprayer to get an even coating of Olive Oil over all the chicken.
  5. Placed the Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts carefully into basket of the Air Fryer. Set the Air Fryer to chicken setting. Using the PowerXL default setting 20 minutes at 350°F.
    Placed the Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts carefully into basket of the Air Fryer. Set the Air Fryer to chicken setting. Using the PowerXL default setting 20 minutes at 350°F.
  6. Air Fried Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast coming out of Air Fryer. See that wonderful golden brown color, that’s still in the Air Fryer basket.
    Air Fried Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast coming out of Air Fryer. See that wonderful golden brown color, that’s still in the Air Fryer basket.
  7. After air frying spinach stuffed chicken breasts, be sure to check the internal temperature. The thermometer should read 170°F. Be sure to stick the probe right in center of the stuffed chicken to make sure the filling reaches 170°F.
    After air frying spinach stuffed chicken breasts, be sure to check the internal temperature. The thermometer should read 170°F. Be sure to stick the probe right in center of the stuffed chicken to make sure the filling reaches 170°F.
  8. Allow the Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast to rest 5 minutes. Next cut each of breast in half on a diagonal. Place cut chicken breast onto plate in attractive manner. Try using Ranch Dressing as sauce smeared onto plate. Finally place your choice of cooked vegetables onto plate. Garnish with Manchego Cheese and Enjoy.
    Greek Style Spinch Stuffed Chicken Breasts made in Air Fryer
Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 337 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 125mg 42%
Sodium 3071mg 128%
Potassium 280mg 8%
Total Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 1g
Protein 42g 84%
Vitamin A 176%
Vitamin C 29%
Calcium 30%
Iron 9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Smoked Root Beer Ham

Brine the ham

OMG Smoked Root Beer Ham is so good, it only takes some time and extra effort for best tasting ham. The key is brine a bone-in ham with A&W root beer overnight. In this brine add mustard, worchesrshire sauce and brown sugar to a 2 liter bottle of A&W root beer. Note do not use diet root beer it doesn’t work, because of the sweetener used in making diet soda. A good long soak overnight builds flavors. Do not add extra salt the ham has plenty salt already added.

Smoking the ham

Smoking Root Beer Ham on Green Egg with Apple Wood Chips for 4 hours
Smoking Root Beer Ham on Green Egg with Apple Wood Chips

Slow smoking the marinated root beer ham using a drip pan. Fill the drip pan with a quart of marinate with some apple juice. Choosing the right pairing of wood chips will help give a great mild smoky profile finish. My favorite mild smoking chips is apple wood. These chips never come off to strong of smoked flavor profile. The Green Egg does a wonderful job of keeping smoke circulation around the ham. The trick is keeping heat as low as possible without charcoal going out. Keeping the temperature around 250°F works out best. All dampers are just about closed off. Second trick is soaking wood chips with water in a ziplock bag for a good hour. Using a half of ham it takes about 3 cups chips. Adding a hand full of chips every 20 to 30 minutes. I smoked half of a ham for about 4 to 5 hours to internal temperature reaching 150°F. It’s all about the glazeWhile the ham is smoking it’s time to make the glaze. I used the root beer marinate to make this glaze. By using a heavy duty sauce pan and reducing marinate into a thick syrup. Don’t try to rush reduction, just keep cooking at a good slow boil. When the bubbles become very large the syrup is just about ready. Don’t get fooled as the syrup cools, the glaze will get thick. Reducing the syrup too long will become too caramelized and that can have too strong of a burnt taste. Pour syrup glaze into a bowl

Brush glaze onto ham about half way into smoking process, the internal temperature of ham around 100°F. Every 20 to 30 minutes brush on some glaze and and more wood chips to coals. When the ham is finished it will have shiny glaze and golden color. Be sure to save the remainder of glaze to drizzle over ham as it is served. OMG it so good. My all time favorite is Swedish Buns with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam.

Swedish Buns filled with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam
Swedish Buns filled with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam
Nutrition Facts
Smoked Root Beer Ham
Amount Per 320g
Calories 320 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 70mg 23%
Sodium 1463mg 61%
Potassium 40mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Sugars 37g
Protein 25g 50%
Calcium 1%
Iron 9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ham & Bean Soup
Plated Ham & Bean Soup with Cornbread
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham wonderful way to use Smoked Root Beer Ham
Smoked Root Beer Ham
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Smoked Root Beer Ham is all time favorite. Using just 5 ingredients and long smoking time makes one very best hams ever.
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Smoked Root Beer Ham
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Smoked Root Beer Ham is all time favorite. Using just 5 ingredients and long smoking time makes one very best hams ever.
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Servings Prep Time
12 Servings 5 Minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
5 Hours 12 Hours
Ingredients
Root Beer Marinate
Root Beer Ham
Servings: Servings
Units:
Instructions
Root Beer Marinate
  1. Combine together the root beer, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, prepared mustard in large stock pot or storage container. Whisk well until all ingredients are mixed and dissolve the brown sugar into the marinate.
    Marinating Ham in Root Beer, Mustard, Brown Sugar and Worcestershire
  2. Refrigerate the marinating ham overnight. If marinating a whole large ham marinate for at least 24 hours.
Smoking Root Beer Ham
  1. Prepare smoker. I like to use Green Egg Smoker/Grill. First get charcoal started this takes about 10 minutes. Caution don’t get charcoal too hot about 1/3 coals red hot. Get place setter with drip pan filled with 2 to 3 cups of marinate and 2 cups of apple cider or beer/wine. I like to set temperature proble on grill to read smoke chamber temperature. Add a good hand full of soaked apple wood chips.
  2. Place 1/2 ham cut side down onto clean grill grids. Then put into plate setter. Put the temperature probe into meaty section of ham. This probe will read the internal temperature of the ham. Close lid set dampers to almost totally closed.
  3. Adjust dampers so chamber temperature is 225°F to 250°F. this is tricky keep an eye on temperatures. Don’t let heat get over 300°. If gets too hot add more liquid to drip pan and close the dampers more. If you have too add some ice to drip pan get that temperature down.
  4. The key to successfully smoked ham check every 20 to 30 minutes add soaked wood chips handful at time.
  5. About 1/2 way into smoking time, internal ham temperature is near 100°F start brushing root beer glaze onto ham. Continue brushing root beer glaze every 20 to 30 minutes. Remember to add a handful soak chips to charcoal.
  6. When the ham reaches internal temperature of 150°F it’s done.
  7. Remove smoked ham from smoker and cover with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes or more.
  8. OMG this is outrageous good ham. Slice and drizzle some of the root beer glaze over ham. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes and green vegetables. Or make my flavor Smoked Root Beer Ham sliders on Swedish Buns with Cranberry Jam Yum.
    Swedish Buns filled with Smoked Root Beer Ham and Cranberry Jam
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