National Pulled Pork & Gumbo Days

October 12th is both National Pulled Pork Day and National Gumbo Day! Here are two seasonally-appropriate recipes of mine, for all who celebrate. My Pumpkin Spice Pulled Pork Tailgaters and my 13-Ingredient Halloween Gumbo are just the ticket for this dietary double-header!

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Pumpkin Spice Pulled Pork Tailgaters

Here are some dee-luscious pumpkin spice BBQ sandwiches for your next tailgate! The addition of coconut extract adds a secret something you can't quite put your finger on, but is impossible to resist. Highly recommended.  🐷 🥥 🏈 This dish takes a little time but believe me, it's worth it!

This recipe is a website exclusive. You might see it in an upcoming cookbook. Meanwhile, there are dozens of other original, tempting main dishes and autumn-appropriate recipes to choose from in my first best-selling cookbook. Order your copy today. 

Pumpkin Spice Pulled Pork Tailgaters

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

3 1/2 to 4 pound pork butt, cut in 4 pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 heaping tablespoon pumpkin spice seasoning (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg)

1 teaspoon coconut flavor extract

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

8 ounces beef broth or stock

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Juice of one lemon

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 large yellow onion, quartered and separated

Lightly salt and pepper pork and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes to season.

Heat oven to 375°F.

To large, heavy, oven-safe lidded pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, add oil till shimmering.

Sear pork on all sides till lightly browned, set aside. Drain any significant amount of remaining oil/juices.

Reduce heat, add tomato paste. Top paste with pumpkin spice and coconut extract. Stir together and "toast," or caramelize mixture for about 5 minutes to release flavors, do not burn.

Add cider vinegar, stir, cook 1 minute.

Add tomato sauce, combine thoroughly. Increase heat to medium high and stir in beef broth and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse salt as desired.

Add syrup, lemon juice, Worcestershire, stir well.

Stir in onion slices. Add back the pork and submerge in sauce.

Cover pot, place in oven and bake, turning pork pieces after 1 hour. Bake till pork falls apart and can be easily pulled, about 2 hours.

Let cool, pull pork apart. Push sauce through a large mesh strainer if you'd like it less chunky. Serve on open-faced toasted buns with the hot sauce poured over. Bread and butter pickles on the side. Whip up some of my sweet 'n sour picnic slaw to go with!

Pro tip: If you need to freeze the pork and the sauce, and do so separately, thaw over low heat mixing sauce into pork, adding 1/4 cup water if necessary, then serve together, hot.

Then, dig in !!!  🐷 🥥 🏈

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13-Ingredient Halloween Gumbo

Q: What makes it a Halloween gumbo?!?

A: The 13-ingredients of course! A very dark Halloween-hued roux, the addition of mushrooms (sacriligeous!) and ground cloves make it unique and a special holiday taste sensation.

🧅 🫑 🎃 🧅 🫑

This recipe is a website exclusive. You might see it in an upcoming cookbook. Meanwhile, there are dozens of other tempting Creole dishes and a whole Halloween chapter full of autumn-appropriate recipes to choose from in my first best-selling cookbook. Order your copy today. 

13-Ingredient Halloween Gumbo

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Take the time to get your roux dark and spooky! Do it, or you may "roux" the day. The lucky 13 ingredients in this gumbo will help you rock your most hardcore Halloween vibe. I hope you have a spooktacular time cooking up this autumnally-enhanced yet very reliable gumbo recipe that everybody should have in their (black and orange) back pocket.

2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless and boneless

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup canola oil

12 ounces andouille sausage, in 1/2-inch slices

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 large onion, diced

4 large or 6 small ribs celery, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces sturdy white mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups chicken broth (with salt)

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

 Cooked rice for serving

Season chicken thighs with salt, let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. To a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons canola oil. Add sausage, cook 4 minutes till fat rendered, remove sausage.

Add thighs, cook lightly on all sides, about 6 minutes, remove thighs.

Drain fat. Lightly wipe out pot so any significant bits of meat are removed, but flavor remains.

To pot, over medium heat, add 1/3 cup oil. When oil is hot add flour. Whisk, or stir, constantly for at least 20 minutes, probably 30, till you have a dark, Halloween-hued roux.

Immediately stir in the trinity of onion, celery, bell pepper plus garlic, cook till softened, 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and ground cloves, cook 1 minute more. Add back chicken, add broth, deglaze pot.

Bring to simmer, cook partially covered 15 minutes till chicken is tender. Remove chicken, shred with two forks. Return meat to pot. Return andouille to pot.

Add tomato. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, partially cover.

Cook gently on medium-low till thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over hot rice.

🧅 🫑 🎃 🧅 🫑 🎃