If you’d like a quick main dish
for dinner, try microwaving pork
chops or pork cut in strips.
I’ve done a lot of pork micro
waving, and I’ve discovered these
are the two easiest and quickest
types of pork to microwave. And
they are the ones that end up tast
ing the most tender and flavorful.
Try today’s recipes and see what
you think. But first, here are a few
hints on microwaving pork to get
you started.
Microwave pork chops on a low
power setting. This is about 200
watts. On most microwave ovens,
this setting is called Medium-Low
and is 30 percent power. On some
brands, it may be called Defrost or
Setting No. 3. On a 400-watt
microwave oven, it will be 50 per
cent (half of 400, or 200 watts).
On a 500-watt microwave with six
to 10 powers, it may be Setting
No. 4 (40 percent of 500 watts, or
200 watts).
Weigh chops or note the weight
listed on the store label. If you
have less than the recipe calls for,
microwave less time. Figure about
12 minutes per pound of boneless
half-inch-thick chops.
Choose plastic wrap for a tight
cover to hold in heat and steam.
This helps keep chops moist and
tender.
To ensure even cooking, turn
chops over and rearrange them
halfway through cooking. Rotate
dish as necessary.
Cook chops to a medium done
ness that means chops can look
pink when done. They
CUSTOM MADE
FEED BINS FOR
FARMS FEED MILLS
• Made of 13 gauge Steel
• All welded seams
• Gravity Flow or Auger
Free Estimates
Also - Steel Roof Trusses for
Buildings - Portable Hog Buildings
- Bucket Elevators - Grain Augers
Distributors - Flow Pipes &
Accessories
We Sell, Service & Install
Ph: 717-345-3724
STOLTZFUS WELDING SHOP
Owner - Samuel P. Stoltzfus
RD 3, Box 331
Pine Grove, PA 17963
MICROWAVE
MINUTES
By JOYCE BATTCHER
will be juicy, tender and safe to
eat. According to the Food Safety
and Inspection Service, fresh pork
can safely be cooked to a medium
doneness (160°F). FSIS tests
show .that trichinae, if present, are
killed instantly when pork is
cooked to the rare stage (147°F).
Let chops stand, still tightly
covered, and check for final done
ness after the standing time.
Be careful not to overcook
chops. It takes some practice to
judge doneness correctly. See
Easy Barbecued Pork Chops
(below) for specific doneness
checks. You may want to save
those directions for use in other
pork chop recipes.
When pork chops, steaks, or
boneless country rib (loin) pieces
are thinly sliced into strips, you
can speed up microwaving and
cook them on High power.
A waxed-paper cover is better
for pork strips than plastic wrap. It
holds in some heat and helps
promote even cooking, while
allowing steam to escape and pro
duce a stir-fry taste. Strips stay
juicy and tender with a waxed
paper cover, but they tend to
toughen if covered tightly with
plastic wrap.
The strips cook quickly on High
power, but they must be stirred
often during the very short cook
ing time. Otherwise, some strips
will overcook and toughen and
others will remain undone. Stir
strips as indicated in the recipe
usually after each two minutes of
cooking for a pound of strips or
f y
All-Plant
I LIQUID PLANT FOOD
I 9-18-9 PLUS OTHERS!
| • Contains 100% white ortho phosphoric
? acid. Made in USA.
i • Non-corrosive. Won’t settle.
? • Top quality. Excellent service.
? • Newest equipment,
f • Financially sound... and growing!
after one minute of cooking with
smaller amounts.
Easy Barbecued Pork Chops
1 teaspoon paprika
'A teaspoon onion powder
/ teaspoon garlic powder
Dash black pepper
1% pounds boneless pork loin
chops, A inch thick (4 butterfly
chops or 5 small chops)
'A cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown
sugar
1-1 'A tablespoons low-salt soy
sauce
In a small dish, combine papri
ka, onion powder, garlic powder
and black pepper; sprinkle on both
sides of pork chops and lightly rub
in. Place chops in microwavable
baking dish, with thickest parts to
outside edge of dish. Cover tightly
with plastic wrap. Microwave on
Medium-Low (180 to 210 watts,
30 percent power) 6 minutes (for 1
pound) to 8 minutes (for VA
pounds). (Chops will be barely
warm.) Turn chops over, rearrang
ing so least-done parts are to out
side edge of dish. Re-cover and
vent by turning back one small
corner of plastic wrap. Continue
microwaving on Medium-Low 5
to 7 minutes, rotating dish as
necessary for even cooking.
Check for doneness at mini
mum time. Look at chops and
press each with your fingertip
through plastic wrap. If you see a
large reddish spot in centers and/
or chops feel very soft, they’re
still raw. (With bone-in chops,
undone spots are likely to be near
bone.) Then continue microwav
ing on 200 watts until suggested
maximum total time is up, or lon
ger if necessary. Check for done
ness after each 30 seconds of
microwaving. When done, chops
should still look pink in center and
feel slightly soft. Let stand, tighdy
covered, S minutes.
Check chops for final doneness
by cutting a small slit near centers.
(With bone-in chops, cut near
bones.) When perfectly done,
chops should be of medium done
ness juices will be pink, and
pork will be tender, slightly pink,
and juicy. If rare, re-cover and
microwave about 2 minutes longer
on Medium-Low. Let stand again.
While chops stand, stir together
Big Demand Requires
More Distributors!
□ I sell to farmers.
How do I become your distributor 7
□ I'm a farmer.
What’s the price?
Where do I get it?
CALL or SEND FOR FACTS:
Phone 814-364-1349
ALL PLANT LIQUID PLANT FOOD, INC.
821 State Rd. 511 N., RFD 3,
Ashland, Ohio 44805
chili sauce, brown sugar and soy
sauce. If desired, microwave
(High) 4S to 60 seconds to heat
sauce. To serve, place shops on
platter and top each with sauce.
' For 4 bone-in chops ('A inch
thick, total weight 1 to VA
pounds): Microwave on Medium-
Low, 5 minutes (for 1 pound) to 7
minutes (for VA pounds). Turn
chops over and rotate dish; re
cover. Continue microwaving on
Medium-Low 5 to 8 more
minutes, check for doneness and
allow standing time, as above.
Each serving; 232 calories, 28g
protein, 9g fat, 8g carbohydrate,
470 mg sodium, 83mg cholesterol.
Easy Sweet-Sour Pork
1 teaspoon paprika
A teaspoon onion powder
'A teaspoon garlic powder
% teaspoon ground ginger
A pound boneless pork chops,
pork steak, or boneless country
(loin) ribs, cut into thin strips
A large green pepper, cut into
thin strips
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple
chunks
2 tablespoons packed brown
sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
'A tablespoon cornstarch
In microwavable 1-quart cas
serole, stir together paprika, onion
powder, garlic powder and ginger.
Stir in pork strips. Let stand S to
10 minutes at room temperature.
Refrigerate, if necessary to mari
nate longer.
Microwave pork mixture, cov
ered with waxed paper, on High
2Vi to 4 minutes, stirring well
after each minute, or until barely
done. Stir in green pepper strips
and soy sauce; re-cover. Micro
wave (High) 1 to 2 minutes, stir
ring after each minute, or until
peppers are barely tender-crisp.
Let stand, covered, about S
minutes, or while making sauce.
Combine undrained pineapple,
brown sugar, vinegar and com
tarch in a microwavable 1-quart
measure. Microwave (High) 2 to 3
minutes, stirring after each
minute, or until bubbly and thick.
Stir into pork mixture. Serve over
rice. Makes 2 servings.
Each serving without rice:
r v
■p jjjjr^
■B«MMfcir~ "”»L • Rear Width
s service , Thurl Width
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 27, 1990-B3
331 calories, 28g protein. 9g fat,
3Sg carbohydrate, 266 mg sodium,
83mg cholesterol.
Questions for Joyce?
Do you have a question about
microwave cooking? Send it to
Microwave Minutes, c/o Extra
Newspaper Features, P.O. Box
6118, Rochester, MN 55903.
Please include a self-addressed,
stamped, business-size envelope.
Recipes in this column are
tested in 600- and 650-watt micro
wave ovens. With an oven of dif
ferent wattage output, timings
may need slight adjustment
Joyct Battcher is an independent
home economist microwave specialist.
She is author of “Microwave Family
Favorites" and editor of “A Batch of
Ideas" newsletter.
® 1990 Extra Newspaper Features
SYRACUSE. N.Y.— Three
members of the board of directors
of the American Dairy Associa
tion and Dairy Council (ADADC)
have been elected to positions on
the national level.
Raymond Johnson, a dairy pro
ducer from Schaghticoke, N.Y.,
was re-elected to the position as
secretary of the board of directors
of UDIA. Johnson has been
involved in milk promotion for
over 30 years and serves locally as
president of the American Dairy
Association and Dairy Council.
He also represents local producers
as a member of the board of direc
tors of the National Dairy Board.
Ronald Harris, a dairyman from
Stanley, N.Y., was re-elected to
serve on the executive committee
of the UDIA board of directors.
Harris has been involved in dairy
promotion for over 25 years and
serves as ADADC’s first vice
president.
Also elected was K. Allen Ros
zel, a dairy producer from Mon
trose, to the position as treasurer
of the National Dairy Council
(NDC). NDC is the nutrition edu
cation division of UDIA. Roszel
has served on ADADC’s board for
more than seven years.
Farmers
Elected
29 H 5320
MAX-RED
Improves:
• Protein & Fat
Percent
• Add Set To Hock