Lesson #58: Grilled Teriyaki Pork Shoulder Steaks

Low Carb Cooking 101

We moved into a new home last month (finally!), and my husband bought a new grill to celebrate the occasion. It’s a mammoth thing, all stainless steel and shiny, and looks something like a not-so-miniature aircraft carrier. This is a “manly man’s” grill, huge and professional-looking, containing all the bells and whistles. The problem is, my husband can’t cook.

He likes looking at the grill. He likes starting the grill with the nifty little electronic ignition button. He likes smelling the food on the grill while it’s cooking. But unless it’s hot dogs or hamburgers, he’s clueless. He circles the grill tentatively, poking at the meat with suspicion as if it’s going to jump up and bite him. I’m called out from the kitchen umpteen times to see “if this thing’s done yet.” Sigh. Hopefully, with time, he’ll get better at it and gain a little confidence.

Last night we grilled pork shoulder steaks marinated in the Carb Options Asian Teriyaki Marinade. They were a big hit. My fickle 13-year-old daughter – who insisted that she wasn’t going to try them because the marinade was low carb and wanted plain hamburgers grilled for her – decided after one bite that she was, and I quote, “gonna eat a lot of meat tonight.” Rod, my aforementioned husband, a man who is completely addicted to sugar, loved the pork shoulder steaks, commenting several times on how sweet they were. (He pinched second and third helpings from the leftover meat.)

So I can say with confidence that if you fix the Teriyaki Pork Shoulder Steaks your family will never know that they’re eating low carb.

I haven’t tried a lot of the Carb Options products yet, but I am so pleased to see all the major grocery stores carrying them. This is what we low carbers have wanted for years – low carb options in local stores that make cooking and staying on the diet easier for us. Ain’t life grand?

Here’s this evening’s menu:

• Grilled Teriyaki Pork Shoulder Steaks
• Asian Cole Slaw
• Simply Strawberries

Here’s the shopping list for the meal. You may very well already have some of these things on hand:

• 4 pork shoulder steaks
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder (or to taste)
• large head Savoy cabbage (about a 2 1/2 pound cabbage)
• 1 carrot
• 2 green onions
• fresh cilantro leaves (Fresh parsley may be substituted)
• 1 quart strawberries
• seasoned rice vinegar
• vegetable oil
• toasted sesame oil
• 1 12-ounce bottle Carb Options Asian Teriyaki Marinade
• sugar free DaVinci Raspberry Syrup
• Chinese five spice powder
• salt
• pepper

Here’s the game plan:

Everything on tonight’s menu can be prepared ahead of time if that is what is most convenient for you. If you don’t want to (or can’t) prepare things ahead, allow at least an hour for the meat to marinate, the cole slaw flavors to meld, and the strawberries to become infused with the raspberry flavor from the syrup.

If possible, prepare the Asian Cole Slaw and the Simply Strawberries the night or the morning before you plan to serve the meal. At the same time, you can begin marinating the meat in the Carb Solutions Asian Teriyaki Marinade.

If you can’t prepare things ahead of time, begin the preparation about and hour and a half before you plan to serve the meal.

About 20 to 30 minutes before you want to eat, preheat the grill. Once the grill is preheated, place the pork shoulder steaks on the grill.

While the pork shoulder steaks are cooking, set the table.

Turn the pork shoulder steaks to grill on the other side.

While the pork shoulder steaks continue cooking, get the Asian Cole Slaw and the Simply Strawberries out of the refrigerator. You can either place the bowls on the table with serving spoons or serve the Asian Cole Slaw on the plates and the Simply Strawberries in small dessert bowls.

Before cutting into the shoulder steaks to see if they’re cooked through, press the back of a utensil into the meat. If it feels soft or spongy, it is not ready. If it feel firm and offers some resistance to the pressure, cut into the thickest portion of each steak. At the very most, there should only be a slight blush of pink or the meat should be white.

Once the pork shoulder steaks are cooked thoroughly, cut them into portion-sized pieces. Serve them immediately along with the Asian Cole Slaw and the Simply Strawberries, and sit down to a well-deserved, relaxing meal.

And now, finally, here are the recipes:

Grilled Teriyaki Pork Shoulder Steaks

• 4 pork shoulder steaks, thawed
• 1/2 bottle Carb Options Asian Teriyaki Marinade
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Place the thawed pork shoulder steaks in a 1-gallon Zip Lock bag. Pour the 1/2 bottle of Carb Options Asian Teriyaki Marinade over the meat. Close the bag, expelling all the air possible out of the bag before zipping it shut. Rotate the closed bag several times to coat the meat thoroughly and evenly with the marinade. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least one hour or as long as 24 hours.

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the pork shoulder steaks on the preheated grill. Discard the remaining marinade.

Grill the steaks until they are no longer pink in the center, turning once. This will take about 5 minutes per side. (The time needed may be more or less depending upon the thickness of the shoulder steaks.)

If the steaks are large, cut them into portion-sized pieces after grilling and before serving.

Note: Refrigerate any leftovers. Cut into bite-sized pieces, they are good the next day in a salad (hot or cold, depending upon your preference) or you can reheat them in the microwave and make an Asian wrap with a Romaine lettuce leaf, the chunks of pork shoulder steak, and some of the leftover Asian Cole Slaw.

Asian Cole Slaw

• 1/6 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 large head Savoy cabbage (about a 2 1/2 pound cabbage), thinly sliced and the tough ribs discarded (Save the rest of the cabbage for another use.)
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (Fresh parsley may be substituted)

In a large bowl, use a wire whisk or a fork to mix the rice vinegar, Chinese 5 spice powder, vegetable oil, sesame oil, and salt.

Add the cabbage, carrots, green onions, and cilantro; toss gently until the dressing is evenly distributed over the vegetables.

Cover tightly and refrigerate until it is time to serve.

Serves 8 @ 34 calories, 2 grams fat, trace protein, and 3 grams carbohydrates w/ 1 gram fiber.

****Note: This is enough for leftovers, which keep quite well, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. It’s a great addition to a packed lunch!

Simply Strawberries

• 1 quart strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar free DaVinci Raspberry Syrup

Wash and hull the strawberries. Cut each strawberry in half lengthwise.

Place the cut strawberries in a plastic container which has a tight-fitting lid. Pour the sugar free DaVinci Raspberry Syrup over the strawberries. Put the lid on the container and gently rotate it several time, or until all the berries are covered in syrup.

Place the container in the refrigerator until it is time to serve the meal.

Serves 4 generously.