We are thrilled to announce that Grillocracy has teamed with the fine folks at Smithfield* to celebrate their marinated fresh pork products.

Perfectly seasoned and easy to prepare, the Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork products include pre-seasoned tenderloins, sirloins, and loin filets as well as a few new additions to the Smithfield Fresh Pork collection!

Over the next several months, we’ll be highlighting select products with some mouth watering grilled fresh pork recipes including the Smoked Carnitas “Grilled” Cheese Sandwiches below.

You can also get into the flavor game with the “Smithfield Real Flavor, Real Fast” contest.

Between now and November, Smithfield will offer consumers three chances to win amazing prizes including a trip to wine country by simply submitting their tips and tricks for getting dinner ready in 30 minutes or less using Smithfield® Marinated Fresh Pork. Consumers also have the chance to win a $25 Visa gift card by voting for their favorite tips. To enter the contest and/or to place your vote, please visit http://www.smithfieldrealflavorrealfast.com/.  

Also be sure to check out the video recipe for Smithfield’s Garlic Herb and Onion Po Boy by clicking here.

SMOKED CARNITAS “GRILLED” CHEESE SANDWICHES

YIELD: 6 sandwiches

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK TIME: 3 hours for carnitas, 10 minutes for sandwiches

Ingredients

1 (32 oz.) package Smithfield Fresh Pork Seasoned Carnitas

1 loaf Italian or sourdough loaf, sliced ½-inch thick (12 slices)

Unsalted butter, room temperature

6 oz. thinly sliced aged fontina cheese, divided

6 oz. thinly sliced gruyere cheese thinly sliced, divided

Quick pickled red onions (recipe follows)

Additional Tools

Aluminum foil

Instructions

1) Prepare grill for 2-zone cooking, placing preheated briquets on one half of the grill’s charcoal grate to create a hot and a cool side. Add 2-3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal and replace the main cooking grate. Adjust the grill’s bottom vents to bring the grill temperature to 225 degrees.

2) Place Smithfield Fresh Pork Seasoned Carnitas on the cooler side of the grill as far away from the heat source as possible for indirect smoking. Cover the grill and cook the cubed carnitas for 1 hour. After an hour, remove the carnitas from the grill and wrap them in a double layer of foil.

3) Adjust vents to bring the grill temperature to 300 degrees. Place the wrapped carnitas on the cooler side of the grill. Cover the grill and cook the carnitas for 2 hours.

4) After two hours, carefully open the foil and test the tenderness of the meat with a fork. If the meat doesn’t shred easily then close the foil and return the packet to the grill for another 30 minutes.

5) Once the carnitas are done cooking, remove them from the grill and carefully open the foil packet. Shred the carnitas with two forks.

6) To begin assembling the sandwiches, butter one side of each slice of bread. Turn six slices of bread buttered side down on a large plate or platter. Layer each of the six bread slices with fontina cheese, shredded carnitas, picked red onions, and gruyere cheese. Top each sandwich with a second slice of bread, non-buttered side down.

7) Place sandwiches on the warm side of the grill, maintaining a temperature of approximately 300 degrees to avoid burning the bread.  Cover the grill so the cheese can melt, checking the bread once a minute until it toasts evenly. If the bread darkens too quickly, simply move the sandwich to the cool side of the grill and replace the cover.

8) After approximately 4 minutes, gently flip the sandwiches and grill for another 4-5 minutes until both sides of the bread are nicely toasted and the cheese has completely melted.

9) Remove the sandwiches from the grill. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and serve immediately.

QUICK PICKLED RED ONIONS

Ingredients

½ cup apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

½ large red onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

Whisk together apple cider vinegar, salt and sugar in a medium, microwave safe bowl. Add the onions to the bowl, stirring gently to make sure they are completely covered by the liquid.  Place the bowl in the microwave and cook for 45 seconds. Remove the pickled red onions from the microwave and either use immediately or cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

* Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Smithfield as part of their 2017 Marinated Bloggers Network but the recipe, opinions, and love of pork are all mine.