recipe

Pork Shoulder with Apple Butter, Brandy, and Sage

Makes 10 servings

1 (4 ½- to 5 pound) Fantasma’s Finest Pork Bone-In Shoulder Roast

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 (16-ounce) jars Fantasma’s Finest Apple Butter (available at the retail store)

½ cup Of The Earth Farm Distillery Apple Brandy (available at the retail store)

4 to 5 whole leaves fresh sage, plus more chopped for garnish

Season the pork roast generously with salt and pepper. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker with fat side up.

In a mixing bowl, combine apple butter and brandy. Pour sauce over the pork roast and place 3-4 sage leaves across the top. Cook pork roast on HIGH for 1 hour and turn down to LOW about 4 hours, or until the roast is fork tender.

Garnish pork roast with chopped sage leaves. Strain braising liquid and reserve the pork-flavored apple butter to use as a jus. Serve with polenta or mashed potatoes.

Touchdown Loaded Nachos

Makes 12 servings

1 (1-pound) package ready-to-eat shredded Fantasma’s Finest Barbecue Pulled Pork

Your favorite mustard-based barbecue sauce (we like using local, such as Beautiful Day Farms Carolina Mustard Sauce)

2 (8-ounce) packages Asian wonton chips

1 (7.6-ounce) chopped Asian salad, preferably with a mustard sauce (our selection contained dehydrated beet strips

1 to 2 ripe avocados, cubed or sliced, divided use

1 (3-ounce) can Asian-style crunchy noodles

Your favorite chili crunch (we like Kansas City Canning Co. Everything Chili Crunch)

Open the package and place the pulled pork in a casserole or other microwave-safe bowl with enough water to barely cover the bottom. Reheat the pork for 3 minutes 30 seconds. Remove the casserole dish and pull the meat apart then reheat for another 3 minutes 30 seconds. Remove the casserole from the microwave and stir in enough barbecue sauce to moisten the meat; set aside.

Make salad according to package directions. Feel free to leave anything out of the salad you might not wish to duplicate, such as croutons; save for another use. Stir half of the avocado into the chopped salad; reserve the rest for garnish.

On a hefty platter, spread the wontons out and top with pulled pork, chopped salad and garnish with crunchy noodles and drizzle with chili crunch or serve on the side.

Nick Fantasma’s Cheeky Chili

Makes 10-12 servings

2 pounds Fantasma’s Finest Pork Cheek Meat

1 pound Fantasma’s Finest Beef Stew Meat

Olive oil

1 (5.5-ounce) shaker Excalibur Ultimate Chili Seasoning (available in retail store)

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

3 (28-ounce) large cans tomato sauce

½-1 cup red wine

1 pound dry pinto beans, such as El Frijol Locol grown in Kansas (available in retail store), rinsed

2 pounds Fantasma’s Finest Sugar Cured Bacon, reserve 2 strips for garnish

Garnish “Confetti”: Crumbled Hemme Brothers Feta Cheese (available at retail store), thinly sliced radish, chopped green onion, chopped cilantro, crumbled bacon

Check pork cheek for any glands in cheek and remove with a knife. Blot meats with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Preheat large skillet to medium-high heat and drizzle with olive oil. When the oil sizzles, brown the meat in batches (do not overcrowd the pan), removing one batch to the slow cooker and adding more oil to the pan. On the final batch of meat, add half of chili seasoning, and tomato paste to skillet, stirring well to combine.

Turn slow cooker to High. Add meat mixture to slow cooker then add tomato sauce. Using red wine, deglaze skillet and add wine and skillet scrapings to slow cooker. Rinse out tomato cans and add tomato water to the slow cooker, filling to the brim. Add remainder of chili seasoning, stir and place cover on the slow cooker. Cook chili on High for the first hour, then switch slow cooker to Low. Continue cooking for at least 4-6 hours, or up to 8 hours, to allow chili to reach desired consistency. During the last hour, stir chili occasionally to mix and break up meat pieces into smaller pieces.

Meanwhile, in a large cooking pot, add beans and fill with water 3 to 4 inches above the beans. Bring beans to a boil then turn heat down to medium-high and continue to cook for approximately 2 hours, or until desired tenderness. Check beans periodically and, if necessary, add more water. Drain beans and add to chili, stirring to fully incorporate.

Fry, bake or air fry bacon. Pat bacon with paper towels and allow bacon to cool. Depending on your preference of doneness, cut bacon into ¾-inch to 1-inch pieces or crumble. Once chili is cooked to desired consistency, stir in bacon and garnish!

Paradise Pork Smash Burger with Sriracha Roasted Garlic Aioli

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons sriracha or other hot sauce

1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

2 heads roasted garlic

1 (1-pound) package Fantasma's Finest Smoked Pepper Bacon

1 (1-pound) package Fantasma's Finest Ground Pork Patties (4 patties) or chub

Slices of Hemme Applewood Smoked Cheddar

8 sourdough bread slices

Arugula

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut top from heads of garlic, place into tin foil sheet, drizzle olive oil over exposed garlic, fold over tin foil, roast for 30 minutes.

 In a small bowl, combine mayo, sriracha, and roasted garlic and mix well; place in refrigerator.

Increase oven temperature to 400° F. Place racks on a rimmed baking sheet and lay out bacon. Bake bacon in oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. Drain grease and set bacon to drain on paper towels.

Preheat skillet or flat griddle to medium-high heat. Season pork patty lightly with salt and pepper both sides. Place pork patty on skillet/griddle and smash meat out with heavy metal spatula. You want patty to be thin, but not thicker than ¼-inch thick. Cook on each side for 1-3 minutes until the patty reaches a minimum of 145° F. on a meat thermometer. When flipped to second side, place cheese on top and allow to melt while burger finishes cooking.

Butter one side of 2 slices of sourdough bread and place on griddle and toast to desired doneness. Spread aioli on unbuttered side of both pieces of bread.

Place arugula once slice of bread. Add cheesed burger patty and 3 strips of bacon strategically over the top. Spread mayo on second slice of bread and place second slice of bread on top. Cut sandwich in half and eat. Call to thank us later! 😀

Paradise Game Day Ribs with Bacon Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Makes 1 slab ribs

1 slab Fantasma’s Finest pork baby-back ribs

¼ to ½ cup RBRS Honey Chipotle Rub (available online or in our retail store)

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

6-8 cloves smashed garlic

1 cup apple juice or beer

Your favorite barbecue sauce or Fantasma’s Finest Bacon Bourbon BBQ Sauce (available only in our retail store)

To remove the silver membrane, insert a butter knife starting at the fourth rib and work it in to separate the membrane from bone side of rib slab.

Generously apply dry rub to both sides of rib slab.

With ribs standing up vertically, wrap slab around wall of 6 to 7-quart slow cooker dish. Add onion, garlic and juice or beer in the center of the slow cooker. Cook ribs on low for 4-6 hours. The meat is fully cooked when it bends like an accordion, and you can slide a wooden skewer through the spaces between ribs. You’re looking for a fall off the bone rib without turning it into pulled pork.

Remove ribs from the slow cooker and place on a foil covered cookie sheet meat side up. Brush

Barbecue sauce over the meat side of ribs and place in a 400° F. preheated oven to glaze with the sauce for approximately 15-20 minutes.

These easy tacos are perfect for a weekend dinner or a celebration. Pork cheese meat may sound weird but trust us! Best taco filling EVER!!

We use Yoli Tortilleria Sonoran-style flour tortillas featuring our heritage breed pork lard for the base of your taco and finish it by crumbling Hemme Brothers Creamery cow’s milk feta cheese over the top, both products available in our retail store.

Paradise Pork Tacos

Makes 14-16 tacos

3 pounds Fantasma’s Finest pork cheek

1 package taco seasoning, or to taste

2 (12-ounce) beers

1 pound Fantasma’s Finest ground pork chorizo

Taco fixings: Fresh pico de gallo, fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, crumbled cheese

Remove pork cheeks from the package, pat dry with paper towel and using a sharp knife, trim away glands. Season cheek liberally with taco seasoning. Go overboard and add a little add a little extra seasoning than you normally would! Place in a slow cooker, add beer and cook on HIGH heat for 1 hour.

Use a slotted spoon to pull cheek meat from the slow cooker, transferring to dish. Shred cheeks using two forks, similar to pulled pork. Spoon a small amount of remaining liquid over meat to add back moisture content. Keep meat warm.

In a separate skillet, fry chorizo over medium heat until crispy, about 10-15 minutes, the drain grease and discard.

Build the tacos your way and enjoy!

Paradise Butterfly Pork Chops

Our premium pork is best whatever your preferred cooking method is, but we love our chops on the grill!

1. Season pork chop with salt, pepper, garlic powder or Ultimate Pork Chop Rub (retail only). Allow chop to rest.
2. Preheat the grill to 450-500° F.
3. Sear the chops then allow to cook for 3 minutes.
4. To make iconic crosshatch markings, rotate chops at a 90° angle for 3 more minutes and flip.
5. Repeat crosshatch marking on the other side then move chop off coal or direct heat and finish cooking to 140° F. internal temperature on a meat thermometer.
6. Remove chops from the grill and let meat rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Oven-Roasted Boston Butt for Pulled Pork

Makes 15-16 servings

1 (8- to 10-pound) Fantasma’s Finest Boston Butt (also known as pork shoulder, this cut is bone-in)

RBRS Ozark Heat Championship BBQ Seasoning

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

Head of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 (18-ounce) jar orange marmalade

2 cups apple juice

To serve: Slider buns, pickled cucumbers and onions, tomato slices, your favorite barbecue sauce

1. Preheat oven to 250° F. Dry rub our 10-pound butt with a generous amount of rub. Place in oven-safe deep dish or roasting pan fat side up so fat keeps the meat moist.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine onion, garlic and marmalade then add apple juice and whisk again. Pour mixture into roasting pan until meat stand in 1-2 inches of liquid. Add additional apple juice if necessary.
3. Place roasting pan in the oven and roast meat uncovered in oven until internal temperature of 185° to 190° F. on a meat thermometer, about 8 hours. Meat should easily pull apart.
4. Let meat rest for 10-15 minutes
5. Using two forks, pull apart meat. Reserving pan juices, allow to cool completely then skim the top to remove excess fat. Strain rendered pork fat and pour through a strainer into a clean container to use for pies and other recipes that call for lard.
6. Use a slotted spoon to remove meat from remaining cooking liquid and store in a separate container so meat does not become waterlogged.
7. To serve, sprinkle meat with more rub and toss with pan juices. Add meat to slider buns and garnish with tomato slices, pickled cucumbers and onions and additional barbecue sauce, if desired.

Asian Braised Pork Belly with Teriyaki Sauce

Makes 8 servings

1(3- to 5-pound) Fantasma's Finest Pork Belly

1 large yellow onion, big chucks

6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1x2 inch ginger, grated

Apple juice

Soy sauce

Teriyaki sauce/marinade

Preheat oven to 250° F.

Place pork belly fat side up in oven baking dish. Cut onion into big chucks, add on top of and around pork belly. Add garlic and grate into the pan. Pour apple juice into dish about 3/4 of the way up the belly (don’t cover completely in juice). Splash soy sauce into dish

Cover dish completely with lid or foil. Place pan into oven and bake for 6 hours.

Remove from oven, uncover, and let pork belly cool.

Carefully pull belly from dish and move to a slotted and raised grate over a cookie sheet. Place another clean cookie sheet on top of pork belly and put something to add weight and put all in fridge overnight.

Next Day

Cut pork belly in half-lengthwise. Slice pork belly into 1 to 1 ¼-inch slices. Pour teriyaki sauce/marinade into bowl and get basting brush. Using a cast iron skillet, electric griddle, or grill, sear pork belly steaks to reheat while basting with teriyaki sauce to glaze.

Bulgogi Pork Steaks

Makes 2 steaks, or serves 2-4

2 (1.5-pound) Fantasma’s Finest pork steak

1 (9-ounce) bottle Born with Seoul Bulgogi sauce (add link to website)

Remove pork steaks from the bag, rinse, and pat dry with paper towel. Place steaks in a plastic zip-top bag and pour sauce over meat. Press the bag closed and massage to cover all sides of the meat with sauce. Marinate steaks in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, no more than 3 hours.

Bring steaks to room temperature prior to cooking.

Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.

Shake excess marinade off the steaks and lay flat on the grill. Close the grill lid and cook for 10 minutes, depending on thickness.

Using tongs, flip steak over and continue grilling with the lid closed for 10 minutes. If you encounter flareups, move the steaks to a cooler part of the grill.

If they need more time to reach 165 degrees internal temperature as registered on a meat thermometer, leave the grill lid open. Pork steaks can get a little chewy if done at medium or lower.

Allow steaks to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a chopped, bagged Asian slaw-style salad and y

Peach Butter Pork Steaks with Thyme

Makes 2 steaks, or serves 2-4

2 (1.5-pound) Fantasma’s Finest pork steaks

1/2 (16-ounce) jar Peach Butter

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Remove pork steaks from the bag, rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Place steaks in a plastic zip-top bag. In a small bowl, add fruit butter and stir until well combined. Add butter, close bag and massage to expose all sides to the sauce. Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, no more than 3 hours.

Allow steak to come to room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.

Shake excess marinade off the steaks and lay flat on the grill. Close the grill lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness.

Using tongs, flip steak over and continue grilling for 8-10 minutes. If you encounter flareups, move the steaks to a cooler part of the grill. Pork steaks can get a little chewy if done at medium or lower. You want the internal temperature to be 165+.

Allow steaks to rest for a minimum of 5 minutes after removing from the grill. Serve with a fresh green salad.

Paradise Pork Cheek Breakfast Burritos - Makes 36 (4-inch) burritos

2 (1-pound) packages Fantasma’s Finest Pork Cheeks

2 (12-ounce) bottles beer

1 (1 -ounce) package your favorite taco seasoning

1 (16-ounce) tube Fantasma’s Finest Chorizo

2 (28-ounce) packages frozen potatoes o’brien

1 dozen eggs

Green onions, finely sliced

Crumbled queso fresco, if desired

Cracked pepper, to taste

36 (8-inch) Yoli Tortilleria Sonoran Tortillas (made with Paradise Pork Fat, available in our retail store)

Salsa, Mexican crema, cubed avocado, to garnish, if desired

Remove any glands with a sharp knife and place pork cheeks into slow cooker. Add beer and seasoning and cook pork cheeks on LOW for 8 hours. Remove tender cheeks from the braising liquid and shred; set aside.

In a skillet, crumble chorizo and cook over medium heat until the seasoned fat renders and the internal temperature registers 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Combine the shredded cheek meat and heat until warmed through.

In a nonstick skillet, cook the frozen potatoes according to package directions. Be sure to salt to taste.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 dozen eggs, season with salt and pepper and green onions. Pour the lightly beaten eggs into an 8-inch non-stick skillet. Cook eggs over medium-low until they are softly done, stirring occasionally.

To assemble: Layer a tablespoon potato, pork, eggs and a few crumbles of queso fresco, if desired, on the bottom third of the tortilla but leaving an edge large enough to fold. Fold right and left sides, use thumb to roll up the bottom. Continue rolling the tortilla, guiding the sides inward with your index finger and plump each, laying it seam side down.

Freeze: Put first 8 burritos flat in a zip top freezer bag and seal. Repeat with the other 8 and freeze flat on two baking sheets.

Defrost slightly in a 350° oven for 20 minutes or warm individually on each side for 20 seconds.

Reheat: In a skillet over medium high heat. Flip once. Watch closely so they do not burn. You may need to add a bit of cooking spray.

Enjoy the day of or the wrap will become soggy when stored in the fridge. Serve with salsa verde, so