Shagbark Hickory-Glazed Pork with Wild Rice & Pinto Beans

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons Oil (Vegetable)
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cup Rice (Wild, rinsed well*)
• 1 10.5 can Vegetable Soup (Condensed, Low-sodium)
• 4 tablespoons Butter (Salted)
• 1 15.5 ounce Beans, Pinto, Low- sodium (rinsed and thoroughly drained**)
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 2 ounces shagbark hickory (foraged, broken into small pieces)
• 2 (plus 1-2 Tbsp for deglazing) cups Apple Juice, (100%, Unsweetened)
• 1 pound Pork, Loin Chops, Boneless, Frozen, (thawed)
• Water (as needed)

Instructions

Shagbark & Apple Glaze

1. Heat 2 cups apple juice in a saucepan over medium heat just to boil.
2. Be sure bark pieces are small enough to be fully submerged inside saucepan. Add bark pieces to the apple juice and return the mixture to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until glaze has reduced and bubbly, and has reached desired thickness.
3. Remove the bark from the saucepan and place the bark in a fine mesh strainer.
4. Strain the glaze over the bark through the strainer and set aside until serving.Tip: To make a large batch of glaze for use in a variety of dishes, use 2 quarts of apple juice, and 8 oz shagbark hickory broken into 8-10 small pieces. Will yield just over 1-11⁄2 cups when reduced.

Wild Rice

1. While the glaze simmers, heat 3 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and starts to shimmer, add rice and stir until it is well coated in oil and fragrant.
2. Let the mixture cook until the liquid reduces and comes to a boil. Stir the rice to prevent it from sticking and add enough water to submerge the rice again. Repeat this process of boiling the rice until the liquid reduces and begins to boil before adding more water until the rice reaches the desired texture. Stir often to avoid sticking.
3. Let the mixture cook until the liquid reduces and comes to a boil. Stir the rice to prevent it from sticking and add enough
   water to submerge the rice again. Repeat this process of boiling the rice until the liquid reduces and begins to boil before adding more water until the rice reaches the desired texture. Stir often to avoid sticking.
4. Keep warm until serving.

Pinto Beans

1. While the rice cooks, add butter to a medium saucepan and heat over low heat until melted.
2. Add taco seasoning to butter and whisk until smooth. Let simmer until the mixture begins to froth.
3. Add strained pinto beans, mixing to combine. Let the mixture continue to simmer until heated through. Stir the beans occasionally and add additional water as needed to keep them submerged. Keep warm until serving.

Pork

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Cut pork into 4 equal pieces.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in an ovenproof sauté pan (stainless steel or cast
   iron) over high heat. Sear all sides of pork until golden brown.
   Season with salt and pepper.
4. Once the pork is golden brown on all sides, spoon 1-2 Tbsp of
   the shagbark and apple glaze over each side of pork.
5. Place the glazed pork in the oven. Roast for 2-3 minutes until
   cooked medium well.
6. Once cooked through (internal temp 155-160°F), remove pork
   from the oven and let it rest in juices for 10 minutes.

Plating

1. Serve pork chops on a plate with rice and beans. Serve warm.

Note

* Use rinsed and drained Rice, Long Grain if wild rice is unavailable
**Use 2 cups cooked Beans, Pinto, Dry if canned beans are unavailable