Easy-Kine Cooking: Smoky flavor infuses dish

“Smoke meat” is the common name for the pieces of pork, marinated and then smoked or baked to become packed with flavor.

Originally developed to make use of wild boar, the recipe called for brining or marinating the meat with strong flavors, then smoking it for a long time to make it palatable.

Pork butt or shoulder — easier to get than wild boar — is also made into smoke meat. Typically, the marinade includes soy sauce or salt, sugar, garlic and liquid smoke.

You can also buy the meat ready to eat in grocery stores or at farmers markets.

One reader shared her family’s favorite way of cooking store-bought smoke meat into a main dish.

She uses just three ingredients besides the meat: vegetable oil, onions and guava jelly, which provides a balance of sweetness to the dish.

This version calls for more onions than meat and can be stretched for a large family by adding more vegetables or simply inexpensive cabbage.

SMOKE MEAT WITH ONIONS

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, cut lengthwise into wedges
• 1/3 pound smoke meat, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup guava jelly

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil on medium. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add meat and continue cooking for 3 minutes.

Add guava jelly. If mixture is thick or too dry, add water. Cover and cook until pork is tender, about 5 minutes. Serve while hot over steamed rice. Serves 2 to 3.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 3 servings, not including rice): 270 calories, 10 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 25 g sugar, 12 g protein.

”Easy Kine” features simple dishes that start with commercially prepared ingredients. Lynette Lo Tom is excited to hear your tried-and-true suggestions. Contact her at 275-3004, email lynette@brightlightcookery.com or via instagram at brightlightcookery. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.