By Kipp Rix
The idea for these recipes was derived while I was cooking a holiday meal several years ago at the firehouse. I had always cooked my hams with a mixture of Dr. Pepper® and spices. I went to our soda machine and it was empty of my much-needed ingredient! One of the firefighters mentioned that he had always cooked his elk roasts in coffee. I was reluctant to try it but I had no time to do anything else, so I brewed a pot of coffee and added it to the pan with the ham, added my seasonings, and proceeded to cook the ham, basting it in the coffee for the three-hour cooking time. When the ham finally emerged from the oven, I cut a sample piece of the meat and, to my amazement, the ham did not taste of coffee but rather had infused with the other spices and the meat to produce an extremely pleasant earthy flavor. I have since perfected the recipe and the cooking process to include a new blend of spices and a smoking process that took the ham to perfection. In upcoming Fire House Cuisine cooking shows, I will share my complete selection of coffee-cooked meals. In this recipe, I use a coffee blend to marinate the meat; the result is a new taste blend that I’m sure you and your crew will love. In keeping with my firehouse cooking philosophy, the majority of the prep can be done in advance, allowing this dish to fit into even in the busiest of stations’ kitchens.
Shopping List (serves 4)
2 pounds pork tenderloin
1 package whole mushrooms
1 medium sweet onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
Marinade
4 cups brewed strong espresso coffee
3 tablespoons red chili powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon smoked chipotle chili powder
3 tablespoons granulated garlic
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup lime juice
Cooking Directions
- Cut the pork into 2-inch pieces and place in a zipper top plastic bag.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients from the “Marinade” list and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the plastic bag with the pork, remove as much of the air from the bag as possible, and seal the bag.
- Refrigerate the meat for 24 hours.
- If you are going to use wooden skewers to assemble the kabobs, make sure to soak them in water for at least an hour prior to assembling the kabobs, this will help keep the wood from burning while cooking the meat.
- Cut the bell peppers and the onion into large chunks and set aside.
- To assemble the kabobs, alternate placing meat and vegetables on the skewers until the skewer is filled.
- Pour ¾-cup marinade into a sauce pan and bring to a boil; reduce liquid by half. (Note: By boiling the liquid, you will not have to worry about any cross-contamination from the raw pork.)
- Use the reduced marinade to baste the kabobs as they are grilled over a medium high heat.
- Serve pork with a rice pilaf and a green salad.
Coffee is a staple in most firehouses across the country. Now we are bringing it into the firehouse kitchen as part of the meal. Follow my cooking show Fire House Cuisine as I show you new ways to use coffee in your kitchen. In an upcoming show, I will teach you how to make a coffee-smoked turkey for your Thanksgiving table and then a coffee-basted ham for your Christmas table; you will be the hero when you serve these fine meals to your crews or family. I will then show you a coffee-based BBQ sauce that will kick your chicken over the top and make you the king of the grill at your station and neighborhood. Keep watching Fire Life and Fire House Cuisine as we bring you new and innovative recipes for your life on and off the job! I thank you for your continued support and comments about my recipes.
Kipp Rix has been in the fire service for 17 years working as both a career and volunteer firefighter in New Mexico. Kipp started cooking at the age of 10 and learned his early skills watching shows like the Galloping Gourmet and Julia Child. Throughout the years, Kipp refined his skills with a focus on grilling foods with a southwestern flair. In 2009 Fire House Publications, LLC released the first of Kipp’s two cook books with the second book released in 2011; a portion of the proceeds from the books helps fund donations towards teaching fire fighters Firefighter Survival “Getting Out Alive”. Kipp’s philosophy of fire house cooking is “Just because you work in a busy house does not mean that you have to settle for ordinary cooking, a crew’s attitude is directly related to the meals served!” Each of Kipp’s recipes has been Fire House tested and approved. Please email krix@fhpllc.net with a crew picture enjoying this recipe along with your review; each month one entry will be selected to receive a signed copy of one of my cook books.
