The Winners of the Crispin Cider Grilling Contest

The Heavy Table and Crispin Cider are pleased to announce the two winners of our Crispin Cider Summer Grilling Adventures Contest. Each winner will receive a $75 gift certificate to Lunds & Byerly’s, and the profound thanks of grillers and BBQers everywhere.

The Golden Tongs (BBQ / grilling recipes that use Crispin as an ingredient): Kathy Lewinski of A Good Appetite

Crispin Cider Brined Pork & Braised Kohlrabi
Serves 4

Crispin Cider Brined Pork
Brining Time: 4-12 hours
Grilling Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes

1 ¼ – 1 ½ lb pork tenderloin
1 batch Crispin Brut Hard Apple Cider Brine (see below)

Put the pork into a resealable bag. Add the brine. Get as much air as possible out of the bag & seal. Place in a bowl just big enough to hold it. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours up to overnight.

Heat grill to medium-high. Remove pork from brine & place over direct heat. Grill until pork reaches 160° F, turning from time to time. Remove pork from grill & let rest 5 minutes before slicing in ½-inch slices.

Serve pork with a side of Crispin Cider Braised Kohlrabi (see below) & some mustard wilted greens.

Crispin Cider Brine
(This brine would also be good with chicken or turkey)
Cook Time: 15 minutes

12-oz bottle Crispin Brut Hard Apple Cider
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
4 whole allspice
4 whole peppercorns
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt

Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan & bring to a boil. Reduce the heat & simmer for 10 minutes. (Your kitchen will start to smell like some fabulous baked good and that’s not a bad thing.) Let cool to room temperature before adding to meat.

Crispin Cider Braised Kohlrabi
Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

1 tbsp butter
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 lb kohlrabi, julienned
½ c Crispin Brut Hard Apple Cider
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
salt & pepper

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions & cook until turning a golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Add kohlrabi, cider, vinegar, & brown sugar. Season with salt & pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover & cook for about 30 minutes until most of the liquid as been absorbed.

The Silver Ice Bucket (Delicious food pairings that feature Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider): Shelly Fisher

Apple & Cranberry Sauerkraut Dogs

3 tbsp salted butter
½ c golden brown sugar
2 fuji apples, cored and sliced
1 small sweet onion, julienned
1 16-oz jar homestyle sauerkraut or pkg of deli fresh sauerkraut, drained
½ tsp caraway seeds
¼ c dried cranberries
¼ c Crispin Natural Original Hard Cider
6 smoked sausage links or brats
6 gourmet hot dog buns

Prepare sausages according to package directions.

In a medium skillet over medium heat saute apples and onions in butter and brown sugar 3-5 minutes until tender. Stir in sauerkraut, caraway seeds, cranberries, and hard cider. Simmer until heated through, turn heat to low to keep warm.

Toast buns until light golden. Place links in buns and garnish with sauerkraut mixture.  Serve Crispin Natural Original Hard Cider in bottle or beer mug.

Makes 6 dogs.