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Saturday, May 14, 2022

Slowing Down and Enjoying Life with Castoro Cellars Zinfusion #WinePW

Slow down and enjoy life with these easy, tender and delicious pork chops that are made in the slow cooker.  Pair them with a wonderful bottle of wine from Castoro Cellars who embrace the slow wine movement, take a deep breath and relax........

Wine and Pork Chops
Gwendolyn of Wine Predator invited us to join her in exploring the Slow Wine Movement that began in Italy and has made it's way to the USA.  You can learn more about this movement in Gwendolyn's Invitation Post.

wine

I don't know if Castoro Cellars made it into the slow wine guide but if they didn't they absolutely should have.  Castoro Cellars is organically and sustainably grown.  They use solar power throughout their complex.  They are members in good standing with SIP (Sustainability in Practice) California.

I have a special place in my heart for Castoro Cellars because it wa the first California winery that I visited when I went to visit my brother who lives in the Central Coastal region in the early 1990's when I was first starting my love affair with wine.  

Since the theme for this Wine Pairing Weekend Event was Slow Wine which is a spin off of the Slow Food movement, I decided to share a recipe using organically, locally raised pork and a slow cooker application.

dinner plate


This wine is a blend of zinfandel and petite syrah.  It is deep, dark, bold and beautiful.  Here is what Castoro Cellar has to say about this wonderful wine.....

"Zin­fu­sion has become quite a cov­et­ed wine amongst Zin lovers! This Paso Rob­les Zin­fan­del is a mar­riage of our SIP (Sus­tain­abil­i­ty in Prac­tice) and CCOF organ­ic cer­ti­fied Estate grown Zin­fan­del, Prim­i­ti­vo and Petite Sir­ah. Each cho­sen for their unique loca­tion and excel­lent viti­cul­ture prac­tices. This wine is dry, yet fruity; great for late after­noon grilling of your favorite red meat or salmon."

We are all going to get together this morning on Twitter chat to talk about the Slow Wine Movement, the wines that we discovered and the food with which we paired them.  You are welcome to join us at 11 AM ET following #winePW.

Here are some of the topics we will be discussing......



Entrees, Pork, Slow Cooker, Ranch, Braised
Entrees, Pork
American
Yield: 4 servings
Author: Wendy Klik
Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Braised in the slow cooker after being dredged in Ranch seasoning, these pork chops are fall apart tender and super tasty.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 4 H & 15 MTotal time: 4 H & 25 M

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. flour
  • 2 t. Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix
  • 4 pork loin chops
  • 1/2 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 c. chicken broth
  • 2 T. butter

Instructions

  1. Combine the flour and ranch seasoning in a shallow bowl. Dredge the pork chops in the flour, coating both sides and shaking off any excess flour. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the seasoned flour and discard any remaining flour mixture.
  2. Place the onion and apple slices in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the seasoned chops on top and add the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
  3. Remove the chops to a platter, cover and keep warm. Stir the reserved flour and butter into the liquid in the slow cooker and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Ladle over the chops and serve.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe by Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning and Dressing

Nutrition Facts

Calories

362.49

Fat (grams)

15.38

Sat. Fat (grams)

6.97

Carbs (grams)

23.13

Fiber (grams)

1.88

Net carbs

21.24

Sugar (grams)

6.99

Protein (grams)

31.19

Sodium (milligrams)

448.02

Cholesterol (grams)

105.64

7 comments:

  1. Yes, Castoro Cellars was in the 2021 Guide and I wrote the entry for the 2022 Guide. Great wines, and a lovely winery well worth visiting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. from Gwendolyn Alley aka Wine Predator, host

      Delete
    2. I love visiting Castoro Cellars when I make it out to my brother's home. I'm glad they made the guide.

      Delete
  2. How have I never had this wine? I will definitely be keeping my eyes open. Thanks for the introduciton.

    ReplyDelete

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