Tangy roast pork with sauteed green beans combines two of my favorite recipes in one. You can cook either one of these recipes at any time, or eat them together.
I read years ago in the wonderful Weston Price magazine that pork should be prepared in an acidic marinade to prevent it from coagulating our red blood cells. I experimented with marinated and unmarinated pork for a while and concluded I did indeed feel better when I marinated my pork. I’ve cooked it this way ever since. (See below for that interesting article link).
Both the pork and the green beans use garlic, ginger, lemon and gluten-free Tamari soy sauce so buy enough for both. Make them as lemony as you like, or go for more garlic instead. Either way, the ginger adds a subtle and savory Asian flavor.
You can cook the pork the day before or at least earlier in the day if you have a set dinner time. I try to get a shoulder with minimal bone, but sometimes there’s a hidden bone inside that throws off my cooking time.
If dinner is not an exact time, then cook it fresh and do the green beans while the pork rests for 15 to 30 minutes before carving. Use a good meat thermometer and cook to at least 160 degrees. I use 2 thermometers: one I leave in while cooking, and the other an instant-read to use when it’s almost done.
Take the temperature in the deepest part of the meat, making sure you’re not touching bone or a fat pocket. If it drips red when you withdraw the thermometer, it’s not done no matter what temperature it says it is! Dabbing it with a bit of paper towel will let you see the color. A slight pinkish color may be OK if you’re lucky enough to have pastured pork.
Directions for Tangy Roast Pork
Purchase a 4 pound shoulder roast (also known as Boston Butt) with minimal bone (but not boneless if possible). If the meat was pastured, leave the fat on. If not, trim much of the fat away, leaving some fat to moisturize the meat.
Options for an acidic marinade include Bragg’s apple cider vinegar; fresh lemon or lime juice; Vermouth; gluten-free Tamari soy sauce; or leftover wine. Add any of these to the vinegar along with peeled and minced ginger and garlic.
Lay the meat flat in a glass dish and add vinegar and other liquids to reach 1/3rd up the side of the meat if possible. Carefully turn the meat all 4 sides to moisten, then refrigerate. Turn to the other flat side after a few hours.
Marinate 12 to 48 hours in the refrigerator. Take it out of the refrigerator an hour before roasting. Place on a rack, fat side up. Insert a leave-in meat thermometer deep into the meat without touching bone and away from a fat pocket. Bake at 325 degrees. Check it in an additional spot with an instant thermometer as it approaches 160 degrees. If it oozes red, cook 20 more minutes and retest. It should register at least 160 degrees on both thermometers.
Let the roast rest 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the green beans. Allow time to slice the meat to serve while the beans are still hot.
Asian-Style Green Bean Saute
I use this premium Tamari soy sauce which is made traditionally in cedar kegs. It’s very flavorful and rich. You might want a cheaper brand such as this one for marinating the pork roast. It’s gluten free and tastes fine.
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 TB. coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
- 3 TB. gluten-free Tamari soy sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Sesame seeds
- Heat a heavy saute pan on medium-high heat.
- Add the oil and heat until glistening. Add the green beans and cook 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger and Tamari and cook 4 more minutes until all are tender.
- Remove from heat and add the lemon juice with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving if desired.
Here’s the link to the 2011 Weston A. Price magazine study by Beverly Rubik on the effects on human red blood cells from marinated and unmarinated pork. Fascinating!
