Chinese Style Pork Tenderloins & Butternut Squash -> Lunch Salad -> Eggrolls

DMW

So the friends of ours that I did the pulled pork fundraiser for last year have finally been matched and are heading to China next week to pick up their little guy. Her friends and family were throwing her a shower and I was asked "Would you want to cater egg rolls for the shower?" Let's just say they know me...

Anyway I stop at Wegman's on the way home from the airport Tuesday night and this happens:


Yesterday I mixed up a marinade first thing in the morning and the 4 tenderloins spent the day in this:
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/dimsumandpartyrecipes/r/bbqpork.htm



I knew I wasn't going to need all 4 for the egg rolls, so this was also going to be supper for us.
For sides I put some rice in the rice cooker and grabbed a butternut squash from the basement. We stocked up last fall when they were cheap. They last almost forever if you keep them in a cool dark place.

I split the squash in half lengthwise and coated it with olive oil, hit it with salt/pepper/Chinese 5 Spice, and then drizzled with maple syrup. Put it on raised direct and let the skin get a bit of char, then moved them indirect when I put the tenderloins on. The squash was on about 20 minutes before I added the pork. I used my Small platesetter I cut the legs off as the indirect piece.


Cooked this around 400* on my XL until the pork hit 140*-145* and then let it rest. Squash was nice and tender by then



Here it is plated, was a really good supper last night:


Now on to today. This is completely off topic, but I got this badge holder in the mail today:


My 5 year anniversary isn't actually until the end of April, but the 5yr badge holder arrived today. Anyway, I can't say how much I appreciate the company and those I've had the pleasure to work with. Now back on topic...

This morning I took a couple hours along with my wife and also the sister-in-law of the couple adopting and we did some egg rolling. 
First I prepped the dressing, used this one x3:
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/asian-style-slaw.html
And I added some Chinese 5 Spice powder to the dressing, just because.

Then I mixed up

• 3 bags of Asian slaw mix from Wegman's 
• 2 x bags of regular slaw mix with red cabbage from Walmart
• 2 x 8oz cans of diced water chestnuts
• 2 x 8oz cans of bamboo shoots, diced
• 1 bunch scallions

There was a bit extra dressing for the ingredients, but not much. I probably could have dressed one more 12oz bag of the Wegman's Asian slaw.

Then we sliced and diced two of the tenderloins and started building these:




That's 79 egg rolls there.

And we ran out of diced pork 8 egg rolls short, so these are lacking in the protein area...


There was a bit of slaw mix left, and still one tenderloin. Here's what I had for lunch:


Just took the slaw mix with dressing, sliced a bit of the pork and added sliced almonds. So good...

Anyway, now to tonight. I had the garage of the adopting parents folks to work with and they have an old electric range. I brought along a butane burner, but it was way too windy to use that outside. Anyway, here's what I was frying on:



And here's one batch I got a pic of:


Out of the 79 egg rolls I brought, I came home with 26 uncooked (frozen). I also have the 8 pork-less in the freezer as well. These got rave reviews, the flavor was really nice.
They were served along with Duck Sauce, Plum Sauce, and General Tso's Sauce for dipping.

My friends leave for China next Wednesday and will be there for 2 weeks. I can't wait to meet the new addition to their family. Their little guy will need a few surgeries, but his future looks bright in his new home.

JohnInCarolina

Great cooks and stories Dwayne.  Egg rolls have been on my list for far too long.  Those look great!

cazzy

Cooked you butt off son!!  

Scottborasjr

Looks fantastic @DMW. I really need to step my game up when it comes to using leftovers whether intended to or not in this manner.  Nicely Done!!!

Mickey

You are a very nice guy. Great cook man

minniemoh

That's one fine looking cook! You're friends are blessed and so are you. Nice gesture.

Canugghead

Nice cooks and story.  Surprised your friends are adopting a boy, generally I thought only girls are allowed for adoption.  Thanks for the tips re butternut squash longevity, we'll stock up this year!

DMW

Canugghead said:

Nice cooks and story.  Surprised your friends are adopting a boy, generally I thought only girls are allowed for adoption.  Thanks for the tips re butternut squash longevity, we'll stock up this year!

He needs some oral and facial surgery. That's the only way to get a boy from China I'm told.

Canugghead

He is one lucky boy for sure, hope all goes well.  Congrats on your 5th work anniversary, btw, ask your employer if you can trade the badge for these, lol ...

nolaegghead

eggcelent!  The squash remind me of something I can't put my finger on it though.

caliking

Strong! I would love some of those egg rolls. Good of you to do all that for your friends. Good luck to them and their little one.

nolaegghead

Reminds me I have some curry tamales that are half built.  

DMW

nolaegghead said:

Reminds me I have some curry tamales that are half built.  

I like the sound of that.

nolaegghead

They are fully vegetarian, trying to copy some I bought from a suicide girl selling them on a 3-wheel bike during mardi gras.  Roasted carrots, garlic, curry, etc. 

Hawg Fan

Looks like a lot of work, but for a great cause.  Nice job Dwayne!  You're a great friend to the adopting family.  Also, congrats on the 5 years.  Next month I'll have 30 years with my current employer.

nolaegghead

I'm going on 25.  Wish I had a pension. 

anton

Congrats on the five year mark, I'm doing 11 to life myself, those cooks look fantastic, egg rolls, delicious!

texaswig

Good looking cook bro . good job making all the rolls before frying is smart I always do them as I go and it makes it to frantic. Do you just fry by ear or use a thermometer? I started using a thermometer and it helps with keeping things more uniform. 

texaswig

Oh and congratulations on 5 years. It's nice getting with a company that takes care of you. 

DMW

texaswig said:

Good looking cook bro . good job making all the rolls before frying is smart I always do them as I go and it makes it to frantic. Do you just fry by ear or use a thermometer? I started using a thermometer and it helps with keeping things more uniform. 

Thanks, I check the oil temp with my Thermapen.

PNWFoodie

And this is why I read your posts. Great job, all around!

TTC

This is why I am hooked on this forum. Good people, creating and executing awesome dishes. Well done, sir.

Mattman3969

Nice job all the way around!!!

Walt2015

@dmw you seem like a real solid guy. Best of luck to your friends and let me know if a house is for sale near you so I can get in on some of your food. 

SmokeyPitt

Awesome man.  You are a good guy fo sho.  How did you reheat the rolls? 

DMW

SmokeyPitt said:

Awesome man.  You are a good guy fo sho.  How did you reheat the rolls? 

Thanks. I didn't reheat, served them right out of the oil, which is why I was frying on an electric stove in someone's garage.

SmokeyPitt

DMW said:

SmokeyPitt said:

Awesome man.  You are a good guy fo sho.  How did you reheat the rolls? 

Thanks. I didn't reheat, served them right out of the oil, which is why I was frying on an electric stove in someone's garage.

Ahhh...missed that part of the story.  That is pretty nice for a garage stove!  I have seen lots of garage fridges, but I think this is the first garage range I have viewed. 

hapster

Fantastic looking grub! I have to add an egg roll attempt to my list

DMW

hapster said:

Fantastic looking grub! I have to add an egg roll attempt to my list

Do it, and when you make them, make extras and freeze them. You can fry them from frozen no problem. Get the wrappers in the frozen Asian section at Wegman's.

Eggcelsior

DMW said:

hapster said:

Fantastic looking grub! I have to add an egg roll attempt to my list

Do it, and when you make them, make extras and freeze them. You can fry them from frozen no problem. Get the wrappers in the frozen Asian section at Wegman's.

I typically use the fresh ones in the produce section. Have you tried those?

DMW

Eggcelsior said:

DMW said:

hapster said:

Fantastic looking grub! I have to add an egg roll attempt to my list

Do it, and when you make them, make extras and freeze them. You can fry them from frozen no problem. Get the wrappers in the frozen Asian section at Wegman's.

I typically use the fresh ones in the produce section. Have you tried those?

Yes, the frozen ones are thinner dough than the fresh ones I am told. But these didn't seem much thinner. I'm in search of this style wrapper:
http://steamykitchen.com/13029-my-mothers-famous-chinese-egg-rolls-2.html