As the baker’s go-to spice, Vanilla has graced probably ever single dessert recipe out there. But the cooks aren’t far behind and have discovered that this aromatic spice pairs well in various savory applications! For our last Vanilla Thursday, we’ll experiment using the ground vanilla powder from Beanilla in a savory recipe.

Now, you all know I love the Pig: The Bacon, the Pork Chops, the Pork Belly, the Ham Hock. If I were ever to drown in a liquid, I’d choose warm, melted bacon fat. Crazy enough, Vanilla pairs very well with Pork! It’s like my world has come full-circle, right?

Beanilla offers Ground Vanilla, so the whole scraping the bean task is done by them and then dried out. Adding them to sauces and sprinkling meats with this is much easier than seeding beans, plus this integrate better than fresh clumps of the vanilla bean seeds. Season your pork generously with salt, freshly ground pepper and ground vanilla and sear in a VERY hot pan! And please, don’t remove the fat from around the pork chop. That’s delicious fat.

DSCN3184

Vanilla Infused Pork with Red Pepper and Tomato Chutney
Serves 1

1 thick-cut pork chop
pinch of: salt, pepper, ground vanilla

1 plum tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and chopped
To taste: ground vanilla, paprika, turmeric

  1. Bring all the chutney ingredients to a boil and let moisture evaporate for a good 30-45 minutes until peppers are cooked. Adjust seasonings if needed and reserve.
  2. Heat a small saute pan with oil and sprinkle pork with salt, pepper and vanilla. Sear on both sides. Remember the new pork temperature is 145F, so keep that piggy moist on the inside!
  3. Serve alongside Red Pepper and Tomato chutney and enjoy!
Beanilla Vanilla Giveaway!!!

Picnik%2Bcollage

To end this Vanilla Thursdays Series on a sweet note, Beanilla has a great (and very generous!) giveaway for everyone that’s followed us on this Vanilla Adventure all through August! One winner will receive:

  • 5 organic Mexican vanilla beans
  • 5 Madagascar beans
  • 2oz ground vanilla package 
  • 2oz vanilla Fleur de Sel

Do one or all of the following (and leave a separate comment for each entry). Good Luck!
Giveaway ends Sunday, August 28th at bedtime (around 11pm EST!) and chosen by Random.org

  1. Go to Beanilla.com and tell me any other product (other than Vanilla) they have available and that you’d love to try!
  2. Follow Beanilla on Twitter
  3. Follow Nella22 on Twitter
  4. Follow Cooking with Books on Google Friend Connect (right-hand sidebar!)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

110 Comments

  1. Hi everybody! Thank you so much for participating in the August Giveaway! We greatly appreciate your support and comments. Please let us know if there is anything we can assist you with. My e-mail address is listed below.

    Also, stay tuned to our twitter and facebook pages for future giveaways.

    Best regards,

    Brent — brentreame@beanilla.com

  2. I would love one of the sphere jars! So cute, great for gifts of homemade vanilla and other extracts.