Pork Rub and Kuchen (coffee cake)

I didn't post anything last week.  I will remedy that with two recipes today.  Not much in the way of pictures, though.

My husband's family is of German decent.  A popular recipe in his family is kuchen, as his Tante Ida called it, or coffee cake like the rest of the family says.  I have tweaked the recipe slightly so that is goes together with less mess.  It is a big recipe but keeps and freezes well.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
4 eggs

3/4 cup milk


Topping:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 sticks of butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350°F

The family method was to dump all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.  I have a lovely Kitchen Aid mixer that will handle this task but it makes a mess.  I cream together the shortening and sugar. Then add the eggs until well mixed.  You can then alternate milk and dry ingredients or add the milk and then all the dry ingredients.  it is a very stiff dough for a cake.  Spread into a greased cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.

For topping mix the sugar and butter together until will blended.  Add flour and blend just until mixed.  Spread over top of cake batter.  Bake for 30 minutes.

When serving this cake we always cut strips about an inch wide and cut three pieces from a width.  This makes dunking it into coffee or milk easier.  My husband's Granny made one every Saturday morning. I only do it if the kids are coming home to help us eat it!

My other recipe is one I made up from trial and error.  My husband got a smoker and we kept trying different rubs.  Finally, we like this one.  We like it so well I keep it in the cabinet in a shaker.

Isn't this fancy?  This is actually the second one.  The first one said, "Mom's Pork Rub" and one of my sons took it home.  It says pork but we use it on poultry, too.  It is good on chops that are being grilled.

Mary's Pork Rub

2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons white pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon dried mustard
1 tablespoon dried garlic
1/4 cup paprika

Mix well and store in an air tight container.

Recently I smoked a pork shoulder.  I pat the rub down all over the surface and wrap it in plastic wrap.

I then refrigerate it for 8 to 24 hours.  This one was smoked for 6 hours or so. You can oven roast it.  Slower is better.  Try about 300°F until it is falling apart.  If using a smoker, put the fat side up.

Hope you can use one of these recipes.  I am going to link up with Tuesdays at the Table.

Keep Stirrin'!

Mary