By Easter fell on April 1st this year, which I think was God's small joke. Colleen made the full Easter production anyway — ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans from the root cellar's last jar, and a coconut cake she's been making for Easter my entire life. The coconut cake is the only time we have coconut in this house; she orders a bag of shredded coconut in February specifically for Easter, which is either a strong tradition or a very niche form of seasonal eating. Either way the cake is excellent and I ate a lot of it.
Calving is winding down. Twenty-one calves on the ground, twenty-two if you count Stubborn, who has more than caught up on his early deficit and is now the most aggressive calf in the group. Twenty-three in total when the last heifer calves, which should be this week. A good calf crop — not perfect, but good. I called the sale barn in Billings and got the fall auction dates.
I drove to Billings Monday for my VA appointment and physical therapy intake — I'd made the appointment as promised and the PT assessment was straightforward. The shrapnel isn't going anywhere, the nerve damage is stable, the aching is manageable with exercise and anti-inflammatories, and they gave me a set of exercises to do daily. I'll do them. I'm better at compliance than I used to be.
Eighty-six days dry. I've stopped thinking about drinking on most days. Not on the hard days — the hard days still require the call to Gary and the deliberate choice — but most days the thought doesn't arise in the pointed way it did in September and October. It's still there, somewhere, the way an old injury is always there, but it doesn't demand attention constantly anymore. That's what recovery looks like, apparently. Less demanding.
Colleen’s Easter ham was the centerpiece, but the truth is I’ve been thinking about that glaze all week — the way sweet and savory hold together on good pork. These skewers scratch the same itch in a lighter package, the kind of thing you can throw on the grill now that calving’s winding down and the evenings are long enough to stand outside without freezing. The orange balsamic glaze hits close to what Colleen does with her ham, and the apples give it that early-spring sweetness that feels right for the season we’re finally settling into.
Pork and Apple Skewers With Orange Balsamic Glaze
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large firm apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- For the Orange Balsamic Glaze:
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 large orange)
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Soak the skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning.
- Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and orange zest. Set aside.
- Prep the skewers. Thread the pork cubes, apple chunks, and red onion pieces onto skewers, alternating as you go. Brush with olive oil and season evenly with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.
- Preheat the grill. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, around 400°F. Lightly oil the grates.
- Grill the skewers. Place skewers on the grill and cook for 10 to 12 minutes total, turning every 3 minutes for even browning. During the last 3 minutes, brush the skewers generously with the orange balsamic glaze on all sides.
- Rest and serve. Remove skewers from the grill and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Brush with any remaining glaze and serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 340 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 520mg