tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173349144911557332024-02-02T14:46:04.997-06:00The Swine SpectatorDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-22355022522543467932012-11-28T21:36:00.000-06:002012-11-28T21:36:19.731-06:00Guest Post: BBQ Dry Rubs<br />
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<i>Has it really been a full year since I posted on this blog? Yes it has. A new house, new job, kids and things get away from you fast. I was recently prodded by an Internet friend to restart this little site. David over at BBQ Dry Rubs sent me a note and asked if I would consider a guest post. We traded a few notes and he got to writing. I want to thank David for giving me a nudge. His first post is below. I will try to get my act together and get back to posting. - David</i></div>
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I want to thank David for allowing me to write a guest post
for the Swine Spectator. This site
caught my attention a few years ago while I was figuring out the bacon and
sausage routine. David and I reconnected
on Twitter recently and we decided to give guest posting a try.</div>
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One of the areas where I have been focusing my attention
recently is learning to cook country style ribs. I have been throwing them in slow cookers,
baking them in the oven and smoking them on my Weber kettle. Without question my favorite way of preparing
these guys is smoked on a kettle. The
process I have been using with great success is very simple.</div>
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Although the cut I am working with is sold as a country
style rib in reality it actually consists of pork butt that has been cut into
one inch strips. I have found this is an
easier cut to work with than the traditional country style rib which is a loin
cut that can easily dry out if you aren’t paying attention. I have a post showing the difference between
these two styles of country style ribs <a href="http://www.countrystyleribs.org/start-here/">here</a>. </div>
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I give the pork a
solid coating of dry rub that is similar to what you would use for baby back or
spare ribs. The rub ingredients are
flexible but generally look like:</div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->8 Tbls turbinado sugar</div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->3 Tbls kosher salt</div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->1 Tbls chili powder</div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->1 Tbls paprika</div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->1 Tbls lemon pepper seasoning</div>
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I let the pork sit on the counter until the rub dissolves
into the meat. This takes about 20 minutes
and you end up with something that looks like this.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYmnEY2jU_5sJmAYx1QWBe-3ZAw02alguPStDxF8Fc7MrEhOFuYDmX9yKAwoFP9NLZfQiHgibXhyoiZ_lkMv7ZrqKmqaJDRkW-3sxbPniHntGAsjASH_gB4agMxmK6ZMfaJHtuDg0hmv6/s1600/Pic+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYmnEY2jU_5sJmAYx1QWBe-3ZAw02alguPStDxF8Fc7MrEhOFuYDmX9yKAwoFP9NLZfQiHgibXhyoiZ_lkMv7ZrqKmqaJDRkW-3sxbPniHntGAsjASH_gB4agMxmK6ZMfaJHtuDg0hmv6/s320/Pic+1.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Picture #1</div>
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While the rub is working its way into the pork I set up my
kettle with indirect heat and get the dampers closed by about 80%. On my kettle this lets the grill run at a
dome temperature that bounces between 275F and 325F. I add a split of hickory or maple, throw the
ribs on the side of the kettle opposite of the coals and walk away for about
two hours. During the two hours the ribs
cook they take on a beautiful color and become really tender. Here is what they look like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jlShCWvagbwommEAVNrvqpbMFaK4v0QGn9E6G5UwHf8Q-g5UwnrHIzxLAx5dlrtiLbt_LPg7RE0gClwZWquvgi28RieAtejYqW8Lrmf_vaTMoBKoUqmDrdOw1QDckBlPOmwjs_tE7X_8/s1600/Pic+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jlShCWvagbwommEAVNrvqpbMFaK4v0QGn9E6G5UwHf8Q-g5UwnrHIzxLAx5dlrtiLbt_LPg7RE0gClwZWquvgi28RieAtejYqW8Lrmf_vaTMoBKoUqmDrdOw1QDckBlPOmwjs_tE7X_8/s320/Pic+2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Picture #2</div>
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Although they are delicious when they reach this point I
take things one step further by glazing the ribs with fruit preserves. I gently heat a cup of peach preserves in a
sauce pan until they liquefy. Sometimes
I will add a little peach juice or apple juice to the pan to thin things out a
little but you can skip that step if you like.
I then take the preserves and paint the country style ribs on both
sides. I let the glaze set on the ribs
for about 15 minutes on the grill and hit them with the preserves one more
time. At this point I open my vents
completely and let the kettle get as hot as it wants for about ten
minutes. This helps the second layer of
preserves get just a touch of char. I am
still cooking indirect so I don’t worry about the sugars actually burning.</div>
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I have tried this with pineapple, apricot and peach
preserves. They all work great but peach
is far and away my favorite. These ribs
have just a touch of heat from the chili powder that works great with the
sticky sweetness of the preserves. The
icing on the cake is that these guys looks just as good as they taste!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHK3tYaOnwaseNWkWSKoeOjIJafmsyYNdOUAZ350Au1WYy-7GiElxG9673PwdIHHKXYaz6zbNdspoJ3BB5mhAxofs5kL6mCXVIxNL4tlnJmvRiI1drQAgnt3XZX3C8-D0MUgAENRY_aCU/s1600/Pic+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHK3tYaOnwaseNWkWSKoeOjIJafmsyYNdOUAZ350Au1WYy-7GiElxG9673PwdIHHKXYaz6zbNdspoJ3BB5mhAxofs5kL6mCXVIxNL4tlnJmvRiI1drQAgnt3XZX3C8-D0MUgAENRY_aCU/s320/Pic+3.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Picture #3</div>
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I want to thank David again for the opportunity to write a
post on the Swine Spectator. If you
liked this post then click the link to see more of what I have been up to with <a href="http://www.countrystyleribs.org/">country style ribs</a>!</div>
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David Somerville</div>
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www.countrystyleribs.org</div>
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Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-5686531545532654682010-05-05T00:37:00.008-05:002010-05-05T00:51:23.004-05:00Barbecue Sauce Recipes - A Taxonomy<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before the untimely death of my old log burner, I was quite serious about barbeque. At one time I had several hardwoods curing on a rack in my backyard, including oak, hickory, pecan, persimmon, and fig. My idea of a good day was to get up at 7:00 AM on Saturday in the Fall and start a couple pork shoulders on the pit. I would tend to the fire all day so I could have them ready to serve my friends during halftime of SEC Game of the Week on ESPN. I would serve the pork pulled on rolls with homemade barbeque sauce and one of my specialty coleslaws. My horseradish coleslaw is always a crowd-pleaser:</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Horseradish Coleslaw</span></span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">2 packages for shredded cabbage</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/2 cup white vinegar</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/3 cup sugar</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 cup mayonaise</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 1/2 tablespoons of celery seed</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 teaspoon of prepared horseradish</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">salt and pepper to taste</span></i></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Salt cabbage in colander and set aside. Blend remaining ingredients and chill. Once the cabbage has lost some water, place it in a bowl (I use a 2 gallon ziplock) and pour dressing over. Refrigerate AT LEAST 4 hours to overnight mixing periodically.</span></i></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPKiDjrnc0HkvPanJ74WlYTepyof4vrpP8kCZ-KgSLG6_p8GNoU7ctHGpGZKIGxbs898nGeekdLYMa_Ymp9yq2iHKwd_hksJ2_6F5zAaDyXfzdMuT1FiZoepwO4PuuNMS1i0WqNSKNYHc/s1600/Sauce1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPKiDjrnc0HkvPanJ74WlYTepyof4vrpP8kCZ-KgSLG6_p8GNoU7ctHGpGZKIGxbs898nGeekdLYMa_Ymp9yq2iHKwd_hksJ2_6F5zAaDyXfzdMuT1FiZoepwO4PuuNMS1i0WqNSKNYHc/s320/Sauce1.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Over the years I have managed to visit several of the legendary barbeque joints and sample many of the the regional varieties of barbeque (See </span><a href="http://swinespectator.blogspot.com/2009/07/barbeque-on-road.html"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">my recommendations</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span">). Barbeque is one of those foods that lends itself to opinionated folks, so I fit right in. (I once got in an argument over which was argued over most often: barbeque, chili, or gumbo. Everyone knows its gumbo of course.) For as opinionated as I am, I will probably like any dish that involves meat cooked with smoke from a hardwood fire. You might say I'm down with OPP (Other People's Pork). </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_UatUD5vfag07LIziovaxrj2AJeNdkVOkM1KMNsPuk_SziId_jGcNiqPBtAUsNCO9v4UfnbInztqK3xNdJ54Fd2X4nLuGK8jd2eK00U_l1cGk4xboKKSn8jusOelv9BbECLJvBOuOmLA/s1600/Sauce2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_UatUD5vfag07LIziovaxrj2AJeNdkVOkM1KMNsPuk_SziId_jGcNiqPBtAUsNCO9v4UfnbInztqK3xNdJ54Fd2X4nLuGK8jd2eK00U_l1cGk4xboKKSn8jusOelv9BbECLJvBOuOmLA/s320/Sauce2.jpg" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span">As I result of my travels, I began experimenting with my own sauces. I have developed several of my own, a couple of which are really good. If you are interested in making your own, I'd suggest reading Paul Kirk's </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Kirks-Championship-Barbecue-Sauces/dp/155832125X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273036671&sr=8-3"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Championship Barbecue Sauces</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span">. This is a fantastic book which will influence your thinking on seasoning food. His section on "flavor prints" is fascinating.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">Here is one of my sauces if you need something to get you started:</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Swine Spectator's Sweet Sauce</span></span></span></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/2 medium yellow onion, diced</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 TBS beef drippings (or rendered beef fat)*</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/2 cup yellow mustard</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/2 cup ketchup</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">3 cups tomato juice or V8</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 cup cider vinegar</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/2 cup molasses</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/2 cup dark brown sugar</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 TBS paprika</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 TBS black pepper</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">2 TBS kosher salt</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1 TBS celery seed</span></i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1/4 tsp brown mustard seeds</span></i></span></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">In a non-reactive pot, sauté' onion until translucent. Stir in mustard, ketchup, tomato juice, and vinegar. Bring to simmer. Stir in molasses and sugar until incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate. Allow to sit in icebox for a day or two before using.</span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you would like to learn about the various styles of barbeque sauces<br />
<a href="http://knol.google.com/k/barbecue-sauce-recipes-a-taxonomy#">Barbecue Sauce Recipes - A Taxonomy</a> is a great place to start. This guy pretty much nails it, with the exception of his Louisiana sauces. We have a darn good regional sauce in Louisiana. It is actually mustard-based like sauces from certain parts of the Carolinas, but loaded with onions. Check out <a href="http://www.jackmillers.com/">Jack Miller's</a> if you are interested.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">David</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-54085908707272135812009-07-19T23:08:00.012-05:002009-07-20T22:58:44.597-05:00Jambon a la ya-ya<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In Louisiana, we use pork in everything (and that's a good thing!). According to John Folse, the word Jambalaya comes from the </span><em style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">colloquialism</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> "Jambon a la ya-ya", "Jambon" being French for pork and "Ya-ya" from an </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">African Bantu </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">word for rice. Jambalaya is derived from the Spanish dish paella. There are two basic styles of jambalaya, Cajun and Creole. If you travel the Louisiana countryside, you are not likely to find tomatoes, bell pepper, or celery in the jambalaya. The Cajuns call this "brown" jambalaya. Cajun jambalaya is generally made with chicken or pork with sausage and onions. In New Orleans, jambalaya almost always contains seafood, onion, bell pepper, celery (known as "The Trinity") and tomatoes. This is known as Creole, or "red", jambalaya. Creole jambalaya often has shrimp or crawfish instead of chicken. The debate over whether red or brown jambalaya is "real" jambalaya rages on. I generally prefer the Cajun style, but am perfectly happy with either one.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This weekend I pulled out my 5 gallon cast iron kettle to make a pork and sausage jambalya (aka "brown") for the extended family. It has taken me several years to master the technique to produce a good brown jambalaya. Cooking in a kettle presents its own challenges, in addition to learning to moderate the 200,000 btu propane burner that I use with it. I always get compliments on my jambalaya, but being the perfectionist that I am, I usually expect more from myself. This weekend was as close as I have come to perfection.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let me describe how I did it:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ingredients: </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">8 lbs Boston Butt, cut into golfball size pieces</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3.5 lbs smoked pork sausage, cut into 1/2" slices</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 lbs Vidalia Onions, diced (or other sweet onion, such as Texas Sweet)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6 lbs long grain rice (extra long if you can find it)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4 quarts of chicken stock</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 quarts of water</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 bell pepper, diced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 red pepper, diced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 cup Italian parsely, chopped</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup Bacon grease</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Creole Seasonings) Black Pepper, Kosher Salt, Cayenne pepper, Chili pepper, Granulated garlic, Oregano, Thyme, and Paprika to taste. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPYAgnIHOumA4EmDBU6qXac54kL1TVKkxvz6GYEi0Gu-fDx4_ONcqf9pbw2felQMjHM_ypOCYGLforyargrHkQPaIv6NuJplMGHt7MoLRXu7xhznrgUWGtvemj1EAtMYjpLUxAAzVLX7t/s320/Jambalaya_start.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360398923271524578" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heat cast iron pot over high heat until smoking. Add bacon grease and stir quickly with a metal paddle to coat the sides of the pot. Add the Boston Butt and use the paddle to spread the meat ot in the pot. The meat will stick. Wait until it releases (about 2-3 minutes) then use the paddle to turn the meat. At this point, the meat will start giving off a good amount of liquid. Add the sausage. Stir frequently, but not constantly, speading the meat ot each time. The idea is to cook off the liquid, render the fat, and brown the meat and sausage without burning the whole works. As the liquid reduces, you have to reduce the temperature to prevent burning.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As the meat gets brown, a "fond" develops on the sides of the pot. This is all of the porky goodness that sticks to the sides of the pot. Do not burn the fond. When the meat is thoroughly browned, turn off the fire and remove the meat to a large bowl using a skimmer leaving the rendered pork fat and bacon grease. Set the bowl aside. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Turn the fire back up to medium and add the onions. Use the paddle to stir vigorously. As the onions start to sweat, the fond will break free and dissolve into a brownish liquid. This is a good sign. Moderate the fire as needed to cook the onions down. The onions are done when the onions and fond have an almost caramel-like appearance. Add the meat back in and toss with the paddle. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8ljJi3xQUrwkvr5SRTmFAm_ZZhUhyphenhyphen_guQfEJ7QbIy78BAghZJNQIQ2PziZcOdn3kXDxn75zyEQAXhKaCFk-mU4qP0ADkGlZJ5UpMQJU7BdSEgbe5eTLDQc1SLK2UC1XGuCStv4kPGy7d/s320/Jambalaya.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360422799912893186" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Add all remaining ingredients except rice. Season the pot fairly heavily. Taste the meat, veg, stock mix, remembering that 6 lbs of rice will soak up a lot of it. Once you are satisfied, increase the heat to bring the pot to a boil. Use the paddle to scrape the sides of the pot to ensure that all of the fond has been released. Reduce the heat to low and put a lid on it. After 20 minutes, turn the heat back up to high for 60 seconds and then turn it off. Do not lift the lid. Allow the pot to rest covered for 20-30 minutes. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remove the cover and gently fluff the rice with the paddle. Serve with hot sauce and crusty french bread. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">David</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-70197978283482573472009-06-10T07:04:00.002-05:002009-06-10T22:43:35.380-05:00Harry TrotterWelcome to the wild world of <a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/06/10/pig-racing-91466-23831195/">Pig Racing</a>! Apparently the idea was born in the U.S., but the sport is picking up in England and New Zealand. Originally, the race was held on a 100m flat track, but now they have added jumps for additional excitement. <div><br /></div><div>I love the names. Harry Trotter and Pigtoria Beckham are my faves. </div><div><br /></div><div>David</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-22603635058147111802009-06-03T21:32:00.004-05:002009-06-03T22:41:03.634-05:00Finally! Lard is cool...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy3amlVehB8KuPI8UFQ2VHHfPcZdZRoikvkrk7AMgA-HpAm4AbrdlSghLzU1pf0Td8wxLo_q4TvA8P_R14Y9FpQ0FuR_T6JYWuXCiGMT2U-oWIcaZlQPehSjgxqcNdCygbi06m3_MpZZ_/s1600-h/lard.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJy3amlVehB8KuPI8UFQ2VHHfPcZdZRoikvkrk7AMgA-HpAm4AbrdlSghLzU1pf0Td8wxLo_q4TvA8P_R14Y9FpQ0FuR_T6JYWuXCiGMT2U-oWIcaZlQPehSjgxqcNdCygbi06m3_MpZZ_/s320/lard.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343311656267988114" /></a>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipid_hypothesis">Lipid Hypothesis</a> was developed in the late 1800's and gained wide popularity starting around the 1950's. It has led Americans to fear dietary fats. In the 1990's, the notion of so-called "good fats" took hold and increased the popularity of olive and canola oils.<br /><br />I have Jennifer McLagan's new book <span style=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580089356">Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient</a></span> in my reading stack. I am very much looking forward to reading it. I was pleased to see that it was mentioned in <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2219314">this article proclaiming that lard is finally cool again</a>. It appears that lard fits into the current interests in minimally processed foods and environmental consciousness. Those of us who really cook know that some fat in your diet is good and have never been scared of lard. Whatever floats your boat, I just know its good stuff.<br /><br />DavidDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-65790569033396516032009-05-28T07:44:00.001-05:002009-05-28T12:27:20.472-05:00Hey, will you watch my pig for me?<div>Thanks to Gioia for sending this article discussing the concept of "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/may/24/pork-rearing-organic-farming">remote pig ownership</a>". It also has a comparison of Italian and Brittish butchering styles. You can read for yourself, but let's just say that the Italian put the Brittish butcher to shame. </div> <div> </div> <div>I am also very interested in "Pestadice", a sausage with little nuggets of fried, crunchy pork skin mixed into it. I'll have to do some research on this one. </div> <div> </div> <div>David</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-52165522285933880372009-05-21T12:04:00.004-05:002009-05-27T14:39:24.848-05:00So how did I get into sausagemaking?I'll admit, it is an odd hobby. I have been making sausage for about 7 years. Several years ago I started collecting old cookbooks. I liked old cookbooks because they do not use shortcuts (a can of this, a packet of that...). I found that some of these cookbooks contained recipes for regional sausages that are no longer made. I bought a Kitchen-Aid Meat Grinder and Stuffer Attachement to give some of these recipes a try. My first attempts yielded mixed results. I had some successes and some failures. However, after several batches, I started to get the hang of it. The Kitchen-Aid quickly became a limiting factor.<br /><br />Everything changed when I got a small commercial sausage stuffer for my birthday. It became a full blown hobby when I added a stand-alone meat grinder and vaccuum sealer. I make over a dozen fresh sausages now, mostly adapted from old recipes. I favor Cajun/Creole, Mediterranean, and Western European styles.<br /><br />Recently, I have tried my hand a meat curing. I have made pancetta, bresaola, and lonzino with good results. I am planning to try my hand at fermented salamis before the end of the summer.<br /><br />DavidDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-417334914491155733.post-22307363164518574632009-05-15T21:10:00.005-05:002009-05-15T21:14:08.072-05:00WelcomeI have started this blog to catalog my numerous projects and experiments. They usually involve pork in some way or another. All are welcome here, but if you are a vegitarian, this may not be the blog for you. <div><br /></div><div>Enjoy,</div><div><br /></div><div>David</div>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16543245233613185778noreply@blogger.com0