Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 16

Thread: This weeks winner

  1. #1
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198

    This weeks winner

    ...again goes to the pigs

    First to the pig part----I have no current source of heritage pigs and that limits the cuts of pork that I buy to boston butts (shoulder roast), short ribs and now my go to pork chop replacement, boneless ribs @ $2.99/lb at my butcher shop. My wife and I evenly divide three pieces. I would guess it to be a 6-8 oz portion. They have enough fat to add the flavor that our current crop of commercial pigs is missing.

    What made this outstanding was the sauce. If you make this recipe do not miss the lemon zest and juice---that elevates this to an entirely different level.

    I have added my own adjustment notes:

    Here’s my favorite recipe in Toni Tipton-Martin’s excellent and invaluable “Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African-American Cooking” (2019). It’s a remix of one that the chef Nathaniel Burton collected into his 1978 opus, “Creole Feast: Fifteen Master Chefs of New Orleans Reveal Their Secrets,” and one that Tipton-Martin glossed-up with lemon zest, juice and extra butter, a technique she learned from the restaurateur B. Smith’s 2009 collection of recipes, “B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style.” It’s a dish of smothered pork chops, essentially, made into something glorious and elegant. “The food history of blacks in America has been a story of the food of survival,” she told me in an interview. “We need to start celebrating the food they made at work."
    Ingredients
    • 4 bone-in pork chops (about 8 ounces each)
    • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 very small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
    • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour (1 tablespoon, seemed perfect, see notes)
    • 1 cup dry white wine
    • 1 ½ cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium, if store-bought
    • 2 tablespoons drained capers
    • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
    • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice
    • Hot sauce (optional)
    • Approx. ¼ cup of ½ and 1/1

    Preparation
    1. Dry the chops with paper towels, and season aggressively with salt, pepper and the thyme. Swirl the olive oil into a large skillet, and heat over medium until the oil begins to shimmer. Add chops, and cook until well browned on each side and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate, and cover to keep warm.
    2. Drain the fat from the skillet, then melt 2 tablespoons of butter in it over medium heat until sizzling. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté until the aromatics soften, reducing the heat if necessary, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the wine and chicken stock, raise heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, 7 to 10 minutes.
    3. Stir in the capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice and hot sauce to taste (if you’re using it), and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until it’s melted and the sauce looks smooth. Nestle the pork chops into the sauce, and allow them to warm up for a couple of minutes, then serve, pouring sauce over each pork chop to taste. Garnish with more fresh parsley.
    Cooking Notes

    Wondering if it should be 2 Tablespoons of flour. The sauce is really thin when the directions are followed.

    In response to Vanessa: 2 teaspoons create a sauce. 2 tablespoons (in conjunction with 1 1/2 cups of stock and 1 cup of white wine would create more of a gravy.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Capture.jpg 
Views:	37 
Size:	74.8 KB 
ID:	37663  

    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  2. #2
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    That recipe looks tasty...I think I will give it a try with some white rice & biscuits.

    Tell me about “heritage pork,” please?
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  3. #3
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    Heritage hogs are breeds that used to be commonly raised. The current commercial pig has been selectively bred to benefit the producer and marketers. The result is a product that isn't very tasty. One of the primary focuses in that breeding was to reduce fat--fat is a bad thing in the mind of the marketers and apparently consumers. However, fat is the source of much of the flavor and the current breeds exhibit almost zero marbling.

    I have a farmer who I have bought 1/2 hogs from who raises Berkshire hogs in fields that are mixed woodland and pasture. The result is far more taste and juicy meat. The downside is that I cannot always get one when I need it.

    Substituting the boneless short ribs from commercial hogs for pork chops is not a perfect solution but it does go a long way.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  4. #4
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    Thanks for the information. Maybe that explains why I’ve never been partial to most pork dishes.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  5. #5
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    Exactly
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  6. #6
    Join Date
    10-14-01
    Location
    TEXAS!
    Posts
    14,571
    If they didn't smell so damn bad I'd raise a couple for the freezer. And lots of other freezers, too.

    On a slightly different note, the property where my brother deer hunts is over run with ferral pigs. I wonder how they might compare. Probably not as much fat.
    The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke

  7. #7
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike View Post
    If they didn't smell so damn bad I'd raise a couple for the freezer. And lots of other freezers, too.

    On a slightly different note, the property where my brother deer hunts is over run with ferral pigs. I wonder how they might compare. Probably not as much fat.
    The few that I have shot have not been something that most people would rave about. It is relatively lean, tough and has a fairly strong taste. The hams and bacon are better than cuts that are not brined and smoked. We still have a ham in the freezer---I think my wife is working around it

    As for the smell----as a kid I never gave cow manure a second thought---but pig chit---now that was a different story Not far behind were the chicken houses---they were ok until you had to clean out

    I'm not sure why but it always seemed I was not old enough to do the things I wanted to do, like run the combine or the forage harvester, but I was never too young to clean stables
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  8. #8
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    You stoked my curiosity about premium pork choices. I found this piece from my favorite food mag interesting. Now I want to sample some Berkshire pork.

    https://www.cooksillustrated.com/tas...-high-end-pork

    I may have never eaten the good stuff. What I learned is that pork should not be “The Other White Meat,” because it should be a deep pink. The color portends the flavor and is a tip-off to the necessary higher Ph.

    Obtainable bucket list stuff here...
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  9. #9
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    Interesting article. I did know about the ph difference but had attributed that to diet more than breeding--it appears to be both.

    I also found the "stress" comments in the Cook's Illustrated article interesting. My farmer is very careful to make sure all his animals are as stress free as possible. When he slaughters (pigs, lambs, sheep, cattle) a "mobile butcher" comes to the farm with a specially built trailer were he can dress the carcass and put it directly into refrigeration in the front of the trailer. The animals that are to be slaughtered are moved around to the back side of the barn, one at a time and shocked. The rest of the stock doesn't hear a thing. I can't attest to the value of that---it certainly isn't the way we did it at home. We just took a .22 and shot them in the ear or hit them over the head with a hammer. It didn't seem like it spoiled the meat

    My own opinion is that more importantly than stress free is genetics---the difference is visible!

    There is a similar issue with lamb---but I have to get ready of a meeting so I will come back to that.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  10. #10
    Join Date
    10-14-01
    Location
    TEXAS!
    Posts
    14,571
    Some folks trap the ferral pigs and then feed them out for a while before slaughter. They claim they are much better that way. Once it turns cold I plan to shoot one and give it a try. Depending on how that works out, I might try the trap and feed method.
    The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke

  11. #11
    Join Date
    01-15-02
    Location
    Hot Phoenix / Big Springs NE
    Posts
    6,974
    I'll have to ask the neighbor behind the house. He has property near by and raises and butchers his own hogs for him and family. I do know he just bought several to feed and butcher but don't know what breed. If I see him before I leave I'll have to ask.
    **************************************************
    Retired April 17, 2019
    Back to driving October 12, 2022
    Damn Credit Card
    Life’s too short to drink cheep booze and argue with stupid people.” Mickey Thompson

  12. #12
    Join Date
    10-22-01
    Location
    All Over
    Posts
    38,198
    Coming back to the lamb, “my” farmer also raises lamb but I am hobbled by my wife who does not share my taste for it and objects to the smell if I make it for myself—thus I am limited to eating when she is gone.
    It is basically impossible to get a good piece of lamb from any commercial source. Most of it comes from New Zeeland and they are butchered at a very young age---before they are old enough to develop rich flavor. Again, marketing has created what they believe the market wants---and as a result the only thing the market gets.
    At home we had a flock of 200 to 250 ewes and about 10-15 rams. We bred the ewes to lamb at the correct time (Jan., Feb) to produce market weight lambs at Passover and Easter. We did not eat them at home, we ate older lambs and mature sheep, known as mutton. My Mother could make a lamb stew with mutton that was excellent. She knew how to “tame” the gaminess that can be identified with older mutton. That said, the real taste of lamb and mutton were liked by us---in the same way that other meats were.
    One place that I do occasionally get a feast on full flavored lamb is at Keens Steakhouse in Manhattan.
    As a side note, “my” farmer used to raise market goats but has stopped. Muslims came to buy goats and they wanted only live goats---which they would then slaughter at the farm. The slaughtering was an affront to the farmer who described it to me as being brutal and the animal would make enough noise as it was dying to raise alarm with the rest of the stock. He knew he could not simply stop selling to Muslims, so he stopped raising goats.
    My middle son was disappointed since he wanted to buy a goat (butchered), which he loves. I like the taste of goat but they are bony little guys---no one gets fat eating goat
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  13. #13
    Join Date
    10-14-01
    Location
    TEXAS!
    Posts
    14,571
    I've never had goat, but you can have my share of the lamb.
    The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke

  14. #14
    Join Date
    04-29-17
    Posts
    7,516
    I have tried feral pig before, if offered again I will pass.
    OPINION....a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike View Post
    I've never had goat, but you can have my share of the lamb.
    I went to a community bbq in the Bahamas once and had ribs with peas and rice. The ribs were real good but the bone was round and hollow so I asked what kind they were - goat ribs. I would eat them again.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •