tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post5007252484830179555..comments2024-03-26T10:01:18.135-04:00Comments on Living the Frugal Life: Dispatches from the Curing FrontKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-33499966050016052072010-03-21T08:44:54.623-04:002010-03-21T08:44:54.623-04:00Hazel, I'm in a bit of a discovery phase with ...Hazel, I'm in a bit of a discovery phase with lard myself at the moment. It's had a horrible reputation for years, of course. But the Weston Price folks sure embrace it and claim good health benefits besides. In any case, I think it's great that I've spent the last 20+ years obsessed with food and there are still things for me to discover and explore. I'll check for the plum sauce recipe, as I do have that book. And I hope you'll share any lard recipes you particularly enjoy.Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-89620150192172191942010-03-21T03:26:50.045-04:002010-03-21T03:26:50.045-04:00I read recently that lard is a less saturated fat ...I read recently that lard is a less saturated fat than butter, and as I'm trying to avoid shortening but only eat 'happy' meat products, homemade lard is the only alternative for things like pastry, where the white fat gives you the 'shortness', 50/50 with butter for flavour.<br />When I saw how much fat came out I was very glad I hadn't put it all in the brawn like the old recipes recommend! The dogs/children/DH ate the crispy scraps afterwards, so zero waste!<br />While you're buying a pigs head you could get some trotters and try this- my children love it: http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/chinese-pig-s-trotters-recipe_p_1.html <br />Probably partly because they can use their fingers, but the sauce is delicious. I make a Chinese style plum sauce every year, and I sometimes substitute that instead. The recipe is also in his Meat Book, if you have that.<br /><br />HazelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-69095583072559581882010-03-20T11:59:08.947-04:002010-03-20T11:59:08.947-04:00Wendy, I think the whole tanning thing is very imp...Wendy, I think the whole tanning thing is very impressive. I may take that craft up someday, but it's rather low down my list. Still, I admire anyone who pursues it. As for the pig's heads, he may indeed get one for the brains that has been "condemned" by the FDA inspector. One of the farmers I know told me that often happens with pig heads if the killing shot causes splinters through the meat. In that case, it's supposed to be thrown away and not salvaged for any consumption. Using the brains for tanning of course should be fine by the FDA. If the damage from the shot isn't too bad, the jowls may be perfectly salvageable. So it might really be something to look into.<br /><br />Aimee, thanks. I highly recommend forging ahead. Start with whole cuts such as belly or jowls first if you need some confidence. I've heard shanks can also be turned into a kind of prosciutto. They're often removed from what Americans consider the ham, and so are sometimes rather cheap to come by. Italians cure the whole leg and call it prosciutto, so the shank really is part of that.<br /><br />The Mom, thanks. I really encourage you to try it. It's easier than you imagine!<br /><br />Emily, yes, I thought of you regarding the root cellar and was going to shoot you a note on your blog or by email about this. I'll be watching the temp/humidity in our cellar over the summer. I hope yours and mine both turn out to be suitable for year-round curing.<br /><br />Aussiemade, I think you're right about the mystique around certain foods. Though I also suspect that centuries ago there was also a secretiveness cultivated by professionals bakers, butchers and other working professionals to keep the secrets of their trades to themselves. Those secrets were after all, their livelihood. In any case, I'm happy to live in an age when information is so widely and easily disseminated. Good luck with your curing experiments.<br /><br />Hazel, I too am a (new) fan of HFW, and I appreciate his try anything approach to his food. I had to laugh at your comment about sausage making equating to DIY appendectomies! I suspect I'm going to start using more lard as a cooking medium, so I admire your approach as well!Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18017959421018964001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-49597726720931546162010-03-20T03:17:02.075-04:002010-03-20T03:17:02.075-04:00I think you're absolutely right about the feel...I think you're absolutely right about the feeling we all have that food preservation is difficult and potentially dangerous if you make a mistake. <br />We've made bacon (courtesy of the wonderful Hugh Fearlessly-Eatsitall) and sausages (the reaction by friends and family was as if we'd said we'd learnt DIY appendicectomies)and converting a filing cabinet to a smoker is high on my to-do list.<br />When I've got a pigs head from a local farm I've made brawn (head cheese/Fromage de Tete), which I can strongly recommend. Not preserving as such, but very frugal. I didn't include all the fat- some I rendered in the oven and got about 1l lard. <br />I think I'll try guanciale next time, thanks.<br />HazelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-72940837865440114212010-03-19T18:34:31.941-04:002010-03-19T18:34:31.941-04:00It is a bit like the cheese, bread and yogurt maki...It is a bit like the cheese, bread and yogurt making process. Of course companies want you to think it is hard, so you do not do it. Congratulations. This is on my list of things to do. What a wonderful community you live in. <br />So perhaps I will give making bacon and ham a go. soonish..lolAussiemadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08251675504716908569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-13827538072325904032010-03-19T16:32:04.660-04:002010-03-19T16:32:04.660-04:00That's great news about the root cellar being ...That's great news about the root cellar being usable as a meat locker, too. I will have the space...I'm definitely going to try home-curing some meat this fall!<br /><br />EmilyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-1244585130625876762010-03-19T15:18:31.816-04:002010-03-19T15:18:31.816-04:00I am so envious! Another thing that I want to do ...I am so envious! Another thing that I want to do now. Enjoy your delicious meats.The Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15070310346205563561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-23617084244213718242010-03-19T12:03:12.973-04:002010-03-19T12:03:12.973-04:00Great post! I've been trying to work up the ne...Great post! I've been trying to work up the nerve to try home curing. Sopressata is my holy Grail. Maybe I should just forge ahead.Aimeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06358194304460170717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7237633934633144064.post-49933873488898347542010-03-19T10:25:16.137-04:002010-03-19T10:25:16.137-04:00My husband has been brain tanning hides, and the o...My husband has been brain tanning hides, and the other day he contacted our local butcher about getting brains. So, my husband's friends are joking that he's going to end up with a whole pig head.<br /><br />To which I thought, "Oh, I could make guanciale" :).Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04642417312794814066noreply@blogger.com