MEAT

[RAGER]

It's a free for all.  Take what you want but eat what you take.

[black]

Hey RAGER, do you do much with bison? I can't seem to recall you talking about it.

[RAGER]

I buy it on occasion yes.  But we really don't eat much red meat but bison is delish.

[Lumpy]

Bison is supposed to be healthier than beef (less fat) but for that reason, it's easy to overcook it (you have to undercook it, in comparison to how you'd cook beef).

/just repeating stuff I've read, I only had bison (burger) once.

[black]

You are right on all accounts Lumpy.
I pretty much bagged on red meat for bison a while back. I get a pretty good deal on free-ranging, grass fed buffalo from either a ranch in Southern Colorado and the Taos Pueblo people have a commercial herd as well (but is a bit more pricey than the CO ranches). It's way less fat, flavorful and holds other flavors in really well.

[MadJohnShaft]

This wonderful guy opened an artisanal butcher shop in Evanston down by Dempster. I went there today and I got bacon pastrami turkey and some Italian sausage. It's nice in there. The owner was really chatty he was telling stories about meat from Wisconsin.

[mortlock]

im all over that rosemary bacon..even at $13.99/lb.

[deleted account]

those are the special Shaft price tags that get placed soon as the butcher sees the limo pull up

[RAGER]

Chuck roast tonight.  With nothing but onions and braised in stock and red wine.  Gonna roast and stuff some squash too.  Having some Bulleit bourbon whilst cookin.

[MadJohnShaft]

I went there Saturday and I got two aged ribeye steaks, italian sausage, four beef short ribs and some lunch meat.

It's expensive but I serve small portions of meat and lots of other stuff to go with it. Plus no grocery store and no whole foods.

[RAGER]

Perfect. Yes, reasonable amounts of meat protein with other stuff. You don't have to eat the whole damn 5 pounds at once. Duh.

[MadJohnShaft]

I had a pretty good thing going that I should revive - mid week I took all the meat leftovers and made Empanadas for the kids lunch.

Swank

[RAGER]

Had a hog slaughtered a couple weeks ago.  Just picked up all the meat this morning from a butcher way up in the hills.  Mmmmmm pork belly.

[black]

Does he butcher it up for you or do you take the carcass and deal with the cuts as you go?

[RAGER]

I had some of the trim stuff just ground up so this morning I made little patties with onion garlic and fresh ginger and seasoned with just salt an pepper.  Had those on top of different some shredded cabbages and topped with a sambal lime creme. 

Tasted way better than store boght pork cuz I commissioned it's death.

[black]

 

That ground stuff sounds tasty.
Makes me wish that full servings of pork didn't mess up my guts.

[MadJohnShaft]

Hmm... Are you cooking it to the USDA recommended temp for ground? It's higher than pork chops.

[RAGER]

 

[MadJohnShaft]

I'm kind of proud of that joke.

[RAGER]

I pulled out a shoulder roast  for Sunday.  I'm gonna do an achiote pibil.  I haven't done any since I left the restaurant biz where I was doing 15-20 pounds daily. My sandwich is still talked about.  Gotta get some banana leaves.

[MadJohnShaft]

I want that too, how do we get started? 

[RAGER]

Start thawing out your pork shoulder and locate banana leaves at an Asian market.  I'll get back to you when I figure out how to do 4-6 pounds instead of 20 pounds spice wise.  Stay tuned.

[RAGER]

Ok here's what to add to the pork after you've cut it up into big cubes.

Put this into  a coffee grinder
5 Tbls annatto seeds
1 Tbls black peppercorns
2 tsp cumin seeds
5-8 whole allspice
1/2 tsp whole cloves

Grind it up fine then pour it into a blender.  Ad about 8 big cloves of garlic, 2 tbls salt, 3-5 habaneros or w/e peppers you have, 1/2 cup oj, 1/2 cup vinegar, and the juice of 5 lemons.  Blend util smooth.

Pour into a bowl with the pork and mix well.  Put your banana leaves in the bottom of a roasting pan and pour in the pour and all the juice.   wrap it all up in the leaves and then cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 4 hours at 325.

I like to brown the meat first but you don't have to.

[MadJohnShaft]

I can do that I will use parchment and some greens.

[mortlock]

no one has the time for all that..