ronnie_suburban

Gorgeous stuff, Tammy. Absolutely beautiful work. What an inspirational post! I must have a tasting-menu dinner party . . . SOON!! =R=

Dave, That Tuscan salami is simply glorious. How many of those have you done? What are the potential pitfalls that a first-timer should keep in mind? =R=

Wow! Sounds like a nice snack. No butt today, but I'll be smoking some cured pork belly into bacon over cherry wood a bit later on. I have a few questions about the butchered half hog: how does it breakdown, parts-wise? How long will it last you? What's your post-delivery plan? =R=

Well, Dave, it looks like you handled it swimmingly. That pancetta is beautiful. A nice, tight roll for sure. Per request, here's a quick version of the modified Folse/Ruhlman-Polcyn Andouille recipe I made. I'll also enter it into Recipe Gullet later today. 5 1/2 pounds fatty pork shoulder or butt, diced into 1-2" chunks 1/2 cup minced garlic 1/4 cup freshly-cracked black pepper (I'd decrease this next time) 2 T cayenne pepper 1 T dry thyme (I'd increase this next time) 3 T kosher salt 1 t curing (pink) salt 1 C ice water 10' hog casings Mix the garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme and salts together. Sprinkle that mixture over diced pork chunks and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate, covered for up to 24 hours. Grind seasoned mixture, once, through a 1/4" die. Then, using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, slowly add 1 C of ice-cold water to the mixture until it becomes a sticky, homogenous paste (1-2 minutes). Tube off the mixture into hog casings and twist the casings into links. Let the links dry, uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Once dry, hot-smoke the links at about 180 F, over the wood of your choice. I used hickory on my first try. Next time out, I'll try pecan or cherry. Smoke for 3-4 hours or until the links reach an internal temperature of 150 F. Once fully smoked, dunk the links in a bath of ice water to impede any carry over. Dry links and refrigerate them. =R=

Fantastic news, Chef. Thank you for the update. It's great to know that you and your crew are receiving that kind of support. I look forward to experiencing the changes first hand but also sincerely hope that I get back to Avenues at least one more time before they happen. =R=

I just received a press release from Chicago Magazine indicating that chef Michael Carlson of Schwa will be named best (new) chef in their May 2005 "Where To Eat Now" issue. Not a bad week for the folks at Schwa. =R=

The Folse-based andouille turned very well. The stuff is delicious and very near my ideal. It needs a little more tweaking. I think I'd cut the black pepper significantly; maybe even in half. The heat is fine but there is a bitterness which shows up at the finish with that much black pepper. I might add a bit more thyme too. Here are some pics . . . The finished sausages. A bit darker in color than the cold-smoked batch. It's a bit hard to tell, but I think the pic reveals the piece identity within the sausage, which is larger than with batch #1. Honestly, I wouldn't mind this sausage even more coarse, but I don't know if have all that hand-chopping in me. Maybe next time I'll dice a portion of the meat into small cubes and mix it in by hand right before tubing. I also wouldn't use hickory again even though it is preferred in some quarters. Next time, I'll try either pecan or cherry. In spite of the bold seasoning in this recipe, I think the hickory overpowers somewhat. I think I've zeroed in on how to make my perfect batch of andouille. I make one huge pot of jambalaya each year for that big party we have. If I can master tasso next, I'll never have to rely on 'the kindness of strangers' to get that pot together. But, next up is some lamb sausage . . . and a belly which is just about ready to be smoked. =R=

I agree that pork fat -- however brilliant an idea -- will eventually turn rancid. I purchased a small can of food-grade lube (not the spray can). As others have pointed out, it makes a huge difference in crankability of the stuffer. Using my fingertip, I just put a dab on the crankshaft and a light shmear around the outside of the plunger before each run and it works like a charm. And yes, do take the O-ring off for cleaning. It's some nasty business going on underneath it. =R=

Here are some early pics from my 'Folse' andouille run, which is going on now . . . Today's rigging. A closer look shows a much coarser cut (1/4" die holes) than the double fine-ground recipe from the book. I did make some adjustments to the Folse recipe by cutting back the salt from 4T to 3T and including 1t of curing salt for 5.5 pounds of meat. I also worked 1 C of ice water into the mixture when making the primary bind. This recipe calls for hot smoking. So, I'm going to attempt to keep the cabinet at about 175-180 and hot-smoke the links for about 4 hours. In this case, I added ice to the water pan just to extend the amount of time the water would last because of today's variable: I have to leave here in about an hour for about an hour. Who knows what will happen while I'm gone. =R=

I loved the texture -- and the fact that I was able to reproduce it properly -- but it does seem a bit fine compared to the andouille I'm most used to using. These are almost hotdog-like in their texture, which again, is very cool but not necessarily what I was after. The 2nd batch (using the Folse recipe linked above) will be closer to the other end of the texture spectrum. The first batch were ground twice through the smaller die, whereas the Folse andouille, which I hope to smoke tonight, were ground only once and it was through the larger die (1/4" IIRC). The redness, I believe, is a function of the smoke and the curing salt. On other occasions when I've smoked whole foods at home, they often take on a reddish hue on their exterior. The interior pinkness, I'm pretty sure, is due to the use of curing salt. That expression is similar to bologna, mortadella or hotdogs. Flavorwise, these have a few more elements and a slightly more complex flavor than the andouille I'm used to. Again, the main difference is the onion, which seems a bit out of place in the andouille. Still, these smell and taste great. I still consider them to be andouille because they are more similar than different but I will categorize them in my mind as a personal, stylized version. I was so captivated by Bombdog's lamb sausages that I made a point of picking up 5 pounds of lamb shoulder while I was at the butcher today. I think I'll attempt those on Sunday. =R=

Here's a piece from Janet Fuller which appeared in today's Chicago Sun-Times: Wicker Park chef named one of the best in U.S. =R=

Dave, those lamb sausages look just incredible. And the fact you were able to tube them off solo while photographing yourself, is also amazing Seriously, I can just imagine how great those taste and I may even "borrow" the idea. I'm very happy to report that my batch of Cold-Smoked Andouille turned out very well indeed. A few pics . . . The finished product. I was astounded when I saw how red they were after 2 days of drying. They were still beige and somewhat golden brown when I put them up. Inside, still raw. A little snack. I simmered this sausage whole, in a bit of water, crisped it up right at the end and sliced it up. Detailed close-up of the emulsified sausage interior. I really love these sausages. They are spicy and bursting with flavor. The smoke tastes delicious and the exterior has a firm bite but also provides that natural casing 'snap' that I love so much. These would be perfect if not for the strong onion note -- which I like -- but don't love. Also, I tubed off another batch of Andouille earlier today, based on the Folse recipe linked upthread and hope to post some additional results in the next day or two. =R=

Sadly, my guess is that they do get it. It's just that we serious food people are not their target audience. I don't have the numbers in front of me but I do remember reading news stories recently about how much their viewership has expanded. They're being successful with what they're doing. I don't know if that makes the dilution of FTV any easier to bear but it at show that there's some logic behind it. It'll be interesting to see how FTV eventually ends up marketing the winner of this contest. =R=

Good point. Yet, the judges saw his mention of the niece as a positive; praising him for making it and criticizing him for not mentioning her more often. Meanwhile, out here in tv land, we don't give a flying f*ck about his niece in the least. It just goes to show the serious disconnect between what the "experts" at Food Network believe the audience wants and what the audience actually wants. Meaningless mentions of unknown family members falls under the category of pandering, something that FTV seems to do quite well. Frankly, I don't see the value in any of these contestants' unique attributes. Even Guy, who seems plenty likable, leaves me at a loss. What exactly does he bring to the table that we cannot find elsewhere? His manic energy? His spikey, bleached white hair? Ok, perhaps his restaurant experience could be a useful point of separation. But wait, the judges more or less criticized him for being too "pro" in his most recent demo. Go figure. =R=

For those of us not acquainted - what is the show "Real Simple Television" about? u.e. ← Check out this link to the show's official site. =R=

April 5, 2006... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Matzo rules!...As Passover approaches, Bill Daley sings the praises of its most recognizable, iconic food. Shallots...Joe Gray with a useful guide. Diet can help ease inflammation woes...JoAnn Milivojevic details the "Anti-Inflammation Diet." Twinkie, Twinkie, little star...In substantive proof that the truth is often stranger than fiction, Renee Enna provides an amusing look at The Twinkies Cookbook. Deep, dark chocolate...continuing with the confection theme, Renee Enna examines the dark end of the chocolate spectrum and reports her findings. A seder lesson...in a special to the Tribune, Peggy Wolff explores the history and significance of bitter herbs and the part they play in the traditional Passover seder. A friendly debate: What spud is the best masher?...Tribune Test Kitchen Director Donna Pierce canvases several experts for their opinions. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Message in his bottles...Maureen Jenkins profiles Bin 36's wine director, Brian Duncan and chats with him about his wine philosophy, wine myths and developing great pairings. Sweet theater treat...Denise I. O'Neal delivers the week's food news, including details about the newest, food-related production from the Redmoon Theater. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews an upcoming event at Vinci. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: Food Network stirs young chef-to-be...Laura Bianchi reports on 18-year-old Phillip Davis, who was inspired to work toward a career in cooking after becoming obsessed with cooking -- via watching FTV -- in the 4th grade. ===== In this week's installment of Chicago Magazine's Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby report on yet another morph for Bin 36's Lincolnshire location, which is scheduled to become The Great Lakes Fish House on April 27. ===== =R= <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you. <><><><><>

According to today's Chicago Tribune, The Spice House will be featured on the April 22 episode of Real Simple Television, set to air at 3:30 p.m. CT on WTTW-Ch. 11. =R=

Wow, Bombdog, that bresaola looks fantastic . . . another recipe I'll be trying out, for sure. =R=

Is there any reason to spring for the more expensive version? I assume there are differences, but maybe the they aren't worth the $... ? thanks ← The reason I chose the unit I did (more expensive version) is that it is made entirely of stainless steel. I'm counting on that making maintenance a bit easier and possibly extending the stuffer's lifetime. On the $60 unit linked above, only the cylinder and the base are made of stainless. The crankshaft and other mechanical parts are not. It may not end up making a difference and it may not be worth the additional cost, but that's why I went with the costlier model. As for the dishwasher, I wouldn't hesitate to put mine in there but I'd definitely put it on the top shelf and remove the o-ring first. =R=

See above, u.e. . . . and thanks for the heads up on that, Justin. As recently as yesterday (IIRC), their site was still under construction. As an aside, I had a great meal at Spring last week. I'll post on the appropriate thread as soon as I get a chance. =R=

[Moderator note: The original Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" topic became too large for our servers to handle efficiently, so we've divided it up; the preceding part of this discussion is here: Cooking with Ruhlman & Polcyn's "Charcuterie" (Part 1)] That is a Great Outdoors brand Smokey Mountain Cooker which is actually propane-powered. In many cases, that gas power is great because it makes maintaining temperature fairly easy. It's basically built for efficient hot smoking. A cast iron box sits in a frame above the heat source and the wood chunks burn pretty evenly over time. I think the manufacturer recommends using chips but I've found that chunks burn longer and produce a better smoke. Because I was too lazy yesterday to rig my dryer vent-aided cold smoker (a weekend project, it seems), I decided to try something new with the SMC. I only used the gas flame until the cherry wood chunks started to burn. Once they did, I shut down the gas entirely and loaded up the water pan with ice. From there, via the use of damper control, I was able to keep those chunks smoking for about 4 hours. It worked out great because the temperature stayed low and it was largely controllable. During those 4 hours, I dumped the melted ice from the water pan and refilled it with fresh ice 2 times. Also, one time near the end, I placed a single ice cube in the fire box to cool things down a bit. I'll be curious to see how it turned out because if it did work well, I think there's some cold-smoked salmon in my very near future. At this point, I don't foresee any reason why it may have failed. But, until you taste the final product, you never know for sure. *fingers crossed* =R=

With the exception of the Moscato d'Asti, they were all by the bottle but the list of wines available by the glass was definitely a good one with many excellent options. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. =R=

Thank you, Jason for the non-painted coat hanger tip . . . you can kind of see them in the pic below. A great idea. My andouille have been smoking over cherry wood (ran out of hickory ) for about 2 hours. I've had to change the ice out a couple of times but I've managed to keep the chamber below 100 degrees F for the entire time. I just have a few chunks of wood smoldering in the box and all 3 dampers on the smoker are almost completely closed. Since the recipe calls for 2-4 hours of smoking, I'll just let the wood burn out (should take another hour or so) and then hang the sausages in my basement until Thursday. Really, in spite of the style differences we discussed upthread, this stuff looks and smells delicious. I can't wait to try it out. And even if it doesn't taste like andouille to me, it'll still be about 5 pounds of delicious home-made, home-smoked sausage. Not exactly a sad outcome. =R=

You can always do a small-sized skewer or meatballs. =R=

Thanks, h (is it ok to call you h? ). That recipe lines up much better with my expectations for andouille. I have another butt on hand and will probably give it a shot later in the week. =R=