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Pork Caul Fat


ray goud

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I have bought caul fat in the past from Niman Ranch, and it is great stuff.

Unfortunately, they no longer sell it. Bummer.

Thought some people might like to know.

Here is my correspondence with them:

Where on your website is the pork caul fat I have ordered in the past? Is it a phone-only item?

Ray

Dear Ray,

Thank you for contacting Niman Ranch. The company discontinued the pork caul fat last Fall due to low sales.

Best regards,

Niman Ranch

Ray

Edited by ray goud (log)
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I have bought caul fat in the past from Niman Ranch, and it is great stuff.

Unfortunately, they no longer sell it. Bummer.

Thought some people might like to know.

Here is my correspondence with them:

Where on your website is the pork caul fat I have ordered in the past? Is it a phone-only item?

Ray

Dear Ray,

Thank you for contacting Niman Ranch. The company discontinued the pork caul fat last Fall due to low sales.

Best regards,

Niman Ranch

Ray

Ray,

I purchase caul fats from a local meat processor. You can get the name of local processors from your state agriculture department.

I had to ask for Hog Diaphragm and provided a picture of caul fat for them to understand what I was looking for. They got approval from the State Ag inspector before selling the fat to me.

Pauline Market in Chicago is now selling thin slices of fat back labeled "caul fat".

Tim

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey, people,

Judging by the lack of interest in this thread, some may conclude that there aren't many people who use or even know about caul fat. However, I just received good news for those who want to try the stuff: Niman Ranch is bringing the product back! Here is the message I received today:

"Dear Ray,

We have had several requests recently for this item so we will be returning it to the website this week. It will be found in the pork section and in the “freezer-ready” section.

Best regards,

Niman Ranch

Customer Service"

Hope this pleases more than just me.

Ray

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Thanks for both posts; I'm glad they are bringing it back. I would like to make a real terrine with caul fat some time soon.

What do you find yourself using it for mainly?

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

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Thanks for both posts; I'm glad they are bringing it back.  I would like to make a real terrine with caul fat some time soon.

What do you find yourself using it for mainly?

Crepinettes, which are a sort of flat sausage patty weighing between 1/2 and one pound each. I learned about them from a French charcuterie guy who opened a restaurant in Vermont, and sells his crepinettes and sausages at the farmers' market. The crepinettes are wrapped in the caul fat, which melts away during grilling.

Ray

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Thanks for the posts and queries at Niman, Ray. Believe me, there's interest here (and I asked my Whole Foods butcher about the Niman decision when you originally posted)!

Here's the link up on the Niman website. Can anyone provide information about defrosting? How long does it take?

Chris Amirault

eG Ethics Signatory

Sir Luscious got gator belts and patty melts

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Chris,

If each sheet of caul fat is packed separately, it only takes one minute to defrost in water. You can defrost a block of caul fat in running water for a few minutes and remove individual sheets.

Place the remaining sheets back in your freezer.

Tim

Edited by tim (log)
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