eG Foodblog: Chris Hennes - Pork and chocolate, together at last!

[rooy1960]

thanks for the clarifcation on the smoking. loving this blog. apparently, so are thousands of others!!!!!

[Chris Hennes]

As promised, here is the construction sequence for the PB&Js:

[Chris Hennes]

Next, we have the Andouille sausages (hot-smoked variety):

[prasantrin]

Those pb&js look awesome, and I don't even like pb&j!

Do you ship to Japan...

[Dejah]

That cross section of the finished PB&J is absolutely amazing!

Now I'm craving chocolate, peanut butter AND jelly!

[racheld]

I'm speechless.

[Chris Hennes]

To wrap up the day, a glass of Talisker:

Edited April 13, 2008 by Chris Hennes (log)

[Wein1965]

Chris - those PB & Js look fantastic!

I've really been enjoying your blog this week and all your fabulous shots of the chocolates and pork, etc. You're a man of many talents!

[Jujubee]

All I have to say about those PB&J shots is: Wow!

[maher]

i feel like one of those Taliskers myself, and im reading this first thing in the morning...

i didnt think the skill-sets involved in sausage making and those PB&Js could be combined in one man!

on behalf of all of us who are genuflecting in awe.... bravo!

you are scaring away many aspiring bloggers with the amazing food, projects, photography, and enthusiasm.

[Kim Shook]

I am just slack jawed with astonishment. I'm just going to go to bed now . Chris, this is so much freaking fun!!

[Chris Hennes]

i didnt think the skill-sets involved in sausage making and those  PB&Js could be combined in one man!

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Well, at the risk of sounding too cheesy, "if I can do it, you can do it, too!" I've only been making sausages for a year, and chocolates for six months. The real "skill" is patience! And despite the pretty pictures, I am nowhere near as accomplished at either of these things and many of the folks here. But everything still tastes good, and it's fun!

you are scaring away many aspiring bloggers with the amazing food, projects, photography, and enthusiasm.

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I hope not! I love reading people's foodblogs... I just take a lot of pictures, and figured I may as well put them up! When Susan asked me to do this, she wanted "just a normal week." I have to admit, I don't usually make sausage and chocolate all in the same week. Sorry if I got carried away, but it's fun talking to all of you .

Well, it's 7am here, and I just put the pork butt in the smoker. Now I'm hungry, and I don't think I should have PB&Js for breakfast...

[Chris Hennes]

If you saw this in "Top Chef" you would cringe at the overt product placement:

I am sort of embarrassed by this: not because I am eating Quaker instant oatmeal for breakfast (I could make up some excuse about being busy...), but because I actually like it! It's not like I don't have "real" oatmeal in my cabinets: I do. But really, between this and their "Simple Harvest" line, I am happy with Quaker.

P.S. to folks at Quaker. Make check out to "Chris Hennes." Thanks.

[Shelby]

Chris, you've managed to make me feel jealous, lazy and hungry all in one swoop

Seriously, great blog.

I will now return to staring at the PB&J.

[lancastermike]

Having blogged I agree that you may be scaring potential bloggers off. What a herculean effort this is. If this a normal week, I believe I want to move in with you.

In the sausage photos did I see pink salt? Even though you hot smoked? How much did you use?

[Chris Hennes]

Having blogged I  agree that you may be scaring potential bloggers off. What a herculean effort this is.  If this a normal week, I believe I want to move in with you.

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The only abnormalities to the week are the constant photography of everything, and the fact that I did both confections and charcuterie: in a normal week I will do one or the other, but not both . I am, after all, supposed to be working on my dissertation...

In the sausage photos did I see pink salt? Even though you hot smoked? How much did you use?

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You did: I used three grams in the Andouille, to 1.25 kg pork, as per Ruhlman's recipe. I believe this is partially for the flavor it imparts, and partially to be just on the safe side, since they do sit out at room temperature for a couple hours prior to smoking.

[Chris Hennes]

Today I am going to try to post the images as I go, so I don't have to do it all at the end. This will give you all a chance to ask me questions (or give me advice!) as we go along...

So, a few days ago I took a Niman Ranch pork butt, seasoned it up, and stuck it in the fridge. Check out that fat cap! Those folks at Niman Ranch sure do have nice butts! (sorry, couldn't resist!)

This morning, I got up early (for me, anyway...) and put the butt in the smoker. I'm using hickory chips today...

In addition to the pork, I've got a few other items planned. First priority was to get the cabbage sliced up and salted for the cole slaw:

Next up I think I will make the BBQ sauce. I'm going to make two kinds today: one a mustard-based and the other a ketchup-based.

[Margo]

Pre-salting the cabbage for slaw: must be another CI recipe? That's my favorite cole slaw recipe.

Great blog, let me add my voice to the awed chorus.

And grad school: so hellish in so many ways, so heavenly in others. I never made so much bread as when I was writing my diss. The kneading really helped the word flow...

[David Ross]

OK, just finished stuffing the andouille:

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Chris your blog has been wonderful. Tell me about the casings you are using for your sausages. I assume they are natural casings? Are the casings you buy preserved in salt? Do you rinse and soak them before you stuff the sausage? I've used both fresh casings from the butcher and dried/preserved/salted casings I bought at a Sporting Goods store. I think I prefer the fresh casings, but I'm a rookie at sausage stuffing. Give me some casing advice.

[Chris Hennes]

Chris your blog has been wonderful.  Tell me about the casings you are using for your sausages.  I assume they are natural casings?  Are the casings you buy preserved in salt?  Do you rinse and soak them before you stuff the sausage?

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David: I am using natural casings I bought I while ago at Butcher and Packer: they are preserved in a very salty brine (not dried---I've never seen that). I flush them out with water, then soak for at least 30 minutes before stuffing. I haven't been making sausages for very long, so I can't give a lot of advice, except to say that the Butcher and Packer are working fine for me. I used some I bought at my grocery store one time: they were fine as well, though a bit more expensive.

[markemorse]

Yes, it's redundant but I'll say it anyway: great, great blog. thanks for all your hard work...

[Rehovot]

Sorry if I missed it, Chris, but did you mention where all those PB&Js are destined for?

By the way, the grid photos showing the step-by-step preparations are awesome!

Edited April 13, 2008 by Rehovot (log)

[Bueno]

I just wanted to compliment you on a phenomenal BLOG, Chris. In my humble opinion, this is one of the best BLOGs posted on eGullet, period. Great work!

[mizducky]

Dude, you gots the mad skillz, yo.

(I especially loved the precision measuring shots in the PB&J process. Candies by slide rule, rule! )

[Peter Green]

Sorry if I missed it, Chris, but did you mention where all those PB&Js are destined for? 

By the way, the grid photos showing the step-by-step preparations are awesome!

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Chris, along with the food itself, I'm also really taken with the grid montages. How are you doing these? Are you putting them together into one image, or are you concatenating the images int the post. They're a great format for showing step by steps, and really an outstanding tool for the one week foodblogs!

Cheers!

Peter