eG Foodblog: Shelby (2011) - From the field to the table. (warning, pi

[Shelby]

I'd like you all to formally meet Dr. Hannibal Lector

Quail!

[patti]

Wow, what an amazing variety of game you're showing us this week! Your husband is certainly a talented hunter and a seasoned pro at processing his game.

The kitty is beautiful!

[Shelby]

Wow- and he probably did it all within a few minutes. Is the deep yellow actually fat? Looking forward to how you use the meat.

Yes. Very yellow, isn't it?

[Shelby]

Wow, what an amazing variety of game you're showing us this week! Your husband is certainly a talented hunter and a seasoned pro at processing his game.

The kitty is beautiful!

Thank you so much! He is a great hunter and I wub him

[Shelby]

This is kinda quick...I'm pooped again.

Quail Alfredo of sorts for dinner tonight.

I'll see ya'll in the morning!!! Thanks again for reading!!!

[barolo]

This is a fascinating blog. Thank you!

[Shelby]

Happy Wednesday, everyone!!

My husband went goose hunting this morning, so, after dinner last night I made him breakfast for this morning. The meat is a couple of pieces of leftover venison meatloaf.

[weinoo]

Now that's a fried-egg sandwich .

[Shelby]

Switching gears a bit, what should I do with these?

I've had them a REALLY long time. I was at the Asian market in Oklahoma City and picked them up (special thanks again to Chris Hennes for directing me to the market).

They are much larger than the gooseberries I used to pick in Colorado. Do they taste the same?

Normally, I'd make gooseberry pie.

[Shelby]

One more question for you all to ponder while I'm on the torture machine.

I've wanted to make foie gras out of the Canadian geese that we get. Obviously, since they are wild, the fat content is waaaaay lower than the geese normally used. Could it still work?

[Kerry Beal]

One more question for you all to ponder while I'm on the torture machine.

I've wanted to make foie gras out of the Canadian geese that we get. Obviously, since they are wild, the fat content is waaaaay lower than the geese normally used. Could it still work?

Unless they've been gorging themselves with grain from your fields - it won't be the really fatty liver that is classic foie. But don't see why you shouldn't give it a try and see how it tastes. The livers I see in your pics don't look particularly fatty. Maybe try a goose liver pate - faux gras!

[Shelby]

One more question for you all to ponder while I'm on the torture machine.

I've wanted to make foie gras out of the Canadian geese that we get. Obviously, since they are wild, the fat content is waaaaay lower than the geese normally used. Could it still work?

Unless they've been gorging themselves with grain from your fields - it won't be the really fatty liver that is classic foie. But don't see why you shouldn't give it a try and see how it tastes. The livers I see in your pics don't look particularly fatty. Maybe try a goose liver pate - faux gras!

Hmmm...good idea.

[Shelby]

So, one of the things we make when we have hunters in or for taking to work is pheasant casserole. It's easy, it's tender and people love it. Heck, you could cook your socks like this and they'd be good.

Fry up your pheasant. We season up plain white flour with pepper, salt, garlic etc.

Make a flour gravy. You could also use cream of chicken soup, but that's not my fave.

Put it in your slow cooker on low with some shredded cheese.

It's great over egg noodles or mashed 'taters.....or old socks....

[Shelby]

Now, for the grindage!

One kitchen item that has proved to be most useful is this:

You want to cover the front with foil or else you end up with ground meat in very strange places.

Beef brisket is awesome to use. Adds just the right fat and flavor. We use the whole thing.

[Shelby]

Dr. Hannibal Lector usually oversees all operations here.

[Chris Amirault]

That is one bad-ass meat grinder.

[Shelby]

Again, we do the film wrap and butcher paper. I, with my usual three pieces of tape, my husband with his usual two.

[sadistick]

Easily the most enjoyable thread I have had the pleasure of reading over the past while here on eG!

Reminds me how much I wish I could escape the 'Rat Race' and move up north to live off the land (as much as I could).

Thank you!

[Shelby]

Easily the most enjoyable thread I have had the pleasure of reading over the past while here on eG!

Reminds me how much I wish I could escape the 'Rat Race' and move up north to live off the land (as much as I could).

Thank you!

Wow! Thank you so much!

[Shelby]

Anyone bought one of these?

I can feel you professional restaurateurs and culinary wonders rolling your eyes at me

I know, in the big city, fancy restaurants this technique has been used for a while, but keep in mind, I don't have the opportunity to frequent any type of place that would use this avant-garde type of thing.

I got it for us for Christmas. I've used it twice so far. Once, with venison hamburgers and once today. The flavor lasted for a couple of bites on the burgers...it was fun, though, to experiment. Which brings me to what I just did:

By the way, keep in mind that I have no freaking idea what I'm doing here. Since eG is focusing this year on modernist cuisine, I thought I'd give this a shot.

I took lightly toasted bread points and spread them with foie gras and well, the pictures tell the rest.

Yes, I need to paint my nails. Please don't look at that.

OMG I was really amazed with the results! The apple smoke permeated the bread and foie nicely. It was smokey the whole way through the three bites. Even as I type now, I can still taste a hint of appley- smokey foie gras-ness.

So, even though this is probably old hat for most of you, help this prairie girl out. What else would be fun to use this on?

Edited January 5, 2011 by Shelby (log)

[Big Mike]

We're all big kids here. Let's see the full monty -- or Bambi.

I'm firmly in the show and tell camp as well. I got a deer ham from a hunter once and it was an amazingly eye opening experience, would love to see earlier in the process.

[Shelby]

That is one bad-ass meat grinder.

It's damn heavy, too.

We're all big kids here. Let's see the full monty -- or Bambi.

I'm firmly in the show and tell camp as well. I got a deer ham from a hunter once and it was an amazingly eye opening experience, would love to see earlier in the process.

My husband is under strict instructions to shoot a deer asap.

'Course, you can see how well he listens, as he is goose hunting right now.....

[andiesenji]

I received a Smoking Gun for Christmas. I used it several times, used up all the flavor thingies.

My experience was less than adequate so I have packed it up and returned it to the vendor. UPS picked it up yesterday.

I have the stovetop Camerons smoker and a Brinkman for larger jobs. I'll stick with them until they get one of these little gadgets perfected. I want smoke throughout my food, not just on the surface.

I should add that I am very, very picky about such things.

Edited January 5, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[Boilerfood]

I have seen and read of bartenders using them to smoke liquor (more specifically Bourbon) but have yet to taste its affect.

[Shelby]

I could just be star-struck right now...plus, I've never had the "real deal" before.