Cooking for a Community Fridge

[SLB]

FWIW, I didn't read the detour to food-safety customs as hateration, I saw it as more of a reflex from the professionals who've had the rules branded onto them.

 

Meanwhile, I've been meaning to say, I see all that shiny magnalite in effect!  And I see it with my head hanging low in shame, as my own custody of my mother's magnalite has been so derelict that I can't even remember it being shiny, although it sure was shiny when my mother passed it to me back in 1996.  It had been my Louisiana grandmothers before (not Lafayette, way over in Terrebone parish).  C'est dommage.  

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the sammiches.  

[patti]

After a very long but successful couple of days, 24 pulled pork meals were delivered to the community fridge!

 

I fretted over the pulled pork so much! My intention was to make pulled pork mac n cheese, but to make that work, I should’ve put the pork in the oven much, much sooner, so that it could be ready to go into the mac n cheese before baking. Since I needed to have the pans of mac ready to bake in the morning, it was easier to refrigerate the oven ready pans the night before (when the pork was only beginning its journey in the oven). Did that make sense?

 

I thought I’d use my two large Dutch ovens in separate ovens, but the 17 quart roaster won out. All the pieces of pork butt fit, and it would tie up just one oven. I seared all four pieces, deglazed with onions, bell pepper, celery. I used Serious Eats recipe as a guideline, but skipped the bourbon, and tailored it a few other ways. 

 

Serious Eats - Oven Pulled Pork

 

I poured in half of the barbecue sauce which was made of ketchup, molasses, (and some Steen’s cane syrup, which tastes a lot like molasses, but I didn’t have enough molasses for a double sauce recipe), cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, brown mustard, hot sauce (I used Tabasco Green sauce). In the oven at 300 degrees for twelve hours (I hoped).

 

Searing three of the four pieces of pork shoulder.

 

 

 

Deglazing.

 

 

 

 

They all fit!

 

 

 

 

Half of sauce poured over, and ready for the oven after covering the pot.

 

 

 

 

My husband grated 8 pounds of cheese! (I was quadrupling my mac and cheese recipe). We didn’t end up using it all.

 

 

 

No pictures of boiling the elbow macaroni, but I did 2 pounds in each pot of boiling, salted water, before spreading out the macaroni in two hotel pans (one pot per pan).

 

I made the bechamel in two batches. I usually use 5 cups of buttermilk per batch, but quadrupling meant that I would be four cups short after a using a gallon, so I added two cups of whole milk to each batch. 

 

 

Making the bechamel.

 

 

 

Melting that much cheese took forever, it seemed.

 

 

 

Almost there!

 

 

 

Mixed the cheese sauce and mac in each pan, covered them in foil and refrigerated. (This is where my husband always doubts me when I tell him I can fit something in the fridge. Or in a pot. Or in a bag. Heck, this is a man who will choose a gallon ziplock back to store 10 leftover crackers.) 😏😂

 

I woke up to the tantalizing aroma of delicious meat cooking in the oven. At 5:30am I checked the pork. It was definitely to temp! You really can get a bark in oven baked pulled pork!

 

 

 

 

I double wrapped each piece in foil and placed them in a cooler, with newspapers all around to further insulate. I let the roasts rest until ready to pull the meat.

 

 

 

 

I skimmed the grease from the pan sauce, and then strained it, mashing the veg as much as I could to get the flavor. I strained simply because there were unattractive bits in the sauce, otherwise the onions, etc. tasted pretty damn good. This is before straining.

 

 

 

I combined the strained oven sauce with the remainder of the barbecue sauce, and used this for saucing the meat before plating.

 

 

 

 

My husband washed and peeled the sweet potatoes. There were a few more than pictured.

 

 

 

 

Ready for the ovens.

 

 

 

The mac and cheese ready for the ovens.

 

 

 

 

After the ovens.

 

 

 

This much of the second pan left. Wow, did I overestimate. I knew I’d be seeing my son later that day and was sure he’d want some mac and cheese. Nope, his wife made some the night before for supper and they had plenty. Joke’s on me! I have this much in my fridge in three containers and maybe I’ll just take them to the community fridge.

 

 

The pulled pork. I added more sauce to it as we plated.

 

 

For some reason I have zero pictures of the coleslaw. I used bagged coleslaw, which my husband volunteered to chop finer because he doesn’t care for coarsely chopped. The pleasure was all his. I had two bottles of commercial coleslaw dressing, one in the fridge and one in the pantry. It is far too sweet, so I matched it with mayo and added red wine vinegar. Tasted it. YUCK!!! The bottle of dressing that was in the pantry should’ve been refrigerated. Tossed all of the dressing and my husband picked up more at the store. I know I should’ve just made it from scratch, but I didn’t.  Added mayo and red wine vinegar to the newly purchased dressing and it was fine. No pictures, except plated.

 

 

 

 

We both agreed we didn’t work this hard when we worked! The delivery was made at 12:30, and we wanted to collapse. But I was babysitting my 20 month old grandson at 2:00, so I put my collapse on hold. Luckily, he loves to sit on my lap and listen to children’s music on my phone (holding the phone is part of the draw). We sang and couch danced for a couple of hours. My Mimi heart was restored. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Maison Rustique]

YUM!!!

[patti]

1 hour ago, MetsFan5 said:

I do know that in NJ, restaurants that donate left over food to food banks and other charities are protected by a law that doesn’t hold them liable for any food related illnesses, which encourages them to donate. 

 

A local seafood restaurant collaborates with the sponsors of two of the community fridges to donate leftovers four days a week (Tues - Fri). My husband and I volunteer to do pickup of the packaged meals from the restaurant for delivery to a community fridge. Community volunteers sign up for the delivery, and it’s been working for the last six months. Sometimes the meal donation is as small as 12 plates, but more often it’s more than 20, and even 40 plates, four days a week. I admire this restaurant!

[Smithy]

I am amazed, astonished, uber-impressed with the work and love you put into this project in general, and that last meal in particular! Thanks also for the information about the pulled pork and how you did it. The mac and cheese -- well, too bad I'm not down there! I'd come take some of those leftovers off your hands! (Not that I need them.) And nice to see you using the Tabasco green sauce.

[patti]

1 hour ago, Darienne said:

We are all right behind you, Patti.      Don't let anything negative get you down.  And here we go for the next installment.  I love reading about what you are doing. 

You are the sweetest! Your support means so much. 

[chromedome]

2 hours ago, SLB said:

FWIW, I didn't read the detour to food-safety customs as hateration, I saw it as more of a reflex from the professionals who've had the rules branded onto them.

 

Yup, this!

I think there's probably a liability issue at play in some jurisdictions, too. But clearly that's not the case where you live, and I'm absolutely 100% behind anyone feeding people who need feeding. 

[patti]

8 hours ago, SLB said:

FWIW, I didn't read the detour to food-safety customs as hateration, I saw it as more of a reflex from the professionals who've had the rules branded onto them.

 

Meanwhile, I've been meaning to say, I see all that shiny magnalite in effect!  And I see it with my head hanging low in shame, as my own custody of my mother's magnalite has been so derelict that I can't even remember it being shiny, although it sure was shiny when my mother passed it to me back in 1996.  It had been my Louisiana grandmothers before (not Lafayette, way over in Terrebone parish).  C'est dommage.  

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the sammiches.  

 

I do understand that, but I was caught off guard and wasn’t sure how to feel and/or how to address it. 

 

Regarding the Magnalite, yes, they’ve been put into heavy use during this project! My enthusiasm for Magnalite has varied over the years. As a young bride, it was something I definitely wanted to receive as a wedding gift! Along with a rice cooker and a Talk About Good cookbook.  We south Louisiana cooks are devoted to it.

 

When I discovered eGullet in 2004, I was influenced to get Le Creuset, and I switched my allegiance to those, sort of pushing my Magnalite away. Speaking of hanging your head in shame, I gave my mother’s 17 quart Magnalite to my sister, instead of treasuring it. I’m glad you kept yours! In recent years I’ve revived my love for it. I bought both a 13 quart and 17 quart roaster on eBay, but original Magnalite, not the new versions. They are so handy for larger scale cooking! I used my Magnalite chicken fryer for the cheese sauce. I have saucepans and 6 & 8 quart gumbo pots (I guess other people would call them stock pots, but we know they’re for gumbo!) Also, the weight difference means you can get them in and out of the oven easier than the Le Creuset (or Lodge, or Staub, or which ever).

 

Terrebonne Parish? My sister has lived there for many years. Bon jour, cher!

 

I’m ashamed to say that I ignored my mother’s warnings and used to put my largest Magnalite skillet (used for smothered round steak and smothered chicken, etc.) in the dishwasher, and it is pitted and ugly. Mom, I shoulda listened!! I haven’t found one on eBay, but then I don’t cook those kinds of meals (for home) anymore.

You’ve taken me down memory lane!  Mais la!

Edited 33 minutes ago by patti (log)

[patti]

2 hours ago, Smithy said:

I am amazed, astonished, uber-impressed with the work and love you put into this project in general, and that last meal in particular! Thanks also for the information about the pulled pork and how you did it. The mac and cheese -- well, too bad I'm not down there! I'd come take some of those leftovers off your hands! (Not that I need them.) And nice to see you using the Tabasco green sauce.

 

Thank you!

 

How I would love to share the mac and cheese with you! Honestly, last night I wanted to serve myself a big plate of it. Sigh. But didn’t.

 

I love Tabasco green sauce. It’s my secret ingredient in a number of things. 😉 Louisiana Gold Green sauce was another favorite, but it’s been discontinued. Wish I’d known soon enough to stock up and hoard. Haha!

[Shelby]

Excellent excellent job, Patti!  SO much work....the cooking the cleaning up.  I'm exhausted reading about it.  I'd dive head-first into that pan of macaroni if I could.

[blue_dolphin]

@patti, those pulled pork meals look stellar! You and your husband really showed off your teamwork in pulling that one off (pun intended 🙃) 

 

I thought the discussion of food safety around community fridges was an interesting tangent for me and I hope it was perceived as another aspect of the situation, not any sort of intentional negativity. 
 

9 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

I do know that in NJ, restaurants that donate left over food to food banks and other charities are protected by a law that doesn’t hold them liable for any food related illnesses, which encourages them to donate. 

 

That’s actually a national law here in the US, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996.  It should apply to community fridges and donors like Patti, as long as they are acting in good faith.  However, such liability protection does NOT  mean the operations comply with local food safety ordinances.  There are no federal guidelines for community fridges so they are subject to local rules. 
 

Curiosity around that aspect got me looking around for best practices (like these) and there are definitely steps that can be taken to reduce risk, like requiring dating of all foods, the use of recording thermometers in the fridges with remote alarms to alert staff, regular cleaning and sanitizing logs, purging of outdated foods and educating donors. Local authorities may or may not be willing to accept anything except the regulations they already apply to restaurants, caterers, or food banks and that’s fair, though it unfortunately results in more people going without. 
 

I certainly commend Patti and everyone who works so hard to help feed the hungry among us! 

 

 

Edited 35 minutes ago by blue_dolphin
Typo (log)

[Darienne]

3 hours ago, Shelby said:

Excellent excellent job, Patti!  SO much work....the cooking the cleaning up.  I'm exhausted reading about it.  I'd dive head-first into that pan of macaroni if I could.

If I weren't already lying down reading this, I'd definitely have to.   I too feel worn out just reading about all that work!!!

[SLB]

4 hours ago, patti said:

You’ve taken me down memory lane!

 

Patti-baby.  This food you're throwing down on these neighbors in need?  It's *sending* them down memory lane, in the very best way.  I keep thinking, what must a person feel when they reach into a community fridge and get a meal like one of these???

 

I said it before, I like everything about this.  It's invigorating and humbling and all the things for the season of thanks.  

[patti]

 

3 hours ago, Shelby said:

Excellent excellent job, Patti!  SO much work....the cooking the cleaning up.  I'm exhausted reading about it.  I'd dive head-first into that pan of macaroni if I could.

 

Says the woman who raises, grows, hunts, processes, cans, etc. the majority of her own food?!!   Haha, I pale in comparison! And would share macaroni and cheese with you, anytime.

 

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

@patti, those pulled pork meals look stellar! You and your husband really showed off your teamwork in pulling that one off (pun intended 🙃) 

 

I thought the discussion of food safety around community fridges was an interesting tangent for me and I hope it was perceived as another aspect of the situation, not any sort of intentional negativity. 
 

 

That’s actually a national law here in the US, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996.  It should apply to community fridges and donors like Patti, as long as they are acting in good faith.  However, such liability protection does NOT  mean the operations comply with local food safety ordinances.  There are no federal guidelines for community fridges so they are subject to local rules. 
 

Curiosity around that aspect got me looking around for best practices (like these) and there are definitely steps that can be taken to reduce risk, like requiring dating of all foods, the use of recording thermometers in the fridges with remote alarms to alert staff, regular cleaning and sanitizing logs, purging of outdated foods and educating donors. Local authorities may or may not be willing to accept anything except the regulations they already apply to restaurants, caterers, or food banks and that’s fair, though it unfortunately results in more people going without. 
 

I certainly comment Patti and everyone who works so hard to help feed the hungry among us! 
 

 

Thank you! Pun appreciated! 

 

For the record, I do think about food safety every time I prepare these meals. I’m aging my hands a thousand times more with all of this hand washing! I start with a clean kitchen, I wipe down and sanitize surfaces, I use a Lysol cloth to clean my phone and iPad before starting each time, knowing I will be repeatedly touching them. I haven’t checked my fridge temps, but I know some items that get placed in the very back of the main shelf will freeze.

 

I really should take a food safety course, and might. My previous job at the local university was in the Continuing Ed dept and we offered the food safety certification courses all the time. Not that I picked up any info by osmosis! But I worked with the woman who taught the class when I offered a south Louisiana cooking program when I coordinated a Road Scholar program. The cooking portion of the program took place in a university teaching kitchen, and it was under the supervision of the food safety instructor (side gig for her, as she was also head of the hospitality program).  Anyway, she had rules for our kitchen usage, which I had to follow. Again, it doesn’t mean I know all of the rules, just that I have a basic understanding. Unfortunately, the Continuing Education dept. no longer exists, so no more food safety classes through them, although the community college probably offers it.

 

I definitely need to work on purging outdated foods, but 90% of the ingredients (except spices and seasonings) are purchased the week the meal will be made. Except for that damn coleslaw dressing that I threw out.

 

I appreciate your input and will be following that best practices link.  Thank you.

 

34 minutes ago, Darienne said:

If I weren't already lying down reading this, I'd definitely have to.   I too feel worn out just reading about all that work!!!

 

Haha, that made me smile. I too, am surprised I have this much energy, but it feeds on itself. I seem to be able to recover and do it all again! So far.

[patti]

43 minutes ago, SLB said:

 

 I keep thinking, what must a person feel when they reach into a community fridge and get a meal like one of these???

 

I said it before, I like everything about this.  It's invigorating and humbling and all the things for the season of thanks.  

 

I hope it’s along the lines of the words of one of my former speech therapy students, “It’s my wucky day!”

 

Thank you.

[blue_dolphin]

2 minutes ago, patti said:

I appreciate your input and will be following that best practices link.  Thank you.

Oh, I didn’t mean those suggestions for you and your kitchen, which all looks meticulous in your photos!
I think they’re more relevant to the nonprofit orgs running the fridge programs but thought people might be interested in the activity that has to go on behind the scenes to make these services as safe as reasonably possible.