Hounds In The Kitchen » Meat

Bincho-tan at Freshstreet Yakitori

Rachel — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:48:09 +0000

Freshstreet Yakitori (previously Section 8 Yakitorium) has received a good bit of press lately. The reviews are universally great but no one has picked up on exactly what makes the Yakitorium so tasty and authentic.

It’s the bincho.

Bincho-tan is a special hardwood charcoal produced and imported from Japan. So far as I can find, no one else in Columbus (and possibly the state) is using this cooking fuel.

Bincho-tan is produced from oak by steaming the wood at high temperatures. The resulting charcoal burns at a lower temperature but for longer periods of time than traditional coals. More importantly to cooks, bincho-tan does not smoke.

Yakitori stands prefer bincho-tan, therefore, because it allows the true taste of the meat to come through the flames. The charcoal also powers a grill for many hours, allowing the chef to cook through a meal shift.

Yakitori the Freshstreet Way

Kenny Kim and Misako Ohba first brought Japanese street food to Columbus with their Foodie Cart crepes. They later added takoyaki (pancake-batter like savory balls filled with octopus or corn) and moved into a shack in the Short North. Yakitori is their latest endeavor, served late nights at the Double Happiness bar in the Brewery District.

Kenny and Misako import their bincho-tan from Japan through a Chicago importer. Several other ingredients including ramen noodles are obtained in this way. They invest great cost in importing these authentic goods because they are not satisfied with lesser replacements.

The pair skillfully skewer small bits of meat, some of it local, on wooden spikes so the meat rests evenly across the yakitori grill bricks. Traditional Japanese chicken thigh and skin are offered, as are more adventerous cuts like beef cheek, pork belly, tongue, and tuna. At least one vegetable is always available. Skewers run between $2-4.

Yakitori are grilled over hot bincho-tan to order. Some are served simply with lemon and salt; others are dipped in a soy-based sauce. The resulting meat has the crisp texture of a grilled product without excessive smokiness.

Wise visitors order a variety; I was surprised at how much I loved the unctuous beef cheek and also that I enjoyed okra cooked yakitori-style, as I don’t like it in any other preparation.

Other Japanese specialities compliment the yakitori, including an excellent take on okonomiyaki (savory cabbage pancakes) for $4. Diners can eat at the Double Happiness bar or in their comfy lounge. The bar makes notable soju (barley spirit) and sake cocktails, well matched to the Freshstreet food.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the Japanese street food authenticity, Freshstreet Yakitori is widely appealing to many palates. Kids will enjoy meat on a stick as much as adults. There is something for every diet and adventure-level.

If you go:

Freshstreet Yakitori at Double Happiness is a bit hard to find. It is just over the 70/71 split from downtown at Front and Brewer streets. Look for the slender building on the east side of the street across from Wasserstrom and Via Vecchia.
Current hours are Thursday – Saturday 6:30 – 11:59 pm.
Find parking on the street or nearby garages.
Prepare to wait 5-10 minutes for your food. Every dish is made to order.
Freshstreet crafts their menu to have options for gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, and low-carb diets. Be sure to specify if you are gluten free, especially, so that there is no contamination on the grill.

Freshstreet Yakitori at Double Happiness
482 S Front St
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 220-5558

http://www.facebook.com/freshstreet
www.doublehappinessohio.com

NB. I will be cooking yakitori with the Freshstreet folks in Cleveland at a Brick & Mortar pop-up Japanese Festival this Thursday, February 2, at 6:30 pm. Tickets are still available for the event. Columbus Food Adventures has a few spots left for their road-trip adventure that includes the festival dinner, ride from Columbus and back, and a meet and greet with Chef Jonathon Sawyer.

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Bincho-tan at Freshstreet Yakitori is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Links I Love {Friday Five}

Rachel — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:25:00 +0000

I apologize for another list post but my mind is stuck on them right now. I have gift lists, guest lists, and grocery lists scattered around the house. When not making or checking off my lists, I read these five great articles this week:

1) It’s For You, Teacher Tom is a sweet reflection in the true meaning of gift giving, as observed with preschoolers.

2) If I Do Something Bad, Will You Still Love Me? by Amy Turn Sharp makes me feel all funny inside. She can do that with the shortest stories and I am always amazed.

3) The Chicken In The Snow is Lil’s latest blog post. She wrote the comic after we saw a little snowfall and wondered how our chicken Austra must feel.

4) Alex pointed out the Most Popular Photography Tips, Tricks and Hacks post by Lifehacker. I hope to find some time to dig through all the ideas soon.

5) I was thrilled to see my name among the Charcutepalooza Semi-Finalists list. I am so appreciative of those who followed along and supported my meaty writing. If you liked my posts, click through to some of the other sites – I’m among some amazing bloggers!

Did you read anything great this week?

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Links I Love {Friday Five} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Sweetheart, Sweet Heart {Charcutepalooza}

Rachel — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:53:04 +0000

My final Charcutepalooza post, on the topic of showing off, takes the form of two family stories.

Origins of the Sweetheart

Once upon a time in 13th century Europe, lived Devorguilla of Galloway. Devorguilla was a woman of substance (i.e. wealthy land owner) whose parents arranged her marriage to John de Baliol.

Read more of the Baliol family history on Tom Baillieul’s website if you wish – it’s pretty fascinating stuff! Tom, Alex’s father, also painted and graciously allowed me to use the Devorguilla/John de Baliol crest on the right.

When John died in 1269, Devorguilla embalmed his heart and enshrined in a decorative ivory box to accompany her everywhere. Legend has it that Devorguilla had this heart seated at the opposite head of her dinner table and donated John’s portion of the meal to the hungry.

History shows that Devorguilla likely coined the term ‘sweetheart’ through her dedication to John even after his death. In 1290, she was buried with John’s heart at a Cistercian monastery she founded with the name ‘Sweetheart Abbey’.

Consumption of the Sweet Heart

703 years after the death of Devorguilla, her descendant Alex Baillieul was born. Alex grew to be an adventurous traveler and cook proud of his Balliol heritage.

Alex’s wife Rachel embarked on a year long charcuterie project in 2011, the culmination of which was to be a dish or meal that showed off four styles of meat curing. At the same time as the final Charcutepalooza project assignment, Rachel and Alex intended to attend a CMH Dinner Club with the theme ‘show your roots’.

Rachel could think of no ‘roots’ story better than that of Devorguilla. She knew that she and Alex had to create an edible sweet heart.

Rachel bought a beef heart from Blues Creek Meats. She, Alex, and Lil examined the anatomy, identifying the aorta and chambers while marveling at the mass of the muscle.

Noticing very little fat (or inedible bits), the curing plan became clear: the heart would be cooked slowly in goose and bacon fat. A recipe on From Belly to Bacon confirmed that confit is an appropriate technique for this unusual cut of meat.

When tender, 12 hours after cooking, Alex cooled the heart in the fat. To serve it, he sliced the muscle into thin pieces and seared them in a hot pan. Rachel prepared a rosemary honey drizzle to garnish the sweet heart.

Rachel and Alex ultimately were unable to attend the CMH dinner club. Instead they served sweet heart, fermented Spanish-style chorizo, duck prosciutto, squirrel rilletes, homemade cornichons, and sour cherry preserves on a charcuterie platter for Thanksgiving with extended family, retelling the story of Devorguilla.

Adventurous diners were surprised at the luxurious heart. It was beefy and rich with melt-in-your-mouth texture. Lil declared it “better than hamburger”. Devorguilla’s namesake, the big hound Devie, heartily approved of the dish, complaining only that she did not get more pieces as treats.

Sweet heart, a dish honoring an ancient relative with the ancient art of charcuterie, was the perfect ending to a year of cured meat.

Final Relfections

I, Rachel, entered the Charcutepalooza challenge with a fair amount of meat curing experience. Any fears of raw meat, botulism, icky meat casings, and expensive investments had already been overcome at the beginning of 2011. Instead, I took on Charcutepalooza as a lens through which to explore food writing and expose more people to the dark secrets of the meat hanging in my basement.

I attempted to record each challenge in a unique way – I told fiction, humor and non-fiction stories, shared new and interpreted recipes, showed off charcuterie in pictures and video, and opined on marriage, meat sourcing, squirrel and vegetarianism. Some of these posts were quite a stretch for my skills and patience but I advanced to spread the love of cured meat.

There is a fabulous trip to France awaiting one of the Charcutepalooza participants. I do not envy Cathy and Kim who must judge the entries. Fortunately, I feel like a winner already because this challenge has strengthened my confidence as a writer and home cook. It even convinced my family that heart is a sweeeeeeet meat.

Sweet Heart (Beef Heart Confit with Rosemary Honey)
Makes: 50+ appetizer servings
Time: 12 hours cooking, 48 hours infusion for honey

1/2 cup local lightly-flavored honey
1 stalk fresh rosemary

1 beef heart (4-5 pounds of meat)
salt
2-3 quarts of goose, pork, or duck lard (we used a mix of all three)

1. Fold rosemary stalk to fit into the bottom of a half pint jar.
2. Cover rosemary with honey. Put a lid on the jar and set aside at room temperature for 2 or more days, until infusion reaches your desired taste.
3. Salt beef heavily inside and outside of the heart cavity. Chop into large pieces as necessary to fit in an oven-safe pan or pot.
4. Liquefy lard by heating it on the stove top.
5. Pour fat over the heart until all parts of the meat are covered.
6. Place in a 200 degree oven for 12 hours until meat is tender.
7. Cool the heart while submerged in fat. Under refrigeration, the heart keeps indefinitely.
8. For service, remove heart from fat by reheating on the stove top and straining off the fat when it is liquefied. (Fat may be reserved for future use.)
9. Slice the heart into pieces 1/8 inch thick.
10. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Quickly sear heart slices and place on a bed of arugula or other lettuce on a platter. Drizzle with rosemary honey.

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Sweetheart, Sweet Heart {Charcutepalooza} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

A Six Year Old Makes Lardo & Rat Creature Quiche {Charcutepalooza}

Rachel — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

The eleventh Charcutepalooza challenge is curing. Alex and I have cured and dried many meats including saucisson sec, fermented chorizo, and coppa.

I asked my daughter Lillian to complete this challenge with me. She’s been around hanging meat for most of her life. Curing requires minimal skill and can be left for days at a time, perfect for the distractable mind of a six year old. Watch how Lil cures lardo:

While the lardo cured and dried, our family began reading Columbus-native Jeff Smith’s iconic juvenile comic series Bone. One character in the book, an adversarial rat creature, is so mesmerized by quiche that he wants to cook the protagonist Bones into quiche, dreams about quiche, and even argues so adamantly about quiche that the Bones repeatedly escape capture. For the rest of the series, the Bones call the quiche-loving, negligent soldiers ‘stupid, stupid rat creatures’.

As Lil says in the video, she doesn’t like lardo raw but loves it cooked like bacon. We cooked some salted, dried back fat into a quiche that a Lil’ rat creature might like – no green stuff or spice. We arranged a few strips of lardo into a star pattern on the center, another recurring theme in Bone.

Alas, our lardo-making daughter did not like the quiche. Alex and I, however, think the the stupid rat creatures were right on: quiche is a great way to enjoy cured meat.

Stupid Rat Creature Quiche
Makes: 6
Time: 20 minutes preparation, 40-50 minutes baking

4 ounces lardo, diced, plus several slices for garnish if desired
5 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 grinds fresh black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar
single pie crust (my recipe here)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook lardo in a skillet until lightly browned, drain fat.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
4. Line a 9-inch quiche or pie pan with crust. Tuck under edges and finish with a fork or fingers.
5. Scatter lardo and cheese on the bottom of the crust.
6. Pour egg mix over the top.
7. Bake in oven for 40-50 minutes or until top is browned.
8. Cut into six slices and serve.

This post is a part of the year-long Charcutepalooza challenge. Read below for our other meat-curing adventures and reflections.

Modern Mistletoe: Meat, Marriage, & Duck Prosciutto Pizza
Waste Not, Want Not Squirrel Rillettes
English Pork Pie Photojournal
Almost All-Ohio Mouselline
How to Make Hot Dogs Like a Girl
Mint Lamb Sausage Inspired by Jorgensen Farms
Taco Truck Chorizo Sopito
Red’s Canadian Bacon or Why I Had to Kill a Pig To Eat Meat Again
The Story of the Rachel
Salt Cure Old and New
Cider Syrup Bacon

Added to Simple Lives Thursday.

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A Six Year Old Makes Lardo & Rat Creature Quiche {Charcutepalooza} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Modern Mistletoe: Meat, Marriage, & Duck Prosciutto Pizza {Charcutepalooza}

Rachel — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I recently mentioned on twitter that having the first meat of the season hanging in the basement made me feel like our house was a home again. Someone (who are you? I can’t find the tweet now!) replied “It’s modern mistletoe!”

That got me to thinking about how meat curing is a tasty metaphor for my nearly-eleven-year-long marriage to Alex.

Curing meat takes time and attention from both parties in our house. We help each other to procure the ingredients, turn the meat in cure, and check it as it dries.

Some couples like to have independent hobbies but we like being in each other’s business. Even before I ate meat, I assisted Alex with charcuterie because it’s a fascinating hobby.

Meat curing and marriage benefit from a healthy dose of humor. Much of making bacon (or duck prosciutto in this case) is icky work – there’s raw meat, mildly-toxic salt, and the possibility of insects being attracted to the drying meat. The cure for the gross parts of curing is to laugh. We make jokes (sausage is especially good for word play), gently tease, and sometimes try to drip meat juice on a spouse during a photo shoot. It’s all good fun.

When meat is done curing, we cook up creative dishes together. In the case of the duck prosciutto, we added it to homemade pizza. Alex made the dough and I popped open a jar of my home-canned tomato sauce. We added a pile of arugula and mozzarella before topping the ‘za with thin prosciutto slices and a grate of Parmesan.

Alex and I enjoyed the pizza with a glass of wine and candle on the table in the company of our daughter Lil (who also served as the photographer for the three portraits above). We savored the from-scratch food we made together.

Curing meat challenges us to work together, listen to each other, and enjoy the finer things in life. Meat IS our modern mistletoe, the object under which we find love.

Duck Prosciutto Pizza
Makes: 1 12-inch pizza
Time: 2 hours dough, 20 minutes assembly, 7-10 minutes cooking

1/4 recipe homemade pizza dough
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3 ounces fresh arugula
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces duck prosciutto, sliced as thinly as possible
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F with a baking stone on center rack.
2. Make a thin circle from the dough and place on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel or back of a cookie sheet.
3. Top pizza with a bit of tomato sauce, then arugula and mozzarella cheese.
4. Arrange duck prosciutto and top with Parmesan.
5. Transfer pizza to the baking stone.
6. Bake for 7-10 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly brown. Remove from oven, let rest 1-2 minutes, cut, and serve.

This post is a part of the year-long Charcutepalooza challenge. Read below for our other meat-curing adventures and reflections.

Waste Not, Want Not Squirrel Rillettes
English Pork Pie Photojournal
Almost All-Ohio Mouselline
How to Make Hot Dogs Like a Girl
Mint Lamb Sausage Inspired by Jorgensen Farms
Taco Truck Chorizo Sopito
Red’s Canadian Bacon or Why I Had to Kill a Pig To Eat Meat Again
The Story of the Rachel
Salt Cure Old and New
Cider Syrup Bacon

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Modern Mistletoe: Meat, Marriage, & Duck Prosciutto Pizza {Charcutepalooza} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup {Friday Five}

Rachel — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:48:55 +0000

Is your Thanksgiving menu finalized?

My mother is hosting dinner this year so Alex and I are responsible for very little. We’re bringing a charcuterie platter for the appetizer, brussels sprouts (probably pan roasted with homemade bacon) and Alex’s dressing.

If your menu isn’t full of family traditions, here are five suggestions for seasonal but unique additions to the table:

1)Buffie Wellies – a tasty rich buffalo appetizer
2) Cranbellini – Add one ounce of cranberry liqueur (yes, there’s still time to make it!) to the bottom of a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and serve a fruity ruby red cocktail during appetizers
3) Mushroom Pie – vegetarian entree or earthy side dish
4) Cranberry Bread – an easy way to use cranberries other than sauce
5) Turkey Stock – even though we aren’t cooking the bird this year, I hope we can claim the carcass for stock making.

Are you hosting or contributing to Thanksgiving dinner? If so, what will you make? Feel free to link recipes in the comments.

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Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup {Friday Five} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

How to Cook a Perfect Whole Bird

Rachel — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:09:08 +0000

Thanksgiving is a little over a week away. This week I’ll share some of my favorite recipes.

Cooking a whole bird is a beautiful thing. The cook has the ability to infuse the meat with distinct flavors and a whole bird can feed a family for many meals. Use these techniques for a perfect Thanksgiving turkey, family style chicken dinner, or delicate individual game hens.

Brine - A sugar/salt brine infuses the bird with flavorful juices. (2-18 hours)

Make one by boiling one half gallon (8 cups) water and adding one cup kosher salt and one half cup sugar, boiled to dissolve and then cool it with one half gallon (8 cups) ice. You can add aromatics such as bay leaf, peppercorns, whole allspice, or orange peels once the brine is made.

Soak the bird in brine for a time appropriate to the thickness of the breast. For a fresh (or thawed frozen) bird, leave the bird in brine for the appropriate length of time:
game hen – 2 hours, fryer chicken – 6 hours, roaster chicken – 8 hours, turkey – 12+ hours. Brine is optional but greatly enhances the flavor and juicy-ness of the bird.

Stuff - Add flavor to a bird by stuffing the cavity and skin with aromatics. Stuffing with bread filling is not recommended by the USDA and extends cooking time, which can dry the meat. (10 minutes)

Fill but do not over-stuff the cavity with quartered onions, fresh herbs, or citrus. Slide a finger between the breast and skin and place butter and/or herbs under the skin for a more delicious and juicy bird. Stuffing is totally optional.

Truss - Tie up the bird’s legs to cook evenly and not dry out. (5 minutes)

Using a 2 foot length of butcher’s twine or plain cotton string, tie the feet together. Push the tail fat under the legs inside the cavity. Then, drive a bamboo skewer between the two wings and through the bird so that they are held closely to the rest of the bird.

Roast Hot and Fast - Low and slow methods work well for fat-marbled meats, which turkey, chicken and the like are not. Instead, roast at a high temperature to brown the skin, reduce temperature and do not over-cook. NB: Fatty water fowl should be steamed before roasting. (1-3 hours)

Thaw your bird to room temperature. Place it atop a few chopped vegetables (carrots, celery, onion) or directly in a roasting pan, breast side up. Optionally, rub with olive oil or butter. Sprinkle skin with salt and pepper.

Put the pan in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15-25 minutes until skin is browned. Drop the temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking until the meat reaches 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the breast. Be sure you are not hitting bone when you measure temperature. Do not rely on pop-up gauges.

Rest - Allowing meat to rest is the most overlooked part of cooking. This step is absolutely necessary for the protein to cool and seize up the juices. (5-20 minutes)

A whole turkey should rest for at least 20 minutes, a chicken 10, and a game hen 5. Rest out of the oven on a cutting board.

Carve - Use a very sharp knife and bold strokes to carve a bird. (10-15 minutes)

First, break shoulder to wing joint. Carve through the wing at the shoulder joint to remove the wing. Split into wing and drum if you wish. Next, cut the breast pieces off, leaving skin in tact. Set aside and slice later. Then, remove the leg and thighs from the hip by breaking and cutting through the joint. If desired cut between leg and thigh at the knee joint.

Savor - The drippings and carcass of a bird can yield several more dishes. (20 minutes – days)

For gravy, skim fat from pan drippings. Heat drippings over medium heat. Add a slurry of water and flour slowly. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens.

Pick bits of meat off the carcass for making into salad, soup, or sandwiches.

To make stock, cover the carcass with water in a wide roasting pan with an onion, halved, celery chunks, and carrots. Cook at 200 degrees F in the oven for 8 hours. Strain the resulting stock, skim fat from top, and use in soup, risotto, or sauce. Stock can be frozen for up to one year.

This tutorial was part of the instruction at a recent cooking class. The participants there had plenty of questions. Do you?

Added to Hearth and Soul.

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How to Cook a Perfect Whole Bird is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Local Thanksgiving Turkeys & CSAs 2011

Rachel — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:00:16 +0000

Are you planning turkey day already? You can bet I am!

I know friends are too because the questions about ‘where can I order a turkey?’ are pouring in. Here are the best local options I am aware of:

Turkey

Bowman and Landes – I grew up visiting my grandmother who worked at Bowman and Landes farm in Springfield, OH. The turkeys have ample room to roam and the meat is free from hormones and antibiotics. There’s even a family legend that my parents fell in love the summer they slaughtered and plucked turkeys at B&L. Locally-owned grocers Hills Market, North Market Poultry and Game, Huffman’s and Weilands offer these toms for pre-order around $3 a pound.

Speckled Hen Farm – Turkeys from Speckled Hen are fed locally grown grains and allowed to free range. Order via the web for $2.79/pound and pick up in Worthington.

Tea Hills Pastured Organic Turkeys – Hills Market carries these top of the line heritage breed birds at $5.19/pound or you can order directly from the farm.

OSU Poultry Science Club – Ohio State University sells free range, antibiotic free turkeys as a fundraiser. Order your bird online for $2.59/pound and pick up on the Columbus campus.

CSAs

Wayward Seed – Need something more than a bird on the table? Wayward Seed organic farm offers a box of vegetables, herbs, and fruit to feed a crowd. With a turkey, the cost is $160; with a winter squash, the cost is $130. Read the details and ordering info on their blog.

OSU Student Farm – Support Ohio State University students in their sustainable farm efforts by purchasing a $35 share of sweet potatoes, herbs, squash, garlic and more. Quantities are limited.

Clintonville and Worthington Farmer’s Markets will host pre-Thanksgiving markets on November 19. Pick up mushrooms from Swainway, root vegetables, greens, herbs, apples eggs, and more to fill your menu with local treats.

Did I miss your local favorites? Let me know in the comments!

PS. Alex’s mom Deb made the apple pie with the turkey. Isn’t it cute? She’ll be sharing fiber artistry at next weekend’s Clintonville Arts Guild Holiday Show & Sale at Whetstone Recreation Center.

PPS. I am closing the Hounds in the Kitchen annual reader’s survey on Sunday. I would really appreciate you sharing your opinion before then if you have a few minutes.

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Local Thanksgiving Turkeys & CSAs 2011 is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Grandpa’s Grilled Chicken {Recipe}

Rachel — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:12:06 +0000

I am fortunate to come from a family of home cooks. Women are not the only ones in the kitchen – my father, uncle, and grandfather don aprons and feed the family as well.

This recipe is for my mother’s father’s grilled chicken. The marinade is nothing particularly special, but the method of re-basting it creates a succulent crispy glazed skin.

In honor of Grandpa, I never change the spices. Without nostalgia holding you back, I encourage you to add in a little cayenne, chili powder, or dry mustard.

Grandpa’s Chicken
Serves: 4-8 depending on how much chicken is used
Active cooking time: 10 minutes to prepare, 45-75 minutes grilling

½ cup oil
½ cup vinegar
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon minced onion
5 pounds bone-in chicken, your favorite cut or a whole chicken cut in halves.

1. Whisk all ingredients together.
2. Pour over chicken pieces and allow to marinate for 30 minutes – 6 hours. (If marinating longer than an hour, place the chicken in the fridge.)
3. Heat a grill to moderate heat. Place the chicken on the grate.
4. Use a pastry brush to brush on leftover marinade.
5. Continue grilling, turning the pieces as necessary for even browning. Reapply marinade every 15 minutes.
6. Remove chickens from heat when internal temperature of thickest cut reaches 165 degrees F.
7. Allow to rest five minutes before serving.

Added to Hearth and Soul.

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Grandpa’s Grilled Chicken {Recipe} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Waste Not, Want Not Squirrel Rillettes {Charcutepalooza}

Rachel — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 21:59:41 +0000

When you think of squirrel, what comes to mind?

Do you picture a cute fluffy tailed animal, some backyard wildlife? Or is your vision something more sinister? Are your squirrels tomato thieves, bird feeder destroyers, and dog taunters?

Is anyone thinking savory and delectable? I am.

About Squirrel Meat

While squirrels are ubiquitous in most American neighborhoods, they are almost never on the dinner table. Why? It has nothing to do with the outstanding dark meat, smooth textured, rich taste.

Squirrels are tiny animals when skinned, about 3/4 of a pound including bones. Though ‘tree rats’ are more numerous than HRC stickers in my liberal neighborhood, harvesting and processing enough to feed a crowd would be arduous.

Speaking of the bones, they are numerous. Wine braised squirrel is every bit as tasty as duck (I swear) but eating around the needle thin skeleton is a royal pain.

Then there’s the concern about safety. Could something that runs around alleys, tree lines, and lawns be good to eat? I myself wouldn’t touch the first few squirrel Alex made.

After a whole summer witnessing the beasts steal my garden produce and hang off bird feeders, it hit me: squirrels eat very well. They are not rats eating trash at all – they scavenge abundant wild nuts, seeds, and veggies. Most of what they eat is as untouched from chemicals as the pasture ranged meats I pay so much for at local markets.

Stretching

The October Charcutepalooza challenge was to make an appetizer of rillette, confit, gallentine or roulade, to stretch a single cut of meat into a dish that would feed many. I extended the stretching theme to include my food budget. What delicious small bite could I create without purchasing ingredients?

I immediately thought of squirrel because 1) we had one in the freezer and 2) making it into confit and then rillette would be the perfect way to enjoy the meat without the annoyance of the bones.

Alex flavored a backyard harvested squirrel overnight with garden herbs and garlic. Next, I put the squirrel in goose lard from last year’s Xmas Eve roast with a few end bits of pork belly leftover from making bacon for a long warm bath. Alex picked the meat, pulsed it quickly in a food processor, and packed it into containers. He capped the rillette with excess goose fat.

To serve the rillette, I continued with the waste not, want not theme. I made homemade crackers with the amount of sourdough starter I would have discarded when feeding the fermented goodstuff this morning. Home grown, home canned cornichons and homemade cranberry sauce completed the platter.

Would you try a bite?

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Waste Not, Want Not Squirrel Rillettes {Charcutepalooza} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!