Author: Robert Andrews

Tips: Pig Parts – Dissection

CLICK HERE for cuts from other animals

pork-chart

From America’s Test Kitchen and Sugar Mountain Farm.

Ever wonder where Ham Hocks come from? What’s the difference between the ribs and the spare ribs? What’s the difference between the loin and the center loin?

Here is a picture and an explanation of the Pig Parts and how to use them.

  • The buttocks are salted and pressed in order to eventually produce ham.
  • The ribcage meat is salted and smoked in order to get bacon.[6] Salt is rubbed thoroughly into each piece of meat and all surfaces are covered. Some formulas also include lots of black pepper. The bulk of the meat is cut and ground to produce various sausages, which are traditionally wrapped into the intestines of various sizes.[6]

Schematic representation of the main pork cuts.

The bulk of the fat is cut into small pieces. Some of it is fried to produce cracklings. Lard is made by rendering – heating fragments of fat in a large iron pot over a fire until it is reduced to simmering grease which congeals when cooled.[6] Lard is then stored in lard tins with tin covers. The typical tins in the US are five gallons.

The intestines are stripped by drawing them through a clenched fist. They are then washed, cut into short pieces, and fried to make chitlins.

The various “leftovers” are put into various forms of headcheese jelly, etc. Most parts of the pig are used in this traditional process, even parts of the skin that would normally be thrown away are preserved to be cooked with beans.

The smoke house is essential for the preservation and long term storage of hams, shoulders, bacon sides, and pork bellies. The meat is hung on racks and hooks in the smokehouse; and later smoked. Fragrant hardwood, such as hickory, beech, or cherry is allowed to smolder slowly in a pit below the hanging meat. This gives added flavor and color to the meat as well as serving to dry cure the pork.

Here is another bit of information:

Pork Cuts – Where do they come from?

Where does the meat come from?
Ham – front and back legs up to the haunches
Butt – from the shoulder
Pork loin – the top of the back near the rear of the pig
Loin ribs – Same as baby back, but closer to the rear
Baby back ribs – ribs nearest the spine
Spare ribs – ribs just outside the baby back ribs
St Louis ribs – the tips… past the spare ribs

Instructions

Spare ribs are a bit tougher so take longer to cook, but contain more meat.
Baby backs are faster cooking, more tender and take flavors well
Vaccuum packed ribs will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks

Info from Alton Brown

Make your own curry powder

Make your own curry powder

Ingredients
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, toasted
1/4 cup ground turmeric
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne

This mixture keeps for up to six months

When ready, use one or 2 tablespoons and grind in the spice grinder

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is thin medallions of pork loin (pallard) dipped in flour, oil, and Panko – then deep fried.  After they drain, double fry for extra crispy.

INGREDIENTS

  • Pork Loin, cut into one inch medallions, then pounded to about 3/8 inch thick.
  • Flour
  • Egg
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Peanut oil or sunflower oil – 365º – 400º
  • Onion, carrot, potatoes, cabbage, butter
  • Lemon

STEP BY STEP

  1. Pallard pork medallions into 3/8 inch steaks
  2. Sear (but do not cook) steaks in hot skillet, then set aside
  3. Add salt and pepper to top of steak
  4. Sautee onion and vegetables in the fond left behind in the skillet.  Add butter, and saute onion, bite sized carrot pieces, and fingerling potatoes
  5. And juice of one half lemon
  6. Slice cabbage really really thinly, and put in with the onion
  7. When it wilts down a bit, set aside
  8. Put slits every half inch along the edge of steak
  9. Use paper towels to press all moisture from Pork
  10. Dip pork slices in egg, then flour, then egg, then a mixture of salt, pepper, Panko breadcrumbs, and perhaps red pepper flakes.
  11. Press breadcrumbs aggressively into pork
  12. Slide pork into hot oil
  13. Use skimmer to clean up debris that floats to top
  14. Cook until nicely golden brown
  15. Drain the food on paper towel.
  16. Cut pork into strips
  17. Plate over rice with pickled ginger on the side
  18. And a slice of lemon or lime plus the sauteed veggies

Lebanese eggplant moussaka

Lebanese eggplant moussaka

Large Eggplant . Halved and sectioned
Drizzle with oil, salt, pepper
Bake 10 minutes at 400°

Evoo in pan . Heat
Sauté one onion . slices
6 cloves garlic

Peel 4 tomatoes
Cut tomatoes
Add tomato sections, juice and all
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
Salt, pepper, mint, cumin

Cook 20 minutes at a simmer

Opt . Big halves crimini mushrooms

Serve with rice or pita

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Two-Ingredient Recipes

Sunny Anderson

Chorizo and Cheese Fundido
Put in cast iron pan and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Serve with warm tortillas

Beer and Cheese Sauce
Heat in sauce pan
Serve with pretzels

Lemon Mousse
Cool whip and lemon curd
Mix together and put in cups

Banana Chocolate Soft-serve Ice Cream
Frozen Sliced Bananas
Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Mix in food processor
(Cheat: Splash of milk)

Pumpkin Blondie Brownies
Blondie Brownie Mix
Mix with can of pumpkin puree
Spread into pan with greased aluminum foil lining bottom
Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees

Ranch Biscuits
Bisquick and Ranch Dressing
Mix, form and bake
Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees

Pizza Dough
Self rising flour – SIFT
Greek Yogurt

Parmesan Crisps
Parm Cheese and thyme
Drop onto parchment sheet
Bake until crisp

Flourless Chocolate Cake
4 eggs folded into chocolate hazelnut spread
(soften in microwave if necessary)
Mix together
Put in small ramekins
Bake at 325 degrees 30 minutes

Maple Souffle
3 Egg whites (beaten to soft peaks)
Add maple syrup to 3 egg yolks
Fold together gently – DO NOT OVER-MIX
Bake 350 degrees 10 minutes

Smoked Chicken Enchiladas

SELECT YOUR FAVORITE ENCHILADA SAUCE then proceed with recipe.

  1. Shred cooked chicken
  2. Put half into skillet to char
  3. Soft fry corn tortillas in hot oil
  4. Dip tortilla in enchilada sauce . Both sides
  5. Put chicken into tortilla
  6. 1/4 C Shredded cheese
    • Mozzarella, Queso Fresca, Monterey Jack or Cotija cheese
  7. Put in a bit more chicken
  8. Roll up and line up in casserole
  9. Top with more enchilada sauce and cheese
  10. Top with some bell peppers – skin charred and removed
  11. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes
  12. Let rest 30 minutes
  13. Serve individual enchiladas

Serve with

  • Pickled Onions – Slivered red onion and cider vinegar
  • Salt
  • Oregano

Cauliflower or Broccoli Rice

Use this for stuffing dolmathes, peppers, etc. – – or just as a side
High fiber, low calorie

Recipe 1

  1. Pulse cauliflower in food processor – stem and all – enough to make 2 C
  2. Saute in 2 TBL butter
  3. Serve as a side rather than rice

Recipe 2

  1. Cut cauliflower into pieces and toss with EVOO, salt and pepper
  2. Bake at 425º for 25 minutes.
  3. Pulse in food processor for rice, or mash with butter for mashed potatoes.

Recipe 3

Ingredients

  • 1 C charred corn
  • 1/2 C blanched green beans (1/4 inch pieces)
  • 1/4 C red bell pepper (1/4 inch pieces)
  • Small head of cauliflower (rough chopped)
  • OPT: 1/4 C Toasted Pine Nuts
  • 1/2 C Rustic bread crumbs (toasted in 2 TBL butter)
  • 1/4 C slivered and caramelized red onions
  • 1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Chopped parsley
  • Dijon mustard
  • Rice wine vinegar

Step by Step

  1. Mix bread crumbs, pine nuts, Parm cheese and most of the parsley and set aside
  2. Pulse cauliflower pieces into < 1/4 inch pieces
  3. Add corn, green beans, red bell
  4. Toss with 1 TBL Dijjon mustard and 1 TBL rice vinegar
  5. Put on plate
  6. Top with bread crumb mixture
  7. Garnish with parsley or cilantro

Recipe 4

  1. Pulse peeled broccoli stem in a food processor
  2. But butter and garlic into a pan
  3. When butter is melted, add the broccoli and the zest and juice from one lemon
  4. Top with Parmesan cheese

Recipe 5

Clams / Mussels

Several dozen clams
White wine
Butter
Shredded Romano

Heat butter in hot skillet
– Add a bit of olive oil to keep butter from burning
Chopped or shaved garlic
Deglaze with white wine
Add clams into skillet

Clams should be closed
If they are opened, force it closed
If it stays closed, it is still alive
If it does not, discard it.

Cook only about 5 minutes
Sprinkle with Romano, salt and pepper

Serve hot with garlic bread

Hand Pie – Pocket Pie

Use your pie crimper for this recipe. Or you can just make little round pies and crimp them with a fork.

Slice up about two cups of peaches, apples, cherries, strawberries, blueberries… whatever

Grate in some fresh nutmeg
Put in three teaspoons granulated sugar mixed with one tsp cornstarch
Scant sprinkle of cloves
Lemon juice from one lemon

Put on heat and let simmer 8-10 minutes

Remove from heat to let cool

Use commercial pie crust or MAKE YOUR OWN.
Fill pie crust with a spoonful of filling, brush edge with egg white and crimp

Egg wash top, poke three small designer holes, then bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees

Sprinkle with a bit of crystal sugar

Let cool before eating

Salmon with Mustard Sauce

Salmon with Mustard Sauce

Firm, marbled. Remove fish pun bones, dry

Skin fish with long flexible knife
Lay on table (skin side down) and cut along table

Season fillets with lemon and salt
Brown in sauté skillet in a bit of oil at 350°
About 2 minutes per side. Belly side down first
Look at the cut side of salmon and you should see brown coming up
When it is about one fourth of the way up flip gently to the other side
Cook so that a bit of pink still remains at the center
Remove two plate and set aside

Dump cooking liquid . Do not wipe

Add 4 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to hot pan
1 cup white wine
Drizzle EVOO
Dijon mustard
. Taste
Add salt to taste
Drizzle in a bit of cream

Slide salmon back into pan
Baste
Cook 5 minutes UNCOVERED

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Potato and tomato

Potato and tomato

Peeled potato sliced into thin disks
Lots of slivered onion
Dried oregano
Toss in olive oil and salt
Spread out across oiled casserole

Halve cherry tomatoes
Toss in oil, oregano, salt and grated Parmesan cheese

Spread over top of potatoes
Great mozzarella cheese over top
Put into oven at 425° for one half hour

To dry oregano, basil or cilantro – hang, cut side up, and store in plastic flower sleeve wrapper

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Pig Knuckles

Pig Knuckles
Sauté on onion in butter on low heat
Three bay leaves

Sear knuckle with torch . Brown, don’t blacken
Two bottles of beer
Cover and simmer about 2.5 hours

Serve with mashed peas
Dry peas, soak overnight
Simmer 40 minutes
Strain
Add lemon balm
Fresh peas to supplement

Pan Bread
500 gm AP flour
1 tsp yeast
Scant salt
About 1/2 C water
Soured cultured milk or yogurt
Leave to rise about 2 hours
Pour into hot frying pan
Fry till starts to blacken

Robert@RobertAndrews.NET

Home-made Graham Crackers

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 C AP flour
  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 C whole milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C butter (softened)
  • 3/4 C packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 C honey

STEP BY STEP

  1. Whisk together first five dry ingredients
  2. Combine milk, vanilla and honey in a measuring cup
  3. In a mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, butter and honey until it turns light and fluffy – 3-4 minutes
  4. Add liquid ingredients to bowl and mix on low
  5. Add dry ingredients 1/4 C at a time, whisking between measures to incorporate.
  6. Beat until dough is smooth and shiny 1-3 minutes on medium
  7. Dust a large parchment paper with flour, and flatten half the dough on it
  8. Dust the top and add another large parchment.
  9. With a rolling pin, flatten to about 1/8 inch thick
  10. Transfer dough and parchment to a large baking sheet
  11. Repeat with the remaining dough
  12. Refrigerate both for a full hour
  13. Cut dough into squares
  14. With fork or other “pokey” device, poke holes
  15. Refrigerate another 30 minutes
  16. Bake at 350º 20-25 minutes, rotating sheet after first 10 minutes.
  17. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.
  18. Store for a week, or freeze for a month.

North American Frittata – Basic

frittataBEFORE WE BEGIN . . .

  • Take note that onions cook a little bit longer than garlic. Onions will caramelize.  Garlic will burn.
  • Fresh herbs such as the basil and cilantro should be added at the last minute.
  • If you want to add potatoes, place cut potatoes into a skillet or in the oven to cook most of the way. Add to the top later, otherwise you will have hard uncooked potatoes in your frittata.
  • Once your ingredients are completely cooked, spread the ingredients out over the bottom of the pan and gently, and slowly, drizzle in your egg covering all the vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

  • Four eggs
  • Heavy cream
    .
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Tomatoes
  • Optional: spinach, celery, green onion, bell peppers, garlic, jalapeños, cilantro, crimini mushrooms, etc

NOTE:  You can simply use a Pico de Gallo salsa as your base

  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Basil (chiffonade)
    .
  • Grated/shredded cheddar cheese
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Grated mozzarella cheese
  • Parmesan cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix four eggs – Beat egg until white and yolk is incorporated, but not completely homogeneous
  2. Add a splash of heavy cream
  3. Add salt, pepper, basil chiffonade leaves
  4. Add grated cheddar cheese
  5. Set aside
  6. Use small nonstick OVEN SAFE pan
  7. Chop an onion and put into hot oiled pan
  8. Brown onion
  9. If using mushrooms, set onions aside and cook mushrooms, then add back in onion and continue with Step 10.
  10. Add sliced tomatoes to the top of onion to slightly cook, then remove tomatoes and set aside
  11. Add small amount of other veggies if you wish. Not too much, or it will be watery
    – Add optional ingredients
  12. Let cook until most of the liquid has gone
  13. Pour in egg mixture
  14. Cook until sides start to solidify
  15. Add slices of tomato and nice pieces of ricotta
  16. Add grated mozzarella to top
  17. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the eggs
  18. Top with grated Parmesan cheese
  19. Bake under preheated broiler for 2-3 minutes or
    finish in the oven at 350º for about 25-30 minutes
    . Should be puffy and golden brown, but not burnt

Oh, one more thing…

  • Don’t add anything that is too wet into your frittata. Ideally drain things or set onto a paper towel to lose their moisture
This is a recipe that has been created or modified by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews.
CLICK HERE for a free sample copies of Grandpa's Cookbooks. © 2016, 2017, 2018.

Basic Fried Egg – aka Over Easy: Two Ways

  1. Use small nonstick panfried egg
  2. Use a small glass ramekin, and get it very slightly wet inside. This will help the yolk not break.
  3. Break your egg into ramekin being careful not to get eggshell pieces into your Egg.
    NOTE:  If shells fall in, use the edge of the larger shell to scoop it out.
  4. Bring temperature of pan up to 280° – 340° . Small drop of water should splatter
  5. Put in 1 tablespoon cold butter and 1 tsp olive oil
    Olive oil will help the butter to not burn
  6. Move butter around to coat pan
  7. Add egg to medium hot pan
  8. Cover with lid to set the yolk and cook the white a bit.
    This will be sunny side up
  9. If you want it over easy, flip it and let it cook for 15 seconds
  10. If you want it over hard, flip it, poke the yolk, and cook for 30 seconds
  11. Plate up, garnish with a sprig of parsley, and serve with toast.

Alton Brown makes the case for Over Easy eggs cooked in the Oven

  1. Put a carbon steel pan into the oven at 450º
    10 inch for two eggs – 8 inch for one egg
    Use a pan for which you have a tight-fitting lid
  2. Once it comes up to heat, put the pan in and let the pan heat up for 30 more minutes
  3. Crack one or two eggs into a small bowl
  4. Put the hot pan on the top of the turned-off stove
  5. When ready, put in 1 TBL butter (softened) for two eggs
    2 tsp butter for one egg
  6. When the butter has nearly melted, add the egg(s)
  7. Sprinkle with salt
  8. Cover and cook for 4 minutes for two eggs
    (only 3 1/2 minutes for one egg)
  9. Serve on toast
  10. Clean up with salt and paper towel while the pan is still hot

 

Basic Omelette

  1. Use small nonstick pan
  2. Beat two eggs until white and yolk is incorporated, but not completely homogenous – about 20 strokes
  3. Use a whisk to incorporate lots of air for a lighter omelette.
  4. If you like a really really light omelette, separate the yolks first, then beat the egg whites for a while. Adding the yolks back in after the whites start to foam, but not form any type of peaks – then continue beating.
  5. Bring temperature of pan up to 280° – 320° . Small drop of water should splatter
  6. Put in 1 tablespoon cold butter and 1 tsp olive oil
  7. Move butter around to coat pan
    . Ideally, melt butter in a small pan to separate out solids. Use only the clarified butter. Clarified butter will not burn as easily as whole butter.
  8. Add egg to medium hot pan
  9. Move pan around to spread yolk into cooked areas
  10. Once your has been mostly cooked, add your toppings
  11. Toppings should be precooked
  12. Roll omelette over to make a small tube
    . French style omelettes are rolled
    . American style omelettes are folded
  13. Egg should be cooked, but not browned
  14. Top with garnish of your choice
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