Pig Tails. Asian Marinade, Braised and Roasted

nose to TAIL

we're talkin' PIG TAILS...

PHAT ! FATTY fabulous !

done them before (BBQ Style HERE) and i'll do them again.  this not for the weak, diet conscious, cholesterol high, tenderloin pansy palate bacon only-vegetarians.

THIS IS FOR THE, NOSE-TO-TAILERS, SNOOTER TO THE TOOTERS,  TIP-TO-TOE AND EVERYTHING INBETWEENERS

not what you'd expect them to look like ?...

NO, they aren't those cute little curly things on adorable little baby piggies you see in cartoons.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY QUITE UGLY
BUT...TO THE PORK LOVER AND TRUE "NOSE-TO-TAILER" THESE ARE A BEAUTIFUL THING.
porky, meaty, unctuous and fatty.

Shhhh....pig tails are still a CHEAP cut of the pig.
4 lbs. for about 6 bucks !

i just cooked the PIG SNOUTS in a Spicy Mexican Chipotle Adobo so i thought i would go Asian-style with these.  i thew together this marinade.  it worked very well for the braise and dipping sauce as well.  use whatever marinade you see fit, i'm sure it will be as tasty as ever with all this porky fatty goodness that comes together after hours of cooking.

MARINADE

1/2 cup soy

1/4 cup honey

2 big Tbsp brown sugar

juice 1 orange

zest pieces from 1/2 orange, use a potato peeler

6-7 thin slices of ginger

1 scallion, sliced

3 cloves smashed garlic

3 inch piece of smashed lemon grass

1 tsp chili garlic sauce

heat this in a small pot for a few minutes to get the flavors together and let it cool to room temp before pouring into bag of tails.  don't forget to do a taste test.
i had too many tails for 1 bag AND not quite enough marinade.  this was 4 lbs. of tails!!!  i split the contents and i had to substitute in a little Soy Vay Hoisin Garlic Sauce/Marinade.

seal the bag with as little air as possible, put into a pan to prevent leakage and place in the fridge over night.  try to turn the bag if you're up and about.

INTO THE OVEN FOR BRAISING

put in oven proof dish that will fit all the tails.  add marinade and liquid tails were in.  if it doesn't seen like enough you can add some stock, but as you can see i might have had just 1/2 inch of liquid...that worked great.  i would have used a huge cast iron dutch oven with a lid, but it was just too big so i put them in a pyrex glass dish in one layer.  i will probably have to check on them every hour to make sure the braise liquid is still there.

cover TIGHT with aluminum foil and they are ready for the 300-320 F oven
APPROX. 3-3 1/2 HOURS WILL DO IT

i started the oven at 320 F, but didn't realize it was on convection.  after an hour i peeked...they were already getting a lovely golden brown.  i turned convection OFF and lowered to 300 F for another hour.  the last hour was down to 280 F (i had to go to the sore and didn't want to over do it)
they should be done when you can easily pull a piece of the bone from the meat.

seriously...i could not stop eating them straight out of the dish.  i might have over done it on my PHAT quota for the week.

once again, my eyes were bigger than my stomach.  i packed some away with the delicious braising liquid for another application...something with pickled slaw, kimchi?, noodles...
or maybe a pulled pig tail banh mi ?

You have read this article low and slow / odd bits / offal / out of the ordinary / pork / tails. braise with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2014/03/pig-tails-asian-marinade-braised-and.html. Thanks!

Spicy Mexican Braised Pig Snouts

NOSE to tail

i suppose you are only here if you are TRULY into nose to tail eating...OR if this purely fascinates or disgusts you.

maybe just a LOOKY-LOO ?

BUT think of it this way...

THAT WHOLE PIG GAVE UP IT'S LIFE FOR YOUR SLICE OF BACON.

we need to think out of the box...away from the "chop"

i know here in So California there isn't a lot of enthusiasm, but

i'm trying to do my part...
piece by piece

WARNING...PUT YOUR GAME FACE ON !

i'm pretty good with "odd-bits", but this was a doozy.

i hate to say it, but the pre-boil stinks.  ooo boy, it's bad.  i mean it smells like a "pig sty"

not to worry...only the pre-boil smells.  it will go away.
it's always important to do a "pre-boil".

this is a skinny-dip in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.  since these are some odd bits, maybe someone did not take care of them as they would a prized tenderloin, so you need to pre-boil to remove any impurities, contaminates and what-nots...

cover your bits with water and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes.  remove from pot and toss the water.  clean your pot and start fresh.

ALSO...if there are any hairs that might have been missed, you can shave those off with a cheap razor or singe them off, as i do, with a brulee torch.

photo before going in oven

WHAT YOU'LL NEED....
2-3 snouts
3/4-1 lb. of pork shoulder cut into large pieces
1-2 large white onion, sliced thick
8-10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 small can chipotle in adobo sauce.
approx. 2 cups of homemade stock...i used turkey/chicken
cumin, coriander, mexican oregano, chili powder, pepper corns, fresh ground pepper and salt
liberally sprinkle your seasonings all over and inside the cavity of the snout and meat....
NOTE...there are no exact measurements here, just use your judgement.
pre-boil the snouts as mentioned above.
add thick sliced onions to the bottom of dutch oven.  i always use cast iron enamel.  stuff the inside of the snout with the chunks of pork shoulder.  arrange snouts as you wish.  i did it this way so the main part of the snout would not be submerged in the stock.  stick your crushed garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and chipotle peppers and adobo sauce evenly throughout.  i used about 1/2 a can...the broth was SPICY!

put in a 320 oven for the first hour.  take it out and check it.  lower heat to 300 F for another hour.  at this point i used a baster to remove some of the stock/juices.  (save this extra broth, you might need to add some back in.)  i wanted a braise, NOT a boil.  the onions will release a lot of juice.  you want the top part of your goodies showing so they will get a nice brown, golden roasty look (as shown below).

baste a few times when you do your peeking.   ALSO, make sure there is still some liquid in the bottom.  i think for the last hour i left the lid "ajar".  put back in the oven for approximately 1 more hour, but check it again in 1/2 hour.  baste again.  they should be very fork tender, but not falling apart and disintegrating.
NOTE...if you really are interested and would like a little more info, please leave a comment with your questions.

this is what it looks like after approx.  3 hours.

straight out of the oven these are quite delicious.
IMAGINE PORK BELLY ON STEROIDS

melt in your mouth fatty gelatinous skin with a fine layer of meat  and chunks of "confit-style" pork shoulder cooked inside the fatty nose.  it's very hard to describe, but definitely a nose-to-tailers delight.

PERFECT FOR STREET TACOS...

cut into bite size pieces and sear in a hot skillet

a little chopped white onion and cilantro

a squeeze of fresh lime with some pickled jalapeno.

wrap in a fresh corn tortilla

when in DOUBT...

make a TERRINE de SNOUT

i had no idea what on earth i was gonna do with 3 huge pig snouts.  there's no way anyone in this house would join me and as you can see they do not shrink much in the cooking.  i ended up making 2 small "Terrine de Snout" (gave one away) and froze a whole snout in the spicy viscous broth for future use.  if serving cold, your terrine might need more salt.  cold terrines usually need extra flavor.  do a taste test.  remember to put the tip of the snout down first if you want the shock value presentation shown in photos.
IF YOUR GOING TO MAKE A "SNOUT TERRINE" YOU BETTER MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A SNOUT TERRINE!
keep the shoulder meat tucked into the snout cavity and press the larger pieces of extra snout in and around the main piece.  pour a little broth into the terrine and press down to eliminate overflow.  put something flat over the top and weight it down.  i use a brick covered in tinfoil and a baggie.  put this in the fridge until it is set.  serve cold in thin slices with charcuterie OR cut off what you want and sear in a pan (it will break apart, but who cares?).  add to noodles, make tacos,  add to soup, fry it up and make snout chicharones?

ANYWAY YOU TRY IT WILL DEFINITELY BE EXPERIENCE...
GO AHEAD...I DARE YA
CROSS THIS ONE OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST!

You have read this article charcuterie / mexican / odd bits / offal / out of the ordinary / pork with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2014/01/spicy-mexican-braised-pig-snouts.html. Thanks!

Slow Roasted Bone-in Pork Butt with CRISPY SKIN Fat Cap

"A PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS"

but i'll add a few more...

slow roasted, unctuous fall-off-the-bone tender, pull apart pork butt-shoulder-picnic roast.

COMPLETELY COVERED IN CRISPY SKIN

it might take all day, but it is so worth the wait.  there's not much work to it and it will surely be a big hit at your next gathering.

put this baby in the middle of the table...

say, "ready-set-GO"

I CAN'T PASS UP THE $6.00 - 6 LB. PORK BUTT
i'm a big fan of the 8 hour pork roast while you sleep...

BUT...i found a very interesting and informative post about crispy skin roasted pork shoulder.  same concept with one very important extra step...CRISPY SKIN!  

many thanks to Kenji Lopez at Serious Eats for breaking down the science of "the crispy skin" in a way that most of us can understand.

below is a direct quote and just a snippet of information from   J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.  he is the Chief Creative Officer at SERIOUS EATS.

"When roasting at 375°F, because the dehydrating and protein-setting is taking place at the same time that the connective tissue is breaking down, there's never really a stage when the skin is relatively structure-free. It goes from being firm through connective tissue directly to being firm through dehydration.

On the other hand, after 8 hours in a 250°F oven, the pig skin has very little structural integrity—there's really very little holding it together and it closely resembles a bundle of tiny balloons just waiting to be filled.

How do you fill those balloons? Let heat do the work for you."

please go to the original and read more interesting info on the science behind the slow roast vs higher temp/less time from Kenji at Serious Eats.

SLOW ROASTED BONE-IN PORK BUTT WITH CRISPY SKIN FAT CAP
this slightly adapted recipe is from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt at SERIOUS EATS

5 to 6 lb pork shoulder BUTT 

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

cumin

chili powder

Slap Ya Mama Seasoning

2 onions, sliced thick

8-10 cloves garlic

preheat oven to 250F.  prepare a baking dish/roasting pan with extra thick aluminum foil.  lightly oil the aluminum.  i have had one stick to the foil, so now i oil.  lay the onion slices and garlic cloves out for the roast to rest on. 

start with a pork butt bone-in, skin-on...butt should have a "fat-cap".  rinse the meat and dry well with paper towels.  

to score the skin...or not to score the skin...

i chose to score the skin.  as you can see, i did not do a beautiful job, butt i was not going for the "show case shoulder".

there are no exact measurements for the seasoning...just season the whole piece.  i suggest you do this over the sink and rub the seasoning all over.

place the butt on the prepared onion/garlic roasting pan.

put in oven for 7-8 hours.  pork should be done when fork tender.  OR...as the original recipe states...insert a knife.  if you can easily turn the knife around in the meat, you are ready.

remove pork from the oven.
tent and let rest for 20 minutes.

above is what it looks like after 7 1/2 hours at 250F
before crispy skin stage.

CRISPY SKIN STAGE...

crank the oven up to 500F.  you might want to move the cooked butt onto a rack or a clean piece of oiled aluminum foil pan. so as not to burn the onions, garlic and drippings.  put pork in HOT oven and watch for the skin to crisp up.  you might want to rotate the pan a few times for an all over crisp.  watch carefully.  it can go from crisp to burnt in a matter of minutes. 
remove from oven when it is good and bubbly crispy looking.  let rest for 15 minutes and...

DIVE IN!

NOTE...my "butt" was tender, but meaty.  it fell off the bone, but was not oozing-ly juicy.  i was wondering if the super slow roasting renders out more fat than a higher temp.?...or was it that i got a lean butt.  not to worry...

this is FABULOUS...beyond.

sorry to say, i did not have a party of people to serve, but what a show stopper!  i ate my fill of crispy skin and pulled pork... i bet i could have devoured the whole thing, but i put a few large pieces in the fridge wrapped in parchment in a large tupperware.

the next morning i was able to re-crisp the skin and get some lovely slices off the larger chunks.

SO...this saves and serves well for the next few days.  the skin WILL re-crisp (with care) in the toaster oven.

You have read this article low and slow / pork with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/09/slow-roasted-bone-in-pork-butt-with.html. Thanks!

Spicy Pickled Pig Feet

PICKLED TROTTERS...

WAIT...

these are nothing like you would expect.

YES...they are quite a bit to handle, 

but PUT YOUR GAME FACE ON AND GO FOR IT !

all this talk about nose to tail and sustainability...

now you need to

SHOW WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF

and WALK THE TALK

ease into it with a few tostadas...a popular Mexican street food.

REALLY...i'm not kidding.  these little puppies are delicious.

i always see everyone on the cooking shows talking about adding a little acidity to give things a balanced flavor.  pickled this and pickled that, a little balsamic here and a little vinaigrette there...

pickled trotter's could be the answer.... a perfect addition.

just think "PICKLES"

add them to a salad...a burger?...a sandwich?

these trotter's are mildly acidic with a few flavorful spices.  they do have an unusual texture that i can only liken to...well...pickled pig products...hummmph...

if you cook them long enough and are able to de-bone them properly the texture can be soft. pliable and porky.  when chopped into a relish or a topping for salad i bet the consumer would never know.  not to say you should rely on trickery, but not many people will jump at the chance to try a pickle pig product if asked.  i promise, this is not like that horrid looking dusty jar you see on the top shelf at the market...

these are done with a little extra CARE and a little EXTRA FLARE.

had i know they would be this good, i would have filled the jar !

SPICY PICKLED PIG FEET

2-3  trotters split in half

2 cups apple cider vinegar

5-6 cardamom pods, crushed open

4 dried chili de arbol

1 1/2 Tbsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

10 peppercorns

1/2 tsp red chili flakes...a little more s good
a few baby carrots and cloves of garlic

first...put the trotters into a large stock pot filled with water.  bring to a boil for about 5-10 minutes.  pull out trotters and discard water.  this helps remove any contaminants and just makes for clean feet.  clean the pot and fill again with water and put the trotters in.  you're basically just cooking the feet in a good broth...however you do it is fine, but this is what i did...add 1 quartered onion, a few smashed garlic cloves, a couple of bay leaves, a large pinch of Mexican oregano and a splash of apple cider.  bring to a boil, then to a simmer for about 2 to 3 hours or until trotters are very fork tender,(but not totally mush) and bones can easily be removed.
remove from broth and cool to the touch so you can remove as many bones as possible.   try not to mangle the feet.  try to keep the pieces whole or at least large.  this batch was cooked just right so i was able to get every bone and still leave the feet in good shape.
strain and save the broth for something else. keep the bay leaves and chilis for the finished jar.  the broth might not have too much meaty flavor, but it is full of collagen and very very viscous.  i keep it for the next round of pig braising or use it in cold terrines.
next...in a medium sauce pan add the cider vinegar, cardamom pods, dried chilies, salt, sugar, peppercorns and red chili flakes.  bring to boil, then a simmer.  add de-boned trotters in and simmer on LOW for 10 to 15  minutes.
remove from heat.  remove feet and put in jar(or jars) of choice.  strain broth/cider mixture and keep the goodies like the cardamom, peppercorns, bay leaves etc to put in the jar.  pour the cider over the trotters and put all your saved goodies in and around the trotters.
let come to room temp and refrigerate.  let sit in fridge for at least a few days and up to 4 weeks (maybe even a little longer...if the seal is not broken).  if you dig in to them, try and use with in 10 days.  NOTE...i am not the food police and i don't know for sure how long these keep...but they are "pickled" and that's how long i have kept them.

serve them along with your charcuterie platter, on Mexican Street Tostados, slice on top a savory pulled pork slider...heck, you could use them as the pickle effect on a juicy big burger.

You have read this article odd bits / offal / out of the ordinary / pickled / pork with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/06/spicy-pickled-pig-feet.html. Thanks!

The Pig Head Experience...when OFFAL turns AWFUL

how much fun can you have with $ 3.62...???

let me explain...

i swear, i just went to the market to find some sweet basil seeds for a drink project i'm working on.  i took a left in the market and there it was...calling my name.  half a roasted pig's head with ears, nose and eyes intact.  the golden blistered skin, charred crispy ear, a whole hog jowl...it was flawless...it was right in front of me.  i couldn't pass it up.

"i'll take it, please."

"would you like that chopped up miss ?"

"NO, no...please wrap it carefully

AND don't break the ear !"

SO MUCH FUN...

ENDING WITH SO MUCH DISAPPOINTMENT.

i'll try to keep this short...

who in their right mind would come home with 1/2 a roasted pig's head ?  ME

i was a little apprehensive, but so excited and giddy to show off my new purchase.  grinning from ear to ear, i quickly unveiled it in all it's glory.  EYES POPPED, laughter aplenty, but come to think of it...there really wasn't the expected shock considering the odd purchases i usually come home with.

the niece and nephews were in town so i had to be a little cautious.  we all decided it was best to keep the two youngest out of the hilarious loop and not ruin their vision of "Babe".  not just yet.

BUT...the rest of the family?...

we were in stitches.

crispy skin pig cheek...looks delicious, right?...(read on)

i had my fun shooting the head every which way while family members stopped by in disgust, awe and amazement.  after an hour or two i had to call it quits.  even I was getting a bit...hmmm...queasy?

i quickly broke down the head with my trusty cleaver while the two little ones were at the park, removed all the edible meaty parts, packed them up and stuck them in the back of the fridge...
just wait 'til tomorrow...
i'll have my own private little pig party.

i wrapped up the bones and threw them away.

i had enough of the pig head for a day...deal with it tomorrow.

within an hour i was horrified that i could be so wasteful...roasted bones?  why not make a delicious stock?...i removed the tightly wrapped bones from the bin and set forth on a delicious porky-good stock.

5 hours of cooking, simmering and reducing with onions, celery, carrots, oregano, cumin, etc....

mmm... taste test...

IT WAS AWFUL...super bitter !

it had to go down the sink.

sad...so so sad...

i think this super charred side, the crispy ear and burnt snout were the culprit for the awful bitter stock.

this is the first stock i have ever had to toss.
SAD...so very very sad...

the next day i went straight for the crispy unctuous hog jowl.

i was so looking forward to this coveted bite.  i rewarmed and re-crisped it in the oven, watching the skin come back to "crispy perfection".  upon first slice i thought...i have to shoot this...it looks too good to be true.  after a quick impromptu photo shoot,  i settled in for the jowl feast of a life time..

  yikes!  it was like rubber.   we're talking "gummy bear" inedible!
the skin was crispy and delicious, but the meat was like a rubber tire.  it needed to be cooked for another few hours.  i ate the skin and threw the rest out.

i was sad...so very sad.

although the pig head turned out to be so disappointing, it was every bit worth the $3.62.
would i buy another?...maybe for a party and it's shock value.

next time i will cook it myself...BUCKET LIST

so there's my PIG HEAD EXPERIENCE...

and i'll wrap it up with this...

FOOD IS FUN

think outside the box...

you might not get a meal out of it, but you'll surely have an unforgettable experience.

You have read this article odd bits / offal / out of the ordinary / pork with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-pig-head-experiencewhen-offal-turns.html. Thanks!

Pig Cheeks wrapped with Bacon, Brown sugar and Onion

MOVE OVER PORK BELLY...

there's a new kid in town.

PIG CHEEK ROCKS !!!

not that this is any new big discovery, but i have just recently fallen in love.  i simply can not explain how unctuous this small little nugget of pig meat is.  i've had beef cheeks before and they are absolutely fabulous in this recipe for Beef Cheek Barbacoa, but they are a bear with all the sinew and fatty bits that need trimming.  the pig cheeks, on the other hand, are small, thin, clean and easy to work with...i buy mine at one of my favorite Asian markets in Irvine, H Mart.

PIG CHEEK wrapped in BACON ?

EVEN BETTER.

the perfect HOG HEAVEN FOR TWO.

but...will serve four generously.

this is what my cheeks looked like.  there was a good layer of fat on the other side of the larger one.  this was almost 1 pound.

FOR THE RECIPE/INSTRUCTIONS...

please read through...some of it is visual

everything is approx. because you never know what size cheeks you're going to find, but this is what you'll need....

FOR THE ROAST...

pig cheeks....3/4 to 1 pound

1/4 white onion, very thin slices

2-3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

a few dashes of cumin

optional...red pepper flakes or cayenne or chili powder or Mrs Dash South Western Chipotle

9-11 slices long bacon...buy the longest, not the center cut

butchers string

preheat oven to 325F.

lay the bacon out as shown.  the bacon strips that will be wrapping around the outside should be on the board first.  the strips that will cover the ends go across.  in my case i had 2 pieces so i dressed the first one (photo above) and laid the 2nd on top (not shown) with a few extra sprinkles of salt, brown sugar and spices.

roll the meat first.  then wrap the bacon that will cover the ends.  next wrap the outer layer.  you might need to cut a little bacon off so as not to over lap too much.

pre-cut your strings so you are not fumbling for the scissors...tie the string around the ends first.  i used two.  then 3 to four strings around the body holding the bacon on.  this is not as difficult as you may think, but an extra hand in the kitchen helps hold things together.

FOR THE DUTCH OVEN...

1 to 1 1/2 green apple, cored and sliced thick

1 to 1 1/2 white onion, sliced thick

enough chicken stock to just cover the onions.

brown sugar to sprinkle on top.

place thick slices of onion and apple on the bottom to act as a trivet or rack and place the roast on top as shown.

the roast in photo was in the oven for approx. 3 1/2 hours total.
roast for 2 hours with the lid on.  check on the roast.  check the liquid.  you don't want the roast sitting in liquid.  roast for another hour.  peek after 30 minutes and give it a poke.  is it fork tender?...is it starting to brown?  if it is fork tender, but not brown, remove the lid, turn up the oven to 350F and watch it so you don't burn the bacon.
mine fully cooked and browned (as shown) in the covered dutch oven about  3 1/2 hours.
remove the roast and carefully remove the onion ringlets with a slotted spoon.  these are delicious pork fat caramelized onions.  if the onions are not browned enough, put the dutch oven uncovered back in the big oven without the roast and cook to your satisfaction...don't forget them in the oven while you are noshing away at the pork roast.

LET THE GLISTENING PIG CHEEK REST!
for about 20 minutes

slice and serve...
refrigerate left over...if there is any...but wrap in parchment.  the bacon should still be a bit crispy the next day.  reheat a nice thick slice on a medium heat skillet, lightly searing both sides.

You have read this article bacon / out of the ordinary / pork / pork belly / roasted with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/04/pig-cheeks-wrapped-with-bacon-brown.html. Thanks!

Crispy Skin Bone-in Pork Belly by Bill Granger

here you are...as promised ...

the 3 to 4 hour PORK BELLY

if you've been following along you probably read about the delicious 3 DAY Pork Belly.  well, this one takes about 3-4 HOURS and it's just as pork-belly-icious!.  

i always say...

"you can't go wrong with pork belly".

this technique produces the ultimate crispy crunchy skin and...

juicy fat dripping tender pork belly.

two things that i had never tried before... cooking a pork belly with the bone in and cooking skin side down for the first few hours. 

for some reason it's a little more expensive with the bone, but that's only about $3.59 a pound.  more money = more delicious?...not a big difference, but the meat next to the bones and the ribs i ate immediately were fall-off-the-bone delicious.

after it was all finished, i removed the bones with a long sharp knife very close to the bones so that slicing the pork belly in serving portions would be much easier.  on Bill's show he was able to slice each portion with bone still attached which made for a nice plate presentation.   his servings looked like unctuous pork chops with belly fat and skin attached, if that makes sense.

here is the link to the recipe from the pork belly show.

the Caramel Vinegar Glaze is delicious as well.  i did not finish the glaze until late night so it didn't make the photo, but do try it.  i think it would go well with just about any pork dish...or chicken.

AND...as far as the skin side down results?... i'm pretty sure i will do it this way from now on...the skin was perfect !!!...extra crispy.

CRISPY SKIN BONE-IN PORK BELLY

with CARAMEL VINEGAR GLAZE

found HERE from the Cooking Channel

by Bill Granger

3 1/2 lb pork belly with bones
2 Tbsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
fresh ground black pepper

score the skin of the pork belly in criss-cross pattern as shown.  rub the salt into the skin and set aside for 30 minutes

preheat oven to 425 degrees.

wipe the salt off of the skin and dry well with a paper towel.  drizzle a large roasting pan with olive oil. as you can see, i lined the pan with tin foil for easier clean up...BAD IDEA.  the skin stuck in some areas where the oil did not meet the skin.  note to self...go for bare naked and deal with the clean up later, it's not all that bad.  anyway...place the pork skin side down on the roasting dish and season the top with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  put in the oven for 30 minutes to sear the skin.  then  reduce the heat to 375F degrees.  continue cooking for another 1 1/2 to 2 (mine was in for about 2 1/2 hours), or until fork tender.  now remove from oven and carefully flip over so it is skin side up.  roast for another 30 minutes or until skin is good and crispy.  you might choose to use the broiler for a moment watching carefully!
remove the pork belly from the oven and let rest for at least 15-20 minutes.

the roast is easiest to cut with the skin side down on the board.  my bones were going the length of the pork belly so i removed them close to the bone.  (NOTE...the meat next to the bone is the chef's secret treasure bites). if your bones are going the width, you can slice a serving with bone attached for plating presentation and maximum enjoyment.

CARAMEL VINEGAR GLAZE
(not shown, but delicious)

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup good chicken stock
juice from 1 orange,  plus 4 wide strips of orange peel
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

put the sugar, vinegar, star anise and cinnamon in a small sauce pan and cook, stirring over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.  bring to a boil and simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until mixture is syrupy.  stir in chicken stock and simmer until slightly reduced.  add the orange juice and peel, reduce the hat to a low simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy.  don't forget to season with salt and pepper when just about done.
NOTE...this took longer than expected.  give yourself 30-45 minutes for a nice syrupy glaze.

above is example of scoring.  my new favorite tool for the job is a razor sharp box cutter.

 above is before oven using tinfoil...bad idea.  don't use tinfoil... and below is after roasting with skin side down.  it should be fork tender at this point.  then it goes in skin side up for the final crisping of the skin.

You have read this article comfort food / fat / low and slow / pork / pork belly with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/04/crispy-skin-bone-in-pork-belly-by-bill.html. Thanks!

Country Pate with Gluten and Dairy Free Panade

PATE de CAMPAGNE

COUNTRY PATE

aka ULTRA FANCY MEATLOAF

one of the most satisfying foods i love/hate to make.  every time i make it, i curse at myself for the time and detail i go into and how i can make this one even better than the last one, BUT when it's time to unveil and i get that first perfect slice.  OR hear someone say, "did you really make this?"  oh, there's nothing like it....
pure satisfaction of the beautiful specimen set in front of me...and "I" made it.

i must say, when it comes right down to it, there is no exact recipe.....like your Mom's meatloaf probably doesn't have an exact recipe...she just knows how to throw it together and it always comes out right.  every pate is just a little bit different, but the general ingredients and instructions tend to stay the same.

for this pate i will give you my measurements that fit perfectly in a "Pullman's"loaf tin.  these measurements are not set in stone.  you can work them a little bit to suit your taste.  as for the size?  you want to properly fill one loaf tin and if you have a little left over?...so what.   make little patties and enjoy right away because you will be waiting for the pate for a few days.

PATE de CAMPAGNE
fits in 9"x4"x4" pullman's loaf tin.

879g pork shoulder, cut into i-2 inch pieces (3 to 3.25 lb.)

232g ground pork (1/2lb.)

62g raw chicken liver trimmed (2 1/4 oz)

50g shallot, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, finely diced

2 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp quatre epices (recipe below)

1 lrg. tsp dried rosemary, crushed or chopped fine
approx 1/8-1/4 cup minced parsley

ADD-INS...5 cooked, sauteed chicken livers chopped into small pieces

1/3-1/2 cup shelled pistachios

2-3 oz of smoked ham steak cut into long thick slices

FOR THE GLUTEN DAIRY FREE PANADE

3 TBSP OAT FLOUR

2 EGGS, slightly beaten

1/4 CUP COCONUT MILK

3 TBSP COGNAC OR BRANDY

CAUL FAT or BACON SLICES for the exterior

i have done the bacon wrap many times and it makes for a great presentation, although the bacon does not crisp...just to let you know.  Bacon wrapped Pate shown HERE

BUT...this time i found "caul fat" and had so much fun.  it was a bit difficult hunting it down, but when i finally got to work with it i fell in love with it's weirdness.  i like the presentation and flavor better than the bacon...can you believe i just said "better than bacon"?

instructions...

put the pork shoulder, the ground pork and the raw liver in a bowl.  take 2/3 and process it in a food processor until chunky.  remove from processor and put in the other 1/3 mixture.  process this a little more than the first batch.  mix the two batches of meat with the shallot, garlic, salt, quatre epices and dried rosemary.
saute your chicken livers and set aside.  when cool give them a little chop and set aside.

in separate bowl, mix together your gluten free panade.

now mix the panade into the meat.

add in the cooked chopped chicken liver and minced parsley.

now comes the IMPORTANT part...TASTE TEST.  cook a small amount in a skillet and check for seasoning.  pates need a little extra salt so if the test is "well" seasoned your good to go.

preheat the oven to 325F.  place a few bay leaves on the bottom of a slightly buttered loaf tin or pate mold of choice.  line the bottom and sides with caul fat or bacon slices or you can just use heavy plastic wrap.   make sure you have enough over-hang to cover the top.
note...put some water on the stove to heat for a bain marie.

pack the mixture into your desired vessel.  put the meat in, pressing down so there are no air pockets.  don't forget to put the long thin slices of ham and the pistachios intermittently throughout the pate mixture...don't over do it.  you just want it to be seen.  smooth the top and tap it on the counter to solidify and get rid of air pockets.  cover top with "over-hang" of caul fat, bacon or plastic wrap.  put a small piece of parchment on the top and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
place the pate loaf tin/dish into a larger heatproof baking dish and add enough hot water to come 1/2 way up the sides of the pate. put in preheated 325F oven for approx. 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until the pate reaches an internal temperature of 160F degrees.  juices should be clear.
remove from oven and water bath.  let rest for about 30 minutes, then place some weights on top.  i keep a tinfoil covered brick on hand or 2 heavy cans of something will work with a flat piece of aluminum covered cardboard to fit on top of the meat.  when it is room temp. place in fridge (with weights) overnight or another day is even better.  the weights can come off after a few hours when the pate is good and cold and set.

serve room temperature or chilled with baguette, cornichons and dijon.
OR my favorite...slice and sear in skillet to add to a burger, serve with a poached egg for a decadent brunch or make Pate Paninis with melted brie and sliced pear or apple...YUM !

QUATRE EPICES SEASONING

1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp ground ginger.

You have read this article charcuterie / chicken liver / dairy free / gluten free / meats / pork / terrine with the title pork. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/03/country-pate-with-gluten-and-dairy-free.html. Thanks!