How you doin’? I love the flavor and texture of old-fashioned smoked hams. Last year I bought a commercial brand ham and it was so “pumped” with water and chemicals that there was relatively little ham to taste after cooking, and relatively little actual ham flavor. Yes, they’re easier to cook, but if you’re cooking for compliments—forget it!
 
There are hams and then there are Benton’s Smoky Mountain Hams. They’re a little pricey and take a lot of time and effort, but they’re well worth it. Simple stated, Allan Benton produces great American hams.
 
Now, you might have noticed in the name of this post that this recipe is part of The Easter Collection. We’re posting this one a week early to allow time for you to order, receive and prepare this special ham. So, go… order it now. We’ll wait.
 
I wanted to do justice in the preparation to match the effort that went into it at the Benton smoke house. Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams are slow cured using salt, brown sugar and sodium nitrite. They are typically aged 9-10 months, although they do sell hams that are a year and older. This time-honored practice dates to colonial days when the preparation and preservation of meat was a way of life. Allan Benton has upheld the traditional dry-curing process to produce world class country hams and bacon. A Benton’s ham weighs in at between 16 and 18-pounds. You can also purchase bacon and other cuts of ready-to-cook hams on their website at www.bentonscountryhams2.com.
 
                 How to make a whole, bone-in Benton’s Country Ham
 
Preparation for the whole ham  Allow a good 6 or 7 days to do it right. Hey, you only live once, right?

1. Day 1-4. Place the ham in a giant receptacle filled with ice water (I used a bathtub). Change water every 12 hours for 4 days straight to reverse the brining. This process removes much of the salt that has burrowed deep into the cells of the meat. It also plumps the hard ham and allows it to cook more efficiently. Since the ham is fully smoked, you don’t have to worry about it being out of refrigeration.
2. Day 5: Double wrap the ham thoroughly in heavy duty aluminum foil to make sure it is thoroughly sealed.
3. Place the ham in a roasting pan and add enough hot water so the ham is halfway submerged. Turn oven to 250 degrees. Cook for 24 hours flipping the ham every six hours. Add more hot water as necessary to keep the ham halfway submerged.
4. Day 6: Remove the ham from oven, unwrap, let cool for a bit then dig in and get those giant hunks of meat off the bone until you get every last morsel.
5.  Reserve the hock for beans.
6. Take a good sharp knife and begin carving the ham against the grain. This is important as country ham tends to be a little chewy.

ChefSecret:  Benton Bacon has been a secret source for star-chefs for years. Here is the secret revealed.
 Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams
 2603 Hwy. 411 North
 Madisonville, Tennessee 37354
 Phone: (423) 442-5003
 Hours: Monday - Saturday: 8:30am 5:00pm

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I was watching the news the other day and they advised that you contact your older friends and relatives for a welfare check to make sure they’re okay. Being a little older, I’m very fortunate to have someone check on me almost every day. She is from India and is very concerned about renewing my car warranty.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Ham #SmokedHam #BentonsCountryHams #Easter #Pork #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

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How you doin’? Let’s do something a little different today. When I sold my house a few years ago, I had to give up my large smoker and grill. The smoker was the kind that had a trailer hitch and could smoke about 2,500-pounds at a time. I don’t want to brag (yes, I do), but my smoked brisket won best BBQ in Austin 3-years running. As I told my Texas client, “it took a California guy to teach a bunch of big strappin’ Texans to smoke delicious brisket, ribs and pork butt.”
 
Now that I live in a high-rise condo that does not allow any grilling on the balcony, I had to find ways to satisfy my need for smoked barbecued meats. How do I do it during the pandemic? I CHEAT. Without buying any new equipment and not breaking any condo rules or regulations here is a plan for making the best South Carolina pulled pork dinner with all the fixin’s. You may have to shop for a few convenience ingredients (that’s where the cheatin’ comes in) and allow the right amount of time to season and hold the pork butt overnight and about 7-hours of slow cooking. After you buy the boxed and canned goods you can flavor them any way you please. It’s really quite easy—I’ve given some guidelines below. Here’s the menu—get started.
 
                                   Hallelujah! Barbecue
                                                           Flavors That’ll Bring You To Your Knees
 
                                                                Boiled South Carolina Peanuts
                                                                          Corn Bread Muffins
                                             Vinegar-Based Dirty Cole Slaw w/Roasted Peanuts
                                                                      Brown-Sugar Baked Beans
                                                                             Pulled Pork Plate
                                                                     Chocolate-Pecan Tartlets
 
For the boiled peanuts
My friend Jared Jester owns the Heritage Peanut Company down in Bluffton, SC. He makes boiled peanuts. You can order a mess of ‘em tasty little things on his website. All you have to do to eat them out of the bag is stick them microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds to hotten’ up a bit.
 
For the cornbread
I use Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix or you can just use Jiffy Cornbread Mix—either way you can dress it up a little with a few enhancements. I used bacon fat for half of the called-for butter or oil; I added a few drops of Tabasco sauce, half cup of Cheddar cheese and I sometimes I add up to 1/2 cup of frozen corn. Bake as directed on the package.
 
For the dirty coleslaw
I start with a bag of pre-washed and cut, store-bought coleslaw mix. I add 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning (I prefer Trader Joe’s brand), 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon roasted garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (that’s what makes it dirty) and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I prefer peanut oil). Mix well and let it sit for at least 4-hours or overnight. Salt to your taste.  Or fool around with it and make it your own. Always add the oil at the end to make sure all your spices have had a chance to blossom. When serving top it off with some roasted peanuts—that’s the South Carolina way.
 
For the brown sugar baked beans
I like to doctor a can of store-bought baked beans. This time I used Bush’s Brown Sugar Hickory beans. To a 28-ounce can I added 1/4 cup molasses, 1 teaspoon Wright’s Liquid Hickory Smoke, 1 heaping teaspoon yellow mustard (or you can use grainy mustard), 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 2 teaspoons hot sauce and 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Mix it all together and microwave it on high for 6 to 7-minutes (take out and stir about every 2 minutes). The sauce will thicken up. Serve while piping hot. Here again, these ingredients are just suggestions—make it to your own taste.
 
For the “BBQ” pulled pork
Go to your favorite butcher and buy a nice hunk of fresh pork butt—4 to 7 pounds. The night before you are going to cook it massage it all over with a nice rub. Here’s what I used this time.
 
For the rub I suggest 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper. Rub-a-dub-rub it all over the pork. Put in a clean plastic shopping bag (check for holes or you’ll have a mess in the morning) and refrigerate overnight. In the morning take the pork out of the refrigerator. Take the pork butt out of the bag and put it in a roasting pan and rub the fat side of the pork butt with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of smoked salty (I prefer to use SaltWorks Hickory Smoke Salt, easily found on Amazon). Finish off the prep with a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
 
The pork roast will take 5 to 7-hours to cook, depending on the size of the butt. Take the butt out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking. Preheat an oven to 225⁰ F and roast. If it’s starts to get a little too dark, cover with foil.

ChefSecrets:  After nearly 250 editions of our Survival Guide, you are trusted to change and innovate these recipes to suit your family’s tastes. There are no secrets here, if there’s an ingredient you think will work, add it—if there’s something you don’t like, leave it out. Have fun and let me know how everything turned out… send pictures.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Why do they call it the novel coronavirus? It’s a long story.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to send a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #PulledPork #BBQ #HeritagePeanuts #NPB #NationalPeanutBoard #Krusteaz #BushsBeans #Saltworks #Pork #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

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How you doin’? Italian Sausage has such marvelous flavor and texture, and it is so adaptable to many styles of cooking. Traditional Italian Sausage is made from seasoned ground pork stuffed into casing skins to produce links about 6 inches long. But it doesn’t have to be only links… it can be country sausage patties. I use most of my Italian Sausage out of their casing and blend it with sauces and pasta dishes such lasagna. 
 
Initially known as lucanica, the first evidence of the sausage dates to the 5th century BC when the Roman historian Marco Terenzio Varrone described this use of stuffing his meat into the pig intestine together with spices and salt. The original lucanica was “a minced meat stuffed into a casing, because our soldiers learned how to make it, transport it and prepare it from the Lucanians." Confirmation of the birth in Basilicata are also the writings of Cicero and Martial that mention Lucania as the birthplace of the sausage.
 
Typically, Italian Sausage is made from roughly ground pork seasoned with fennel seed and red pepper flakes. That combination gives Italian sausage its distinctive flavor and character. Homemade Italian Sausage is easy to make and very tasty. My recipe uses lean meat; it’s low in sodium and sugar with full flavor in every bite. You can use this recipe in any recipe that calls for Italian sausage, even an Italian Sausage sandwich that can be served like a burger.
 
The most common varieties marketed as "Italian Sausage" in supermarkets are hot, sweet and mild. The main difference between hot and mild is the addition and amount of hot red pepper flakes to the spice mix. The difference between mild and sweet is the addition of sweet basil in the latter.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cool and freeze time:  8 hours
Yield:  24 – 2-ounce sausage patties
 
Ingredients
1/4 cup dry red wine, chilled
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon roasted garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/8 teaspoon coriander seed, coarsely cracked
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
2 pounds extra-lean ground turkey breast or extra lean ground beef
1 pound lean ground pork
 
Directions

1. Pour the chilled red wine into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt until dissolved.
2. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, oregano, black pepper, paprika, fennel seed, anise seed, parsley flakes, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, minced onion, coriander seed, and mace.
3. Mix in the ground turkey (or lean beef) and pork with your hands. Mix thoroughly so the seasonings are evenly distributed in the meat mixture.
4. Line two or three sheet pans with plastic wrap.
5. Roll the meat mixture into 1/4 cup balls, flatten to 1/2 inch thick, and place in a single layer on the baking sheet.
6. Cover with another layer of plastic and freeze until solid.
7. Once solid, place patties into a resealable plastic bag to store in the freezer.

ChefSecret:  If you have the time, patience, and a sausage link attachment for your Kitchen Aid mixer, you can buy casings from your local butcher and fill them into tube sausages. To make a perfect sausage that cooks properly, balance out the fat ratio to 70% ground lean meats and 30% ground fats. Give it a try—it can be fun.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Is anyone else’s car getting three weeks to the gallon?”

Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Pork #Sausage #ItalianSausage #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Over the years there have been many wars fought over food. The pasta wars raged between parties crediting either Italian or Chinese invention of the noodle. Recent archaeology seems to have given pride of invention conclusively to the Chinese, who can also claim gunpowder, silk, paper, compasses, the novel coronavirus and, quite possibly, global circumnavigation. But the actual noodles unearthed at a 4,000-year-old Chinese archaeology site are not your average mei fun.
 
Marco Polo doubtless enjoyed many great meals in the palace of the Chinese emperor in the 13th century. It is very probable that he brought a dried version of the noodle back to Italy. But when Polo was in China during the Yuan Dynasty, noodles were already a common dish in both northern and southern regions of the country. Their origins were apparently much older. Early Chinese noodles were both startlingly similar and significantly different from the stretchy, chewy varieties served today.
 
Four thousand years ago, an epic disaster wiped out the city of Lajia on the Yellow River with cataclysmic speed. The earthquake and subsequent river flooding buried an overturned pot, preserving a nest of long yellow noodles under a wall of mud. When the noodles were unearthed in 2005, their existence conclusively ended the argument about who had the earliest claim to the noodle.
 
The Thai sweet chili sauce gives this dish a sweet and spicy flavor that many kids love. You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less of the sauce or adding additional red pepper flakes, if you like it hot.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
 
Ingredients
For the noodles
Salted Water for Boiling
12 ounces dry Chinese lo mein noodles (or spaghetti)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons sesame oil
 
For the meat marinade
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (1 pound) pork loin, cut into 2-inch strips
 
For the stir fry
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 medium onions, cut into bite-size pieces
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
3 cups chopped Napa cabbage
3/4 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
3 red bell peppers, chopped
 
For the thickener
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
 
Directions

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the Chinese noodles and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
2. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, the ground ginger and the sesame oil in a large bowl; add the drained Chinese noodles and toss to coat; set aside.
3. Whisk together the 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a large bowl; add the pork strips and stir to coat. Allow to marinate 5 minutes.
4. Heat the cooking oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the pork, onions, and red pepper flakes to the oil; cook until the pork is browned completely.
6. Stir in 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, the Napa cabbage, celery, carrots, and bell peppers; cook and stir until vegetables are completely heated, about 5 minutes.
7. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and add to the stir fry, stirring until the mixture thickens.
8. Serve the stir-fry over warm noodles.

ChefSecret:  The success of this recipe and most other Asian meals is to have all the ingredients portioned out in small bowls and stage in the order of their use.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “It’s been a great blessing to be at home with my wife these last few months. We’ve caught up on everything I’ve done wrong in the last 20 years.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Entrees #StirFry #SweetAndSpicyPork #Pork #SpicyNoodles #Noodles #Dinner #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                  ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? I was watching Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix the other night when Samin Nosrat was discussing the benefit of different fats used in Italian cooking. At one point one of her guests brought in a roasted piglet that took around 6 hours to slow cook. It was beautiful—I could taste it through the TV screen.
 
Here's a more manageable version of the traditional Italian recipe for whole roast pig seasoned with garlic, rosemary and fennel. This one comes together so quickly you can make it on a whim. The only thing missing is the crispy, crackling skin. Delicious, tender pork chops simmered in a fennel seed, garlic and white wine sauce in less than about a half hour.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pork chops
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
 
Directions

1. Heat a skillet and then pour a little olive oil or other cooking oil in; let the oil heat up for a minute.
2. Sprinkle the garlic salt on both sides of the pork chops. The garlic salt should cover the chops. Don't be skimpy, it can take the garlic salt.
3. Put the pork chops in the frying pan and sprinkle fennel seeds (10 to 15 fennel seeds per pork chop), rosemary and pepper flakes on top of the pork chops.
4. Let the pork chops brown over medium heat for 7 minutes.
5. Flip them over and let them brown for another 7 minutes.
6. Once both sides are browned, flip again.
7. Pour the wine into frying pan; cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes and flip the pork chops over. Cover them again and let them simmer for another 5 minutes.
8.  Add the butter to the pan and stir the sauce well.
9. When ready to serve, plate the pork chops and spoon over a little of the reserved sauce.

Note: Make sure the wine doesn't completely evaporate or the pork chops will overcook and become dry. You may have to add a little more wine, water or butter to the pan.

ChefSecret:  I use a fatty, well-marbleized pork chop (see picture) to keep the moisture level high and the meat tender.  You can change the whole flavor of the dish by using 1 cup of Marsala instead of white wine.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “I’ve been watching so much television… I finished Netflix last night!”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Pork #Fennel #SaltFatAcidHeat #Netflix #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica  #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021