August 2006 Archives

You read that right, Rick is on a fast track to retirement as we speak. He's been making funny noises for the last few weeks and finally admitted earlier this week he's packing up and heading out.
Rick and I visit on a weekly if not daily basis and he's been pulling 50 hours plus, that's just no fun no matter how you slice it. This coupled with a few other things has pushed him out of the retail business and towards the commercial/wholesale business. In other words, going back to his roots.
Rick's future is solidifying each day. But mine is wide open, in a cold, dark and sad way. Where's a needful custom meat kinda guy going to find solace in the world of grocery store packages?
Comon in and sit down. Open up my scrapbook of Rick's Meats for everyone.

Ever since I took delivery of the fancy charcoal last week, we've grilled and smoked nearly every day. I've still got about 280 pounds, so I need to keep up my head of steam, ya know. Besides, what I don't use will have to be dragged off to the garage before the winter rains set in. And that my good friend, is work. Don't need none of that, sir.

Because of such a grilling frenzy I've been poking about looking for a sauce I haven't tried yet or would like to reinvent for myself. I came up with this one. Come have a gander and see what you think.

How many of you have these stupid crazy nutcase passions for things? Raise your hands, excellent. How many of you kinda loose rational thought when even remotely near them? Raise your hands, excellent. Apart from the obivious, I have a few of those quirks myself. One of which being real wood charcoal.

Wanna come see what I did this time?

I FINALLY FOUND IT !!! While this isn't the original, it's fricken' close enough (a scan of the print). This here was my inspiration for naming this web site, Meathenge. I took this in the way way early 1990s, probably 15 years ago, eeek. If you want to read About Meathenge, click on the about link to the left there. As soon as I can, I'll be putting it up there, some place. You bet.

Oh thank goodness, the Fatted Calf Newsletter just rolled in. It's been a painfully dull week here in regard to food or anything food related. And I haven't had the time to head out on a Meat Adventure, nope. I can say a Wood Adventure is coming soon though. No, not like that. Fancy cooking wood, that's what I'm talking about. But I haven't taken ownership of it yet, it'll be a few days.

Until then I would personally like to thank the FC Newsletter for making my day brighter. While I sit in my office, I get visions of warm Saturday mornings walking up and down the farmer's market. The pace is one of leisure with moments of inspiration as I notice new and fresh goodies. The maters have finally begun to show up tasty and the melons are still juicy, sweet and fragrant. Up at the top of the market I find my pals at Blue Bottle Coffee toiling away at water science and calming the jittery crowd. Tracy is always spot on with a cup o' fresh drip, slurrrp. My pace usually slows at this point cause my coffee is really hot and I have 2 full bags of treasures that I need to balance, carefully. Up around the tippy top I get to put my bags down and hang out with Eric the Knife Guy. He's got this little wobbly card table with all his tools, display and Mountain Dew linearly placed. It's fun to see what knives, scissors and shears roll in. Last week he had an English slicing knife that was probably 80 some odd years old. One of the interesting points on this blade was that it had scalloped edges, like the newer kullen type knives. Eric said it was popular back then, but quickly fell out of favor. So, if you think that Kullen edge is so new and fancy, it ain't. It's been done and done 80 years ago by the English. HA !!!

On my way back I like to see what Ted from Highland Hills Farm is up to. His stall is usually piled high with meat and ice and more meat and ice and a scale. I search high and low for bacon, you know me. And I check out the menu for fresh goat, I love goat. Since Ted is a rancher and the rancher that ranches his heard, you can ask him all kinds of ranching questions. Such as, "Hey, it's really hot, how are your cows doing in this heat?" And, "how's the grass growing? It's there enough for the cows?" You get the idea.

While Fatted Calf is always my first stop at the market, it's also usually my last. Why? Because I get so giddy the first time, I can't concentrate. Or I'm not awake yet and need some fresh cup o' drip. I'm usually calm enough by pass #2 I can figure out what I need or want or really neeeeeed. Such as a carefully cured stick of salami, man love that stuff.

These are the bright day dreams the Fatted Calf Newsletter brings to me on these Thursdays when I'm a few days out. It speaks to me and says, "It's okay Biggles, just a few more days until your rabbit crepinettes. You can make it, just a few more days." Thanks again Newsletter, you're the best.

Now please read on to the most fabulous FC Newsletter not written by me.

You gotta know, I get to the market just about when it legally opens. That'd be 10am every Saturday morning. I arrived at the Fatted Calf stall a few minutes after and I'm not talking 11:30, I'm talking about 10:05. Toponia was erasing the crepinettes and the rind on bacon right off the board, sold out. So, if you're looking forward to something specific this week, order now. Got it?

I would really, truly recommend picking up the lamb roast. Taylor has a real knack for finding excellent cuts and they're painfully fresh. He uses organic herbs and stuffins. I know what some of you are thinking, "I'm not so concerned with everything being organic, just tasting good." This is something to be thoughtful about when at Safeway and buying their own branded organic milk or produce. Their definition of organic ain't mine. It does make a difference when you get to know your farmers and ranchers and how they raise their stock and produce. The fruits, veggies and herbies are organic at the Berkeley farmer's market and I can't reproduce the goodness at my local Safeway, not even remotely. Taylor grabs all these things and more and introduces them in to meat. What do we get? The best damned lamb roast ever, that's what.

"Okay Biggles, you talked my poor ass in to buying this hunk of gorgeous lamb, but now what?" Says you. "Cook it and don't screw it up, foo!" Says I. Use grill or smoker or find someone who does. And that's how I'd recommend doing it. Sharing is caring.

Don't wash it! There's most certainly pepper dust on the outside that needs to stay. It's ready to be cooked. Be gentle though, sear it directly first. Then remove off coals, close lid and cook indirectly until an internal temperature of 138 to 140 is obtained. This will probably be within an hour or so for these little dudes. Pull and let rest 15 mnutes. Eat.

By the look of the menu this week you have all kinds of good things to choose from. I see Spicy Beef Links. I know previously these were best cooked in a smoker for a few hours. I would ask when you show up and see if that is still true. Either way though, the spice blend and the meat flavors really come through on this link, try a package and see. The duck crepinettes will most certainly be on this coming week's menu for Meathenge Labs. They got brandied prunes man !!! Duck and brandy? Oh yes.

Please read on to the Fatted Calf Newsletter not written by me. And I hope to see you at the market, I can hardly wait. I saw some grapefruit the last few weeks and I want to try.

Biggles

Yup, it's my birthday week and I took yesterday off. I didn't have much planned but a nice lunch at a new BBQ joint out in Antioch with Chilebrown. He sent me an ad a week ago and thought we should go check it out, considering who we are and all. They'd opened July 31st, so after only being open a week we didn't know what to expect. It was a day to throw caution to the wind and head out for an adventure.

A few days before, CB's co-worker made a trip to Oregon for bacon. Apparently he'd filled 2 giganticus sized coolers full of bacon and bacon like products. Some of which I knew CB had asked for and hopefully a little would trickle down to me, heh. This also means we get to have a bacon tasting before lunch, how nice.

I showed up at CB's early, about 11am. He tossed 2 cast iron skillets on his fancy commercial range and removed a plastic bucket from the fridge. He pulled back the top and said, "Here's 14 pounds of pork belly curing for bacon." It sure was, dang. After the bucket was out of the way, he removed about 3 or 4 huge sized bags of bacon. First up he sliced some of Redmond Lockers & Custom Meats Inc bacon, oh man. The fresh porky smell along with sweet smoky wafts was wonderful. Next to slice was the A&B Meat Market bacon, both of which are belly bacon. Each got its own skillet, we have to make sure the flavors of each are preserved!

The gentle caress of the gas range gave us the the bacon doneness we needed. Little bit chewy and a little bit crunchy. This way we can see where it comes and where it goes. I need to taste the cool white smoky fat and the crunch of the belly, it's all good. I went for the Redmond bacon first and CB did the A&B. It was a moment held in time, we both stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. Ghod the Redmond bacon was good, excellent sweetish flavor with a smoky pork finish. I grabbed a slice of the A&B while CB grabbed a piece of the Redmond. Munch munch. Lordy. The A&B was a little milder on the sweet side, but the smoky goodness along with the excellent pork meat flavor was an contender as well.

I veered towards the Redmond bacon and CB was very happy with the A&B. But when it comes down to it, they're both amazing hunks of cured smoky goodness and get four thumbs up. That was the appetizer, now for lunch. Ready to head out to Antioch to Applewood BBQ?

There are so many wonderful ways to cook pork. This is one of the many reasons pork and I get along so damned well. I used to be a pain in the ass purist and would beat any passers by in to my figurin' that pork spare ribs needed to be smoked for approximately 5 hours before they were 'correct' or edible. Now I'm just a pain in the ass that enjoys good food. And I have to say that after Saturday's grilled pork rib meal, both Mama and I enjoyed great food. However, it just doesn't happen by mistake. There are a few finer points that needed to be adhered to so your meat makes your teeth smile.
Interested?

I've been accused more than a few times that some of what I do here isn't reproducible in their kitchen. I feel kinda bad because most of what I do is quite simple, straight forward and doesn't require rocket science. I think it was Shannon that tried this Pressed Chicken and the first time was a complete disaster. Meathead attempted the salt marinated chicken and ended up throwing it away, so sad.
What to do, what to do? Tinker and Tanker knew what to do, and they did it!

Ever wonder what the inside of Fatted Calf's quail stuffed with sausage and a fig looks like? Smoked? Wonder no longer.

Holy cow, or rabbit as the case may be. The Fatted Calf Newsletter just rolled in and man, do they have a full menu for this coming Saturday's Farmer's Market. The special this week would be Heritage Berkshire Brined and Smoked Pork Chops. These are legendary in the San Francisco Bay Area and have been for years. You're a silly bird for not reserving yourself a few. A good method for preparing these beasts (and easy) would be to preheat your oven to 400 degrees, rack at center position. Heat up your cast iron or stainless skillet good and smoking. Install chops for maybe 2 to 3 minutes a side. I put a bacon press on each for even caramelization, but it isn't necessary. Remove press after both sides are complete and install in to hot oven until they reach an internal temp of maybe 140 degrees. Check temp at 8 minutes, cook accordingly. Pull when ready and set on cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Either serve whole or sliced all pretty like. I prefer doing this versus the smoker or grill because the chops are already smoked. And giving them the searing really brings up the flavors like a rocket. Plus, if you do it right, you'll get little bright crusty pieces! MMMmMMMM.

The sausage list is pretty huge today, Savory Pork Sausage with Greens, Basque Links and Toulouse just to mention a few. While the savory pork is quite fine, I really enjoy the peppery goodness of the Basque links. So good, so nice, so damned perfect on the grill! Ooo OoOo, MORTADELLA. Go for the mortadella if for nothing else, I do. Reading this menu is making me crazy, I gotta go eat lunch.

You go check out the menu yourself and come out to the market this Saturda at either the Ferry Building or in Berkeley. Either one will render you some wonderful choices. Take care and see you at the market!

Biggles

I have to admit, I'm a creature of habit. Some would say closer to your red bearded bucktoothed creature more than anything else. I require my wooden spatulas to be in that one red container, no spoons wooden or otherwise. My fry pans are returned to the place from which they sprung. My wood handled sandwich knife goes on the magnetic knife holder located on the right and at the lower position. If these items aren't there, they're in the process of being cleaned. I search for nothing. I bask in the warm glow that my items are just where I need them, when I need them.
What is it that I allow to vary? What is it that curls my toes when I find something new? What is it that calms my life long collection of psychoses?