Saucisson MAC

HAM burger

2008-07-12T20:25:00.005-05:00

Do you remember the ads for A1 Steak sauce proclaiming a hamburger is not chopped ham but chopped steak? As a considered rebuttal to that 80's ad, I offer the HAM-burger. Pictured above the ground cured pork burger is dressed with mustard, ketchup, cheese, roasted jalapenos, caramelized onions in sour cream (à la Bonne Femme), tomato, lettuce and mayonaise, all set on a bun made with "Five minute a day dough."

Okay Bonne Femme says I need to take a picture of her burger too. She topped hers with a cole slaw (left over from yesterday's fish taco adventure) made with cabbage, beets, and carrots.

But I didn't set out to make hamburgers. It's been a little more than a week since we returned from our madcap EU adventure and I needed to restock the cured meats cabinet. I made up a brine (loosely based on Charcuterie's American Style Brown Sugar Glazed Holiday Ham recipe) and sunk some pork belly and some pieces of boneless ham. After three days I pulled the pieces from their salty sleep and today I tied them into roasts. While tying the roasts I ended up with some trimmings. Now if I had been really ambitious I used the cured pork trimmings in a Toulouse sausage, but I'm still jet lagged or I drank a lot of beer last night (with fish tacos!) Hey Presto HAM-Burgers. I'm smoking the ham and bacon tomorrow.

Hey check it out, I found the A1 commercial:

Cheers.

Live from Finland: Lapland Pig Pick

2008-06-27T13:39:00.002-05:00

Okay we're not really in the Lapland but near a small town called Karjalohja in the lake district. Bill from Tennesee certified our BBQ as authentic:

Pulled pork, slaw and beans. And I wouldn't mess with Bill.

Dessert service by Jolie and mom.

Interpretations by the Deuce.

Wedding tommorrow.

Live from Finland Update

2008-06-27T08:50:00.003-05:00

So if you're going to have barbecue, you have to have beans. For beans you need bacon. After you have made lardons, take the rind (pictured above) and throw it in.

The pork shoulder is getting there. The fuel for the fire is birch and Leppa (alder) for the smoking chamber. The beer is Karhu.

The party is starting soon, I'll try to update later

Cheers.