by mannytheseacow » Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:10 pm
Don't be scared. Done right you'll be craving all the parts! Here's a couple recipes that I've grown to love:
Boudin noir (black sausage)
2# pork back fat, finely diced
2# onions, finely diced
4 ounces butter (unsalted)
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup liquor (apple liquor, cognac, scotch, white wine, whatever)
1 cup cream
2 eggs
1 Quart fresh pig's blood
1 3/4 ounce salt
2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon chervil
1 tablespoon chives
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Lightly simmer fat for 20 minutes, strain and set aside. Cook onions and apples in butter, when soft add liquor and simmer to evaporate. Add the fat and refrigerate until chilled. Combine the cream and eggs in a large bowl, whisk together and then strain the blood into this mixture. Stir in the apple-onion-fat mixture and add remaining seasonings. Clean your intestines very well. Tie a knot in one end of the intestine (I use about 2 ft long sections). Fit a funnel in the other end and pour this mixture into it. When full tie off the other end. Lightly simmer these little sausages in near boiling water for 20-30 minutes. (makes about 5 2ft. rings).
Headcheese
1 pig's head
4 pig's feet
2 cups white wine
4 garlic cloves
10 black peppercorns
8 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
1 tablespoon vinegar
dash of nutmeg and allspice
fresh leeks, thyme and parsley... as much as you can spare, there's never too much.
Brine:
2 gallons water
2 cups kosher salt
4 oz. pink salt (curing salt, aka sodium nitrate)
1 cup sugar
Mix up the brine and submerge the head and feet in the brine overnight. Next day, remove the head and feet and discard the brine. Combine head, feet and all remaining ingredients in a large pot and cover by 2 inches with water. Simmer gently for 3 hours. Remove all meats and set aside to cool. Strain teh liquid through a fine strainer or several layers of cheesecloth.
Remove all meat from the head and feet and dice into 1/2 - 3/4 inch pieces. Be sure to peel the skin from the tongue and include the interlaying meat. Put the meat into a suitable container, cover with the liquid, and refrigerate overnight... up to a week. The liquid will gel and you will have a fine delicacy to slice off.
Oh you haven't lived, my friend!
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