 |
|
|
SLOW COOKING WITH SMOKE OR WITHOUT Cooking on a slow cooker or smoker with indirect heat may be a new way for you to cook. It takes time and a lot patience, but the rewards will be worth the effort. Even the preparation of the product will be very different. The information you have about your cooker and what I contribute will have you on your way to many fun-filled hours of cooking. I want to give you one good example of how slow cooking works as compared to the conventional method. We will use a whole beef brisket to explain; to cook a 12 lb. brisket in your oven, trim off the excess fat, season, place in baking container, and put in your oven. Cook approximately 2 to 3 1/2 hours until you reach the internal temperature required. The meat will done but very tough. Now, let's talk about slow cooking with smoke. We are not limited to slow cooking on a smoker. We will talk more about that later. Here is how to do it on a slow smoker. Go ahead and prepare the brisket the same way. *note* I will have a recipe in my Cookbook for brisket. Place it in the smoker at which the temperature will be preset to approximately 225 to 250 degrees. Let it cook about 5 hours, then wrap it in aluminum foil and seal it very tight. Place brisket on back of the smoker and cook four more hours. There is no way to explain the taste, flavor, and tenderness. I realize this will take a lot time, but remember, we are talking about slow cooking. You do not even have to have a slow cooker to do this, you can do it all in your home oven. The keys are low temperatures for a long time and then wrapping in foil to get the steaming effect. Many people do not like the taste of smoked meats. There are many brands of charcoal which give different tastes; light to heavy smoke. As I stated before, all my meat recipes can be prepared in a conventional oven, however, that method does not result in smoke taste in the meat. Cooking can be a lot of fun but it also takes a lot of work. I have been cooking and building cookers since 1966, and believe me, I have cooked some products that the dogs would not eat. The secret to being a good cook is patience, time, equipment upon which you can depend, and the desire to improve your product. Some of the tools you will need to prepare the products are: |
TASSO Tasso, a highly seasoned, intensely flavored smoked pork, adds a wonderful flavor to a variety of dishes, from soups to jambalaya to pastas and seafood dishes. Here is Chef Alex Patout's recipe: |
Cajun Roast Pig Acquire a fresh, suckling pig of 25-75 pounds, dressed-out. In other words, a butchered pig with head and legs removed. Place the pig on a large flat surface (cover a workbench or truck tailgate with cardboard, etc.). Take a small axe and split the pig along its backbone in order to make it lie flat. Be careful not to cut so deep that you break it in half. With a sharp carving knife, cut slits approximately one inch long and 1-2 inches deep over the entire side of pork. Put them 3-5 inches apart. Now, insert peeled pieces of garlic cloves in each slit. Using a large ice chest or pan, put the pig in a marinating sauce prepared in your own taste. Use lemon juice, worcestershire, A-1 sauce, and/or Cajun Power Garlic Sauce, wine vinegar, chopped onion, celery, garlic salt and flakes of parsley. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 24 hours. When you're ready to begin cooking, remove the pig from the marinade and rub plenty of black pepper and celery salt into the surface of the skin and precut slits. The best apparatus for cooking can be created using two sections of clean, and unrusted, reinforcing wire (the mesh type used in concrete construction). Center the pig on one piece and lay the other over it. Tie all four sides together firmly using strong wire. Attach an "S" hoop to the top and bottom of the roasting rack. To hang your rack use any metal crossbar set-up you can create. Keep in mind you'll have a fairly intense fire beneath this. Many "modern day" Cajuns find that an old metal swingset serves well. Rig up a pair of chains to enable you to hang your rack (rotisserie style) and keep it suspended over the fire. Next, dig a trench about 2 feet deep, 3 feet wide and 4 feet long to serve as a fire pit. Use oak mixed with pecan and/or other light wood and build your fire in the pit. Build a low wall encircling the pit with concrete blocks or bricks. Lay sheet metal or tin against this wall and down the sides of the fire pit. Start your fire and keep the wood stacked-up about 1-1/2 to 2 feet high throughout the cooking process. Turn the roasting rack about every half hour. If possible, place some wet hickory chips on your fire towards the end of the cooking (usually 4 to 5-1/2 hours) to add a good smoked flavor. Total cooking time with vary according to weight of the pig, but you should allow 6 - 7 hours for a 25 - 50 pound pig, and 8 - 9 hours for a 50 - 75 pound one. The grease will stop dripping and the skin becomes golden brown when the pig is completely cooked. Translated from French to English, Cochon De Lait literally means "Pig in Milk." The idea behind this Cajun pig roast is to use a suckling (young) pig to get the finest pork flavor. The Cajuns of southwest Louisiana have always enjoyed their pork, but consider a Cochon De Lait to be a special treat. And, to have an excuse for a party makes the project of roasting a pig, even that much more appetizing. Historically, the suckling pig is cooked by the men, over an outdoor fire, while the women prepare other dishes inside the house. A Cochon De Lait is easy to prepare following this method ... Many Cajuns consider the cracklin skin the best part of the Cochon De Lait. To get the skin croquant (crispy) the true connoisseur will build a very intense fire, and bring up a strong flame, just before the pig is going to come off the fire. It is best to recruit some assistance and lower the roasting rack over the flame. This will give you a cracklin' skin guaranteed to be some good! When you hear the last of the grease popping, bubbles will rise on the skin, and it's time to turn over the pig and put the other side over the flame. Now your efforts will pay off. Take the rack away from the fire and lay it on a clean flat surface for a few minutes. Call the guests to gather around and begin to carve some delicious meat! Note: Not recommended for apartment dwellers. An engineering degree might come in handy. Yield: Serves dozens. One of Acadiana's most famous dishes, as prepared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival by the Timphony and Stewart Families Return to Menu |
