Curing: EQ Curing When I started this blog, I referenced EQ curing in my first post. Many of you may not know what EQ curing means. EQ curing stands for Equilibrium curing. EQ curing is used to cure meats. It is based on the ideas that we can control the salt/sodium level in a cured meat product and the fact that salt is one of the few items that can penetrate the interior of a flesh-based protein item. We control the amount of salt in the item by calculating the amount of all cure ingredients, based on the weight of the meat. Ham, and bacon, are two examples of cured meat items that this type of curing is applicable too. So why cure meats? In the beginning, curing was done to extend the shelf life of meat items. In essence to keep it safe for consumption. Mechanical refrigeration was not widespread until the 1920’s. Prior to this, we kept food safe through the use of cellars, ice and snow. And in the early frontier days, in the USA, houses were buil
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Smoked Chicken Thigh Confit A couple of months ago Daniel Vaughn, the BBQ editor for Texas Monthly, published a recipe of smoked chicken thigh confit. When I saw the recipe, it went to the head of the short list of "must try soon." It is really quite delightful. Smoked chicken thigh confit, on white beans with tomato, with potatoes fried in the confit oil. The potatoes were started in cold fat and had a shatteringly crisp exterior. The smoked chicken thigh confit recipe has become a favorite with us. Until next time, Bon Appetit Y'all Leslie Bartosh
I recently posted a photo on a couple of other outlets that I really did not like. So, I redid the photo and am posting it here. It is greatly improved. I hope you enjoy. Pumpkin custard with tuile crisp on a puddle of Sterling Valley Maple syrup. Yes please! This combination worked very well! Until next time, Bon Appetit Y'all Leslie Bartosh
I was going through my files and realized I had a few things I had not posted. So, in an attempt to get caught up, this is the first one. Stir fry tofu with vegetables and with Chung Jung One Korean Sweet Potato Glass Noodles. #LifeLongLearning #LifeLongTeaching #FamilyFood Until next time. Bon Appetit Y'all Chef Leslie Bartosh
Texas Choucroute Garnie
Welcome to first post of my new blog. I hope to keep this updated with information about the food I am preparing and eating. I hope you will join me on the diverse journey that is my diet. So without further ado.......... I am a big fan of house made or home made food of all kinds. Making cured and fermented foods is especially enjoyable for me. The plate below is a prime example. Except for growing the vegetables and animals used in this meal, I made all of the items on the plate and in the meal. When I control what goes into the food I consume, I feel better about it. The Sauerkraut in this photo was raw before it was cooked for this meal. It is made up of two ingredients: Green cabbage and salt. Sauerkraut is produced through lacto-fermetation. The bacon was dry cured using the EQ curing process and cold smoked with apple wood pellets for 24 hours and then aged before it is was sliced. The "Ham" and Canadian bacon both used the same formula and cooking process.