Ask Travis

[mesquitecountry]

First off I'd brine with a cure brine solution. I'm working on one for thanksgiving and will have it done today. I'll post it up for you. I'd inject the brine into the meat along the bone or up the femoral artery. I'd let it sit overnight.

In the morning I'd start the salt/sugar dry curing. Set aside refrigerator space. If you have a walk in I'd find a way to hang it.

Take 60% sugar and 40% salt and heavily coat the outside. Let it sit under refrigeration for about 24 hours. Then take it out and cook it!

[stevesflyshop]

Travis,

One of the goats didn't make it and I was wondering - is goat fat friend or foe when processing? Thanks in advance,

Steve

[mesquitecountry]

Steve,

Much like every other wild animal fat is not always a friend. I'd trim it down to 1/4" surface.

[TimHicks]

Travis I just wanted to say thanks and thanks again you have with your sausage recipes sved my family hundreds of dollars and everything came out great and we love it all. Thanks for the other stuff as well

[ShockValue]

Dang MC, you need to be on the Food Network! Good stuff.

I've got a backstrap from a small hog (about 40 -50 lbs) I'd guess its somewhere in the 2 lb range. I was thinking about cooking it on the grill but am not dead set on that. Any suggestions?

Also, do you remove the fat layer off of the pig backstrap like you do the silver skin off a deer backstrap?

[QUOTE=mesquitecountry;1037740]Definitely go with the grill! Leave it whole! Yes trim off excess gobs of fat. You can leave some just not alot.

Next up.

Season it with Salt and Pepper. Rub it down with Whole Grain Mustard let sit in fridge overnight. Remove and let sit on counter an hour before you intend to cook.

Take 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup bourbon, 1 cup apple juice, 3 tablespoons hot sauce, 1/4 stick butter, about 1 tablespoon of some dry sage. Mix all of these up in a sauce pot under low heat until everything comes together.

Throw the loin on a hot grill and let it sear up good on all sides rotating every minute or two until all the way brown.

Now put it on the top rack of your grill and brush on the mixture I just outlined above. Continue to rotate every 5 minutes until it reaches about 150 degrees. Place it under foil. Let sit for 5 minutes then slice and serve.




MC - Thanks for the recipe above. Very simple and it was gone in seconds at our family lunch on Friday.

[mesquitecountry]

Glad yall liked it shock and tim!

[doole44]

travis, you need to make a cook book too sell thanks

[Sean]

You got a good Menudo recipe? The soup not the latina band.

[tgil]

Travis,
Got a summer sausage question. What causes the shrinkage? I made a batch (25lbs) following your instructions, and got some notable shrinkage. All the summer sausage I've had from the processor was tight in the casing? What I made tastes great BTW, just like to understand why the shrink.

[mesquitecountry]

tgil,

If you used a hand stuffer you did not get near the amount that your processor got into it. That's most likely the main reason. Most processors have small piston stuffers that work much more efficiently. That and most likely you were using a small home smoker that will take about 10% more shrink than someone that is using a smoker with electronic controls and such. That would be my guess.

Sean,

I've only made menudo one time in my life. It was decent but I'll get the recipe from the lady that cooks lunch at work. It's always good when she makes it. I'd rather bow out and phone a friend than serve you something mediocre.


Just for kicks here's what I do.
On menudo remember to soak the guts well to remove the excess salt. Other than that it is a simple traditional mexican dish.

Start off with a good broth. 2 quarts Water with 4 or 5 pork bouillon cubes will suffice.

Next up dice up some onion, garlic, and I alway add one or two serrano chiles. Simmer for about 15 minutes on high. Add in a little black pepper and oregano. About 2 good pinches of black pepper and 2 pinches of oregano.

Add in chopped up guts to the pot. Let simmer for approximately 4-5 hours to let the intestines soften up a bit.

After that add in one can crushed tomatoes, can of black or kidney beans (I know pintos are tradition but who cares) and a pinch of cumin. You could also throw in some squash if you feel like it also.

Let simmer for another 30 minutes and at the last minute stir in about 2 springs of chopped cilantro.

Serve away!

[BTLowry]

Travis, I used to do alot of reading about Native Americans and remember that they made something called "pemican (sp?)" from dried meat and berries and such.
I know I could google it but I wondered what you knew about it?

[mesquitecountry]

I've heard of it but I'm no Food Anthropologist or Historian.

I've always seen it as basically an ancient meat protein bar style snack. Shredded meat mixed with readily available berries.

here's what wikipedia has to say.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemmican

[Passthrough]

MC,
I've been eyeing all the great sausage recipes on the other thread but havent tried them yet. I have got my german and summer sausage making down pretty good. Gonna try yours some this year though. Question: I want to try to make some deer/snack sticks. Somewhat like jerky...no casings. Any suggestions? Will some of the other mixtures work? Does it HAVE to have cure like jerky? Dehydrate it, smoke it??? Any help is appreciated!! Thanks in advance!

[mesquitecountry]

I assume you mean grinding them like sausage and extruding them through a jerky shooter or something. Am I correct?

IMO. I would stuff them into a small collagen 19-24mm or use a sheep casing. You will get a much better product.

But, if you want to go sans tripas then you will want to use a jerky shooter.

I would cure at the 1 oz of modern cure (prague powder) per 25 pounds of meat.

Any of the sausage recipes will work even the jal/chz. Actually this one is awesome in this manner.

I would lightly smoke for say an hour or so. Bring it up to 165 then let it dehydrate for roughly 5 or so hours at a low temp then chill down to 40 then serve away!

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Tx625]

Steaks!!!

I've been trying diffrent things with steaks, none working to well. The best steak i ever had was on a ranch I was hunting once, asked the guy what he seasoned the steak with he said salt and pepper and thats it. I've tried that and just about everythin else I can think off and just cant get it right. So my question is what do you put on yours and what temp do you cook them. By the way after reading some of these recipes you just might have to come down to the ranch one weekend. Thanks and take care!