Episode #16: The Grizzly Bits

Episode #16:
The Grizzly Bits

Waste-not-want-not! In the penultimate episode of The Aporkalypse Podcast, James and Sam samples sausages, pies and broths. Getting down and dirty with offal and offcuts – they’re on a grizzly exploration in to all things porky.

Sausages

Ingredients (per batch)

  • 1kg pork offcuts around 75% / 25% ratio meat to fat.
  • Hog casings (we used Weschenfelder)
  • 200g rusk (or cream crackers blitzed to crumbs in a blender)

Flavourings:

Boerwors (inspired by HonestFood.net):

  • 1 tbsp table salt
  • 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
  • 4 tbsp coarsely ground coriander seed
  • 1 tsp ground clove
  • 2 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup malt vinegar
  • 1/4 cup brandy

Chorizo (inspired by The Ginger Pig Farmhouse Cookbook):

  • 375g pork backfat
  • 4 tsp table salt
  • 2 tsp demerara sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
  • 50g smoke paprika
  • 1 tbsp hot paprika

Hot Dog Weiners (inspired by Lets-Make-Sausage.com):

  • 800g minced beef chuck, 20% fat
  • 3 tbsp paprika
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp mustard powder
  • 1 tbsp table salt
  • 2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground mace
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp #1 Cure Prague Powder

Method

  • In a large bowl, mix together the pork offcuts and rusk with the flavourings of your preferred sausage mixture until thoroughly combined.
  • Using a sausage making machine, pass the mixture the mincer on a medium coarse setting. Place the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes – this will help prevent the fat from melting and avoid ‘streaky’ sausages.
  • Take the mixture out of the fridge and run it through the mincer a second time. Return to the fridge for a further 30 minutes.
  • Following the instructions of your sausage maker, pipe the mixture in to the hog casings. Twist the filled casings at regular intervals to create links (long links for boerwors, medium links for weiners and short links for chorizo).
  • Cover and return the sausages to the fridge for at least 12 hours to allow the flavour to develop. Use within three days or freeze immediately.
  • The boerwors and the chorizo are best when grilled, roasted or fried. The weiners are best when smoked over wood chips then steamed.

Japanese Bone Broth

Ingredients

For the broth:

  • 2kg raw pork bones
  • 1 thumb sized knob ginger, minced
  • 12 garlic cloves (or one medium sized bulb), minced
  • 1 large onion, halved, skin left on
  • 2 medium sized carrots, roughly chopped

Toppings:

  • Small bunch spring onions, white part thinly sliced, green part cut in to bite sized pieces
  • Soy sauce
  • Black garlic oil
  • Fresh red chilli
  • Sliced mushrooms of your choice
  • Soft boiled egg
  • Spinach
  • Ramen noodles, cooked to instructions
  • Shichimi seven-spice chilli blend

Method

  • Start making the broth by placing the bones in a large high sided cast iron cooking pot. Place on the stove, cover with water and bring to the boil.
  • After a few minutes, foam will start to form on the surface. Remove the bones, pour the liquid down the sink, then place the bones back in the pot, recover with water and return to the stove. This stage will help remove impurities and produce a clearer broth.
  • Once the pot has reached boiling, add the ginger, garlic, onion and carrots. Reduce to a gentle simmer for at least four hours – skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. You may wish to add more water if the level starts to get low.
  • Once all the flavour from the bones and veg have been imparted in to the broth, strain then add the liquid back in to the pot.
  • Increase the stove temperature to a gentle boil then add mushrooms and spinach. Cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms turn shiny and the spinach has wilted.
  • Place a small handful of ramen in to individual serving bowls, then ladel over the broth. Add the remainder of the toppings, using as many or as few as you like according to taste.

Pork Pies

Inspired by Ginger Pig Pork Pies from the Ginger Pig Farmhouse Cook Book

Ingredients

Recipe makes four pies.

For the filling:

  • 100g melted butter
  • 25 melted lard
  • 1 kg mince fatty pork (we used leg)
  • 1 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 2 tcp fresh parsley

For the pastry:

  • 700g plain flour
  • 50g icing sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 200g lard

For the jelly:

  • 2 pigs trotters
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves

Method

  • To make the jelly, place the trotters in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, discard the water down the drain then return the trotters to a pan and cover with 3 litres of fresh water. Add bay leaves and peppercorns then bring to a simmer. Cover and leave for 4 hours.
  • Strain the liquid then cover and chill to set overnight. If it is looking a little runny the next day then reheat in the pan to reduce. Likewise, if it is too firm then add a little water to thin.
  • Preheat oven to 170c. Brush four pie tins with the melted lard then dust with flour.
  • To make the filling, mix the ground pork in a large bowl with the nutmeg, parsley, pepper and salt.
  • To make the pastry, mix the flour, salt and sugar in a seperate bowl. Melt the butter and lard in a pan with 200ml water until almost boiling. Pour over the flour and mix quickly until you have a smooth glossy dough.
  • You will need to working quickly to form the pastry casing before the dough hardens. Divide the dough in to 8 pieces, four larger pieces that are 185g and four smaller pieces that are 115g. Cover them with clingfilm and a tea towel to stop them cooling and drying out.
  • Roll out the larger pieces in to circles and use to line the pie dishes. Divide the filling equally between the tins, then brush the edges of the pastry rim with the beaten egg.
  • Roll out the smaller pieces in to circles and lay on top to form a lid. Crimp the edges to seal. Using a chop stick, poke a 1 cm hole in the centre of each lid – this is where your jelly will be poured in. Bake for 1 hour then leave to cool.
  • Reheat your jelly in a pan until it becomes liquid again. Use a small funnel to pour the jelly in to each pie hole. Allow to set for two hours before serving.