The Brahestad Butt by Arctic BBQ

Image via ArcticBBQ.com

Perhaps "butt" is a funny word in Finland, but I don't get it.

Johannes at Arctic BBQ begins his post on pulled pork by stopping everyone's giggles. He explains that "butt" refers to barrel, as in the barrels used to transport pork shoulders and hams during the American revolutionary war.

I'd read that the term came from Old English, meaning "the widest part." My widest parts are my shoulders (for now) unless you count the distance between my self image and reality, which is spacious.

In classic Arctic BBQ style, Johannes takes a thoughtful, controlled approach to his 4.5 pound shoulder. He removed it from the fridge 2 hours ahead of time. He seasoned it with 7 tablespoons of rub composed of black pepper, paprika, onion, thyme, ginger, lemon and 23% smoked salt (he probably counted the grains).

He built a briquette snake and added some apple wood then monitored the whole affair with his iGrill2 iPad app.

His temp was 192ºF after 6 1/2 hours then he let it rest for an hour. That's faster than I do it. It's always enlightening to see another's take on a classic meal.

He used a couple of other tricks and techniques. What was he spraying it with in the picture above? Read his complete pulled pork study here and tease him about his non-Dragon Knuckle claws in the comments.

Image via ArcticBBQ.com

Chef Martin Lopez's Carnitas de Michoacán

When I was sixteen, I needed a job. I went through the classified ads and found a gig bussing tables at a Mexican Bar and Grill.

My life changed forever.

Not only did I realize there was good money to be made earning tips in the restaurant business, but I got to be around different people all the time. I listened to them, talked with them, watched them interact, saw how they ate, observed how they ordered and picked up on the many fascinating details of being human.

And I fell in love with Mexican flavors. Cilantro, chilis, lime, cumin, avocado, pollo borracho, carne asada, tequila and anything wrapped in a tortilla are close to my otherwise suburban gringo heart.

So for Pork Shoulder Month, I had to think about Carnitas. I was so glad Chef Martin Lopez shared his recipe with us.

Chef Martin grew up in Mexico City in a large family run by his hardworking, dedicated Mother. At the age of seven he was already a big part of feeding the family. He earned a degree in Tourism and Languages in Mexico City in 1988 then went back to school for a degree in the Culinary Arts. He has travelled all around Europe and South America, adding multicultural elements to his style that he calls Mexican Novelle.

He is a professional chef, food writer, blogger and culinary ambassador for the Hispanic and Latin community.

Here's his version of the classic Carnitas recipe:

There is nothing better than to take a walk around the plazas in Mexico for lunch or dinner and smell the amazing aromas coming from all the food vendors.

One dish that you will see almost in every corner is the amazing Pork Carnitas. This delicate tender meat is used to fill tacos, and every one claims they have “the best secret recipe” as these recipes and cooking methods are passed from generation to generation.

I am bringing you a small taste of Mexico with my version on how to make slow-simmered pork, with a quick fry at the end. Carnitas!

Carnitas are easy to make, but do take some time so plan accordingly. They are the perfect dish for a family event as you can have it ready and let your guests assemble their own tacos.

So have a big fiesta and serve Carnitas!

Your friends will remember them for years to come!

INGREDIENTS:

Half a white onion peeled and coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups water

6 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 stick of Mexican cinnamon

4 whole cloves stems removed

1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste

1 cup of pork lard

4 to 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt cut into 4-inch chunks, fat on

1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

2 bay leaves

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice and half of a whole orange

½ cup of sweetened condensed milk

DIRECTIONS:

Place the water, onion, garlic cloves, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, cinnamon, stemmed whole cloves and 1 tablespoon salt in a blender and puree until smooth.

Set a large Dutch oven or heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Add the lard and once it has heated up, add the pork chunks and sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Brown the meat on all sides, stirring and flipping as each side browns, about 10 minutes.

Pour the onion mixture over the meat, let it come to a simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Pour in the orange juice, the half orange and sweetened condensed milk, add the 2 bay leaves, and give it a good stir. Let it come to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low to low and cover. Cook covered, stirring and scraping the bottom of the casserole a couple times and until the meat is completely cooked and coming easily apart if you pull one piece, about one hour and a half. Remove the lid, cook for another 4 to 5 minutes on high heat to give the meat a fast high heat fry.

Turn off the heat and let it cool down, scoop out the Carnitas with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat behind, and serve the meat in a bowl or platter. Shred with a fork, if desired, before tucking into tacos. Serve with warm corn tortillas and chopped cilantro, fresh onion, pickled jalapeños, carrots, guacamole, Pico de Gallo and salsas on the side.

Enjoy!

Humongous thanks to Chef Martin and John Schell for sharing this. I'll put this together for my family soon.

Fred and Kathe Frahm's Basque Leg of Lamb stuffed with Pork Loin

Submitted by Kathe Frahm. The woman famous for her “Seattle Seahawks and Old Women” posts from my Eighty Six the Poet blog.

“My late husband was quite the star with this recipe. Of course, I spent days getting it all ready for him. He did build our patio rotisserie barbecue and added a cooking counter and cutting board.”

Kathe was kind enough to flash back to some great times when her husband was alive and their kids were young. Their landscaped back yard was the talk of the neighborhood “including a large free form rose garden in the back yard with all the latest hybrid tea roses.”

It was never hard getting a bunch of friends over for food, drinks and laughs.

The Basque Leg of Lamb was always a hit:

• 3-4 lb boned leg of lamb with most of the fat removed
• 1-2 lb pork loin
• fresh lemon slices
• several fresh rosemary sprigs
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup Worcestershire sauce

Image via Flickr by tedkerwin

Need to Learn how to Remove the Bone from a Leg of Lamb?

I asked her if she forgot to mention salt, pepper or other seasonings. She said no. The Worcestershire sauce added plenty of salt, spice and flavor. They never added anything else.

Now what? I'll let Kathe tell you:

“Gently flatten the lamb, lay a few lemon slices on it, as well as the sprigs of rosemary. Pour ½ the Worcestershire sauce over the lamb. Lay the loin on top in the center. Roll together tightly and use steel skewers to pin the roast together.”

She said you could tie the lamb closed instead of using skewers, “as long as it is tied tightly and sinks into the meat so it won't burn off.”

Put a thermometer into the center of the pork loin. They cooked theirs over the rotisserie, but use the method you have. In the oven, be sure to turn the meat halfway to ensure even cooking. 140 and still pink in the middle is the temperature Kathe suggests.

“Baste the roast with remaining Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. When desired temperature is reached, remove the meat from the grill and let sit for 10 or 20 minutes before pulling out the skewers or cutting twine. Put seam side down and slice to desired thickness. Garnish with rosemary.

“Fred would bristle if someone asked for mint jelly to go with the lamb. We grilled vegetables, crusty bread and (served large) quantities of Spanish red wine. We had our ice cream churner wired up and running for watermelon granita.”

Decades later, I can smell this recipe. I want to eat this now. Lamb is on my list of favorite things somehow I never cook.

I need to change that.

Thanks, Kathe. What a great recipe and great memories.

And this is a true Dragon Knuckle dish. How do you improve a leg of lamb? Stuff it with pork loin. Yeah.

Keep it roasting.