Acorn Edition Salumi

la Quercia box
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

I received our second shipment from La Quercia today (Acorn Edition hog share). This box contains cured items.



I am probably the most excited to try the Lardo





But we also got some Coppa



Nicely marbled



Guanciale (cheeks!)



Pancetta





Looking tasty



Somehow I missed a picture of the Lonza (cured loin) but it is in there.



Now to portion it out amongst the shareholders (my brothers) and feast!

Pig head two ways (part 2)

pig head
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

Ok the second head I boned out,



much to my wifes chagrin, we had an angry skull.



The edible portion though as a bit more agreable



I removed the tongue, I the removed the membrane and stuffed it back in the head.



I seasoned it with garlic, salt, pepper, and wrapped it in cheescloth and tied it up and let it rest in the fridge



I then unwrapped the cheescloth (3 days later) and retied it, and roasted on the grill for 8 hours at as low a temp as I could muster, (ballpark 200-300 deg farenheit)



The skin is very crispy, I tried to render as much fat as I could at a low temp. The meat is tender and flavorfull, better than the head cheese, with awesome crispy skin.

Pig head two ways (part 1)

wash your head
Originally uploaded by EatingVideo

I bought a share of a cured hog with my brothers from La Quercia (acorn edition 3), the first instalment of the organic berkshire acorn finished hog included two heads (I volunteered for extra if one was available), the trotters, the tail, the heart, ribs, leaf lard, and loin. I decided to make a head cheese with the first head and a porchetta de testa with the second. This is the tale of the first head.
These dishes were greatly inspired by the following videos

Sky Full of Bacon 04: A Head's Tale from Michael Gebert on Vimeo.

along with other sites. For an interesting overview of La Quercia's acorn edition watch this...

Sky Full of Bacon 10: Prosciutto di Iowa from Michael Gebert on Vimeo.

We received a 70lb box full of pig parts



Inside vacuum packed were the pig parts



I washed the head in the sink paying particular attention to the ears and nose



I cut the ears off for a separate dish and wrapped the head in cheese cloth so it was easier to retrieve from the pot after cooking.



the ears I braised in a simple syrup with soy sauce, for 2 hrs, I will then chop thinly and fry,



but that's another post. The wrapped pig head was covered with water in a large pot and two onions, carrot, garlic salt sugar, a bit of pimenton, black pepper, rosemary, and thyme and brought to a boil then simmered for 4 hrs.
I removed the head onto a baking sheet and let it cool, and then further reduced the stock by half.
No pictures, but after cooling I removed the meat from the jowls, temple, neck, and face trimming the fat and skin off. this was rolled in cheesecloth a bit of the stock added then wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in the fridge to cool.
The next day we sliced it



and breaded one side and browned it on both sides



The result is an incredibly rich dish, fatty and full of pork flavor. It will benefit from an acid sauce, a chimichurri or other citrus based sauce to cut the fat.
The next head I am going to bone out and roast.