Pig-ervention....French Canadian recipe link located! p3

[Hattie the Hen]

In the UK we call this Brawn. I used to make it a lot but nowadays it is much harder to buy a pig's head. I can still buy pig's feet (called trotters here) though so I use those along with other cheaper cuts of pork; the trotters produce a lot of gelatanous goo......

Here are some UK recipes

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/596546

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/594874

http://www.janeausten.co.uk/magazine/page.ihtml?pid=273&step=4

*** I have added this next recipe for Rabbit & Pig's Trotter Brawn to demonstrate how recipes can be adjusted to use up all the cheapestr cuts or animals to make a tasty meal......this recipe is a great example & is also very tasty. My grandmother often made something very similar...I loved it as a child but nowadays I find children (& a lot of younger people) hate the jellied nature of the dish).......

http://www.greenchronicle.com/regional_recipes/cheshire_rabbit_brawn.htm

Hattie

 

[freemotion]

Wow, thanks!!! That is so helpful, ORC and HH!!! I've seen pig's feet in the store so I may just buy some to practice with.

Anyone know if it can be frozen or will the gelatin break down?

 

[ORChick]

I looked in one of my cookbooks this morning, and it had a very similar recipe to the one I posted last night, but with rather more detail as to method. It suggested that after cooking and straining the meat, the broth should be set to chill overnight, so that the fat is more easily removed, and so that the jelling ability can be checked. If it doesn't set well the broth should be cooked down further (and/or, my suggestion, add a bit of gelatine). The recipe also added some cooked, diced carrots and celery root to the meat mixture - I think that rutabaga or parsnip might be good too, though perhaps not all four of these at the same time

One thing all these recipes have in common (those Hattie posted, as well as mine) is that the broth is very highly seasoned - I know that cold tends to mute the seasoning, so this is important. I don't know for sure, but I believe that freezing gelatine is not a good idea.

I asked my French Canadian friend about your other recipe, and she asks how well you read French? She could direct us to sites with good, traditional recipes, but they are in French. She says she makes a version herself, but it is more modern, and doesn't have as much fat in it - I didn't think that was what you wanted

 

[freemotion]

Thanks again! Yes, I'd like the French sites. My French is not bon, but my father can probably interpret for me. I'd like a VERY old-fashioned recipe.

As a young boy, my dad would sneak butter from the big crocks in the cellar and make a fire in the woods and fry potatoes. We are not afraid of fat in this family.

BTW, Dad is still slim in his 70's and is on NO meds whatsoever. Bring on the fat!

 

[ORChick]

free, I'm not surprised - most of us here appear to not be afraid of (healthy) fat.
I'll pass on the request for French Canadian recipe websites, and will hope that you will, in return, help my long-ago-school-French get through them - I won't have any spare pig parts in November (or, probably, ever), but I am ever curious about traditional recipes.

 

[ORChick]

http://www.recettes.qc.ca/

This may be too much of a good thing ... or maybe not. Lots and lots of French. I am off now to polish up my school French ... adieu

 

[Homemaker]

Oh, I am so into this thread. My husband and I are historical interpreters and we portray a habitants from the French and Indian War (1750) Thanks for the awesome site.

 

[big brown horse]

because free, your piggies know you cook porkchops! BBH's piggie is mocking her.

 

[freemotion]

Oh, I am so into this thread. My husband and I are historical interpreters and we portray a habitants from the French and Indian War (1750) Thanks for the awesome site.

Well, get crackin' with the translatin'!!!

Please? Pretty please?

I can translate some of it, but not all.

 

[ORChick]

Oh yes, please! My French vocabulary is quite good - nouns, that is, especially having to do with food. All the extra bits, little things like verbs, adverbs, adjectives I have a really hard time with. Of course, I failed school French very successfully
Did you find the creton, free? Looks like there are a number of recipes there. So, its like a pate, is that right?