Demimonde Roast!

[livius drusus]

Damn, you're going to break that badboy in all the way. I got a pork tenderloin today from a local organic Berkshire hog farmer. I've never actually made one before, although I've assisted my parents many a time. How do you make it?

[Demimonde]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Damn, you're going to break that badboy in all the way. I got a pork tenderloin today from a local organic Berkshire hog farmer. I've never actually made one before, although I've assisted my parents many a time. How do you make it?

First of all - I do dig on swine, but here in cattle country there is no local pork. But most would kill for cheap local access to beef tenderloin and steaks so I really can't complain.

My pork tenderloin has rosemary, thyme, and garlic. I slit the fatty side and insert cloves of garlic, halved. (I can't stress that enough, most times folks will just stuff a whole clove in there, I don't think the flavors can escape that way, nature intends those skins to keep in the moisture. Cut those bad boys in half top to bottom and there will much more flavor in the meat.) I then rub it down with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. (fresh or dried, I don't think it matters in this application.)

Of course since I have made it so many moons ago, I have learned about brining. I don't know that is necessary, though, tenderloin is... well... tender. Also I do NOT cook it to 160 degrees. That is too much! Grandma kitchen wisdom is good, but that one has outlived its usefullness. No one has gotten Trichinosis in the US since the 1970's, and they ate venison. Pork should be moist and juicy, not dried out like shoe leather. Let it cook to 145 degrees, 150 if you are nervous, and let it rest for at least ten minutes before slicing. (BTW even the USDA says so long as pork reaches 144, it is safe. So no fear!)

[Dingfod]

I had some roast demimonde the other night, with gravy and mashed red potatoes, from Caz's Chowhouse in The Brady District.

[livius drusus]

Oh, erm, yes so I should actually own a meat thermometer is what you're suggesting?

[Demimonde]

Yep, it is the best way to know when the meat is done. Timing can only get you so far. The temperment of the oven, the number of times the door has been opened, the thickness of the roast, even the heat retention of the pan, all of that can vary the amount of time it takes. If you do it on the grill, the fire will dictate too.

I generally don't bother taking temp with smaller cuts of meat. You can figure out if they are done based on time and experience. If you don't want to go to the trouble of getting a thermometer and doing the whole roast, you can always cut them into one and a half inch medalions and enjoy them that way. That is what I generally do / have been doing. Cheaper and tastier that prepackaged porkchops for sure. You can freeze the rest and thaw them for later.

[livius drusus]

I like the medallions idea, but I want to try roasting the whole thing at least once. I'll just go head and spend the big 10 bucks on a meat thermometer.

[Demimonde]

Yeah! Roasters unite!

[Dingfod]

There's hardly anything better than roast beast.

[Demimonde]

Ooo another note... based on the instructions above and the temps. The roast shouldn't be pink. But it should have a rosie cast to it. This can alarm some folks, and they can have an outer slice. Think baby skin.

Mmmm roast baby.

[livius drusus]

Oh, that doesn't scare me at all. My dad is a firm believer in pink pork products.

[Demimonde]

Well, I took too long getting to / at the store. So I don't think I'll have time to do my chickies tonight. I did find two happy organic 4 lbs birds though. Tomorrow, we roast!

No pork, , but I got a huge brisket for Mr. Monde, and a fortune worth of petite sirloin steaks, 5 lbs for $11. As a huge thunderstorm is rolling through, I think tonight I will play with my broiler and have a grill session in the comfy confines of my own kitchen.

I also found some nice asparagus, (at least the nicest of the late crop, I am picky.) The red wax potatoes were not great, so I got yellow, and without thinking about it I got yellow petite carrots, which were on sale. So I will be having some major YELLOW roasted veggies. I wish I had some color variance going on, but so long as it tastes good, who cares right?

[Demimonde]

Well the indoor cookout went well. As I expected the manufacturers' recomended cooking times were way off. Even cutting down the time on the first side from 10 to eight minutes on the lowest level resulted in a medium steak. I have more practice to do, of course I have gobs of steak, so that will help.

The potatoes/carrots turned out fantastic. Basted them with melted butter, honey, mustard, onion powder, and s&p. They were glorious, tender and sweet. Also asparagus with mushrooms turned out perfectly. They just got a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkle of rosemary and s&p. The hint of rosemary was nicer than I expected, a nice floral note that didn't overwhelm.

The birds are going to get brined so I am doing the brisket today. All seven and a half pounds of it! Geeze I forgot how huge those mothers are. I have all afternoon to sniff the goodness, and all week to eat the sammies. I will put together a warm potato salad to go with, and fresh green salad.

[livius drusus]

A medium steak is hardly a fate worse than death, so I think you did great for a first time out with a new broiler.

So how are you going to do the brisket? Do you make a rub and slow cook it? I've never even seen one live, to tell the truth. The closest I've come is repeated viewings of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

[Demimonde]

Ideally a brisket should be cooked in a smoker / pit. But I don't have one, so the oven version is what I am doing. People can get hoity toity about brisket. I think it is silly to do so, it's a cheap cut of meat that can be really flavorful if it is cooked right and left alone. It doesn't take much.

I get a packer brisket, the one with all the fat, and trim it down to about a quarter inch layer on the fatty side. I give it a rub on the other side with spices. Today I slept late so it was all about getting it in so we wouldn't be eating it at midnight. So I did a rub of salt, black pepper, red pepper, cayenne, paprika, onion powder and garlic. Oh and a smidge of oregano. Poked the hell out of it, and washed it with worch and soy sauce. Let it rest in the roasting pan until it came to room temp, then flipped it and covered it in... Dr. Pepper. I know a lot of folks do beer, but I save that for a corned beef version I do. This is the I'm a Pepper red neck version which is traditional in my family, though I have no idea who came up with it. It is sweet and slightly spicy this way. I think the acidity helps break down the connective tissue as well.

The important thing I think is to make sure the beef flavor comes through. I hate it when I get a brisket that has been marinaded so long it loses its character. It's a giant slab of beef, it should taste like beef. Plus it makes it easier to repurpose it into other meals.

Then cover in foil and pop it in at 250 for about seven hours, I ramp up the heat to 350 and flip it for the last half hour to make a nice crust, but in between no real basting or fussing. Leave it alone, and it will do well. The fat is the real flavor producer and cooking it fat side up it bastes itself and the cola keeps it moist.

Take it out and let it rest for a good forty minutes, and then carve it up. I make a bar-be-que sauce to go with for folks, but generally, I like mine naked. I think BBQ sauce is often an out for those who dry them out. Mine is nice and moist and flavorful without.

You should give it a try sometime. It is really easy and cheap. My 7.5 pounder was $13 and we'll be eating it for days. I have other recipes too, the best thing about them I think is they are so cheap, you can experiment. I've come up with some wild ones.

[livius drusus]

Dr. Pepper = genius. I'm sure it makes a killer glaze. What's worch? (Yes I could Google it, but I'd have to be so much less lazy than I am.)

[Demimonde]

The DP really is great. Worch = Worcester sauce, I can never remember how to spell it let alone how to pronounce it. (Incidentally I did just have to onelook it!) Neither could my mom, so in her recipes and mine we just write "worch," and around the house it is, "Dear could you pass the worch?"

[livius drusus]

That's awesome.

[Demimonde]

Oh by the by, I think I might have found that Puerco Pibil recipe you guys were talking about: Puerco Pibil - Once Upon a Time in Mexico. It sounds fantastic!

[Sock Puppet]

That's the one!

I only did it once, but it was fan-friggin-tastic. Unbelievably tender and flavorful.

I couldn't find the achiote seeds at the time (bet I could find them here more easily). I used premade achiote paste, which Rodriguez says is not nearly as good. But y'know what? It was amazing anyway. If I'd ground the seeds myself, somebody who tasted it might have decided it was too good, and shot me.

ETA - Hey, wait a minute. 2-inch cubes? I'm pretty sure this is NOT exactly the same dish. I seem to remember it being more of a big lump of meat slathered in the mixture and slow-roasted in foil. Now I hafta rent that damned movie again and find out.

[Demimonde]

Pity, I found this blog as well, but I chose the other link because it was easier to read (red on black, really?) and not full of crazy tangents.

The brisket turned out great. I will need to work on my oven recipe in one regard though. My new gas stove has the heating element in the bottom of the stove, not the top like most electric guys. So when it came to the last hour of cranking up the heat and making the crust, it didn't work so well. No direct heat. I will have to think on that. Maybe sear it before hand?

The chickies are going to be put on hold I fear, til the weekend. I am really glad that I have so much brisket left over. One week until finals and it is crazy ass crunch time. Glad to know I have a fridge full of love.

ETA: I just noticed that the other link has a part about cubing the pork too! Hampered chef didn't use the key word "cube" like I would have expected him too. I guess he is hampered:

"Cut the butt," as Rodriguez would smirk, into two-inch squares. I know from experience that this is really fun.

Unlike the other link, he doesn't talk about modifying the recipe. Oh well, I tried...

[Sock Puppet]

Meh, it's been years now, I could be misremembering. Maybe I cubed it. I have such an excellent memory that I even remember shit that never really happened.

[Demimonde]