Deus Ex Culina

Fresh Ham

Sorry, I had been meaning to write this one up since New Year's. I don't have any full photos, if anyone who was there does , let me know.

So my girlfriend wanted to have some ham for our New Year's party. She made the mistake of buying me this book I had wanted for a long time, Chris Schlesinger's How to Cook Meat. Excellent book, highly recommended. At the same time, I can second the meat thermometer recommendation, but at the same time, suggest you buy one that's oven ready... I was drinking champagne while I was cooking this beast, and I happened to melt not one, but two quick read thermometers.

So anyway, I got the idea from the book, instead of making a cured ham, to attempt to make a fresh one. I read about them, and then went shopping. The gf originally wanted a nice small pre-cooked 6 lb ham. I came home from the bread and circus (unfortunately, one of the best butcher's around) with a 15 lb fresh ham, much to her dismay. Ordering it was interesting too. I asked if they had fresh ham, and they come out with the entire leg plastic wrapped. It must have been a monster of a pig. I ask for the shank half, they cut it, and it's 23lbs. The smaller half... the whole ham must have been 70 or 80. I ask for the shank half of that... they're not pleased, but they cut it for me. The guy who's helping me now passes me off to someone more experienced with this cut of meat, and he helps me fit it into my oven, which I was still worried about (he cut it, sorta butterflied style, then tied it for me - he echoed Schlesinger's words that the very shank end is super juicy).

Not having a grill big enough, nor wanting to be outside on New Years Eve in Boston, I prepared a recipe meant for the fire, in my oven. First I brined the beast. I had to buy an enormous stock pot, big enough:

3 qts water
1 cup sugar
1 cup salt
3 cups dark rum
25 whole cloves
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ham

I let the meat brine for a little over a whole day... in the refrigerator. Remember, the gf was already upset before all of the shelves were out, and this thing was in the fridge.

Schlesinger's recipe then says to rub it, which I do, below, and then bbq it over indirect heat until it's done. This of course, sounds like the way to do it, if you have the big bbq. My rub was (only slightly) different than Chris' as well.

1/2 cup of favorite hot sauce
1/4 cup of minced garlic
3 tbs cumin seed
2 tbs coriander seed
1.5 tbs kosher salt
cracked pepper, until my arms hurt from grinding
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp pepper flakes

Dry the ham, then score it with a sharp knife. Cut through the skin, until it spreads apart while you cut. Rub the ham down. Put the ham in a pre-heated 500 degree oven for 20-30 minutes to brown it. Turn the oven down to 300, and check for doneness with a meat thermometer after 2 hours. I did this, and then, after enough drinks, left both quick read thermometers in the beast. Luckily, it was late enough where I knew it was close. So I waited a bit more (almost 4 hours total cooking time for my beast in my oven - again, some people had to leave, further annoying the gf. Anyway, now I am the proud owner of an oven-ready, digital meat thermometer, complete with 3 different alarms). According to Schlesinger: "126F for medium rare, 134 for medium, 150 for medium well, and 160 for well; we like to pull it at 147". I'm not sure exactly when I pulled it. Probably a little under that. We served it with a mango salsa.

I like pork and all, but this was so juicy. It was not like any other pork I've ever had. I can't wait to really try and bbq one of these this summer.

Other bonuses: I made a great split pea soup with the hock... and I have been enjoying homemade carnitas out of the freezer for weeks now (sadly, all gone).

Beef and Dandilions

I know, I know, it's been forever since I posted on Deus. But I've been cooking very ordinary things lately. Nevertheless, I have decided to post again because Deus must march forward, forward into the kitchen where the food is prepared, forward to the plate where the food is served, forward to my mouth where the meal is consumed.

Today I cooked a beef roast and had some dandilions on the side. I know that most of you think of dandilions as a weed and not a vegetable. Well read on young kimosabe, and learn how to prepare this delictible green, and behold the roast that I ate along side it.

Let's start with the dandilions. I remember as a kid my mom cooking these up, and they were always delicious. So when I saw them at the farmer's market, I snatched them up right away. They're very simple to prepare, and they have a rich and hearty taste that you just don't get with spinach or other cooked greens. Come to think of it, maybe they should be stuffed into a pizza or calzone... hmmmm...

Basically take your dandilions and cut down the stems. Heat up a large skillet with olive oil on medium heat, and throw in the dandilions. Crush 4 or so cloves of garlic, and throw those in as well. Add more olive oil liberally. Cover the skillet and let the dandilions sweat off their moisture, and toss the greens in the skillet repeatedly. Add salt liberally, as the dandilions take it very well. You'll know they're done when they turn a dark green, and look completely wilted. Don't take them out early, or they'll be bitter. Add salt when you serve, and enjoy.

You may be wondering if you can use dandilions that you may find in your backyard. The answer is yes you can, so long as the dandilion hasn't bloomed yet. If the flower has appeared, then it's no good and you should leave it alone.

Now for the beef roast. The only way to cook a beef roast is by using a meat thermometer, perferably digital. Without it, there is simply no way for you to know what's going on inside the meat you cook. Today I cooked a eye of round roast, I think it was about three pounds. Procedures are simple, but must be followed with the meat thermometer. Just go get one if you don't have it already. Mine cost about $15.

Heat your oven to 250 degrees. If you have a dutch oven, put it in to be heated. If you use a terra cota planter and a large brick like I do, make sure they are heated as with the dutch oven. Rub the meat down with olive oil and salt and pepper. Insert the meat thermometer deep into the side of the meat so that it goes doen the roast lengthwise. Place the roast into the dutch oven, cover, and turn the heat down to 200 degrees. Wait until the meat thermometer reaches 118 degrees.

The thing to understand here is that 120 degrees is cooked but rare. 130 is more of a medium rare. So taking the roast out at just before rare allows the meat to gently rise to the appropriate temperature. Remove the roast and turn the oven up to 500. Cover roast with tin foil while waiting. The roast will reach a temperature somewhere near 130 on its own. Mine only went up to 125.

When the oven is heated to 500, place the roast back in, this time uncovered, for ten minutes. Remove the roast, wait five minutes for the meat to relax, and voila! A perfect roast every time.

If you want, you can deglaze the bottom of the pan or dutch oven and make a gravy. That's up to you. Enjoy.