Older Bolder Life

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the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 28 December: Rib Rub Pork Shoulder

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In keeping with our recipe theme of late focusing on traditional Southern foods that, according to folklore, bring good luck for the New Year, here’s a wonderful, and ridiculously simple, recipe for a tasty pork shoulder prep, the Rib Rub Pork Shoulder.

Pork is of course a celebrated protein in many cultures around the world, and the fact that pigs root moving forward symbolizes (ostensibly according to tradition) progress and attainment for the New Year. As noted before, both my wife and were raised in the South and learned these traditions around our Grandmothers’ tables; we eat pork today because it tastes so good.

A slowly smoked pork shoulder is still considered a treasure in the modern South today, pulled and most often served with a regionally-favored sauce (for example, the mouth-puckering vinegar-based sauces in the Carolinas). Not always having the time to tend a smoker for the day, we oven roast a pork shoulder using this recipe every six weeks or so and eat on it for a week in various preps. This technique is simple as can be, and produces foolproof results every time.

Two summers ago, in the days before my son married, we even catered a backyard party he and his then fiancé threw for visiting family and friends, using the very rib rub recipe my son had crafted years before (Jake’s Rib Rub). I’ve included a link to that recipe below – it’s delicious, but you’ll note it contains sugar, as do many rubs you’ll find commercially these days. We typically make a batch of one of a number of our favorite rubs without any sugar; there are a number of great recipes around, and Jake’s recipe works well (in terms of flavor profile and balance) with the sugar greatly reduced. You make the call…

6-10 pound whole bone-in heritage pork shoulder roast (Boston Butt)
Your favorite pork or rib rub (we use Jake’s Rib Rub occasionally, see above)
Apple cider vinegar

Preheat your trusty oven to 425.

Rinse the pork shoulder and pat dry; paint with the ACV and coat with a generous layer of the rub (all surfaces).

On a foil-lined baking sheet place a rack covered with a sheet of parchment paper; settle the rubbed shoulder atop the paper, skin side up, and side into the oven for 20 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 250 and plan on at least a 6 hour cook; you need a deep meat temperature of 185 for the fat to render out and the toughest meat fibers to fully (and magically) tenderize. Bigger shoulders (9 to 10 pounds and up) may even need times more in the range of eight hours.

When done, rest for at least 30 minutes before pulling, slice or shredding.

For those making tacos tonight, here’s a little trick to put this one over the top – pull or shred the shoulder and heat a skillet over medium high heat. Place a healthy layer of meat in the skillet, sprinkle with a bit more rib rub (you’ll know when it’s enough), and heat, turning now and again, until hot, sizzling and just beginning to caramelize.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 26 December: Collard Greens Kimchi

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With New Year’s Day celebrations looming on the horizon now, being good children of the South my wife and I have been raised to eat greens as part of the traditional New Year’s Day meal.

Truth be told, I didn’t grow up willfully embracing the concept of stewed or sautéed greens, though in my youth I picked at mustard, collard, and turnip greens at many a grandmother-prepared table over the years.

My personal view of greens changed when one of our favorite Southern restaurants here in the DFW metro started serving a wonderful crudite plate with a Collard Greens Kimchi as part of the array. We often have a quart jar of some version of kimchi in the fridge (using this recipe), and while collard greens take a bit of time in a briny soak to soften, they’re well worth the effort, and some say will help ensure wealth flows your way this year (if you hold to old Southern New Year’s Day tradition).

2 medium bunches collard green leaves
Fine sea salt

6 scallions, cut on diagonal into 1 inch pieces, use the white and pale green sections
1/3 cup (or more) gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes, coarse) OR
1.5 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes, ground
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoons fish sauce

Remove the stalks from the collards and cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Wash well, drain, and quickly pat dry. Now layer in a small bowl with generous amounts of the sea salt between layers, place a dish (or other weight on top) and leave for 30 minutes. Then massage the leaves a bit, turning them over, and making sure they’re fairly well covered with salt, cover with the weight in place for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process another three times, you’re looking for the leaves to become somewhat tender.

Rinse the leaves of salt and pat dry on paper towels.

Now combine the collard leaves with the scallions, pepper of choice, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce; stir to ensure all the leaves are well coated.

Now pack into a sterilized jar, leaving about an inch of headspace. Cover loosely and leave on the counter (out of direct sunlight) for up to two days to begin the magic of fermentation. Once you’re happy with evidence of fermentation, throw in the fridge, where the flavors will deepen and mature over the next week as fermentation slowly moves onward. Kimchi gurus insist this will keep for up to two months in the fridge.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Sauce Sunday 23 December: Brown Butter Cranberry Sauce

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Last week at a small gathering with friends our hostess served a very tasty brined, roasted turkey with this Brown Butter Cranberry Sauce.

She’s a paleo foodie, and served an array of roasted vegetables too (beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts) that were simply awesome with this sauce as well.

Her palate aligns fairly well with ours in that she said she has reduced the amount of maple sugar in this recipe, enjoying the tart burst of flavor from the cranberries, along with the ginger, orange, a hint of shallots, and thyme.

She also suggested cooking it down for just a few minutes after stirring in the brown butter (note the two links below for tips on making the best brown butter) so that a nice jammy consistency is achieved.

Give this one a spin; our reaction was “wow”, and I quickly began to mentally list all the proteins and vegetables this would complement well.

1 small bag fresh cranberries, picked and rinsed
1-3 tbsp good maple syrup (start with one and adjust to taste)
2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated (or more)
2 tsp fresh orange zest
1 and 1/2 sticks butter
1 small shallot, trimmed and finely chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, ginger, and orange zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat; stir frequently until the cranberries begin to release their juices and open. Remove from the heat.

While heating the cranberry mixture, prepare the brown butter using this technique or this one.

When the butter is just about “there”; stir in the shallot and thyme, stir for another minute or two until the shallots just begin to soften.

Now stir the butter mixture into the cranberries, place over low heat for another 1-3 minutes, stirring to combine well, and cook it down just a bit.

Serve warm, and use your imagination with this one.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 21 December: Libby’s Honey Thyme Holiday Ham

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Being children of the South, my wife and I often think about enjoying a nice ham during the holiday season. As our palates have changed over the years eating Primally, the commercially prepared, overly-sweet, glazed hams made famous by a certain franchise just don’t fit the bill these days.

We have a family favorite mustard-glazed, hardwood-smoked version we’re partial to, though Libby convinced me to try her Honey Thyme Holiday Ham recipe recently, and I have to say, it’s very likely the best ham we’ve ever cooked at home.

She adapted the recipe from one posted in the now-defunct Gourmet magazine years ago, and true to her Southern roots added a bit of creole mustard to the glaze. And yes, this ham has a glaze sweetened with honey; the flavor added, particularly working in concert with the thyme, is well worth the sprinkle of additional carbs in our book, and isn’t cloying (like the above mentioned commercially-prepped hams…).

Give this one a try if you’re thinking about a ham this year; it’s one you’ll come back to again.

12-14 pound fully cooked ham

1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup mild honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp + 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp creole or dijon mustard
1 and 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Optional: fresh ground pepper

Set your ham out at room temp an hour before starting to cook.

When ready to get started, fire your trusty oven to 350 and trim any rind (skin) from the ham, then score the surface ham fat in a crosshatch pattern (just the fat, not the meat).

Place the ham on a roasting rack in a hefty roasting pan, cover with a piece of parchment paper, then cover the entire roasting pan with foil. Bake for an hour and 45 minutes.

While the ham is baking, bring the vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan, and reduce to roughly 1 tbsp. Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the butter until melted, then the honey, thyme, mustard, and Worcestershire. Set the glaze aside until the hour and 45 minutes are up.

When the first baking period has passed, remove the foil and parchment paper, brush the ham with half the glaze, pour a cup of water or apple cider into the roasting pan, and bake for 30 minutes.

Reglaze the ham with the remaining glaze and bake another 30 minutes (or until done).

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 19 December: Marinated Vegetables (and Cheese)

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While chatting with our friend Chef Libby in Austin the other day, I pestered her about what her teams’ latest efforts in the marinated vegetable world had been, as we’re helping with party appetizers at an event next week.

She’d shared before about her love of quick pickles and marinated vegetables and cheese, actually often using the phrase MIY – marinate it yourself – when talking about the various preps she and her team use often.

She (and I) are big fans of these dishes, as you can customize the marinade to suit your vegetables, cheese, and your tastes that particular day, as well as (at least in part), what’s on hand in the pantry. Even better, you can adjust the amount of spice and acid you add in to suit you – Libby likes hers tart and packed with flavor.

My wife is particularly fond of marinated olives and feta or mozzarella, with citrus and peppers for spice, and a healthy splash of white wine vinegar.

Libby reminded me that a generous amount of good salt is needed, and she’s partial a bit of fresh thyme sprinkled in the marinade as well.

The vegetables
Good olives, brined
Blistered peppers, i.e. shishito or banana
Lightly roasted mushrooms
Artichoke hearts
Hearts of palm
Carrot slices
Radishes/radish slices

The cheese
Slabs of good feta (try the organic imported feta from Costco)
Chèvre (goat cheese) sliced or crumbled
Fresh mozzarella
Ricotta salata
Your favorite cheese

The marinade
Good olive oil, see comments above regarding amount
Aromatics – citrus peels, dried chiles, crushed garlic, shallot slices
Acid – vinegar (white wine, red wine, white distilled, ACV), or lemon juice
Good salt
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh thyme leaves

Based on how much you’re planning to marinate, heat a generous amount of good olive oil over medium-low heat, along with whatever aromatics you’ve chosen to use. Heat long enough to soften the garlic (if using) and infuse the oil with flavor, then remove from the heat and cool (leave the aromatics in).

When cooled, stir in the vinegar, as much you want to taste; think of the marinade as a very highly seasoned vinaigrette. Salt and pepper to taste (it should be on the salty side), stir in the thyme or other fresh herbs, then pour over your cheese and vegetables and set aside for 30-60 minutes (or more), stirring a time or two if not covered completely.

When ready, plate artfully and serve.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Salad Sunday 16 December: Apple Cider Vinaigrette

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I’ve been on a mission lately to deconstruct and recreate at home one of our favorite salads from an eatery here in DFW called Whiskey Cake; the salad is their Bacon and Egg salad, featuring shaved raw Brussel sprouts and kale, with a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes, crumbled crispy bacon, a very thin apple slice here and there, peppadew peppers, and crumbled blue cheese.

The salad is amazing, and is pulled together with a surprisingly tart, simple vinaigrette. I’d been debating as to whether it was champaign vinegar or apple cider vinegar based; several weeks ago I finally pestered our waitress to ask for me, and to my surprise one of the chef’s came out and chatted about it with us (very nicely played by the Whiskey Cake team, and it was apple cider vinegar).

We came home and started experimenting that night, playing with the classic 1:2 vs 1:3 vinaigrette acid:oil ratios, and kept coming back interestingly to Zatarain’s Creole mustard both for flavor and as an emulsifier. (For whatever reason chemically, I’m getting the best results making avocado oil mayo with this mustard too – in terms of mayo texture (emulsification) and taste.)

We think this is better with a small shallot very finely chopped and mixed in, along with a bit of Cajun spice. Chef Libby has played with this one, and prefers it with a bit of raw honey and just a whisper of cinnamon. Play around with this one and see what you think.

I’ll be posting a recipe for the bacon and egg salad here in the next few weeks…

1/2 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp (generous) Zatarain’s Creole mustard, or whole grain Dijon
1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
Good salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
1 small-medium shallot, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp good raw honey or maple syrup, start with one
1/4 tsp (or more) of your favorite Creole/Cajun spice mix OR
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Making this one is a walk in the park. Combine the first 8 ingredients along with whatever optional goodies in a small mason jar (lidded container of choice) and shake until emulsified. You don’t have to go crazy here, shake until well combined and homogenous, then taste again and adjust for salt, pepper, and sweetness IF you’ve chosen to sweeten (see above).

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast 14 December: Boeuf Bourguignon

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This is one of our family’s Holiday season classics, most often making it onto the menu for either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner.

My lovely wife spent time in North Africa and Switzerland growing up, and became something of a Francophile along the way; in fact, those years inspired one of her careers as a linguist and educator.

Her interest in France and French history no doubt inspired our family tradition of enjoying Boeuf at the holiday. While Boeuf Bourguignon unquestionably had its origin as a peasants’ recipe, with food historians tracing its lineage to the Middle Ages, used then as a way to manage tough, less-desired cuts of meat using long, slow cooking and braising methods, through the 20th century it became a bistro favorite and developed an ‘up-town flair’.

Traditional recipes call for browning the beef after flouring; the flour serving both as a browning agent and a thickener for the rich broth that develops in cooking. Those who are gluten-intolerant should of course go without; we almost never use flour in any form, but this is one recipe where, in the big picture, we’re willing to overlook that 1/3 of a cup. You make the call; the same goes for the 2 teaspoons of sugar sprinkled over the onions and mushrooms…

This recipe is quite forgiving, and is probably even better the second or third day as the flavors meld and mature; it even freezes very well, though we never seem to have enough left over to put up for the long haul.

The recipe looks a bit long and complicated, though it’s not and flows very nicely in the kitchen.

4 lb beef chuck, trimmed, cut into 1 and 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp good salt
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
5 tbsp butter, divided
3 tbsp avocado or EVOO
1/2 lb thick-sliced bacon, diced
5 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced
4 carrots, 1/2-inch diagonal slices
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp asian fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups burgundy wine (maybe more)
Beef broth (one quart container should do, see below)
20-30 small white pearl onions, trimmed and skins removed
1 lb mushrooms, mixed, sliced thickly
3 tbsp butter
Juice of one lemon
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup fresh parsley, optional

Preheat your trusty oven to 350.

Dredge the meat in the flour, salt, and pepper; heat 2 tbsp butter and one tbsp oil of choice in a large skillet. Sauté one-third of the meat until browned on all sides, remove to a dutch oven or large, heavy roasting pan and repeat two more times.

Now into the same skillet, add the bacon and sauté for several minutes until the fat begins to render; then add the garlic, carrots, leeks, and 1/2 cup parsley. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon is cooked through and there’s a bit of caramelization on the vegetables. Add the bay leaves and thyme, stir in, then dump the bacon mixture into the dutch oven/roasting pan with the beef.

Now add the wine and enough broth to just cover the meat, then the soy and fish sauces, adjust for salt, cover, and then into the oven for 90 minutes, checking halfway through to see if more broth/wine is needed.

Take a break for an hour, then sauté the prepped onions and mushrooms in 3 tbsp of butter until lightly browned,  sprinkle with the lemon juice and sugar, cooking and stirring for another 3 minutes or so. Add the mushroom-onion mixture to the beef, stir it in, then cover again and cook for another hour (or more) until the beef is fall apart tender.

Remove from the oven, let rest 10 minutes, skim any visible fat and remove the bay and thyme leaves. Adjust for salt and pepper, and serve hot with more fresh chopped parsley.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 9 December: Chile Lime Vinaigrette

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There are a gazillion recipes for good vinaigrettes out there; we seem to stir or whisk up a vinaigrette four or five nights per week these days.

Of all the recipes we enjoy, this Chile Lime Vinaigrette is probably my personal favorite and one that we serve on a simple slaw (green and a little purple cabbage, thinly sliced green or red onions, maybe some grated carrot or beet, slivered bell pepper, and pending the protein, usually a handful of cilantro leaves) at least once a week.

Though it’s typically a tad more than 3 tablespoons, I always count on using two limes, and pending how spicy the chile paste (or garlic chile paste) jar happens to be this time around, may use a bit more to spice things up.

This vinaigrette not only plays well on slaws and salads, but roasted vegetables and even occasionally as a dipping sauce for roasted or grilled chicken and more.

The brown sugar is of course optional; even the 1/2 teaspoon adds just the tiniest hint of sweetness that adds to the flavor package here.

1/4 cup avocado oil (or EVOO)
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp good fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh chile paste or chile garlic paste
3/4 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Optional
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp brown sugar

This one couldn’t be easier. Combine the first six ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine, pour over your slaw, salad, or vegetables. Best made right before use.

Enjoy.