Farmhouse Recipes

When I started to learn how to cure meat, “American-style” bacon seemed approachable and when I wanted to take the next step, I learned to make pancetta (Italian-style bacon). From there, I then moved to the beloved cured pig jowl, or guanciale. The history goes something…

Now that you have your turkey from our little farm, it is time to get it ready for the big feast. Brining is an easy way to make any meat juicy and flavorful. Easy Herb-Brined Turkey Ingredients 1 gallon water 1 cup kosher salt ½…

One of the great ways to experience beef in all its potential is to dry age it. Simply put when you dry age beef, say steaks, a molecular transformation takes place. Water evaporates slowly which gives the beef a “beefier” flavor and as good mold…

This was originally written for Homestead Living Magazine in the August 2024 issue and in that issue was titled “Butcher’s Cuts – Transforming Tough and Uncommon Cuts of Meat into Mouth-Watering Meals.” The Other Cuts I would think that most of the readers of this great…

One of my absolute favorite food styles is BBQ. I love all sorts of BBQ, from brisket to beans. I love BBQ chicken, hot links, and of course pulled pork. When the wife and I got married we had some of our Poly friends prep…

The hanger steak, often referred to as the “butcher’s cut,” has an interesting history tied to the practices of butchers and their appreciation for the more flavorful, yet less well-known, parts of the beef. Historically, the hanger steak was a prized cut among butchers. Its…

Aaahhh Ricotta. What was once thought around the US (especially us non-Italian Americans) as exclusive to our feeble attempts at homemade lasagna (although I must admit that I always liked my Aunt Bubba’s) and a tasty ingredient in pre-made and store-bought ravioli, has been making…

I have updated this post to reflect the fact we now grow our own eggs and use them every day but decided to keep some of the raw elements of the original post from 2012. I also combined three posts into one as you will…

One of the great stories in all distillation history is when apples are fermented into cider and then distilled into whiskey (or bandy). Simple, delicious and intensely North American (if that matters). This favorite takes Applejack Whiskey, add our apple bitters and some simple syrup…

There are a lot of things we have learned in our short time owning a little farm. Some are dramatic (cows trying to leap fences) while some are so subtle and so simple and yet provide tremendous joy. One such item is lard. Lard was used…