Braised Hog Belly
Serves 8 If you are fortunate enough to come upon a very large hog, this is the recipe I recommend for the belly. Wild hogs don"t have thick bellies the way domestic farm pigs do, but a large hog will come close enough to make this recipe worthwhile. It is tender and wonderful and any extra fat can be skimmed, trimmed, and saved to render (see page 187). If you are on a quest for a large hog, they are best found at night. The oldest and largest are also the smartest, and stick to their nocturnal routine more carefully than the rest.
1 hog belly (3 to 5 pounds)
1 (750 ml) bottle white wine
6 cups hog stock (page 213)
Zest of 2 oranges, sliced into thin strips
6 whole jarred jalapenos
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 stalk lemongra.s.s, bruised with the back of a knife and cut into 4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/4 cup salt
1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Trim the belly for neat edges and remove any glands or damaged parts.
3. In a saucepan, bring the wine to a simmer and cook out the alcohol for 5 minutes.
4. In a separate saucepan, bring the stock to a boil and add the rest of the ingredients, including the wine, which all becomes the braising liquid.
5. Place the belly in a shallow, flat, ovenproof pot and cover with the braising liquid. Cover with tinfoil or a lid and place in the oven. Braise for 3 hours, until very tender.
6. Remove the belly from the liquid and slice into small, square portions. Serve with a bit of braising liquid in a shallow bowl.
7. Alternatively, heat grape seed or vegetable oil in a skillet and sear the fat side of the belly until it crisps. Serve it with leafy green vegetables such as bok choy or kale, steamed or sauteed.
Cotechino Sausage
Makes 5 pounds The fresh spices in this recipe make it stand out. It is best to grind each freshly with a spice grinder, rather than use preground spices. In any recipe, drying your own herbs creates the greatest flavor and potency. This sausage is typically served poached rather than grilled. Because the meat of a wild boar has more muscle tissue, this makes it important to grind the meat finely to avoid a dense or chewy sausage, qualities that become more prominent when the sausage is poached. Having the meat and equipment very cold before putting the meat through the grinder will help achieve a fine grind.
3 pounds hog b.u.t.t, cubed
2 pounds hog or domestic pig fat, cubed
3 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pink curing salt (see Note, page 164)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely ground black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon finely ground cloves
1/2 tablespoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup ice water
Natural pork casings
20 cups hog stock (page 213)
2 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
2 bay leaves (optional)
2 whole garlic cloves (optional)
1. In a nonreactive bowl, combine the pork, fat, salt, pink salt, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne. Cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator, if possible.
2. Before you are ready to grind the meat, put it in the freezer for about 1 hour, until the meat is firm but not frozen.
3. Grind the meat and fat through a 1/8-inch die, taking care to alternate pieces of meat and fat. Gradually add the minced garlic while grinding.
4. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the meat for about 1 minute, until it is cohesive when smeared. Gradually add ice water to make the mixture uniform. You can also use your hands here, but it will take longer to get a cohesive mixture.
5. Mix until the meat pulls away from the sides of the bowl and the sausage feels somewhat tight.