My husband got started very early this morning and prepped all the pork for his homemade prosciuttos that he learned how to do with Normie and Salvatore~
On our own this year..He was very well prepared..we did several little shopping outings for all the right trays.. containers.. spices..casings..meat..tools etc..All the places Normand suggested..and a few more..
I am going to save the Prosciutto making to add more than" 1 day at a time"..(I loved that show:) )~
When he was done prepping that..we took our 35 yr old grinder out and set it up w/ our new sausage stuffer..while our casings soaked in water..Jacques ground all the meat..I think he would dearly love me to have the KA attachment:) One day!
That part was long..plus keeping everything extra cold.. kept us on our toes..thank goodness for our xtra cold..coldroom..AS soon as part was done..I would scurry to the cold room.. back and forth..to keep things at the right cold temp..It's easy these days here..Cold enough to keep the cold room at the perfect temps!
I really enjoyed making these!Of course he did all the hard work..
I loved the whole process..
We mixed our ground meat with fennel and special spices.. white wine..hot chili flakes..
I know how it was all made..how clean everything was.. how lean the meat was.. what amount of fat and real spices were added..
I know how bad the photos are:)But we are in a makeshift(albeit sterile thanks to my chemical engineer husband who thrives on equations and cleanliness) production factory in our basement with a time schedule:)So I threw caution to the wind and vanity of photography out the door in the snow.
To share our first experience..and actually to remember the day..
Tonight we had potatoes en petites casseroles de Mamina..for the second time this week because they are that good..
The potatoes are cubed..pre cooked ..then assmebled in little marmites or if you are lucky enough to find Mamina's adorable little wood boxes.. sprinkled here and there w/ an earthy heady cheese..scallions or chives..and baked until the cheese is melted..I pre ~cooked my potatoes in broth w/ garlic..I used Le Rustique cheese as I did not have St-Félicien..and added spring green onions and pepper..then baked them until the cheese was fondant:) with our new spicy,fresh..fenneled sausages and grilled bok choi for dinner~
Sublime..He braved the cold and grilled the sausages ..15 Farenheit!
Again..Lights? Right camera? Right exposure? Sorry..but soo good.I encourage you to try!It is fun!
My husband just said .."Je suis fatigué~" He is tired~:)
And my footnote..being so busy..creating..can take your mind off the affairs of the world..and worries..for just a few moments..but needed moments..I would never want a creative post to take away from our deep concerns over Haiti..and friends at the moment~
Being from southern California, I've never even heard of a cold room! It sounds like you and your husband had a grand time making these!
ReplyDeleteMonique, you couldn't take a bad photo if you tried.
ReplyDeleteSuch perfect looking sausage. I can just imagine how delicious they tasted grilled.
My son-in-law has become a sausage maker also - I know he would love your post. He has the KA attachment :) I just bought the one that shreds and grates. I love it!
ReplyDeleteQuelles belle saucisses!
I am impressed with making your own sausages! they look yummy!
ReplyDeleteWow, nobody that I know in Singapore makes their own sausages! Yours look so fat and juicy! When will the prosciutto be ready to eat? I love prosciutto, sliced paper thin,they pair so well with cheese and wine.
ReplyDeleteYum! Sounds so very delicious Monique. Can't wait to hear about the prosciutto (had some w/honey dew melon and lime this weekend myself ;)
ReplyDeletexo~Tracie
I don't think your pictures are bad at all! The sausage looks lovely.
ReplyDeletewhat an interesting post and looking so delicious! I'll have to try those potatoes for sure. I love potatoes.
ReplyDeleteJacques made all that? Wow! My compliments to him and his lovely helper ;) It's such a reward eating food that you made from scratch. The lighting worked in your favour, actually. It gives the photos a warm, cosy feel - very homely, just like the sausages. What a delightful dish to reward yourselves after all that work. :)
ReplyDeleteThe prosciutto will be ready in April..yesterday it was salted w/ a bit of sugar..This evening we immerse it in white wine..Saturday all the spices go on~
ReplyDeleteThanks for enjoying our hobby.Have a lovely day~
Oh Monique, this is wonderful. My Mom and I used to make sausage, we could never find supplies or ingredients! It would be a whole weekend of organizing and making the sausages, but so much fun. I would love to learn to make prosciutto!!! That is fantastic that you and your hubby made it!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely!
Hugs,
Margaret B
Only you, my dear Monique, could have beautiful "bad" photographs...
ReplyDeleteWhat a process, but I am sure was well worth it. And what a wonderful way to end your post, with thoughts of the poor people of Haiti. One can only imagine how that poor little country will pull through this...
The whole process sounds delicious Monique! It reminds me so much of our "biltong and boerewors"(drying meat and sausages) making days in SA, which was hard work, but as you say, the fun matched it all and eating what you know, is a bonus - makes it become tradition!
ReplyDeleteYes, our thoughts and prayers go to all involved in this terrible devastation...
Ronelle
What a fabulous project for the two of you...
ReplyDeleteBad pics? Never from you...
That dinner looks magnificent...I bet those are the best sausages ever!
I too am praying for those in Haiti...what a horrendous disaster...
L~xo
Thank you for sharing the process with those of us who are still newbies to making them. My stomach started growling as I looked at the photos, which were still pretty darned good.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping that the world draws together to help the Haitians in need. It will be a long, long, and heartbreaking process, but the care shown by others will help heal the country.
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
What an undertaking! The finished product looks delicious. Good sausage is hard to come by. It looks like you have solved the problem.
ReplyDeleteWow, can't believe you guys made all that. I'm tired just reading about it, can't imagine how your husband is really feeling ;-) They look lovely...jealous I don't have a husband that will make some for me.
ReplyDeleteMy husband smiles when he reads the comments!:)Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat sausage looks absolutely scrumptious! What a perfect link! I've never even imagined making my own before...you're a culinary goddess!
ReplyDeleteThe sausage looks fantastic! Great photos as always!
ReplyDeleteIncredible !
ReplyDeleteMister Chapot could never make that !
Congratulations to you and your husband, these sausages are magnificent and what a work !
I look forward to the photos of the prosciutto
Still bravo
oh my that looks absolutely fantastic....nothing like homemade when you know what goes in. but its a lot of hard work indeed. bravo to the both of you! your photos can never be bad Monique. :)
ReplyDeleteWe FOUND each other! I felt so connected when I went through your posts. I'm happy that you've read my articles etc.
ReplyDelete'til next time,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
(my son is Noah too)
Oh, Monique, i've always wanted to make sausage. This looks sooo wonderful! I love the fact that you put fennel in it. And hot pepper flakes. How amazing to eat your own sausage! How will you keep them?
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read about the prosciutto!
Oh Monique, you and J make quite the team in so many, many ways!
ReplyDeleteYour sausage looks beautiful. I have not made sausage in many years, but you've given me the spark to do it again. I like that you know exactly what goes into to it. No need for that "mystery" sausage from the store. :)
I agree with Ann, you could not take a bad picture if you tried. That's the truth! xo
Hi Kate..Jacques has a Food Saver ..they were all wrapped in twos..in patties and in fours for our daughters.
ReplyDeleteMary you and the other kind people ..:) Bad photos..we know it! But good sausage! We had it on Jacque's home made pizza last night.. And it will be a feature in my next spagetti sauce..It's amazing the talents some people develop in retirement..:)He makes the wine..the sausage..the bread.. the prosciutto..our croûtons..all the BBQ..really ..quite enough and more to be impressed..He helps w/ the roasting of the peppers..etc:)
Another fun part is adding the herbs we love~
They will keep frozen in those vacuum sealed packages w/out any burn at all.
I must say the greatest gift of "blogging" is in the encounters we make! Thank you!
What a wonderful hobby for the 2 of you! A friend of mine used to say" many hands make light work", and this must be so true here. My son made beef jerky a few years ago and I helped with some of it. We loved working side by side. Now he doesn't eat much meat so, c'est la vie!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the upcoming posts, and yes, I agree that not one bad pic has ever seen the light of day on your blog!
We just passed over Haiti yesterday on the way back from Aruba. So, so sad.
Diane
M...I did not comment until David had a chance to view this post...He loved this, you must tell J....
ReplyDeletehe used to make sausage with his grandfather as a boy in his Grandfathers meat market...Thank you for putting a smile on his face.
Enjoy your well deserved bounty!!!
xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...
Dear Kathy..Jacque's dad was a butcher:) He has his own market..Thank you for taking the time to visit..xox
ReplyDeleteDiane..if your son's beef jerky was as wonderful as his photography is :)It was great:)
I am sorry he HAD his own market..
ReplyDeleteMoi, je les aime, tes photos ! ;o) et tes saucisses aussi, d'ailleurs ... ce doit être un de ces boulots ! ;o)
ReplyDeleteOh my! Those are simply the fattest, most beautiful sausages I've ever SEEN!
ReplyDeleteBonsoir Monique, j'ai une surprise pour toi sur mon blog.
ReplyDeleteÀ bientôt et bonne journée.
Josée xx
A sausage maker too?
ReplyDeleteI think the list would be shorter if you were only to include those things you don't know how to do.
Dinner looks inviting; I hope you can fit us all in.