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Favorite Recipes of the Rockin H Ranch

We get several requests for recipes of dishes we talk about in our E-Newsletter and meals we have prepared at the ranch.  So, here's a few of the favorites we have and wanted to share with you.  Check back often as we'll be adding more recipes!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Peach Sauce
Queso Blanco
Rendering Lard
Roast Leg of Lamb with Tarragon-Mint Butter

Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Peach Sauce

3 Pork Tenderloins, about 10-12 oz. each

Marinade:
1/2 cup oil
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp ground dried red chile
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Salt & pepper to taste

Sauce:
1/2 pound ripe peaches,                       1 tsp ground dried red chile
     skinned & pitted                             1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp unsalted butter                         Salt to taste
1 garlic clove, minced                          Pinch of dark brown sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce                  Minced cilantro, for garnish

At least 4 hours before cooking & preferably the night before, place the pork in a non-reactive dish.  Mix marinade ingredients together and pour over pork.  Cover, place in refrigerator and turn meat occasionally.
Take the meat from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before you plan to cook it.  At about the same time, put a few handfuls of mesquite chips in water to soak, and fire up the charcoal grill.
To make the sauce, puree' the peaches in a food processor or blender.  Warm the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, and sauté' for a minute or two.  Stir in peaches and remaining ingredients except for the sugar.  Continue cooking for 15 minutes.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding the brown sugar if needed to heighten the fruitiness.  Keep the sauce warm while grilling the pork.
When charcoal is covered with gray ash, spread the mesquite chips on top.  Drain pork, discard marinade, place meat over coals and cover the grill with the dampers about halfway open.  Grill the tenderloins, turning them several times to assure even cooking, until internal temperature measures 155°F to 160°F, about 12 minutes.  Don't overcook them!  Baste the pork with a few tablespoons of the sauce during the last few minutes on the grill.
Let the meat stand for about 5 minutes before carving into medallions.  Spoon some of the sauce over the medallions and sprinkle with cilantro.  Serve the meat with the rest of the sauce on the side.
--Adapted from Texas Home Cooking
  by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison

Queso Blanco

1/2 gallon Raw Milk
1/4 cup vinegar
Butter Muslin (Fine gauge cheesecloth)

Heat milk to 185°F.  When temperature reaches 185°F, slowly stir in vinegar.  As you pour and stir, raise the temperature to 200°F.  You'll see the milk starting to coagulate.  Keep adding the vinegar, stirring until the milk is completely curdled and you can see the separation of curds and whey.  Pour the curds into a colander lined with butter muslin (above a large bowl if saving the whey).  Tie up the four corners of the cloth and hang the bag to drain for a couple of hours or until it stops dripping.  (I have bungee cords hanging above my sink for this purpose.)  When the draining stops, you may cut the curd into one-inch cubes and store them in a covered container in the refrigerator.
--Adapted from New England Cheesemaking Supply Company

Rendering Lard

I start with about 5 pounds of pork or beef fat.  The fat is frozen by the butcher when we have animals processed and placed in bags.  To make the rendering a little faster, it can be cut into cubes; I generally cut these 5 pounds or so of fat in quarters.
I place two of these quarters into a deep cast iron Dutch oven--the same ones we use for cooking outside.  To this I add about 1-2 cups of water.  The amount of water equals not quite half of the amount of fat in the pot.  The purpose of the water is to keep the fat from burning and sticking to the pot, and it also helps to regulate the smell and taste in the finished product.  Eventually, all the water in the pot will evaporate.  You'll know when the water has evaporated because the bubbles in the pot will look different. 

Stir the pot occasionally to help mash up any solid bits and if foam appears on the top, it may be skimmed off.  Eventually, you'll have golden liquid with a few solid fat pieces left behind.  These pieces aren't worth the trouble of trying to get rendered, but don't throw them out!  They can be used as cracklins in cornbread, salads, and more. 

Turn off the heat.  I let my lard cool slightly, especially if I'm using plastic containers for the next step.  Pour the liquid through a cheesecloth lined strainer into a large container.  Let cool until warm, but still liquid.  Add quite a bit of water, again about half the amount of the amount of lard.  This water will help to clarify any bits left in the fat.

Store in the refrigerator overnight.  The next morning you'll have a thick slab of lard which has floated to the top of the water.  Remove the slab of lard and dry thoroughly. 

At this point you can cut the lard into smaller pieces and place in your final containers (I use coffee cans, metal and plastic.  If you use metal, you may want to line the can with plastic wrap as they can sometimes rust in the refrigerator).  If left out to come to room temperature, the lard can be easily managed into the shape of the container.  OR, you can cut the lard into pieces, heat it on the stovetop over low heat until melted, and pour into jars.  Let cool to room temperature.

The lard will keep seemingly forever in the refrigerator, and nearly close to eternity in the freezer.  I use the lard for everything from baking cookies to frying fish and chicken.  Don't be afraid to use in any recipe--the rendering with water gives you a beautiful white lard without that porky smell or taste.

Lard is about 40 percent saturated, 48 percent monounsaturated and 12 percent polyunsaturated.  Lard is stable, a preferred fat for frying, and is an excellent source of vitamin D.
 

Roast Leg of Lamb with Tarragon-Mint Butter
Borrowed from www.bonappetit.com