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
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 t
he
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.
