[Sca-cooks] Something to chase away the image (WAS: And the screaming nightmare award goes to...)

[Mike C. Baker]

I can just picture the clan chief bellowing, before tasting the
concoction:  "McKinnion, it's a particularly sick puppy that you are, it
is!"

Hmmm. Anyone else currently from Steppes / Elfsea who might consider
trying this repast ONCE, even?

ObFood:  when considering quick-grab items to throw in the basket and
wanting a bit of beef in gravy (or pork, or what-have-you), consider the
prepared products now available from Hormel or Thomas Wilson (about
$2/serving or less).  The quality / taste has surprised us, and while
they are no substitute for my own oven-roasted meats, they have other
semi obvious benefits for remaining periodesque on the dining plate...

[RECIPE]
And to do your own instead: if you have the time / patience, NOTHING
will beat a well-prepared "Pork Loin In The [Paper/Parchment] Bag", as
adapted from a family source by yers truly
(caveat = not researched to period sources, except informally; a
variation on this theme has been previously posted, but it has been
QUITE some time back):
Olive Oil / pork drippings / other oils or semi-liquid fats, about 1/4
cup plus 2 Tablespoons
Coarse Salt
Black Pepper (or White), coarse ground
Ginger, ground or powdered
Thyme, powdered / dried
Fresh / fresh-dried rosemary OR oregano
OPTIONAL 2tsp soy sauce
3 to 6 pound boneless pork loin (Also works with beef roast!
One large CLEAN brown paper grocery sack (or build a "packet" from new
food-grade parchment)
Roasting pan of at least a couple of inches depth (want to keep all the
natural juices!)

Take majority of oil and coat the paper sack thoroughly on the inside.
If oil appears to soak through all of it except a little around the top,
that's about right.

Take remaining oil and mix in the prepared spicing. Coat pork loin
thoroughly, rubbing into the surface well.  (The amount of each spice
needs to be adjusted according to the meat weight and individual tastes.
Most recently, for a 3 pound loin piece I find about 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp
pepper OR LESS, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp of powdered thyme, a small twig
of rosemary, and the soy sauce fit my own tastes. My original source
uses 1/2 tsp oregano instead of rosemary.  Don't skimp on the ginger
unless your dining audience simple cannot tolerate it, as the
bark-colored exterior of the completely cooked loin is part of the
delight...)

Place spiced loin into bag with the remainder of the oil/salt/spice
mixture poured along the top. Position loin in the closed bag with the
closing such that the weight of the bag holds the opening COMPLETELY
closed when laid into the roasting pan, and so the bag is not touching
the sides or top of the meat. Position to avoid the sides of the pan.
(If the roast pan has a lid, don't bother with it - the oiled paper is
the trick here, sealing in just the right amount of the steam.)

Position oven racks to give plenty of clearance to top and sides of bag.
Heat to 300F. Put pan into oven, set timer for 4.5 hours (minimum,
adjusting upward by 1/2 hour for each pound of weight greater than 4
pounds). Walk away, do anything else you want to, but for the sake of
all that is holy and good DO NOT OPEN THE BAG (and preferably not the
oven, either) until cooking time is completed.

When done, remove from oven, cut open the bag, remove roast to carving
platter, slice , and serve.  The juices may be used directly or as the
base for a gravy, although occasionally this process leaves a bit too
much salt for many peoples' taste.

A four pound loin will typically serve 4 two meals plus sandwiches.

Adieu, Amra / Pax ... Kihe / ttfn - Mike

Reverend Kihe Blackeagle (PULC), the Dreamsinger Bard:
"The Circle is closed, always and forever.
The Circle is open, always and forever.
And we are all forever a part of the Circle."

Contact Information: mailto:kihe at ticnet.com   mailto:KiheBard at aol.com
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8661

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sca-cooks-admin at ansteorra.org
> [mailto:sca-cooks-admin at ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Patrick McKinnion
> Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 12:45 PM
> To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
> Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] And the screaming nightmare award
> goes to...(Was: comfort foods and age)
>
>
> on 6/26/02 11:57 PM, CorwynWdwd at aol.com at CorwynWdwd at aol.com wrote:
>
> > Deep fried Twinkies.... WHY did it have to be deep fried
> Twinkies?...
> >
> > http://sptimes.com/2002/06/26/Taste/The_Twinkie_transform.shtml
>
> Tuna Twinkie Souffle