choucroute is divine!

[Guest guest]

I had some nasty old pork chops that had been in the freezer for

over a year, and was reading my new Charcuterie book. The author

said you don't have to worry about botulism in an acid environment

and it reminded me of choucroute, where they used to put all kinds

of meat into their sauerkraut to ferment, then cook it all together

with lots of animal fat and it was the favorite of Marie Antoinette

and the nobles just before the French Revolution. So I buried the

pork chops in a failed batch of " dill sauerkraut " - don't try it,

the dill seed loses it's dill flavor and it tastes like caraway. I

let it sit overnight, with some kimchi juice added so all was

submerged under a weighted plate (in the refrigerator). Today I

cooked it with carrots, potatoes, chicken broth, bacon grease,

caraway, pepper, and some white wine on a high simmer for 3 hours.

I'm amazed how much the " nasty " pork chops tasted like

my " authentic " Irish corned beef and cabbage! Not a bit nasty any

more, they were tender and delicious!

I'm also pleased at how easy it is to give fresh meat the fermented

taste overnight, without all the fuss to really ferment it.

By the way, lest anyone rush to correct me, I know that wasn't REAL

choucroute, but close enough for me!

- Renate