The Auld Country

[magnusfide]

Started this thread in the hopes of others sharing their favorite foods from their ancestral lands. Feel free to chip in.

Returned from our group trip to Scotland for Hogmanay yesterday. Still fighting jet lag but enjoyed every minute of it. Had the opportunity to have a full Scottish breakfast with authentic ingredients. Breakfast included Lorne (square) sausage, black pudd, baked beans, fried eggs, grilled tomato and tattie scones.

Fun fact: our Scottish host claims that the idea for Spam originated from their square sausage. I can see it.

[magnusfide]

propchef wrote:


Many years ago I ordered a raw ham from Sysco and got a Virginia Cure 81 ham from Hormel. I sent it back, clarifying what I want. They sent the SAME ham to me the next day. I sent it back again and called my salesman. "Hams are always cured and smoked," he said. "Nope" was my response and I described it to him: the rear leg from the hip joint to the knee (hock). He told me Sysco (the world's largest food distributor) didn't carry anything like that. I went to a local butcher and got exactly what I needed.

I've also found that my local meat sources are more versatile than Sysco. I'm seeing more meat specialty shops popping up and I'm glad too. If I want bacon cut extra thick, I can get it. If I want pork belly, I can get it.

[propchef]

dedmiston wrote:
The “proper breakfast fry-up” that my English friends have served me is a confusing fare, but I don’t fault them for it.

My roots are kind of all over the place, but I love my traditions. For many years we hosted the “Sausage Fest” at our place when I would hand stuff eighty pounds of wursts and grill them for our guests.

We also love our Mexican food here. Tomorrow I’m combining our traditions and I’m smoking a ham for “pulled ham” (not the same as pulled pork) and we’re having pulled ham tacos. I’ve already set my alarm so I can get up early to start the fire and launch the ham.

Interesting word, "ham."

Dedmiston, is this a raw "ham" (rear leg of the pig) or a cured ham?

Many years ago I ordered a raw ham from Sysco and got a Virginia Cure 81 ham from Hormel. I sent it back, clarifying what I want. They sent the SAME ham to me the next day. I sent it back again and called my salesman. "Hams are always cured and smoked," he said. "Nope" was my response and I described it to him: the rear leg from the hip joint to the knee (hock). He told me Sysco (the world's largest food distributor) didn't carry anything like that. I went to a local butcher and got exactly what I needed.

I'd love to hear more about your process. Do you brine the leg? Cook it bone-in? Have a favorite wood for smoking?

Pics of tacos. 🙂

[magnusfide]

dedmiston wrote:
The “proper breakfast fry-up” that my English friends have served me is a confusing fare, but I don’t fault them for it.

My roots are kind of all over the place, but I love my traditions. For many years we hosted the “Sausage Fest” at our place when I would hand stuff eighty pounds of wursts and grill them for our guests.

We also love our Mexican food here. Tomorrow I’m combining our traditions and I’m smoking a ham for “pulled ham” (not the same as pulled pork) and we’re having pulled ham tacos. I’ve already set my alarm so I can get up early to start the fire and launch the ham.

Those sound great. What kind of smoker do you use?

[dedmiston]

The “proper breakfast fry-up” that my English friends have served me is a confusing fare, but I don’t fault them for it.

My roots are kind of all over the place, but I love my traditions. For many years we hosted the “Sausage Fest” at our place when I would hand stuff eighty pounds of wursts and grill them for our guests.

We also love our Mexican food here. Tomorrow I’m combining our traditions and I’m smoking a ham for “pulled ham” (not the same as pulled pork) and we’re having pulled ham tacos. I’ve already set my alarm so I can get up early to start the fire and launch the ham.