Rettland Farm

Rettland Farm

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Herb and Onion Sausage


Ready for the next Rettland Farm Original Sausage?

Thought so.

What is It?:
I call this sausage "Herb and Onion". And it just screams summertime...

That wasn't really my intention at first, to come up with a sausage for summer use. It just turned out that way. During the development phase, the combined aroma of the herbs and the onions just put me in a summer state of mind.

My choices for herbs this time around were a little off the beaten path. Sage always seems to be the go-to herb for pork sausages, so I decided to skip it. Ditto on the thyme. Are those two omissions committing some kind of culinary sacrilege? Probably. But I think the end result still turned out Okay in the taste department.

As before, the herbs came from the folks at Alloway Creek Gardens and Herb Farm.

Other ingredients? Water, Kosher Salt, Onion, and Black Pepper. That's it.

How to Cook It:

Grill baby, grill!

Use whatever you're comfortable with, gas or charcoal. My personal preference would be lump charcoal, or gas if time or lump availability is an issue. I'm not a huge fan of charcoal briquettes, but they'll do in a pinch.

Whatever your fuel, get a good sear on both sides over medium heat. If you get in a big hurry and try to push these guys too fast, you'll split the casing. While they'll still be delicious that way, you may lose some street cred as a backyard grillmaster. Just relax, imbibe some carbonated barley water, listen to music that lifts your spirits (tonight it was Chris LeDoux for me--miss you Chris!) and take pleasure in the anticipation of eating this sausage.

After you sear both sides, move them off direct heat and let them cook slowly. I cook them to at least 175 degrees, and yes I use a thermometer. Unless you're a professional cook, you should too. Just be sure to stick the probe into the end of the sausage, not through the casing. Don't want to lose all that delectable moisture by punching a hole in it.

How to Eat It:

Yeah, you guessed right--these unpretentious little beauties are another for the old bun, mustard and cheese routine. Will we ever get to a sausage that I don't think is best served this way? Maybe. I'll be sure to let you know if it happens.

For variety, try them with pasta, or even with your eggs and toast in the morning. It would work there too.

Have a serving suggestion? Share it in the comment section, please.

How to Get It:

The Farmers' Markets open May 8 in Gettysburg, and that is prime time for you to stock up on the Herb and Onion sausage. (Details on the markets will follow very shortly.)

As usual, I'd love to hear your feedback. You can let me know your opinion either here in the comment section, or privately at farmer@rettlandfarm.com.

Welcome to summer!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Don't Take My Word for It...

Regarding the Easter Hams from my hogs...

Everyone was in agreement-that was the finest ham ever!

Just the right smoke, outstanding texture and flavor...baked at a 350
oven for 4 hours-PERFECTION!

(T)here is a batch of ham and green beans in the making with the left
overs, love the bone for stock!

Thank you for providing such outstanding meats, we are fortunate to have
such a farm right in our Adams County back yard!!!"

--J.F., Fairfield, PA


Though I appreciate the kudos (very much), I have to give lots of the credit
to Chas. Nell's Meats who did the curing and smoking; and especially
to the pig, for being so damn delicious. I'm just the guy who made
the introductions.

By the way, I also have a couple left...