I Learned Somthing New!

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Alma

I had seen a very ugly root in the local grocery stores and wondered how one would use it. Then I came to my son’s to recuperate from a car accident and found him using it! “It” is yucca root, also known as cassaba, and I will never be without it again! It can be used nearly any way you would use a potato, and the flavor is very similar. Yucca is more nutritious than potato, contains more fiber, and is not of the nightshade family, which those of us with rheumatoid arthritis should avoid.

In addition it is sold with a wax coating which helps it keep its freshness for an extended time without refrigeration, making it the perfect take-along for camping! It is slower cooking than potato, so it could be pealed, cubed,  and put in a pot of water to simmer while campers are doing other things ( like hunting) and be ready to finish up when it is dinner time. It is good mashed. like potatoes, sliced and “au gratined”, added to stews, etc. It goes great with cheese, butter, gravy, etc.

It does need to be boiled, but can be baked if par-boiled first until nearly done. It does contain some properties that, if eaten raw, extensively and over a prolonged period of time, could cause problems, but they boil out. It also contains saponins, a form of vegetable steroid, and was used by native Americans to relieve arthritis pain in humans and animals.It is also reported to relieve irritated bowels (IBS) and is a recommended starch for diabetics because of its high fiber content. Google it under yucca nutrition. You might be surprised!

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Rabbit Italian Sausage!

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Alma

With cooler weather coming on it is safer to use wild rabbits and feral hogs for food. You don’t have to worry about “wolves”, the grub that is often found just under the skin, particularly along the back, in both animals. Most of you know what to do with a pig, feral or otherwise, but what about the rabbits? How about combining the two? Domestic work just as well, but not as much fun to get! Here’s a recipe I found in Meat Rabbit News you might like to try, particularly if you have a good meat grinder, a sausage stuffer, and a good meat mixer. It also works well as a pan sausage.

Italian Breakfast Sausage

  • 5 pounds rabbit meat
  • 1-2 pounds pork fat
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 1 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes (can be adjusted if you prefer it milder/hotter)
  • natural hog casings

 

  1. In a large bowl, combine the meat and all the seasonings. Mix well. Test for seasoning by frying a small patty – taste and correct seasoning. (This frying and tasting is very important).
  2. For those of you who butcher a pig – use the fresh side meat for the fat portion. If you don’t have access to this meat source, ask a butcher to save you some fat from around the kidneys of a hog. This is the best fat if you don’t have side meat. Don’t use bacon for the fat!
  3. Stuff the casings with the sausage mixture.
Posted in Cooking, Farm Animals, Food Preservation, Grinding and Stuffing, Hunting | 2 Comments

Small Stuff Needs Attention, Too

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Alma

So you live in the suburbs, don’t hunt or fish, don’t raise cattle or hogs, and don’t think we have anything of interest to you? Most cities will allow for a few rabbits or maybe some hens  (roosters are too noisy to be good neighbors!). Did you know that a trio of rabbits (two does and a buck) can produce as much as 300 lbs. of meat or more in a year?  They’re cute, fun, fairly economical to raise, and very tasty! They can be divided into 5 or 6 pieces: quartered like chickens, but the long body can be cut separately, and if it is a large breed, divided into 2 pieces. They are then ready to vacuum seal, BBQ, turn into “rabbit ‘n dumplin’s”, fry and enjoy, or use nearly any way you would chicken!

If you have a well fenced yard and have no tender plants, hens can run free and will keep your yard free of all kinds of bugs and a lot of young weeds. Even penned they are great “garbage disposal” units, enjoying nearly any kitchen or table scraps! Half a dozen hens will supply you with more eggs than the average family needs most of the year. And yes, you can vacuum seal and freeze eggs for those months when the hens call a strike (and they will!). You have to break them in a bowl, mix them well, but gently to avoid too much air being beaten in, then freeze them in an ice cube tray! When frozen, pop them out of the tray and into a vacuum bag and return them to the freezer. Two cubes equal one large egg!

After a couple of years the hens drop off in their egg production, at which time they can be butchered and frozen, again in the vacuum bags, as bakers. If you find them not tender enough, par-boil them first until the meat is done, but not yet tender, then transfer them to the roaster for about 1 1/2 -  2 hours or until the drum stick turns easily in the socket and the skin, or outside surface (if skinned) is lightly browned.

You can also raise fryers, though I would not recommend  more than 10-15 at a time if you are in a close community. They will need to be closely penned in a brooder until thoroughly feathered, at which time they, too, can be turned out in the fenced yard or penned.  If you get “straight run” chicks (mixed sexes) you will have young cocks for fryers at 6-8 weeks with most large breeds, and young pullets to replace older hens. The pullets will start laying small eggs at about 8 months and full sized eggs about 2 months later. The ultimate size depends on the breed, so research your breed before you buy your chicks. With the cocks  you will again use the vacuum sealer to package the whole or cut-up fryers . The neat thing about butchering  and packaging your own is that you can divide into family size portions, you can separate dark and light meat, and you can put all the giblets together, and all the necks and backs together if you like. And that says nothing about the satisfaction you get from becoming self-sufficient, nor about being able to have hormone and anti-biotic free meat!

Posted in Cooking, Farm Animals, Food Preservation, Grinding and Stuffing | 1 Comment

Even Sausage Has a History!

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Alma

I just ran across a great article about the origins of sausages. I also learned that sausages can be meatless! There are some great recipes, too, to prove it! Check out The History of Sausage

Making sausage really isn’t all that complicated. It is really just a mixture of meats ( or maybe not!), spices, and other flavorings, stuffing in casings (or not, for pan sausage), and either freezing as-is or smoking or baking for some types. You do know that in addition to what you generally think of as home made sausage you can also make your own bologna, wieners, and summer sausage, don’t you? Some are time-consuming but not really complicated or hard.

Of course, you do need a grinder and a sausage stuffer or at least a stuffer attachment. If you are making a lot of sausage at a time a meat mixer is a must-have, too. With a few spices and seasonings you’re ready to go!

Posted in Cooking, Food Preservation, Grinding and Stuffing | 6 Comments

About Us

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Alma

We are a company dedicated primarily to serving those who process meats and other foods by selling top quality grinders, mixers, sausage makers, smokers, dehydrators, and even packaging materials and equipment. Now, who would be interested in these items? Well, who wouldn’t if you handle meat in any form. For instance, we have electric meat grinders that are big enough for commercial packers, large restaurants or hotels, grocers, etc. On the other hand, we have small ones, both manual and electric,  that are just as efficient for the average homemaker, and there are sizes in between for anyone. Avid hunter? We’ve got you covered. Are you a rancher looking to stock your freezer for the season or a thrifty home owner with a  back yard chicken pen needing to freeze a few birds? You will find your needs in our store as well.

Although all are equally important to us, the last is our August focus because of the need to get ready for sending kids off the school or college. As mentioned in a previous blog, the grinder works great on cooked meat,too, which makes fantastic sandwich spread and at a fraction of the cost of the chemical – laden sandwich meats. The vacuum sealer is great for packaging any number of items to take to college; jewelry, cosmetics (no more spills!), socks, scarves, even food! And don’t forget the smoker for the back-to-school garden party and for making that jerky to send off to schoo,

 

 

Posted in Cooking, Food Preservation, Grinding and Stuffing | 1 Comment

Who Needs Us?!

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Alma

Our company is dedicated to providing top quality products for the handling of meat and other foods. So who should be interested in that? Well, maybe more people than you might think – you, for instance! The first group who comes to mind is hunters (or their spouses!). Game has to be ground (grinders), sliced (meat slicers), cured (smokers), “sausaged” (sausage stuffers and seasonings), and packaged for freezing (vacuum sealers). However, don’t forget the farmer or rancher who needs to go through the same processes for his beef, pork, poultry, etc. Of course, we also serve the commercial industries, meat packers, restaurants, hotels, butcher shops, with huge commercial sizes of these items, as well. And then there are those who are none of these, but just thrifty homeowners who prefer to buy by the quarter or half and package their own meats and make their own sausages and jerky to package and freeze.

Yes, we have something for everyone, you just may have to think outside the grocery bag! While we are dedicated to serving all, this month we are concentrating on money-saving ideas for the back-to-school season. Cafeteria meals are getting prohibitively expensive for growing families today, and sack lunches are often boring and tasteless. Unless, of course, you make your own bologna, salami, and yummy ground roast lunch meats! Not only can these be much less expensive, but you control the seasonings and chemicals that go into them! There are small manual or electric grinders, seasonings, recipes and directions, and flavor-saving vacuum sealers to help accomplish this!

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Steamer/Juicers Are Worth Their Weight in Gold!

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Alma

When I said the grapes were in, boy, was that an understatement! I only have 5 vines on my front and North fences, and we have only picked a bit over half of the grapes, but I have already put up about 8 gal of juice from approximately 130 lbs of grapes! I shudder to think of how much work that would have been before the Steamer/Juicer! And, the stainless steel one is so much better than the old aluminum one I once had. Besides being better health-wise, it heats faster, is easier to clean, and I think produces clearer juice and better yields. (It’s prettier, too!)

Of course juicing grapes is not its whole purpose in life! Next week I will start juicing the “pear apples”, the red/purple fruits of the prickly pear cactus that is so prevalent in South Texas.  It makes fantastic jelly and pancake syrup! If I am grateful for the steamer/juicer with the grapes, just imagine how grateful I am not to have to peal those thorny fruits! They can be washed with a garden hose and put straight in the hopper. A sharp butcher knife can be plunged through the loaded fruit to speed up the process, but basically the steam does all the work. If you do not disturb them too much while processing them the thorns all stay on the skins. I have never had any come through to the juice!

I’ll be switching to the dehydrator soon now. The figs are coming in. Then it will be the vacuum sealer for the persimmons in the fall.

 

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Venison Roladen

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Alma

One of my family’s favorite ways of cooking venison is a dish my German grandmother taught us. Ideally the venison is marinated overnight in milk (reconstituted dry milk is fine) to remove some of the “wild” taste, but the garlic does a pretty good job if you don’t have time. Domestic meat, beef, veal, pork, etc, will do, but with the milder meats you might want to leave out the garlic.

Venison Roladen

6 thinly sliced steaks, about 3×6 inches
1 large onion, minced
1 large clove of garlic,minced
3 slices bacon, cut in half
salt or garlic salt
pepper
flour
12 tooth picks or twine
fat for frying (traditionally it will be bacon grease)

Blend the minced onion and garlic and set aside. Tenderize the steaks in a tenderizer or with a mallet. Lightly salt and pepper one side, spread on about a tablespoon of onion and garlic,then lay a ½ slice of bacon lengthwise on top. Carefully roll the meat and secure it with 2 toothpicks or twine (they’re easier to brown evenly with twine, but it’s slower to prepare). Repeat for each steak. Lightly dust with flour and fry on medium heat, turning often, until the rolls are a rich brown all around. Add about tablespoon more flour to the grease, stirring until it is browned, add water while stirring-slowly. Add enough water to cover. Allow to come to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and allow to simmer slowly for about 45 min. to an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Serve with rice or potatoes and your favorite vegetable and salad for an unforgettable feast!

Enjoy!

Posted in Cooking, Farm Animals, Hunting | 2 Comments

The Bleat Goes On

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Alma

Well, like I said before, if you can’t start big, you start small. We got the two rabbits and now we expand! Goal: a small flock of milk goats, goat milk, and goat cheese and meat to consume and to sell. Fact: One mixed breed milking(?) doe to be delivered this evening. We are as excited as though it were a dozen. There should be three more coming this week end or early next week, and they are from good milking stock. There will be 2 more does and one buck. We are really looking forward to next spring (maybe sooner) when the spring-loaded kids get here. Even more so to next fall when we can break out the smoker, the grill, the grinder and the vacuum sealer! We may even be able to have gotten a young shoat by then for sausage, too.

We are also trying to get set up again for chickens. I really hate having to just put veggie scraps in a compost pile when chickens can make such a quick job of it.

 

Posted in Cooking, Farm Animals, Food Preservation, Grinding and Stuffing, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Don’t Be Outsmarted By An Animal!

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Alma

I know it is said that animals can’t reason, but don’t count on it! Several years ago we had a “Heinz” dog (57 unnamed varieties of ancestors). He was built much like a Pit Bull, but had a Terrier face and temperament. His name was Lonesome, because when we rescued him he was barely 3 weeks old and would cry if left in a room alone. He really thought he was one of the kids, and loved to fetch. One day my daughter was throwing increasingly larger object for him to retrieve, even about a 6 foot limb from a pruned tree. Finally she threw an old car tire! Lonesome dutifully ran to fetch it, but when he got to it he stopped, pawed it and looked back at her. She encouraged him. He made two or three efforts to lift it, stood up, looked back at her, then looked around, and trotted over about 4 or 5 feet and picked up a bicycle tire and returned it to her! It was as though he were saying “OK, I’ll bring you a tire, but that one was ridiculous!”

 

I’m told that wild turkeys are very canny, too. I have had different hunters tell me that if a turkey senses your presence he will stay in brush, making a clear shot impossible, until he gets to a tree, You might expect to get a shot at him as he comes out from behind the tree, but the sneaky guy will make a right turn and run away in line with the tree and be out of range before you see him again! So, think like the animal you’re dealing with and don’t let it outsmart you!.Does anyone out there have a story about you or someone you know being outsmarted by an animal? Share it with us in “Comments”.

Posted in Animal Stories, Hunting | 2 Comments