Hobby Farms Forums / Food and Recipes / HobbyFarms.com Forum Topics

Walmart Meat: Who Buys it?

Drawbar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:13:49 GMT

I hate to admit it, but we do buy our fair amount of stuff at Walmart, but the one thing we absolutely refuse to buy is their meat...any of it. To me it just does not look natural. I am not sure whose idea it was to inject that deep red dye into the meat to make it look better, but I think it backfired. Everyone I know of says they buy stuff from Walmart, but not their meat. This included a guy whose wife even works there...they buy everything but the meat.

So you would think the powers that be at Walmart would do something to make the appeal of their meat a little better...they must be losing market share to their competitors because their meat look so lousy and unnatural? I am not saying their meat is bad...it probably passes inspection and all that, but it just seems to me they would cut back a little on the red dye.

Would you guys buy their meat if it was a little better looking? I am not sure I would to be honest with you. Other choices are more expensive, but....

Preserving Pears??

collyottfarms — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:52:35 GMT

I will be picking pears this weekend and want to preserve them. I was going to follow the BALL freezing method but was wondering if anyone had any good recipes for canning, freezing pears. Also any good recipes for using them later on would be great - my son is the only one who will eat plain pears so I need cake, bread, pear butter or cobbler recipes.

Thanks for anything you send my way!!

meats

walls0stoneIV — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:02:38 GMT

how many of you dry or wet age your beef?

Exotic Meats Question

Drawbar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:56:06 GMT

How about doing a list of edible meats that you have always wanted to try but have never had the opportunity to eat?

I know as a lamb producer a lot of people have never tried lamb before, so that may be your answer, but for me I have heard that turtle actually tastes delicious, but I have never had turtle meat before despite the rather robust reviews it gets.

I know my Grandmother grew up in the Depression without a father and subsided on the cuts of meat that no one wanted. With 7 girls in the family and no boys, they survived on beef hearts, lamb liver and deer and rabbit.

So lets try and get a list going of strange, but edible meats and maybe even some recipes.

vegetarian recipes wanted

vives — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:55:17 GMT

Does anyone know any good vegetarian mock meat recipes, especially for things like sausages and seafood?

Vinegar or oil for flavoring question

hotrodryder — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:36:39 GMT

I grew some herbs this summer; lemon basil, cinnamon basil, garlic chives; and want to do some oils and vinegars with them for my family for Christmas. Well, this is my first attempt at it and wondered if anyone could give me tips on which to use with what and what is the best type of base product. I am assuming that white vinegar is best for flavored vinegar but not sure. What on the oil? Any suggestions?

Homemade chicken stock

Happy Palace — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:38:35 GMT

I made a big pot of chicken stock over the weekend & would like to can it. I googled for info & can't find anything for water bath canning. Is it okay? If not, why not? I don't have a pressure canner & couldn't use one if I did since I have a ceramic top stove.

If I can't can it, I'll freeze the broth, but then it's always frozen when I realize I need it! Thanks!

Summer Sausage

cweick — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:36:36 GMT

How do you make summer sausage?

I just go to the slaughter house in Kentwood to buy it.

Thanks.

Bagels and Toppings

cweick — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:43 GMT

Which kind of bagels do you like and what do you put on top of it besides cream cheese?

Thanks

Freezing ?

Farmermom — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:55:06 GMT

I'm over run with peppers & squash right now some of the zucchini is going to be ground & froze for bread over the winter but my question is with the other smaller squash and the peppers if I slice & vaccum seal before freezing will they be all mushy when I thaw them out? or will the vaccum sealing help keep them firmer?

Speaking of Coffee

cweick — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:20:47 GMT

What's your best cup that you ever had?

Who was it with and how was it made?

Pop had this metal drip pot that he would put over the pilot lite over night adding sugar and cream and by the morning you could stand a spoon in the small cups that he would pour it in. If the spoon did not stand up he would lite the fire and get it stronger.

Good Recipe for Beer Mustard??

collyottfarms — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:12:51 GMT

I am looking for a good recipe for canned beer mustard -I want to make it in large quantities for dear hubby and to give away as Christmas Gifts

Home ground corn

Douggifford — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:27:12 GMT

A couple of months ago I picked up several ears of corn from a friend's field that had been knocked down during silage making. I got a hand crank grain grinder for my birthday last month. Last week I ground the corn and made my first batch of corn bread using locally-grown, hand ground corn. What a treat. Earlier this year I made two loaves of wheat bread from wheat growing along the road I ground in my blender. I am now hooked on grinding my own grain. On Wednesday I picked up enough corn from my brother-in-laws field to last all winter, and I have planted a plot of winter wheat on my property. I also cleared a plot to plant some open pollinated corn of my own next spring.

Local Breakfast

Drawbar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:14:56 GMT

Its been a slow day so far...and far too hot to do much. I just got one sick sheep to tend to now so that took only a few minutes and with the wife and kids all gone, I figured I would make a decent meal.

It all started this winter when I plowed out my neighbor during a fierce winter storm. he gave some bacon from a pig he slaughtered. The egs were local as well, and while the bread for my egg sandwich was not, it still tasted pretty darn good.

Next came the blueberry smoothie. Blueberries are in harvest right now, so a neighbor gave me a few quarts of them. I mixed that into a smoothie and as I type away, I', chowing down and drinking away. If it was not for the oppressive heat, it would actually be quite delightful!

Rutabaga recipes

prettypalfrey — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:22:37 GMT

Hey everyone.

I was hoping people could give me ideas on how to use rutabagas. Recipes websites anything would be useful. Maybe things that are kid friendly as well.

Pumpkin dip..

NEAlaMADhouse — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:15:05 GMT

I use a wonderful and easy recipe for pumpkin dip that I want to share with everyone. It makes a really large batch, so sometimes I cut it in half. Serve this with crisp ginger snaps or cinnamon bagel chips - yummmm.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin (or your own fresh pumpkin)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon vanilla

For parties I take a small pumpkin or colorful squash and hollow out the inside, cutting the top as my "lid". It makes a festive and edible decoration!

Best cookbooks

Drac — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:27:52 GMT

What are your favorite cookbooks? A couple come to mind for here are Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and Home Made in the Kitchen.

I have been using Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day for a few months and love the convience that it gives you to throw a loaf together in a few minutes. You get about four days worth of loaves in each batch. It has several master recipes that can be varied for dozen of styles of loaves. It even has recipes for other products such as pretzels and pizza doughs.

Home Made in the Kitchen is a fantastic book that covers all sort of "old school" skills from preserving to oils, vinegars & condiments, from dairy products to kitchen growing & drying.

Jim

Diced & vaccum sealed 6 pints of peppers

Farmermom — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:04 GMT

I spent most of this morning dicing then sealing 6 pints of green peppers which is no easy task when you have 4 cats and a pug helping the kitten is the worst because she gets in race mode & has to climb what ever is in her way (which is usually me). I'd seed, slice, then dice a cutting board full vaccum seal those then do the next round.

I did find out the hard way though no matter how good you think you've washed your hands DON"T itch your eyes, that burns so bad it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

Apple cake in a jar

doglover5 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:57:01 GMT

Hi ya all. Just wondering if anyone tried the recipe for apple cake in a jar? I did and it is really good but but my jars did not seal. Need advice since I would love to make more to send to college with my son. Thanks

Worlds simplest cobbler recipe

Wichman — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:35:11 GMT

ingredients:
16 oz fruit pie filling (or 1 can filling or 1 can sweetened fruit)
1 box yellow or white cake mix
1 12 oz can lemon lime soda
Margarine or butter.

In a 2 qt covered casserole dish. Dot bottom with margarine or butter, several pats will do. Pour in fruit filling. Pour in cake mix. Gently level cake mix, doesn't have to be perfect. From a height of 2 to 3 feet, slowly pour soda into cake mix evenly (all over the mix, not in one spot). The Cake mix is supposed to foam, no worries.
Place in preheated 350 degree oven, bake for about 40 min or until top is golden.
Enjoy. Great with ice cream or whipped topping.

Since Flu Season Is On It's Way

StahlHomestead — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:32:20 GMT

Here's the recipe to what I call "My Concoction". It's great for clearing the sinuses during a cold, flu or allergy attack! I swear by it!

2 c. chicken broth, 2 cloves garlic, pinch cayenne powder

Bring stock just to a boil. Crush garlic cloves and add to broth. Throw in pinch cayenne and serve hot. Sip slowly. Makes 2 servings.

Ma-Maw and P2's Cake

cweick — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:45:37 GMT

Back field of the cake.

Need Science Project Help

cweick — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:27:46 GMT

Okay we know that you can get two guineas eggs to equal 1 chicken egg.

How many eggs will it take if you use quail eggs to equal 1 chicken egg?

How many chicken eggs make up one duck egg?

How many chicken eggs make up one goose egg?

What about a peacock (peafowl) egg? Never seen one. Is it bigger or smaller than a chicken egg?

Are we missing any other type of egg that you can use in cooking? If please add to list.

Does 3 large chicken eggs equal 3/4 cup? Please correct me here if I am wrong. The only thing that get measured around the house is the chicken feed.

Thanks a bunch.

Corn Cob Jelly

cweick — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:15:33 GMT

We had some one stop at the house yesterday evening asking for some of P2 drying Indian Corn. (Hand doing better, that you all very much.) P2 sold some to this lady and asked what she needed it for and she said she was going to make corn cob jelly and that the Indian Corn does better than Sweet Corn.

Does any one know how to make it or a book that can tell me how? Because this might be our reason for planting Indian Corn again next year.

Thanks in advance.

Dog treats?

Drac — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:57:04 GMT

Home made dog treats

Bones

1 3/4 cups water
4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use canola)
1 cup sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 tablespoon parsley

1) Preheat oven to 375 F

2) Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well, then knead by hand to form a stiff dough

3) Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick and cut out bones (or any other shape) with a 2 1/2-inch cutter

4) Place bones on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes. Cool completely before serving and store in an airtight container.

Banana Nut Cookies

1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups oats
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup applesauce

1) Preheat oven to 350F

2) Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.

3) Drop spoonfuls of mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet, and press flat with a fork.

4) Bake for approximately 15 minutes, then cool on a rack before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Scones

2 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup slim milk
1 clove garlic, minced

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

2) Combine flour, baking powder and honey in a bowl. Add oil, egg, milk and garlic, then stir until mixed thoroughly.

3) Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead.

4) Roll out to 1/2-inch thick, cut into 2-inch squares and place on a greased baking sheet.

5) Bake for 15 minutes, allow to cool on a rack then serve. Store in an airtight container.

can you can watermelon?

wolf — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:54:41 GMT

this will be the first time in many many years that I have canned and I am doing a lot that I have never done...I have found a lot of the things I need on line but I am wondering...can I can watermelon or do I have to freeze it...for some reason my melones came up really good this year...Can someone please help me...As I said I have not done this sense I was in my early teens and I am not a grandmother raising two of my seven grandchildren...so If someone would take pity on my and let me know that would be great...

Wolf...

pickle and sour kraut recipes

squanto — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:36:36 GMT

hello i'm looking for some recipes for the above items any help would be great thanks

horseradish recipe

ValerieJean — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:15:48 GMT

We have an abundance of horseradish which we use.

What I would like is a recipe for canning horseradish. I do a lot of canning and have tried the standard horseradish ones over the years and they only last a couple of months.

When we talk to the only other person I know who has canned horseradish, they tell us that that is normal - you have to freeze it!

Well, there has to be a way to can it. I am using sterilized jars and vinegar and salt in amounts that the recipes state and storing it in a root cellar. Does anyone have any tips for getting this stuff to last in a canning jar?

Pig Roast

cweick — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:06:56 GMT

I can't eat smoked meat because I am allergic to the process of the meat cooking. Sad I know. However, I want to see if any one cooks regularly in a pit (whether it's one kind of meat or a variety).

Does any one know where to look for a design of one?

Knowledge is a useful tool if you use it.

Thanks.

Christy

What special dishes did you make this weekend?

Drac — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:48:37 GMT

Here is one I saw on the news:
This is from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/dining/28bacon.html?no_interstitial

Bacon Explosion: The BBQ Sausage Recipe of all Recipes

The other day the guys from BaconToday.com contacted me in search for some barbecue bacon recipes. Of course I have plenty of great uses for bacon in a barbecue pit, but the longer I thought about it, the more I wanted to step it up a notch and clog a few arteries for those guys. Behold, BACON EXPLOSION!!! Here’s what you’ll need…

2 pounds thick cut bacon
2 pounds Italian sausage
1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce
1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub

To kick off the construction of this pork medley you’ll need to create a 5×5 bacon weave. If the strips you’re using aren’t as wide as the ones pictured, then you may need to use a few extra slices to fill out the pattern. Just make sure your weave is tight and that you end up with a nice square shape to work with.

The next step is to add some barbeque seasoning on top of your bacon weave. Being the barbeque addict that I am, I whipped up a batch of Burnt Finger BBQ’s competition pork rub for this special occasion. Seeing as not everyone has the time, or the expertise, to create a tasty rub of their own, I would recommend trying Bad Byron’s Butt Rub, Rendezvous Famous Seasoning, or Steven Raichlen’s All-Purpose Rub.

Now that you’re pork is well seasoned, it’s time to add more pork. Take two pounds of Italian sausage and layer it directly on top of your bacon weave. Be sure to press the sausage to the outer edges of the bacon creating a patty that is the same thickness all the way across. Most grocery stores carry loose sausage, so just pick out one you like. I chose to go with a mild sausage, but spicy would work just the same. If you really want to get crazy, take a stab at making your own homemade sausage.

Next up is bacon layer number two. Take the remaining bacon slices and fry them up the same way you would for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner, or a midnight snack). If you like soft bacon, make it soft. If you like crunchy bacon, make it crunchy. If you like your bacon burnt to hell so the smoke detectors go off, then burn it to hell so the smoke detectors go off. These pieces are going to be a major part of the inner flavor of our sausage fatty, so cook them your favorite way. Personally, I like my bacon right at the point when it starts to get crispy, but hasn’t quite lost all of the softness yet. Regardless of how well done you like yours, you’ll need to crumble or chop the cooked strips into bite size pieces and place on top of the sausage layer. (Note-It’s okay, and encouraged, to snack on these pieces while your chopping/crumbling. But keep in mind that once those bacon morsels touch the raw sausage, you’ll need to resist all temptations to nibble. This can and will be difficult, but hospital trips are no fun, so stay strong.)

Since this is a barbeque recipe, we need to add another layer of barbeque flavor. Take your favorite sauce and drizzle it all over the top of the bacon pieces. Personally, I prefer to use Burnt Finger BBQ’s homemade competition sauce, but if you’re torn on what brand to use I recommend Cowtown, Blues Hog, and Fiorella’s Jack Stack. Once you’ve sauced the bacon, sprinkle on some more of the barbeque seasoning you used on the bacon weave.

Now comes the fun part. Very carefully separate the front edge of the sausage layer from the bacon weave and begin rolling backwards. You want to include all layers EXCEPT the bacon weave in your roll. Try and keep the sausage as tight as possible and be sure to release any air pockets that may have formed. Once the sausage is fully rolled up, pinch together the seams and ends to seal all of the bacon goodness inside.

At this point we can start to see the final shape of our Bacon Explosion, but we’re missing one key item. To complete the constuction process, roll the sausage forward completely wrapping it in the bacon weave. Make sure it sits with the seam facing downward to help keep it all sealed up.

Sprinkle some barbeque seasoning on the outside of the bacon weave, and now this bad boy is ready for the smoker. Cook your Bacon Explosion at 225 degrees in a constant cloud of hickory smoke until your Thermapen gives an internal temperature reading of 165 degrees. Normally this will take about 1 hour for each inch of thickness, but that could vary depending on how well you maintain your fire and also how many times you open the smoker to take a peek. Mine took about 2.5 hours, which was right on target with its 2.5 inch diameter.

Now that our Bacon Explosion is fully cooked, we need to add some finishing flavors. Remember that barbecue sauce we used for inner flavor? We’ll be using that same sauce to glaze the cooked bacon weave. Using a basting brush, coat the entire surface with a thin layer of sauce. Sweet sauces are loaded with sugars, so they’ll give your fatty a nice glossy finish. Spicy and vinegar based sauces don’t contain as much, so they won’t set up as well. If you’re dead set on using those sauces, just cut them with a bit of honey and you’ll get the same effect.

Slice the Bacon Explosion into quarter to half inch rounds to serve. If your roll was good and tight, you should now see a nice bacon pinwheel pattern throughout the sausage. Obviously pork is best served by itself, but if you feel the need to make this meat monster into a sandwich, try placing a couple Bacon Explosion slices on a warm Pillsbury’s Grands Biscuit. You’ll reach pork Nirvana is no time flat!

Be sure to send us stories and photos of your Bacon Explosion experience. Who knows, you may see your ugly mug on BBQ Addicts!!!

What other recipes will be going on out there?

Jim

Hot pepper recipes

Drac — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:21:14 GMT

Good day all,

My two passions are cooking and knife making and knife making came from cooking.

Since moved to Texas I have started playing with hot peppers. Now I love pastry and candy making the best so that’s where I do most of my experimenting. Now I know most people are raising eye brows to gagging at adding peppers to candy but chocolate and peppers are an old combination. One of my most requested truffles is habanero, mango, and rum dark chocolate. My chipotle, pecan milk chocolate fudge is also popular.

What recipes do you folks have out there in the area of hot peppers? Jellies? Salsas?

Jim

Goat meat recipes

TIFFLE — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:41:20 GMT

A neighbor farm is raising goats for milk and meat. We're interested in recipes that would make the best use of goat. The farmer is telling us that goat is milder than lamb (which we love) and we're wondering how to prepare it. We're thinking that it could be used in any recipe for lamb or pork. Anyone have any comments on cooking goat?

Freezing and Caning

smokebox — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:20:51 GMT

Hello Everyone,

I have heard that you can only freeze pork for 6 months before it goes rancid. I don't know as there has never been any at my house that lasted that long!

Is this true?

And if so does it also apply to meat that has been canned?

Is there a time line on sheep or goats?

Rob Wright

BEETS and Sheep

smokebox — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:54:14 GMT

Hello everyone ,

I am new to the group and thinking about how the farm will work out when I retire, somewhere I have read about feeding sheep beets, when you do this does it cause some sort of gout in them and or is it ok to feed them beets?

Just wonderi'ng, I'm a big beat eater, but if they ( sheep) are fed beets would the pellet feed need to be pulled or reduced from them??

Thanks smokebox

Yogurt cultures

MrsKK — Tue, 26 May 2009 06:37:11 GMT

Does anyone have a good source for a yogurt culture that is sweet and thick? I used store-bought yogurt as my starter all last year, but the results were never the same from week to week.

I'm thinking that if I used a purchased culture that I might end up with more consistency in my product. However, I hate to just wing it and purchase something without feedback from someone.

TIA!

Canning/preserving recipes?

WonderlandFarm — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:30:27 GMT

I want to can or otherwise preserve some of our tomatoes, peppers, peas, and the like from our garden this year. I've also thought about canning some of my spaghetti sauce (which is pretty tasty, if I do say so myself) made with our own tomatoes this year. How would I can the sauce? And, I would love to have any recipes for canning vegetables.

Thanks to all =]

Apple Plank Lamb?

Drawbar — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:55:16 GMT

I was trying to think of something new to grill up, and always wanted to try plank grilling. Many people have heard of cedar plank grilling, but actually a number of plank types exist. Since I am clearing out a apple orchard right now, I cut some apple trees into planks and was thinking of using an apple plank.I figured giving that plank a bit of a kick would be good by adding some hard cider I got brewing up and letting that soak for a day or two.

As for the food itself, I was thinking lamb chops would work nicely since they are round. I would mix up some brown-sugar glaze, coat and marinade for a few hours before grilling.

Then I was thinking about taking some bacon and grilling that on the apple plank along with lamb chops. Not too crispy though...that would ruin my plan. The apple plank would give the bacon and lamb chops an apple flavor, and then I would pin the bacon around the lamb chops with a toothpick.

WEll that is my plan, so here comes the questions:

Do you think the flavor of the lamb and bacon would compliment each other like bacon-wrapped scollops do?

Do you think soaking the apple grilling planks in hard cider is not required...the taste of the smoking plank would be enough flavoring?

What would you add for a side dish...a nice fresh salad or fresh apple planked broccoli and tomatoes

What would be a good dessert to go with this dish?

Need cooking inspiration

Happy Palace — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:55:04 GMT

I am completely uninspired lately. I just don't WANT to cook anything - partly my expanding waistline and partly a family of picky eaters. I have young children and hate hearing "I'm still hungry" a half hour after eating (or before the kitchen is even clean!).

Does anyone have inspiring ideas or recipes to share?

Summertime reminder for beekeepers

lewis — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:00:55 GMT

the summertime is here and the queens are at there peak layin eggs. Its time to once a month to treat for Varora Mites. I dust my hives with powderd 10x sugar. Catch them earley in the morning or just before dark to get the powder sugar on the most of them. I also use a screen bottom board for the mites to fall through, out of the hive. I will dust mine monthly until sept . If we have a dry summer make sure they are not eating up their winter store of honey and starve to death. start feeding sugar water.

Neufchatel cheese

MrsKK — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:09:36 GMT

Neufchatel is a low-fat version of cream cheese and is very good. Plus it is easy to make:

2 gallons whole raw milk (can add extra cream if you like)
1 cup clabber or buttermilk
1 tablet Junket rennet, dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Whisk the clabber until thin, then whisk in the milk. Stir the dissolved rennet in thoroughly, then allow to set for 12-14 hours to develop good flavor.

Transfer curd to drain through cheesecloth. If desired, the cream that has risen to the top can be scooped off the top and drained separately for full-fat cream cheese. Allow to drain several hours to desired thickness.

Stir in about a teaspoon or so of salt, to taste. It also helps to preserve the cheese. Upon sitting, some of the whey may continue to separate out. It may be poured off or stirred back in, as desired.