Getting tired of chicken? Try something new in the poultry department: guinea hen! We think of guinea hen as the beginner’s game bird, though it’s not at all gamey tasting. The lean meat stands up nicely to strong herbs and spices, and the approachable guinea hen can be fried like chicken, braised with herbs and root vegetables, or roasted with butter or duck fat. Read on for more about what may be your new favorite bird.
Tag: cooking tips
Our Best-Kept Secret for Eating Foie Gras
Pssst … we’re going to let you in on a kitchen secret. When you want foie gras but don’t need perfect, symmetrical slices, our foie gras cubes are the solution. Read on for some easy ways to use these delightful foie gras cubes, and stock your freezer today. You’ll thank us later.
Top 10 Ways to Cook with Ham
Our fully-cooked, ready-to-serve heritage smoked ham is tender, juicy and full of flavor. This Applewood Smoked Heritage Ham is cured off the bone; rubbed with salt and sugar and smoked over real applewood chips. Inspired by the old-time taste of the heritage pork, we keep our recipe and curing process simple. We never use artificial flavors or…
Why Let Meat Rest?
Whether it’s a ribeye, skirt steak, duck breast or pork chop, it is most satisfying to eat a piece of meat that is bursting with moisture and flavor. However, if you’re not careful with your dinner, you could end up gnawing away at a steak or chop that is dry and flavorless. That is not…
Cook Like a Chef: How to Sear Foie Gras
Foie gras. Two short words, one long culinary history. Foie gras (fwah grah) is French for “fatty liver,” and refers to the fattened liver of a duck (or goose), considered a delicacy around the world. Made famous in France, foie gras is a traditional food known to mankind since at least Ancient Egypt. Foie gras is…
He’s Crusty & Cheesy, But You Will Love Croque Monsieur
Let’s talk about Croque Monsieur, essentially a grilled cheese sandwich with the addition of ham, and a very French name. Oh, and a blanket of creamy béchamel sauce with melted cheese. Sound intriguing? It’s easy to make a great version of this classic sandwich at home. Beloved by brunchers all over the world, this sandwich…
What to Do With Ventrèche
What is ventrèche? Very simply, it is an unsmoked, salt-cured bacon from Southwest France, where it is a staple. Pronounced vohn-tresh, it is often referred to as “French pancetta.” Ventrèche is made from pork belly (ventre means belly in French) that has been rubbed with salt, spices and garlic before hanging to dry. It can be kept in…
Top Tips for Making Gorgeous, Gooey Gratin
If words like “creamy,” “cheesy,” “crunchy,” and “bubbly” make your mouth water, then you are most likely a gratin lover. Simply put, a “gratin” is any food with a golden brown crust on top, usually involving cheese and breadcrumbs. The word comes from the French, gratter, “to grate.” This is serious comfort food. Read our…
Duck Wing Cravings
Florence Fabricant is all about duck wings! In today’s New York Times she dishes about her obsession, and shares tips from our friend Chef Justin Smillie, who has perfected the duck wing at Upland in NYC (yes, those are D’Artagnan duck wings). With chicken, I covet the wings. With duck, not really; they tend to be…
4 Ways to Master the Pork Loin
Did you know that October is National Pork Month? That’s why we’re focusing on pork all month long. It’s going to be a delicious 31 days. So you’ve got yourself a loin of pork. We assume it’s D’Artagnan Berkshire pork, from hogs raised on pasture and never administered antibiotics or hormones. Berkshire pork is full-flavored and…
Spicy Interview with Thora of Teeny Tiny Spice Company
Do you like it spicy? So do we! We’ve been using some very tasty spice blends from Teeny Tiny Spice Company when cooking with our favorite D’Artagnan meats. So we wanted to know more about these organic spice blends and the entrepreneurial woman behind them. These spices are tiny in name only; they pack big flavor! Thora Pomicter,…
Stewing Essentials
Stewing is a versatile and economical method of one-pot cooking which creates delicious, stick-to-your-ribs dishes of tender meat and rich sauce. Similar to braising, a stew often consists of meats and vegetables slow-cooked in flavorful liquid over a low flame. The perfect antidote to winter’s chill, stew is deeply comforting and easy to make at…