Zampone/multicultural fattie

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moikel

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Jul 26, 2011
3,198
218
Sydney &Greenwell Point Australia
This post is out of order because I  did things out of order
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. The idea was to make a version of a zampone boned stuffed pigs hock,but play with it so it fits the smoking template of the forum. A shop bought zampone looks like this one made by my butcher Joe.
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They are normally poached & served with lentils & mustard fruits.Its stuff with roman sausage mix.Pork,garlic,nutmeg,cbp,etc. I thought if I  got some hocks I  could take the skin off in one piece,smoke the meat,pull it,mix it with fried diced onion,garlic,parsley & some dried fruit soaked in Tokay(sweet fortified wine) egg to bind it then stuff it into skin stitch it up. From there I figured I  would poach it just till it sets then smoke the whole thing .So I  brined the meat + some extra bits in apple juice,dark beer,brown sugar ,water & salt for a few hours & then into the MES for 4hrs over apple. I was pretty happy with my knife work,got the skin off without cutting me or it but I  bought hind leg hocks not front
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So they dont taper so they are going to be hard to stuff & close. I have extra pig skin,a big butchers needle,string & a stubborn streak we will just have to wait & see what I  can make. Expect stitching to be more coroners close than Plastic surgery neat but there will be a way. There better be because I  started the whole thing before I  got a lesson of Joe.Hocks without trotter $4 a kg Chinede butcher. Any suggestions most welcome.
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The good bit is $4 a kg & they taste great out of smoker. Cut meat up & smoked bones as well should make a good sauce base. I will cook the shop bought tomorrow & post Qview after that 
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I will just have to wing it.
 
OK something had to give,the smoked meat from the hock wouldnt make a stuffing. Mighty tasty but I  would have to grind it & I  dont have a grinder yet. So up to the butchers to get some pork mince. Then to stitch skin I started with a big flat piece of skin cut it to triangle then used a big sterilized nail to punch a set of holes. Tried doing it just with needle ,my skin softer than pig skin. Got it into  reasonable shape bit stitching looks bit frankensteinish but it will hold.  Then I fried onion ,garlic,added the dried fruit,tokay stock from smoked bones,mustard ,gbp.salt. Took this & mixed it with pork mince then stuffed it in casing & stitched it shut. I will smoke mine & poach Joes guess thats dinner fixed for a few nights. I keep getting server empty message when I try to load photos. Ill just keep cooking & try later.
 
They both turned out really well I  will Qview later. My buddy Joe has been a butcher for 30 odd years,hes sicilian origins but born here.I think theres an advantage to poaching they set & are easy to carve. Interesting preparation.
 
OK  this is some of it.Joes is on the left of the plate done traditional poached,mine on left.I fried some onion,garlic,red pepper then added lentils & smoked pork bone stock & red wine then let it simmer until the lentils cooked through. They were both good but I  see why they poach them,they set & the rind is easy to carve. Mine was tasty,really tasty but didnt carve as well & my knives are all sharp. Using the pig skin is partly about throwing nothing away but it does keep the filling incredibly moist.If you use front leg you can cut extra skin up the shoulder because its going to be boned out anyway,so it doesnt compromise you on resale.It means you can cut a flap almost so you can close it up.Mine had a bit of mad scientist about the stitching & I  was to scared to poach it in case it got soggy but next time Im getting front leg & keeping the filling to my formula & keeping the foot on for structural reasons if nothing else. Im going to pack it firmer as  The chinese lady at butchers will cut them how I  want. She thinks Im a bit of a curiousity doesnt get a lot of Aussie customers but she gave me a discount with out me asking  .$4 a kg is pretty good buying helps balance out the cost of green pistashios .Im going to do something else using the same filling I  froze the extras.The dried fruit soaked,nuts,mustard ,pork stock was absolutely spot on. Its obviously a very difficult day being 10 years since 9/11,so watch when ever it suits you or not at all. My country lost 10 people in 9 /11 then 90 in Bali bombings but nothing compares to 9/11 nothing. It was commerated here I will post the rest later.
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This is Joe's just cut. Once upon a time I think it was stuffed with minced anything left over.Now they put premium roman sausage mince in it.Having only 1 end to shut means they can get it compressed. Traditionally served at New Year with lentils to symbolize coins & therefore good fortune for the New Year.
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Mine just of the MES I  probed it,cooked all the way through,mad scientist stitching held up.
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Looks really great ! Thank You for your sentiment on a sad day...JJ
 
Chef Jimmy,I was just blazing away at computer/kitchen then realised  with the time difference that I was probably posting on 9/11 your time.Wasnt sure if I  should leave it for a bit. USA played Ireland in Rugby World Cup 9/11 our time zone .Every person in the stadium,every nationality apparently sang along to your national anthem.
 
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