BBQ Chuck Roast, Jalapeño Cheese Grits
Locally-pastured, bone-in chuck roast is marinated in mesquite BBQ sauce, crushed chilies, cocoa and cold-brewed coffee with onions, garlic, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then braised in a covered earthenware pot for three hours at 300 degrees. While the roast rests, the cooking liquids are strained, reduced and thickened, then the roast is cut into thick slices, dipped in the finished sauce and served over long-cooked heirloom yellow corn grits with aged cheddar, fresh jalapeños and chopped cilantro..
BBQ Chuck Roast, Jalapeño Cheese Grits
Local sources
Pastured beef from Ross Farm
Mesquite BBQ Sauce from Stubb’s
Coffee from Chameleon Cold-Brew
Herbs and vegetables from my garden
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Savory Wild Boar Sausage with Fried Sage, Two-Corn Polenta
Freshly-ground wild boar from the Texas Hill Country is mixed with chopped yellow onions, Italian sweet chili powder, fresh garlic, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Formed into patties, then fried in sage brown butter and served over two-corn polenta (fresh kernel corn and stone-ground yellow flint corn) with sweet peppers and fresh chives..
Savory Wild Boar Sausage with Fried Sage, Two-Corn Polenta
Antebellum Coarse Grits with Pulled Pork, Poached Egg, Aged Cheddar & Cholula
Pastured pork shoulder is braised in a red chile-tomato sauce with cumin, coriander and a little raw apple cider until tender enough to be pulled apart with a pair of forks.
Coarsely-ground yellow flint corn is slow-cooked in butter, bone broth, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. A touch of cream and some aged cheddar cheese are folded in just before serving with a perfectly poached farm-fresh egg and a few dashes of hot sauce..
Antebellum Coarse Grits, Pulled Pork, Poached Egg, Aged Cheddar & Cholula
“Created in the tradition of the stone-ground, hand-milled grits of the Antebellum era, coarse grits have a large particle size that imparts a toothsome texture and pronounced corn flavor. Coarse grits do take time to cook—about an hour, at least—but are any cook’s first choice when served as a stand-alone dish or as a complement to entrées such as fish, greens, or eggs. They make beautiful grits cakes, too.” –Anson Mills
Brazos de Dios Chili Cheese Grits
Locally-milled corn grits are simmered in homemade vegetable stock, then combined with farmhouse cheddar, fried onions, fresh peppers, garlic, cumin and cilantro and topped with smoky chipotle chili sauce..
Brazos de Dios Chili Cheese Grits
For the Sauce
1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 chipotles en adobo, diced
1/4 cup Spanish onion, diced
1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
sea salt
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.
For the Grits
1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
2 cups homemade vegetable stock
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1/2 large poblano pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup sharp cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
several sprigs fresh cilantro, torn
Heat the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and fry 30 seconds. Add the onions, peppers and garlic and fry until lightly browned, then remove from heat.
Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and slowly whisk in the corn meal. Cook and stir until thick, adjusting consistency with additional stock if needed.
Add 2/3 of the cooked vegetables to the grits, along with any remaining melted butter. Fold in the cheese and cilantro and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then cover and let stand 5 minutes.
To serve, spoon grits onto a plate or into a bowl and top with spoonfuls of chipotle sauce. Spoon remaining vegetables over the top, then garnish with a little more cheese and cilantro.
Omnivore’s Option
Add 1/4 pound seasoned, browned ground bison or pastured beef to the chipotle chili sauce.
This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!
Shrimp and Grits
Gigantic gulf shrimp are sautéed in sweet butter with fresh lemon, celery, tomatoes, white wine and parsley and served over stone-ground yellow grits with fresh thyme, shrimp stock, garlic and cream..
Shrimp and Grits
Adapted from recipes by Chef Chris Hastings, Coastal Living
For the Grits
1/2 cup stone-ground yellow grits
1 tablespoon cultured butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup shrimp stock (substitute fish fumét or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, slivered
1 tablespoon shallot, diced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Add thyme, garlic and shallots and sauté until soft and fragrant. Whisk in broth and cream, reduce heat and cook until done, adding water as you go, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.
For the Shrimp
4 very fresh jumbo Gulf shrimp, peeled, de-veined and patted dry
2 tablespoons sweet butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons red or green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoon celery, diced
1 small plum tomato, chopped
2 green onions, slivered
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (substitute Old Bay)
1/4 dry white wine
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Heat half of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add celery, bell pepper and shallots and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook without moving until lightly browned on the outside and opaque on the inside, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove shrimp from pan and add wine, cook and reduce until only a little liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice and shrimp and heat through, about 2 minutes.
To serve, spoon grits into a bowl and arrange shrimp over the top. Pour the remaining butter sauce over the top and serve with Tabasco if desired.
Red Chili Grits
Stone-ground corn grits simmered in chicken stock with green onions and ancho puree, served with pork belly and fried eggs..
Red Chili Grits with Pork Belly and Fried Eggs
Serves 3-4 (adapted from a recipe by Taylor Ranch)
For the Grits
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1/4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
3/4 cup organic, stone-ground coarse corn grits
1/4 cup ancho puree
2 tablespoons pastured butter
3/4 cup raw milk cheddar, grated, divided
Bring the stock to a boil, then add onion, garlic and salt & pepper. Slowly whisk in the grits and simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the ancho puree, butter and half of the cheese. Spoon onto serving plate and top with additional cheese, onions and a dollop of ancho puree. Serve with fried eggs and pork belly.
For the Ancho Puree (makes 3/4 cup)
1 cup filtered water
3 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 2 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and allow to steep 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.
