A Southern delicacy....

[Bob Childress]

Now Michael, some folks might not understand what a Country Ham is. But we order ours direct from Smithfield several times a year. Take the wrapper off, scrape off the mold and crud, soak it for 24 hours, simmer it for 6 or 8 hours, and slice it as thin as an LV wood shaving. Now that's good!

You can't kill a country ham. They are cured a year or more. We ordered one once and they shipped it to California by mistake. They sent us another one of course, but the California one showed up a week or two later (no refrigeration mind you) and was perfectly fine. Got the shelf life of a fruitcake until its cooked.

Country ham biscuits, grits with red-eye gravy, more red-eye gravy for dipppin'. Um um.

[Michael Stafford]

Bob, I see you know what I am talking about....Real country ham is a true Southern delicacy.

My father used to be in charge of curing the hams and shoulders when I was a kid for the entire family. He cured the shoulders just like he cured the hams. Curing consisted of making a mixture of salt and salt peter and injecting it into the veins of the meat. Then a dry mix of salt, salt peter and black pepper was rubbed onto the exterior until the meat would hold no more. Then the ham/shoulder was placed into two heavily starched pillow cases and hung in a cool dry place for a year. My dad alway knew when the meat was ready. And yes, the mold and crud was always there but underneath was the darkest richest, sweetest meat you ever saw. And when it was cooking you could smell it for miles. Slap that between the two halves of a homemade biscuit and you were "might nigh to heaven...." (Cholesterol and salt in that meat would get you a little closer for sure.)

The smell of it cooking has been known to kill Yankees...

[Wolf Kiessling]

I just read this entire thread and I find one thing missing.....

First, however, I want to say that I DO love fried okra (won't eat it boiled unless it's in gumbo where it's a NECESSITY and ABSOLUTELY mandantory). Of course, much as I like it, it's not as good as fried green 'maters.....

However, here is a question. Doesn't anyone eat pickled okra anymore? I saw no mention of it anywhere. It's about as good as fried okra...........

[Andy Hoyt]

Bob, I see you know what I am talking about....Real country ham is a true Southern delicacy.

The smell of it cooking has been known to kill Yankees...

Hmm. I could have fun with both of those assertions. But since it being a Thursday and all, I'll take on just one.

Not any more it don't, bud - we've enjoyed the recuperative powers and benefits of Moxie for well over a hundred years. Point of fact, W.T. Sherman was said to have ascribed to an early variant during his March to the Sea.

[Michael Stafford]

Wolf, yes, people do continue to eat pickled okra. It is hard to find though. I don't know many people who "put it up". Not one of my favorites but several of my great aunts loved it.

Andy, the consumption of Moxie and its variants is not something to discuss in polite conversation on a family oriented forum....Distillation of equine urine into a consumable drink is not something I wish to contemplate....

[Mark Cothren]

However, here is a question. Doesn't anyone eat pickled okra anymore? I saw no mention of it anywhere. It's about as good as fried okra...........

By the gallon down here in Arkyville... my son could be the world champion if they had a contest for eatin' that stuff.

You big sissies who can't take boiled okry need to tuff up just a little... that stuff is as good as it gets. You just gotta remember - don't chew, just swaller it on down all in one strand....

[Al Willits]

Ah....ya mean ya don't put brown sugar, butter and milk on grits and have it for breakfast instead of maltomeal???
Might explain my dislike for the breakfast food...hummm

I do feel a bit slighted as lutefisk really isn't all that bad....er....kinda....well least ya don't have to scrape mold off it first, nothing grows on that stuff...

You guys down south have some strange eating habits...arg...I bet ya don't even put peanut butter on your hamburgers, or if ya do, its probably creamy and not chunky...ewwwww!!

Heck I ain't even heard any body mention goulash yet...ya all don't know what your missing...well...maybe ya do...

Al who actually has eaten lutefisk and lived....but still has the seizures..

[Tom Sherman]

My first wife used to cut up okra with onions peppers bean sprouts and cabbage and stir fry it with a bit of soy sauce and various seasonings it was good stuff, specially served with rice(she is from Okinawa). Fried okra is the cat's meow with briefly steamed okra running a close second. Never tried Lutefish, but tried Carp once never again that was over 10 years ago and I still have a bad tase in my mouth, believe I'ld rather try that distilled equine urine.

[Andy Hoyt]

Anybody that'll try Moxie is AOK.

Hey! We haven't heard from Pennslyvania (and neighbors) yet.

Who's up for scrapple?

MMMmmmm gooood.

[Don Baer]

Although I like some down home dishs like collard green and ham hocks and beans you guys don't know what your missing til you've had some good mexican Posolle and if you have a hangover nothing beats it like menudo....yummm yumm. Althogh I'm a gringo, my duaghter in law who is 1/2 mexican says my posolle is better then her gandmtother who is from old Mexico, now that good eat'n
Take a some garlic, and onions and saute em in a skillet, add a few lbs of pork butt cubbed , salt and pepper and brown the meat. While meat is browning purie 3 or 4 chipolee peppers in foor processor until they are a paste. Add water water until meat is covered and pueried peppers and 1/2 small can of tomato paste. Let cook until meat is tender . Add a large can of chicken broth and the super large can of hominy. Cook on low until the hominy is done. Serve in bowls with corn tortillas, lime slices, chopped onions on the side.
Menudo is the same except instead on pork butt use tripe...

good stuff. This is a southern (although southwestern treat)

[Tom Sherman]

Hey Big Mike, I just had a thought (it didn't hurt too much) when you let Grits cool down and cut them up for fryin ain't that called Polenta? That aint half bad stuff either.

Andy I believe I'll pass on the Scrapple BTDT not my thing. I can get into some good KimChee on occasion.

[Vaughn McMillan]

I grew up with a Texan father in New Mexico, so I ate all the "southern" stuff, and also all the "southwestern" stuff. I remember my dad butchering hogs and making country hams, I've suffered through my share of grits, and had more collard greens than you could shake a tongue at. Some southern-style foods have become my own favorite things to eat (like green beans with bacon, and slow-cooked barbeque), but I'm partial to the southwestern foods, but in particular, New Mexico-style "Mexican" food. The food from Mexico (and Arizona, sorry Don ) is nowhere near as good IMHO as the food by the same name, but with more Spanish roots, that's from New Mexico, particularly the northern Rio Grande valley. (Sorry, no canned hominy in my posole. ) New Mexican "Mexican" food is different from all the rest. I'll bet a few NM Creekers would back me up on that.

And fresh home grown tomatos are indeed manna from Heaven.

- Vaughn

[Michael Stafford]

Don, can't say I am familiar with posolle but all of the ingredients sound good so I am betting I would like it. You say it contains hominy, well, hominy is what grits are ground from.... I have learned to like Southwestern, Mexican, Spanish cooking although I am sure what I am able to get in this part of the country is not as flavorful as where you live. When I used to travel the country I always looked forward to the food in the Southwest.

Tom, I am not sure but isn't polenta a corn meal mush. Same family as grits but slightly different in the texture. I am sure you did not prepare the carp correctly or you would not still have the bad taste in your mouth. To properly prepare carp you must scale and gut the fish being careful to clean the body cavity thoroughly. No need to remove the head. Next find a pine board slightly longer and wider than your fish. Carefully nail the fish's head and tail to the board. Find fresh road apples and stuff the body cavity until it is full. Slice onions and garlic and pile on top of fish. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 hours or until tender. Remove the fish from the oven. Place the onions, garlic and road apples in a bowl. Throw the pine board, nails and carp away.

And Mark, "You big sissies who can't take boiled okry need to tuff up just a little... that stuff is as good as it gets. You just gotta remember - don't chew, just swaller it on down all in one strand...." That is why I don't like boiled okra. Eating boiled okra is sorta like swallowing hot slugs.....

Al, no peanut butter on our hamburgers but peanut butter stuffed in our celery and then topped with raisins is a delicacy we feed our children. We call that "turtles on a log". I have eaten goulash and find it to be delicious.

[Mark Cothren]

Peanut butter on a hamburger??? Surely you jest...???

Peanut butter on celery w/ raisins??? Surely you jest...???

And man, I ain't eatin' no guts outta nuthin'...

Grits R Groceries here in Arkysaw... everybody eats grits here... a little butter, a little salt'n pepper... good to go.

So how many of y'all suck the heads outta your mudbugs?

[skip coyne]

anybody else like mayo on hotdogs ?

how about boiled goober peas ?

Peanut butter on celery w/ raisins? ..my kids grew up on that , we still often take it for snacks when we go out for the day.

got to admit Ive never heard of PB on hamburger