James Beard's American Cookery is my go to cookbook for just about everything. Well, that's probably a toss up with The Joy of Cooking. But I usually go to JBAC first and turn to TJOC if Beard doesn't have the recipe or I want a simplified version.
My husband brought this cookbook into our home (ours has a different cover). I don't know how I got along without it. It is now an essential part of my cookbook library.
Today, I used his recipe for roasting a pork shoulder roast. I usually just stick one in a very low oven (225) in a covered casserole and cook it for hours, until the meat falls apart. That's a great way to go to get a huge pile of shredded pork for soup, chile, tacos, b-b-c pork sandwiches, whatever.
But I wanted to try something new. Beard says to cook the shoulder (or "picnic" roast) the same way he suggests for a leg of pork roast, which is to rub it with salt, pepper, sage, and garlic; put it in an uncovered roasting pan, fat side up; cook it at 300 for 25 minutes per pound, or until 160 degrees inside, without basting; turn up the temperature to 400 for the last 20 or 30 minutes, basting often, to crisp up the fat; then let it set a while. It is messy to carve because of the bone, but tasty.
We'll see. It's in the oven now. It smells very good. It will make a nice dinner tonight and maybe we will make sandwiches tomorrow for a Labor Day picnic.
Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads.
One of my first cookbooks was by James Beard. I not only found it useful - but immensely interesting!
ReplyDeleteI would love for you to say Happy Birthday to my daughter who just started a blog - today on her birthday...
Outpourings Of A Soul.
I hope you will have time to visit one or both of my blogs: LibrarysCat and Never Forget !!
Have a great weekend!
I am trying to think if I have a go to cook book..
ReplyDeleteBut I am distracted by the idea of that lovely roasting pork...yum..
I'm a big fan of James Beard, too. I have a couple of his books, including this one. I will definitely be looking up this recipe.
ReplyDeleteAnd, BTW, can I come to your house tomorrow??
I've never looked at a James Beard cookbook but now I will! And I do my pork shoulder in the slow cooker with some sea salt and liquid smoke for about 20 hours. It simply falls apart and is delicious! I should try some different herbs though.
ReplyDeleteI bet that is a great cookbook. I hope your pork roast turned out great - I usually just throw mine in the crock pot.
ReplyDeleteLibrary Cat -- I now have several JB cookbooks and like them all. The fish one is indispensable.
ReplyDeleteI'll go visit your daughter's new blog.
Caite -- Mmmmmmm . . . pork roast. It was distracting. And delicious.
Beth -- Ha! I have enough pork roast left over to make about 50 sandwiches, so yes, come on over! I am going to make Vietnamese sandwiches, if I can find fresh jalapenos on Labor Day.
Kristen -- Slow and low is the way to go with the pork roast (I'm a poet now). But I've never tried liquid smoke. Great idea. I've done that with a brisket, but not pork. I'll try it.
Bermuda -- I often put mine in the CP too. But this made the top crunchy and the meat didn't get quite so soft. Still very tender, but not mushy. It was amazing. I may be a convert.
Can you believe it? Beth Fish and I both won copies of this cookbook from a BBAW giveaway. What fantastic timing. :) I can't wait to get it!
ReplyDeleteKristen -- How cool! It's a great cookbook. You will love it. Especially with the Pacific NW angle.
ReplyDelete