I had gone earlier in the pandemic (Actually… this where I might have picked up those Yellow Eye Beans!) and the pickens where slim… no pots at all just a few pieces of the cookware (I would love a Chamba Comal… but already have one). I didn’t even ask about them considering how everyone was just struggling to be open and stressed out… so I was so happy to return last week and see the market much busier… and all entire restock. I just had to tell Delilah… how much the pot has really changed my cooking… She was overjoyed and mentioned that she had just put in another order and that one would include the bean pot. I told her I’d be back! If anything… for that pitcher with the lid too!
It sounds like you found your recipe but since you mentioned seasoning being an issue I’d be curious how you might feel about using pickled pork as in this Good Eats recipe. I’ve been making those beans for 15 years or so and it’s easily one of my top three dishes.
Now that I think of it, I was talking to the Little Jewel owner one time when I was looking for tasso and he specifically mentioned pickled pork as being great in red beans.
ATC uses the red wine vinegar as a sub for the pickled pork… I had never tried that recipe because it is so reliant on the picked pork. It just was not the flavor I was going for which is more smoked and meaty…
Does little Jewel sell pickled pork? That is what initially sold me to the ATC recipe because they didn’t ignore it (hence the sub)… I don’t recall seeing it there and so I assumed I would have to make the sub (Which in the end I didn’t even use because I had already hit the notes I wanted). I have bought their Tasso… which found a little overly spiced and not as smokey as I hoped. This is the one I get from Marcona now… It’s a little leaner but I kinda like finding little cubes of smoked tender pork in my read beans as a counter to the peppery andouille.
That’s fair- I would say that the pickled pork does add an acidity but it is also very meaty and flavorful from the spices used in it but obviously no smokiness. I’ve only experienced that Good Eats version of the pork but just using vinegar would NOT replicate what you get from it.
Not when I asked but this was some years ago. I was also there for their tasso specifically but I was only able to score it the one time. I’ve made do with the Savoie’s tasso you linked to but honestly it’s a little bland next to the pickled pork so it’s about 50/50 if I’ll even use it.
Have you been to Park’s Meat Market? We were actually exploring that neighborhood and I earmarked it to see what seasoning meats and sausages they might have.
NO! Thank you so much for the reminder! Our diet isn’t meat heavy… and that parking lot can be such a clusterfluff so it had fallen off my radar and been making due with our visits to California Mart… but we are in a bit of a dinner hole right now, so I’ll check it out next week and see if I can get inspired.
Yeah, we haven’t stopped by yet for logistical reasons like that but I see on their yelp that they have some specific products so… fingers crossed it’s good? Probably not a revelation but I’m hoping for a nice stop to pick up andouille, smoked meat product, maybe tasso. One can dream!
$85… I would have pulled the trigger but honestly have no space for a pot this big… However… I do need a new covered pitcher!! Chocolates will be extra frothy this year!!!
It is!! It’s a small but very well curated shop. Delilah the owner is a doll and very eager to guide you to her favorite products. They carry Wines and Beer from Mexico that many don’t have. They also carry my favorite jarred mole, Hernan. In addition to serving Michis and being attached the 4th Street market, there is also Electric City Butcher next door to make your trip really worth while. It’s very easy to bang bang all thought OC (I did yesterday… OlliBoli and then here) and work Santa Ana into it. Also… free parking in the structure right behind it and a shout out to my favorite non-food related store in the area… M. Lovewell. Life is to short to use crappy pens…
When Picking My Pitcher… I stopped over to Electric City Butchers to see what might inspire me. Honestly though… I’ve just been so exhausted from this year, the only thing I REALLY… REALLY wanted was some stew meat. I love things like pot roast and beef bourguignon. Something to eat with lots of Mashed Potatoes.
But when I got home and opened my pantry… another idea struck. My latest Rancho Gordo acquisition has been a bag of Ayocote Morado beans. I was go glad to get these because I love the Negro version, but they have been very hard to find. This is a large bean with amazing flavor and liquor. It kinda takes over anything it’s added to. So I thought that it would be an excellent addition to a rich dark chili with plenty of beef… So I to took out my big #28 and began to sear my beef…
I made something similar to texas style… no beans. Just sear the beef. Tons of chopped aromatics (red onion, purple carrot, celery, garlic, red anaheim pepper), Two heaping spoonfuls of Penzey’s Chili 300, a good amount of Ground Cumin and a few good shakes of chipotle powder, 3 cups of broth (used P’s home made roasted chicken stock) a glug of beer (about 1/4 bottle of whiskey stout that I was in the mood for ) and just let it stew for hours on the stove. Just when about tender, I remove the lid and let it stew uncovered to really condense down the stew. It was magic right here…
Meanwhile, I made the beans as well. I also made sure to add aromatics to the pot and plenty of salt. I wanted to bean to be at it’s plumpy tastiest. So it stood up to the big pot of beefiness.
I was just going to mix the beans with the beef so they co-mingled. No more further cooking… I didn’t want to dilute or ruin too much of the texture of this amazing bean!
I let things cool and put it in the fridge, the next day… I took out the pot HOURS before dinner and just staked it’s place on the stove. At dinner time, I just turned it on to a simmer to heat the pot through in just moments.
Yes, this is my Happie. I will say, after having this and having way too many of the Homestate version when they moved to Playa Vista (Gawd. I hope they are still there when I come back…) there is something to be said about pickled onions and fresh cilantro (I was fresh out sadly) on this dish… Will be sure to prep that too next time!
Thank god I visited this post… My brain has turned completely squishy during this time and when I saw you mention Park’s Meat Market… I thought you were talking about the butcher shop that is attached to Parks BBQ in Koreatown… Thank gawd I came back to follow up this post and actually clicked on your link and saw you were talking about something completely different.
First… again… NO I have not been at this place. I do go to a smaller place closer to me called Mama’s Chicken and they have quite the selection of stuff that not even Little Jewel has in terms of Lousinana Pantry items. Mama is a delight and she was one of the people I asked about Red Beans and Rice Spice mix… She looked at me in the sweetest… “girl… are you out of your mind…” gaze when she said… there is no red bean and rice spice mix… LOL!! We are here often because she makes our house sausage.
But I DID finally make it up to Parks BBQ 2 Go… their butcher shop. It’s a very small place and their stock is limited and honestly… quite pricy! I decided only to pick up their pork belly (I get our side cut short ribs from La Carniceria and they are AMAZING) and it actually was well worth the price especially with their raddish wrappers. But honestly, I think just ordering cooked BBQ from Parks (Which a TON of folks are doing… I was lucky to find street parking nearby) gives you a better experience…
Now… this other Parks is on my list. Thanks so much!
This is a heads…new beans are now in stock and available on the Rancho Gordo website with more to come in the next few weeks. Also wild rice is back in stock and it’s worth the splurge.
Thanks. I was running low and actually thinking about my next order. I ordered 4 different varieties that we’ve never had. Very excited as we get into stew, soup and chili weather.
Thanks @DiningDiva! I prefer to shop in person… but given the times… can’t wait to check them out…
I also prefer winter weather. I’m not a beach person. I’m a snowy hike person. I love sweaters and listening to rain drops. I’m super excited to wear my wool socks (I am right now!) But I dunno which makes me happier… that it’s cold enough to make hot chocolate or soup… SO… I made both!
For soup… I decided to use up the last bit of Rancho Gordo French Green Lentils I got from my Semolina Care Box. Usually, I just go to Sprouts and buy a big scoop of lentils. I wasn’t sure if these fancy ones would make the soup how I like it. I use Alton Brown’s recipe and add potatoes and additional spices (Thyme half way… Parsley at the end). So it ends up quite hearty. THICK. With an almost gravy like broth…
Yep… When my lentil soup is just about done… I drop in some eggs… and cover. I simmer for 10 minutes and then turn off the heat to let the soup cool for 5… The eggs come out perfectly cooked…
Looking at this photo I realize I should not have used the white carrots. But I like my Lentil soup to have a bit of interest and nothing more interesting than a pop of wonderful creamy yolk… However, the RG Lentil did cook up beautifully. They are more plumpy than my standard Sprouts lentils, so they stood out a lot more within the veg, spices and egg. This was not a bad thing at all. In fact, it just made one of my favorite soups that much more better. Will be re-purchasing again for sure…
Yep! I used my new Chamba Pitcher and I loved it!! It heated up the milk super quick (In fact… it bubbled up before I knew it… whoops! ) But the frother fit in super well and things whipped up quick!
Over the weekend I made a wonderful Asian Pear with 5 Spice Swirl bundt cake. It was the perfect addition to the Rancho Gordo Hot Chocolate. Their Hot Chocolate is very rich… but lacking a bit of the cinnamon and vanilla flavor I really like in my hot chocolate.
Both are new to me too. There should have been a newletter in the book. Several people on the RG FB page have already reported that the recipe for the desi chana in the newsletter is very good.
