Black Eyed Peas and Hog Jowl

 

Unless you were raised on this Southern mainstay - you're likely not a fan. But, perhaps you've simply never had it prepared for you in the right way! 

The key to delicious black eyed peas and hog jowl is flavor layering. Before a pea hits the pot - you'll have some work to do! 

Begin with fresh, smoked, hog jowl from a local processor. Contrary to what you may have read online, ham hocks and hog jowl are NOT the same thing, and they have a completely different taste! Ask that the jowl be thick "bacon" sliced, so that you can get it fried crisp. To season your peas, you'll need to fry 3 slices. Let them cool, then chop into bits.

In the skillet with the gresse where you fried the jowl, add 2 cups water, the jowl bits, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet yellow onions. Boil until rolling, then add 2 cups frozen black eyed peas. Cover, and simmer for at least 45 minutes, several hours is even better!

My family loves the jowl fried crisp like bacon, but there's many ways (and variations) to how you can cook it. For a unique twist, try wrapping a slice of jowl around asparagus spears and baking it! 

My family loves this dish served with turnip greens, corn bread, and fried potatoes - but some people enjoy other sides. Experiment, get creative, and maybe even change your luck in the coming year! 

Southern Thanksgiving Feast

 

I could have posted these recipes separately, but since this is my traditional Thanksgiving meal every year, I decided to list them here all together. I'll do a separate list for my Thanksgiving Deserts. 

Turkey 

Hands down, the best turkey you can serve is the one you harvested yourself. And if that turkey just happens to be young and plump - oh, son! 

First, just go ahead and check one more time for lead pellets. The easiest (and most sure-fire way) is to run your metal detector on over that bird. Go on, now!

Next, you'll need the following to stuff the carcass with:

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Thyme 

Fresh Sage 

1/2 can of flat beer 

Roll the herbs into a bundle, tie with cotton string, shove into the cavity toward the neck. Next, lay the can of beer into the cavity, opening turned UP so the beer doesn't all pour out. 

Outside Rub 

1 stick REAL butter, room temp 

1 Tablespoon ground sage 

Mix together, rub entire turkey.

Bake upside down (breast down) uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Then turn over, cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for another 45 minutes. At this point, you'll want to remove the beer can and spices, drain all the juice from the pan, cover the wing tips and legs with aluminum foil. Cover entire turkey with butter/sage again, and bake for another 30-45 minutes, uncovered. Once the breast is golden brown, remove the foil from wings and legs and allow them to brown as well. (Save herb bundle and pan drippings!)

Ham 

Again, the best ham is from your own hog! But if that's not an option for you, try to buy one from a processor. I prefer bone-in, smoked hams. Avoid pre-sliced, because you'll loose much of the natural juices in cooking and have very dry meat. 

Preparation 

Coat the entire ham in a mixture of 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup maple syrup. Then wrap with bacon. I generally use an entire pound for this. 

Wrap tightly with aluminum foil, and place in baking pan. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

When you can, remove aluminum foil, and slice the ham from the bone. Leave the slices in the pan juices, and cover the pan in aluminum foil. Before serving, pop back in the oven for 10 minutes. (Save pan drippings!)

Turnip Greens

In a large pot, toss in your ham bone and trimmings, fresh or canned turnip greens, and water to boil. Boil for 25 minutes, then lower the heat to simmer. Add 1 whole or sliced Jalapeno pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt to taste. Cover and allow to simmer until served.

Herbed Cornbread - Stuffing 

You can make one or both from the same cornbread batter. For the batter, you'll need:

Herb ball from the turkey, remove the cotton string 

2 cups Buttermilk 

2 eggs 

2 cups self-rising Cornmeal (not the mix!)

1/2 cup sliced Jalapenos 

1/2 cup tiny cubed sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup meat grease or 3 slices of bacon fried to render 1/2 cup grease

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Put the herbs and 1/2 cup of your Buttermilk into food processor and process until herbs are well ground. No stems! 

Mix everything (EXCEPT cheese and jalapeno!) together in large bowl, then pour into greased cast iron skillet. One ONE HALF add the cheese and peppers. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. 

Allow to cool, then divide. Slice 1/2 for cornbread (cheese/pepper half), crumble the other 1/2 for stuffing. 

Stuffing Ingredients 

2 cans chicken broth 

1 diced onion 

3 stalks celery, chopped 

1/2 cup turkey pan drippings 

3 eggs 

1 teaspoon ground sage 

Giblets - if you prefer! 

Boil onions, celery, and sage in chicken broth until soft, add turkey pan drippings. Allow to cool to room temp. Add crumbled cornbread, eggs, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir well. 

Pour into greased baking pan, bake at 350 degrees until top is golden brown. 35-40 minutes.

Yams 

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 

1/2 cup ham pan drippings 

1/2 cup water 

In a baking bag, combine all ingredients, then bake in a pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until yams are soft. Remove and drain liquid.

Place yams in greased glass baking pan, then sprinkle with:

1/2 cup brown sugar 

2 slices of raw bacon, diced 

1/2 stick of REAL butter, cut into pats 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Macaroni and Cheese Bake 

2 cups macaroni noodles 

1 cup shredded american cheese 

1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese 

1/2 cup grated parmesan chtoe 

1 slice of your cornbread

1 cup heavy cream 

Salt/pepper to taste

Boil the macaroni noodles until ALMOST done, drain, and quickly add the heavy cream, salt/pepper, American and pepper Jack cheese. Stir well. 

Pour into greased glass baking pan. Crumble cornbread, mix with parmesan, and sprinkle on top of macaroni and cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until cheese bubbles and browns on top.

Chunky Red Skin Mashed Potatoes 

6 large red skin potatoes, washed well, cubed. 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 cup heavy cream 

1/2 stick REAL butter 

Salt/pepper to taste 

Boil potatoes until soft, add cream, butter and salt/pepper. Mash by hand with a fork, leaving the mixture chunky. 

Pan Gravy 

You can make this from either some turkey pan drippings or ham pan drippings - it's the same recipe. 

2 cups pan drippings 

3 Tablespoons REAL butter 

2 Tablespoons Flour 

1 cup milk 

Salt/pepper to taste

In a skillet, melt butter, then turn heat to high and stir in flour slowly to make a rue. When combined, while bubbling hot, slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly. Once the milk starts to thicken, slowly add pan drippings to thin until gravy reaches desired thickness. Add salt/pepper to taste. 

I generally add deviled eggs, homemade cranberry sauce, and pickled peaches as side dress. But, you can use anything of your liking. 

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

Pork Steak and Squash

Grilled to perfection pork steak and yellow crookneck squash is a summertime favorite of my family! This is another recipe that is best grilled over a hardwood bed of coals instead charcoal. Both the pork steak and squash tend to take on the taste of lighter fluid if you use charcoal. 

4 pork steaks

2 large crookneck squash, planked.

Pork Steak Marinade

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a large zipper freezer bag, combine all ingredients and the raw pork steak. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, over night is even better!

Squash Rub

1/2 cup olive oil (to brush on squash)

1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning mix

Salt/pepper to taste

Rinse your steaks and pat dry on paper towel. Salt/pepper to taste, and put on your grill. 

Brush the squash slices with olive oil, sprinkle with the dry rub, and grill on a sheet of aluminum foil. Salt/pepper to taste. 

The garlic pairs very well with the grilled pork taste, and Italian dry rub seasoning gives squash just the right kick of extra flavor without overpowering it's delicate, natural sweetness. 

Feeds 4.

"Hoe Daddy" Crappie

For those who might not know, crappie is a fish, and it's pronounced crOppie. My dad, Everett "Hoe Daddy" Bledsaw is the crappie fisher in our family. He's also usually the one who deep fries it as well. So, it's his recipe I'm posting.

Fresh crappie fillets, patted dry

1 cup Shawnee's Best White Cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

That's it. He uses no other spices, and he doesn't marinate the fish in anything - yet, it comes out delicious! 

He just mixes the rub in a gallon sized plastic bag and coats the fish fillets - then deep fries them until they're golden brown. 

This picture was taken at Spadra Marina several years ago, with his best friend, Larry Gentry. Sadly, Larry passed away a few years ago, but we think of him every time the crappie run at the Marina in the winter. We also know in our hearts, if it's possible to fish in Heaven - Larry is tearing 'em up!  

The Best Catfish

My catfish recipe is fairly simple, but the real "trick" to the distinct taste is that I soak my catfish fillets in Mike's Hard Lemonade for about an hour before I deep fry them. I also prefer to fry them in canola oil. 

Catfish Fillets (I prefer Blue)

1 cup plain yellow corn meal - not the mix 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons Tony's Chachere's Original Cajun seasoning

1 bottle Mike's Hard Lemonade

Soak the fillets in the hard lemonade in a gallon sixed freezer bag for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Then drain, and pat the filets dry.

Lightly coat with the dry mixture in another gallon sized plastic bag. 

Deep Fry until the fillets float to the top of the oil and turn golden brown.  

The best catfish - is the one you caught yourself! I caught this 4 pound beautiful Blue at Spadra Park in the early spring of 2020. It was one of those fine days when I had no schedule or known agenda - I was just out running around, and on impulse, decided to wet a hook. I didn't even have a stringer! I ended up wrapping this guy in my jacket to take him home.  

Venison Steak, Grilled Veggies, Baked Potato

 

There's nothing better than a perfectly seasoned and fire grilled venison steak! Unless you raise the bar with delicious sides! For this recipe, this recipe, you absolutely have to have a fire grill - not charcoal bricks. You'll also need real butter. 

4 venison steaks, ¾ to 1 inch thick

Marinade:

You can do a garlic base or an onion base – but not both!

½ garlic clove, peeled and crushed

OR

½ onion, finely minced in food processor

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ Tablespoon paprika

½ Tablespoon coarse ground black pepper

1 cup buttermilk

Combine everything in a gallon size zip lock freezer bag, add the steaks, then carefully squeeze out the air and close the bag. Rub all the steaks in the mixture, and refrigerate overnight.

4 large Red Pontiac potatoes, washed and patted dry

Cut potatoes in half, then using a spoon, carefully scoop out a small hole in the middle of one half. Mix 1 teaspoon real butter with ¼ teaspoon fresh chives and using a butter knife, fill the hole in your potato half, place the potato back together again, wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place on baking rack in your oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

1 large green bell pepper, seeded, and cut into 2 inch chunks

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2 inch chunks

10 to 12 large button top fresh mushrooms, washed and patted dry

Veggie/Steak Grilling Marinade

1 cup melted real butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Alternate peppers and mushrooms onto 4 wood skewers

Start the veggies on the grill first! Grill the veggie skewers, brushing often with the melted butter mixture, until flame kissed and soft.

Remove steaks from refrigerator, rinse with water, pat dry

Grill the steak to your personal preference (I prefer medium rare!) brushing often with the butter mix.

Your baked potatoes should be almost done by the time you start the steaks. So, remove them from the oven and open the top of the foil (to let in smoke flavor). Place on the grill as soon as the veggie steaks are done, and close the lid for at least a couple minutes to let them smoke.

To plate the potato – remove the foil, add more butter and sour cream, then top with the grilled veggies. 

Serves: 4

 

Hearty Venison Stew

The legal and ethical harvesting of animals for consumption is an important part of my self-sufficient lifestyle. I believe if you choose to eat meat, you should be aware of the life that was sacrificed.

For this hearty winter venison stew recipe, I used two pounds of ham  from this 6 point adult male white tail deer harvested by my dad, Everett "Hoe Daddy" Bledsaw and processed by me. He took this fine buck on the property of John Brown in Johnson county, Arkansas during the 2018 hunting season.

 

Hearty Venison Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds cubed ham of venison
1 large onion, diced
5 carrots, chopped in chunks
4 potatoes, cubed
2 cups of green peas
4 cups vegetable stock
salt, pepper to taste
flour to coat, butter or oil to fry

Roll the venison chunks in the flour, then fry them in a skillet until golden brown (they don't have to be done, this is just to tenderize them). In the same skillet, fry the onions in the venison grease until caramelized. 

In large soup pot, combine all the ingredients. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours. Add salt/pepper to taste. You can also cook this delicious stew in a crockpot on low for 3 1/2 hours. 

Serves 6 to 8