Quoting Michael Loo to All <=-

Far West Fungi shiitake mushroom jerky - a little salty
but pretty tasty in the teriyaki jerky way, the balance
more towards salt-soy than sweet. Pronounced mushroom
flavor, which did not mimic but was an adequate stand-in
for meat.

What an interesting concept! I'd definitely check it out if I ever
came across it.

My latest unusual jerky was McSweeney's pork jerky ... which turned
out to be porky but very sweet with a definite molasses hit. Roslind
bought it but didn't like it so I inherited the bag. I found it ... interesting. I finished the bag eventually and would eat it again if
it was in front of me but I would never actually go out and spend
money on buying it. Their regular beef jerky is fine though.

McSweeney's is part of the Canadian Premium Brands Holdings Corp.
which has acquired about 30 small formerly family-owned meat and
deli companies, and specialty item distributors, mostly good quality
ones. Some of their other well regarded names are Grimm's (deli
meats) and Freybe (sausages).

Some of their merely OK names are Hygaard (pre-assembled sandwiches,
subs and burgers often found at convenience stores) and Fletcher's
(budget bacon, ham and sausages).

I recently bought some Freybe European Wieners. The original Freybe
was a Prussian sausage maker of some local fame. His family kept the
business going generation after generation. Two of his great-
grandsons came to Canada and set up what became Freybe Gourmet Foods
Ltd. Their kids sold out to the PBH Corp. not long ago.

The wieners are long and skinny, 56 g each vs 45 g, so 8 to the
pound not 10. They are made with finely ground pork (muscle meat
only, no by-products or "variety" meats (I have never encountered
bits of gristle or a bone chip in them ), just 22% fat (vs. 30% for
most brands), with more seasonings and more garlic than the big
names, stuffed into natural lamb gut casings and wood smoked.
They're not cheap at $21.98/kg which is basically steak prices but
sometimes they'll be near their sell-by date and half price which is
when I stock up the freezer.


Cheers

Jim


... We all learn by experience but some of us have to go to summer school.

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My latest unusual jerky was McSweeney's pork jerky ... which
turned out to be porky but very sweet with a definite molasses
hit.

How did it compare to bak kwa

Pretty similar but a slightly different flavour:

Bak kwa is made from minced pork marinated with fish sauce, soy
sauce, rice wine and sugar. The raw mix is flattened into sheets and
dried in the sun then grilled over a charcoal fire.

Pork jerky is made from thin strips of whole meat, brined in a salt
and molasses curing mixture along with nitrates and spices; then
smoked/dried over hickory wood coals.

Speaking of pork candy, I just picked up another jar of Rousong and
am using it in all kinds of Western dishes such as fish chowders,
chicken stews, split pea soup, and even omelettes. It's greta stuff
to have in the pantry to pull out whenever a weak stock or broth
needs a little kick.

Freybe European Wieners / [Freybe's] kids sold out to / the
Canadian Premium Brands Holdings Corp.

We sneer on selling out, but ofttimes it's the best thing for
the family.

Sometimes it's good for the brand too as small regional businesses
gain access to distribution networks and investment capital to go
national. And sometimes the acquisitor respects and continues with
the quality.

The US hot dog industry would be nowhere without mechanical
separation.

The US hot dog industry would be $21.98/kg without mechanical
separation (and snouts and ears).


Cheers

Jim


... If we don't self-destruct we'll be an interstellar species in 500 years

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