I live in Northern VA but I've been to other countries including Texas Not knocking on the overly sweet Texan Q but I like the tangy vinegar man! Give me some Carolina Q and Texan Q and my dog will be a happy Texan that day

With regards to a certain comment, made by some birdhead err ParrotBirdHead, towards using gas over charcoal for convenience...thats kind of like serving unseasoned steak, kidna like serving bread without the butter, it's BBQ sacrilege!

English BBQ

Charcoal, paper - 1 minute to try
Charcoal , fire lighters - 2 minutes to try
Then
Charcoal, petrol, 1/2 second to try and 5 minutes to look in the mirror trying to remember what you looked like with eye brows!

Chef - drunk as a lord

Then immediately pile everything that may be remotely edible on to the towering inferno

Sausages (bangers) - burned to a crisp on the outside, frozen solid in the middle
Beer
Burgers - look and taste much like the charcoal
Beer, Beer
Chicken - burned on the outside, raw in the middle
Beer, Beer, Beer

Guests
Totally rat @rsed!!
Continue as above until the neighbours complain or the police arrive.

Next day -
Hangover.
Sunburn.
Food poisoning.

or maybe that's just at my house!!

Nope, same throughout my whole life. I tried garden squirrels on a grill over open fire embers, ok but not much to chew on. It's wey too wet in Wales, too cold and when it's sunny the nats take over the posts look delicious. I might try a clay pizza oven one day.

Captain Noushbag wrote:

TEXAN BBQ

CAROLINA BBQ

Not to start a BBQ war, but just sayin

Oh gimme a friggin break!!!!!! As a Texan i am appalled !!!!!! That is simply not the case here!!!! As a chef, I can say that there is no 1 best place for BBQ. Texas makes the best brisket, Carolina's have awesome pork butts, Memphis has the best ribs, also as a chef my philosphophy on BBQ is less is more, I have a portion of a family restaurant in n texas, the ONLY thing we have EVER done to the BBQ Is rub it liberally with plain yellow mustard, and NOTHING ELSE, and smoke with an oak/pecan/misquite blend

Give the mustard a try, you might be pleasantly suprised

Jacklpe wrote: I look at all of this through the eyes of a trucker. Parrot, I've had the pleasure of having good NC BBQ a few times. Generally NC hides all of the good places from truckers though. The average fare for a tired and hungry trucker traveling through NC is borderline cruel and unusual punishment. Noush... You've gotta live on the coast or in Houston somewhere. My average trip through Texas involves gaining 5 lbs. Even about 5 years ago when I flew into Ft Worth and stayed 5 miles from my hotel for the entire stay, I think I gained 10 lbs. Not knocking Houston or that area... I just get Mexican food instead when I'm around there.

Come through El Pisshole, I mean El Paso, only thing we HAVE is Mexican food, I used to love it but now I'm just so damn sick of it!!! However I can recommend some great hole in the wall little places

ParrotHead wrote: Does anyone have a Caja China? Pronounced cah-hah Chee-nah. I think it's a Cuban thing and its basically the same principle as cooking in the ground, but its supposed to be amazing stuff. The name is in Spanish and exact translation. Is Chinese Box, but the use of the word china (chee-nah) can also refer to the orient or mystical stuff. So, the translation is actually more like Magic Box. I first saw these years ago and have always wanted to try it. The video is for a whole pig, but I've seen stuff for chicken, turkey, beef roasts and more.

Those were invented in Miami by a Cuban chef, he sells them online for about 500$ or you can build your own pretty easily, the result is also a little diffrent than cooking in the ground, the tenderness is abot the same, it's a little juicer and much more Caramalized comming from the caja, less work though, however I have heard from other chef friends that they are a pain to store and clean

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote:

Captain Noushbag wrote:

TEXAN BBQ

CAROLINA BBQ

Not to start a BBQ war, but just sayin

Oh gimme a friggin break!!!!!! As a Texan i am appalled !!!!!! That is simply not the case here!!!! As a chef, I can say that there is no 1 best place for BBQ. Texas makes the best brisket, Carolina's have awesome pork butts, Memphis has the best ribs, also as a chef my philosphophy on BBQ is less is more, I have a portion of a family restaurant in n texas, the ONLY thing we have EVER done to the BBQ Is rub it liberally with plain yellow mustard, and NOTHING ELSE, and smoke with an oak/pecan/misquite blend

Give the mustard a try, you might be pleasantly suprised

Having grown up near Memphis, I like a good dry rub... + I'm a sauce freak. But, I can handle a minimalist approach sometimes too. I'm getting the feeling that somebody played a trick on Noush and sent him somewhere terrible.

Jacklpe wrote:

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote:

Captain Noushbag wrote:

TEXAN BBQ

CAROLINA BBQ

Not to start a BBQ war, but just sayin

Oh gimme a friggin break!!!!!! As a Texan i am appalled !!!!!! That is simply not the case here!!!! As a chef, I can say that there is no 1 best place for BBQ. Texas makes the best brisket, Carolina's have awesome pork butts, Memphis has the best ribs, also as a chef my philosphophy on BBQ is less is more, I have a portion of a family restaurant in n texas, the ONLY thing we have EVER done to the BBQ Is rub it liberally with plain yellow mustard, and NOTHING ELSE, and smoke with an oak/pecan/misquite blend

Give the mustard a try, you might be pleasantly suprised

Having grown up near Memphis, I like a good dry rub... + I'm a sauce freak. But, I can handle a minimalist approach sometimes too. I'm getting the feeling that somebody played a trick on Noush and sent him somewhere terrible.

No Jack, he was just showing that even teacup chihuahuas are big in Texas. It wasn't meant to be an insult, I'm sure.

Ghost, I agree with you on most points, I just want to point out a common misconception about Carolina BBQ. There are 2 distinct schools in NC. Eastern and western, both are considered Carolina Style BBQ. There is also a distinct border between the bbq zones. Lexington, NC And west is western & east of there is eastern. Western is also referred to as Lexington-Style. Both are prepared and served much the same way with 2 differences. Although both have vinegar based sauces, western also uses ketchup or some other form of tomato paste/sauce/base. Eastern does not. Western is prepared from butts (shoulders) and eastern is whole hog. Both are tasty and both are deserving of the title. (Pssst.... eastern is better )

I am getting Hungry

Thought I would do some research on BBQ since so many of you mention your preferences. Wanted to also see if there was a BBQ war that may have ensued from whose sauce/style is better. Slow roasting meats over fire. The regions and their specialties dates back to what was available for a food source, hence you will see pork/beef/poultry/fish regions.

I thought I would copy and paste this for your reference. This was interesting since it lists it by regions.

Source Wikipedia:

Each Southern locale has its own particular variety of barbecue, particularly concerning the sauce. North Carolina sauces vary by region; eastern North Carolina uses a vinegar-based sauce, the center of the state enjoys Lexington-style barbecue, which uses a combination of ketchup and vinegar as their base, and western North Carolina uses a heavier ketchup base. Lexington boasts of being "The Barbecue Capital of the World" and it has more than one BBQ restaurant per 1,000 residents.

South Carolina is the only state that includes all four recognized barbecue sauces, including mustard-based, vinegar-based, and light and heavy tomato-based.

Memphis barbecue is best known for tomato- and vinegar-based sauces. In some Memphis establishments and in Kentucky, meat is rubbed with dry seasoning (dry rubs) and smoked over hickory wood without sauce; the finished barbecue is then served with barbecue sauce on the side.

The barbecue of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee is almost always pork served with a sweet tomato-based sauce. However, several regional variations exist as well. Alabama is particularly known for its distinctive white sauce, a mayonnaise- and vinegar-based sauce, originating in northern Alabama, used predominantly on chicken and pork.

A popular item in North Carolina and Memphis is the pulled pork sandwich served on a bun and often topped with coleslaw. Pulled pork is prepared by shredding the pork after it has been barbecued.

Kansas City-style barbecue is characterized by its use of different types of meat (including pulled pork, pork ribs, burnt ends, smoked sausage, beef brisket, beef ribs, smoked/grilled chicken, smoked turkey, and sometimes fish), a variety attributable to Kansas City's history as a center for meat packing in the U.S. Hickory is the primary wood used for smoking in KC, while the sauces are typically tomato based with sweet, spicy and tangy flavor profiles. Burnt ends, the flavorful pieces of meat cut from the ends of a smoked beef or pork brisket, are popular in many Kansas City-area barbecue restaurants.

Pit-beef prevails in Maryland and is often enjoyed at large outdoor "bull roasts", which are common for club or association fundraising events. Maryland-style pit-beef is not the product of barbecue cookery in the strictest sense, as there is no smoking of the meat involved; rather, it involves grilling the meat over a high heat. The meat is typically served rare, with a strong horseradish sauce as the preferred condiment.

The state of Kentucky, particularly Western Kentucky, is unusual in its barbecue cooking, in that the preferred meat is mutton. This kind of mutton barbecue is often used in communal events in Kentucky, such as political rallies, county fairs and church fund-raising events.

In much of the world outside of the American South, barbecue has a close association with Texas. Many barbecue restaurants outside the United States claim to serve "Texas barbecue", regardless of the style they actually serve. Texas barbecue is often assumed to be primarily beef. This assumption, along with the inclusive term "Texas barbecue", is an oversimplification. Texas has four main styles, all with different flavors, different cooking methods, different ingredients, and different cultural origins.

In the Midwest, Chicago-style is popular and involves seasoning the meat with a dry rub, searing over a hot grill and a long slow cook in an oven. The meat, typically ribs, are then finished with a sweet-tangy sauce.

Captain Noushbag wrote: I live in Northern VA but I've been to other countries including Texas Not knocking on the overly sweet Texan Q but I like the tangy vinegar man! Give me some Carolina Q and Texan Q and my dog will be a happy Texan that day

Hey Noush, I'm in NoVA too...good to see a DFer in the area. I'm partial to KC BBQ...lived there for 3 years and am drooling right now thinking about it

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote:

Captain Noushbag wrote:

TEXAN BBQ

CAROLINA BBQ

Not to start a BBQ war, but just sayin

Oh gimme a friggin break!!!!!! As a Texan i am appalled !!!!!! That is simply not the case here!!!! As a chef, I can say that there is no 1 best place for BBQ. Texas makes the best brisket, Carolina's have awesome pork butts, Memphis has the best ribs, also as a chef my philosphophy on BBQ is less is more, I have a portion of a family restaurant in n texas, the ONLY thing we have EVER done to the BBQ Is rub it liberally with plain yellow mustard, and NOTHING ELSE, and smoke with an oak/pecan/misquite blend

Give the mustard a try, you might be pleasantly suprised

Cant argue with that!

M4rtin wrote: I am getting Hungry

Thought I would do some research on BBQ since so many of you mention your preferences. Wanted to also see if there was a BBQ war that may have ensued from whose sauce/style is better. Slow roasting meats over fire. The regions and their specialties dates back to what was available for a food source, hence you will see pork/beef/poultry/fish regions.

I thought I would copy and paste this for your reference. This was interesting since it lists it by regions.

Source Wikipedia:

Each Southern locale has its own particular variety of barbecue, particularly concerning the sauce. North Carolina sauces vary by region; eastern North Carolina uses a vinegar-based sauce, the center of the state enjoys Lexington-style barbecue, which uses a combination of ketchup and vinegar as their base, and western North Carolina uses a heavier ketchup base. Lexington boasts of being "The Barbecue Capital of the World" and it has more than one BBQ restaurant per 1,000 residents.

South Carolina is the only state that includes all four recognized barbecue sauces, including mustard-based, vinegar-based, and light and heavy tomato-based.

Memphis barbecue is best known for tomato- and vinegar-based sauces. In some Memphis establishments and in Kentucky, meat is rubbed with dry seasoning (dry rubs) and smoked over hickory wood without sauce; the finished barbecue is then served with barbecue sauce on the side.

The barbecue of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee is almost always pork served with a sweet tomato-based sauce. However, several regional variations exist as well. Alabama is particularly known for its distinctive white sauce, a mayonnaise- and vinegar-based sauce, originating in northern Alabama, used predominantly on chicken and pork.

A popular item in North Carolina and Memphis is the pulled pork sandwich served on a bun and often topped with coleslaw. Pulled pork is prepared by shredding the pork after it has been barbecued.

Kansas City-style barbecue is characterized by its use of different types of meat (including pulled pork, pork ribs, burnt ends, smoked sausage, beef brisket, beef ribs, smoked/grilled chicken, smoked turkey, and sometimes fish), a variety attributable to Kansas City's history as a center for meat packing in the U.S. Hickory is the primary wood used for smoking in KC, while the sauces are typically tomato based with sweet, spicy and tangy flavor profiles. Burnt ends, the flavorful pieces of meat cut from the ends of a smoked beef or pork brisket, are popular in many Kansas City-area barbecue restaurants.

Pit-beef prevails in Maryland and is often enjoyed at large outdoor "bull roasts", which are common for club or association fundraising events. Maryland-style pit-beef is not the product of barbecue cookery in the strictest sense, as there is no smoking of the meat involved; rather, it involves grilling the meat over a high heat. The meat is typically served rare, with a strong horseradish sauce as the preferred condiment.

The state of Kentucky, particularly Western Kentucky, is unusual in its barbecue cooking, in that the preferred meat is mutton. This kind of mutton barbecue is often used in communal events in Kentucky, such as political rallies, county fairs and church fund-raising events.

In much of the world outside of the American South, barbecue has a close association with Texas. Many barbecue restaurants outside the United States claim to serve "Texas barbecue", regardless of the style they actually serve. Texas barbecue is often assumed to be primarily beef. This assumption, along with the inclusive term "Texas barbecue", is an oversimplification. Texas has four main styles, all with different flavors, different cooking methods, different ingredients, and different cultural origins.

In the Midwest, Chicago-style is popular and involves seasoning the meat with a dry rub, searing over a hot grill and a long slow cook in an oven. The meat, typically ribs, are then finished with a sweet-tangy sauce.

Cant argue with that either, wow. Brits really do just nuke everything while getting drunker. It's the old favourites red and brown and some artificially flavoured BBQ SAUCE' glue from Tescos. The inclement weather kills it usually so theres a dash for the kitchen followed by a party.

Hands down the best barbecue in Texas is at Coopers Barbecue in Llano. You really don't need sauce, but theirs is vinegar-based (unlike most Texas sauces). Simply walk up to the pit and tell the guy how much brisket, sausage, chicken, or sirloin to cut and take it in for weighing and plating. Grab a cold Shiner Bock from the bin, and beans, onions, pickles and jalapeños are on the house. Coopers has opened a second location at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, but I prefer the original. A close second in my opinion is Schoepf's in Belton, Texas. Every region has their bragging rights, but for beef I don't have too far to drive for my favorites! Any of my Texas compadres agree?

Mmiller26 wrote: Hands down the best barbecue in Texas is at Coopers Barbecue in Llano. You really don't need sauce, but theirs is vinegar-based (unlike most Texas sauces). Simply walk up to the pit and tell the guy how much brisket, sausage, chicken, or sirloin to cut and take it in for weighing and plating. Grab a cold Shiner Bock from the bin, and beans, onions, pickles and jalapeños are on the house. Coopers has opened a second location at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, but I prefer the original. A close second in my opinion is Schoepf's in Belton, Texas. Every region has their bragging rights, but for beef I don't have too far to drive for my favorites! Any of my Texas compadres agree?

I too love coopers BBQ, i didnt know they opened up a location in the stockyards i will have to try it, my all time gave was the original Rudy's on the outer loop in San Antonio, no sides no bread, just meat on paper and 1 big picnic table outside a service station, now that its a chain it's okay but nowhere near the original. However, its the only decent place in a barbequeless town like El Paso so we eat there often, I also know another place, in a town so small it dosent even have a Dairy Queen , ( my Texan friends will understand this) it dosent have a name either, just a sign (eastbound only) saying "BBQ 1 mile" order at the pit, open when they feel like it on state 114 about 100 miles east of Lubbock , i never can remember if its in Benjamin or Guthrie the towns are very similar and close togeather as so many small towns are here

Mmiller26 wrote: Hands down the best barbecue in Texas is at Coopers Barbecue in Llano. You really don't need sauce, but theirs is vinegar-based (unlike most Texas sauces). Simply walk up to the pit and tell the guy how much brisket, sausage, chicken, or sirloin to cut and take it in for weighing and plating. Grab a cold Shiner Bock from the bin, and beans, onions, pickles and jalapeños are on the house. Coopers has opened a second location at the Stockyards in Fort Worth, but I prefer the original. A close second in my opinion is Schoepf's in Belton, Texas. Every region has their bragging rights, but for beef I don't have too far to drive for my favorites! Any of my Texas compadres agree?

I agree with you about the one in Llano is still the best among coopers BBQ. I've tried the one in new braunfells and the one in junction tx and they're not the same as the one in llano. Thank goodness we go hunt there every year so at least I have an excuse of going to have lunch at coopers. Of course on our way back home after hunting, we have to stop by Lockhart Texas and eat barbecue beef ribs at blacks BBQ.

Lol chocks, I had a fellow chef friend from the resturaunt assc in Dallas that used to prepare English food for us from time to time, we use to tease him pretty badly because everything he prepared was boiled, but the man did put out a nice bar, we use to tell him "stick to the pubs, stay out of the kitchen"

Ghostrider, You had mention something about rubbing the whole meat with yellow mustard before barbecuing. I've noticed some people down here are doing that. Anyway, what exactly does it do to the meat?

Livingdead99 wrote: Ghostrider, You had mention something about rubbing the whole meat with yellow mustard before barbecuing. I've noticed some people down here are doing that. Anyway, what exactly does it do to the meat?

Just rubbing with mustard does it all, seasons with salt, tenderizes with vinigar, adds flavor carmelizes with sugar and forms a wonderful bark, it also seems to insulate it in a way, at the same time allowing more smoke to penetrate, thus a deeper smoke ring than most sugary rubs would alow. works great on almost anything, brisket, ribs, butts, whole birds, anything you can smoke or roast slow. I probobly should have mentioned it should maranate in it a few hours, also to coat very very well. 3 to 4 briskest take almost a gallon of mustard, you really CAN'T get too much on.

Lived outside of Raleigh for 12 years moved away in o7

How r things in the Carolina's ph

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote: Lol chocks, I had a fellow chef friend from the resturaunt assc in Dallas that used to prepare English food for us from time to time, we use to tease him pretty badly because everything he prepared was boiled, but the man did put out a nice bar, we use to tell him "stick to the pubs, stay out of the kitchen"

The horrid memories of boiled sprouts. I recently discovered our gas oven came with a hot plate. We've had it 10 years never used it once

Now I grill most of my veg, much better. Might try experimenting to flavour them up now I'm reading all this dedicated wisdom. Maybe add a bottle of wine he he.

Chocks Away wrote:

jimz wrote: I'm in Wa. We got some great fish here. I use an Osage longbow and I knapp my own arrowheads from Oregon obsidion for big game hunting. Nothings sharper than a 95 mph. piece of volcanic glass.

I'm very impressed with your craft Jimz. I am interested in making a longbow just to see its power and connect with the old methods. Can you offer any top tips? I was thinking of using yew and ash laminated together with tendon for the string.
My sister found an original flint arrow head in Dorset UK. It's probably over 1000 years old.
Karma bump for sharing.

The arrow head my sister found is nearer 6000 years old. It was dated by a guy called Steve Hutt, on the Isle of Wight UK. That is an old craft indeed. What's for the BBQ this week?

Chocks Away wrote:

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote: Lol chocks, I had a fellow chef friend from the resturaunt assc in Dallas that used to prepare English food for us from time to time, we use to tease him pretty badly because everything he prepared was boiled, but the man did put out a nice bar, we use to tell him "stick to the pubs, stay out of the kitchen"

The horrid memories of boiled sprouts. I recently discovered our gas oven came with a hot plate. We've had it 10 years never used it once

Now I grill most of my veg, much better. Might try experimenting to flavour them up now I'm reading all this dedicated wisdom. Maybe add a bottle of wine he he.

SECRET TO ALL VEG, all you have to do is cut them as you wish, coat with EVOO, salt and fresh cracked pepper and half as much SUGAR as salt. YES SUGAR. Adds flavor and aids carmelization, some more fiborous veg needs to be blanched first ie broccoli asparagus Brussel sprouts ( great split in half, blanched then sautéed in bacon fat a little onion and bacon)carrots and any other root. Once cooked to your liking finish w a little butter, a MUST, and a squeeze of lemon, an option and there done. Small veg such as corn or peas, should be boiled lowly in a mixture of butter, salt and water and sugar,once cooked, drain and coat in LOTS OF BUTTER and re season w salt and pepper if needed

Musicious wrote: How r things in the Carolina's ph

It's home! Besides when I was in the Navy, I've lived here my whole life. I wish I could be closer to the coast, but the work isn't there. I'm a few miles outside if Raleigh, in Clayton. I like the small townness, although its quite a bit bigger than home.

Some mentioned small towns in Texas... My home town is so small it's only got one sign it says "Welcome to Cape Carteret" (on both sides)

GR, I'll have to try the mustard rub... Quietly and in secret. If anyone North of the SC border caught me putting mustard on "BBQ" I could get strung up.

There is also the buccan. Slow cooking over an open smokey fire method used in the Carribean. It is where the word Buccaneer came from. Now days in places like Puerto Rico they us a pretty spicy dry rub and slow cook pork over an open fire. I learned this from a neighbor and his version is very good. The wife and kids couldn't handle it (too hot). But It was tender and delicious.

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote:

Chocks Away wrote:

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote: Lol chocks, I had a fellow chef friend from the resturaunt assc in Dallas that used to prepare English food for us from time to time, we use to tease him pretty badly because everything he prepared was boiled, but the man did put out a nice bar, we use to tell him "stick to the pubs, stay out of the kitchen"

The horrid memories of boiled sprouts. I recently discovered our gas oven came with a hot plate. We've had it 10 years never used it once

Now I grill most of my veg, much better. Might try experimenting to flavour them up now I'm reading all this dedicated wisdom. Maybe add a bottle of wine he he.

SECRET TO ALL VEG, all you have to do is cut them as you wish, coat with EVOO, salt and fresh cracked pepper and half as much SUGAR as salt. YES SUGAR. Adds flavor and aids carmelization, some more fiborous veg needs to be blanched first ie broccoli asparagus Brussel sprouts ( great split in half, blanched then sautéed in bacon fat a little onion and bacon)carrots and any other root. Once cooked to your liking finish w a little butter, a MUST, and a squeeze of lemon, an option and there done. Small veg such as corn or peas, should be boiled lowly in a mixture of butter, salt and water and sugar,once cooked, drain and coat in LOTS OF BUTTER and re season w salt and pepper if needed

Cholesterol levels eat yer heart out I hear you on the butter, I pick wild Ceps and Field mushrooms that get fried only in butter, perfection. When I next buy bacon it's gonna lose its juice into the veg. Sounds delicious, thanks.

Chocks Away wrote:

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote:

Chocks Away wrote:

GHOSTRIDER1 wrote: Lol chocks, I had a fellow chef friend from the resturaunt assc in Dallas that used to prepare English food for us from time to time, we use to tease him pretty badly because everything he prepared was boiled, but the man did put out a nice bar, we use to tell him "stick to the pubs, stay out of the kitchen"

The horrid memories of boiled sprouts. I recently discovered our gas oven came with a hot plate. We've had it 10 years never used it once

Now I grill most of my veg, much better. Might try experimenting to flavour them up now I'm reading all this dedicated wisdom. Maybe add a bottle of wine he he.

SECRET TO ALL VEG, all you have to do is cut them as you wish, coat with EVOO, salt and fresh cracked pepper and half as much SUGAR as salt. YES SUGAR. Adds flavor and aids carmelization, some more fiborous veg needs to be blanched first ie broccoli asparagus Brussel sprouts ( great split in half, blanched then sautéed in bacon fat a little onion and bacon)carrots and any other root. Once cooked to your liking finish w a little butter, a MUST, and a squeeze of lemon, an option and there done. Small veg such as corn or peas, should be boiled lowly in a mixture of butter, salt and water and sugar,once cooked, drain and coat in LOTS OF BUTTER and re season w salt and pepper if needed

Cholesterol levels eat yer heart out I hear you on the butter, I pick wild Ceps and Field mushrooms that get fried only in butter, perfection. When I next buy bacon it's gonna lose its juice into the veg. Sounds delicious, thanks.

Best thing to do for bacon fat ( or any other fat the piggy has to give) is to filter and refrigerate. I use a large mason jar, place a coffee filter or paper towel over the top, push it down into the jar a bit, making a little cup, rubber band the filter around lid of jar. Once fat is strained and cooled, refrigerate or freeze for on demand use. A little goes a long way. I fry eggs in it, add to frozen blacked peas makes them taste like homemade, hot bacon vinaigrette, and CREAM GRAVY, any time i want it.


EDIT: also I would kill for fresh wild mushrooms like u have in UK and rest of Europe maybe some sort of culinary exchange program is in order