IndependentGearTest.com

Words by Rowen, Photos and captions by me

After posting the first recipe, I got a few people wondering if they could post up a recipe. Well Rowen from NS.com stepped up to the plate with a nicely written piece that I tweaked a tad, so I didn’t have left over meat sitting raw, open in my fridge. This is a delicious recipe, most people cook hamburger meat in a pan then add classico and call it good, but these extra ingredients really give it a lot of personality while not going overboard on the grocery list.

Recipe difficulty: Blue Square

3 small carrot, finely chopped
1 small white onion, finely chopped
8 garlic nuggs
2 sticks celery, finely copped

1lb Italian sausage (3.29) i used chorizo sausage so it was just ground meat and spices
1lb ground beef  (3.49)
.5lb pulled pork from past recipe (1.00)
4 crushed cloves
Dash of nutmeg
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

1 small can tomato paste (.75)
2 large can whole plum tomatoes (1.50)
1 Bay leaf

Fresh Basil
1/2 cup sour cream (1.00)

In a large saucepan, heat some olive oil, about two tablespoons. Chop up some garlic (fuck the press, you want a fine chop. Much better flavor) toss it into the pan and roast it in the olive oil till its golden. Add in the finely chopped onion, celery and carrot, and cook will this is all translucent.

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Going to be adding some new content here.  Spending about half of my life watching mom cook, then working in restaurants from the dish pit, to the bar, to being chef of a restaurant, now private chef/maintenance for a lodge. I am constantly discovering new foods and new ways to cook them. I for a while have wanted to start a cooking show, so I guess it starts here with a TR of sorts. I have recently found a few meals that with the right tools are super easy and very cost effective, and the ability to cook my own food I control exactly what I intake. Our first dish is PULLED PORK.  Pulled pork can be used in so many other dishes and is delicious cold (below 44F).  The ability to enjoy something cold helps getting through long ski days, duh.

My first tip if you are new to shopping/cooking….COSTCO card. I scored this pork for 1.75 /LB there are literally no other meats this delicious that cost this little. I also enjoy shopping at costco because i can get weeks worth of food and not have to deal with bi-daily or daily trips to the grocery store, gas is expensive, so is my time. Another tip is to start buying kitchen items pretty much as soon as you move out of your parents house, buy some stuff here and there. You can’t spend all of your money without grabbing some necessities.  Relying on others stuff doesn’t always work, and some day you might find yourself with no cereal bowls or spatulas, then when you have to buy alot of stuff at once.  Its like buying backcountry ski gear. If you are a avid skier, this may sound shocking but some day you will want to go on a hike with your skis. If you bought beacon, shovel, probe, skins, pack, touring boots and bindings and a beginners avalanche course all at once and new layers (that aren’t cotton) …..that’s gonna cost like 2-3,000 dollars. So start buying stuff over time!

Lettuce Begin

The amount of pork you can cook depends on your cookware. I have this LARGE, ceramic coated cast iron braising pan with a heavy lid that I got at TJ MAXX for 75 dollars, I can literally cook anything in it. To complete this recipe, you really need a pot or pan with a heavy lid. Ideally one with no plastic you can put in the oven. If you don’t have that available, you can do it on the stove.

We are also going to be BRAISING the pork, which simply means pan frying the item, and cooking it with liquid. The liquid does not have to cover the meat, infact its better if it doesn’t, as the steam cooks most of the meat in this technique.

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