We love to cook here at the Red Dragon Farm, and we especially enjoy sharing and trading our home made goodies with our family, friends, neighbors, and farmers market customers. John is a wonderful cook and also a Kentucky Certified Home-based Microprocessor. He processes the various fruits we grow on the main farm and also keeps a selection of mints in his plot at the MERJ community gardens. He has come up with a wonderful line of unique and delicious jellies, sauces, marinades, and delicious baked goods. His Dragon's Hearth labelled items can be found at the MERJ farmers market in season. (sorry, no out-of-state or internet sales)
Cooking Tips
A great meal begins with top quality ingredients. We take pride in the quality and flavour of the meat, poultry and eggs we produce at the Red Dragon Farm. From there on, it is up to you - cooking methods are crucial to the success of your meal!
Thawing Tips:
For best results, defrost frozen meat in the refrigerator. Small piecies can defrost overnight, large whole birds such as geese or turkeys can take 3 days.
Microwave defrosting toughens meat! If you must use the microwave to defrost, just put the package in long enough to be able to break apart the pieces, then pan fry, broil, or grill.
Frozen meat can be put directly on a very hot pan or grill, or a hot broiler. The meat thaws quickly and cooking this way takes scarely more time than cooking thawed meat.
To slice thin strips of meat for dishes like Gyros, or for stir fries, partially thaw meat in a pan of warm water just enough to cut the meat and then cook like normal.
Roasts, such as potroasts and slow cooker recipes that will be slow moist cooked or braised, can be browned while frozen in a small amount of oil, then the cooking liquid added and put in the oven or slowcooker.
Cooking Grass-finished Meats
Grass finished meats are lean, and must be handled more like venison to get good results. We feel the best results are to sear in a very hot heat followed by lower heat for cooking. Steaks and chops cook very quickly, and you must take care to get them off in time or they could end up rather as tasteless slabs of shoe leather. Roasts are usually rather dry and should be cooked in a bit of stock or wine, and served with a nice sauce for best results. We begin by searing roasts in a bit of oil over high heat until browned, then slow cooking until done. "The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook" by Shannon Hayes is a great introduction to how to properly cook grass finished meats.
Egg Tips
Eggs from chickens that have unrestricted access to natural foods (greens, insects, etc.) are superiour in both nutrition and flavour! The yolks will be richly golden to orange in colour.
Properly handled and stored, eggs rarely spoil. For maximum freshness and shelf life, eggs should be kept refrigerated. Fresh, uncooked eggs in the shell can be kept refrigerated in their cartons for at least four to five weeks beyond the pack date (expressed in Julian dating on the carton, where Jan. 1 is "001" and Dec. 31 is "365"). If you keep them long enough, they are more likely to simply dry up, particularly if stored in a moisture-robbing, frost-free refrigerator.
If you are not sure about the freshness, immerse them in a pan or sink of cold water. The freshest eggs lie on their sides at the bottom. Older eggs will begin to stand on one end in the water (these are the best for hard boiled eggs). Any egg that bobs or worse, floats, should be immediately discarded!
Most baked goods that require eggs will be better if you allow them to come to room temperature before using them.
For perfect hard-boiled eggs: First, do NOT select your freshest eggs! They will be impossible to peel cleanly. Wait until the eggs are 7-10 days old. Take them directly from the refrigerator, put any number of eggs in the pan, cover with cold water and bring up to a good rolling boil. While still boiling, cover the pan (to trap the heat and steam) and turn off the heat. Set a timer for 10 minutes. When it goes off, immediately pour off the hot water and cover with cold water and let sit. Change the water several times until it stays cool. No black rings around the yolks!
This page is a work in progress - check back often for updates! We will begin posting recipes here this winter as time allows. In the meantime, please do check the following links for our favourite online recipe sites:
Epicurious
The Great British Kitchen
Southern Food
Gode Cookery (Medieval Cookery)
American Lamb Board
American Grassfed Association Recipe Page