G'day mates,

I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
that "Speck" stuff. The local second-tier supermarket often has a few
lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.

It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
control failed ;-).

Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
here claims to be "double smoked".

At around $20/kg it's not exactly cheap lard, so I'm just wondering
what you good folk out there use the stuff for, if you do! (I suspect
Victor may be able to shed some light on the matter, maybe others
can too?)

TIA for any guidance/recommendations/recipes.

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

On Sat, 03 May 2008 10:31:17 +0000, Phred wrote:

> G'day mates,
>
> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
> that "Speck" stuff. The local second-tier supermarket often has a few
> lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>
> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
> control failed ;-).
>
> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
> here claims to be "double smoked".
>
> At around $20/kg it's not exactly cheap lard, so I'm just wondering
> what you good folk out there use the stuff for, if you do! (I suspect
> Victor may be able to shed some light on the matter, maybe others
> can too?)
>
> TIA for any guidance/recommendations/recipes.
>
> Cheers, Phred.

If you have a meat grinder you could make your own 'boerewors' (sausage).
It's a fairly common ingredient for our local 'wors here...

http://www.biltongmakers.com/biltong...ecipes_01.html

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Is that chip on your shoulder edible?

ChattyCathy > wrote in news:aGXSj.9283$sd4.4648
@fe109.usenetserver.com:


>
> If you have a meat grinder you could make your own 'boerewors' (sausage).
> It's a fairly common ingredient for our local 'wors here...
>
> http://www.biltongmakers.com/biltong...ecipes_01.html
>


Damn!!


You almost make me want to go back there!!


Begone evil witch!! ;-P



--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

You will travel through the valley of rejection;
you will reside in the land of morning mists...and you will find your home,
though it will not be where you left it.

Phred wrote:
> G'day mates,
>
> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
> that "Speck" stuff. The local second-tier supermarket often has a few
> lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>
> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
> control failed ;-).
>
> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
> here claims to be "double smoked".
>
> At around $20/kg it's not exactly cheap lard, so I'm just wondering
> what you good folk out there use the stuff for, if you do! (I suspect
> Victor may be able to shed some light on the matter, maybe others
> can too?)
>
> TIA for any guidance/recommendations/recipes.
>
> Cheers, Phred.

use it like prosciutto -- with bread, pizza, pasta, fruit, etc

On Sat, 3 May 2008 13:30:09 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> wrote:

>Phred wrote:
>> G'day mates,
>>
>> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
>> that "Speck" stuff. The local second-tier supermarket often has a few
>> lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>>
>> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
>> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
>> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
>> control failed ;-).
>>
>> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
>> here claims to be "double smoked".
>>
>> At around $20/kg it's not exactly cheap lard, so I'm just wondering
>> what you good folk out there use the stuff for, if you do! (I suspect
>> Victor may be able to shed some light on the matter, maybe others
>> can too?)
>>
>> TIA for any guidance/recommendations/recipes.
>>
>> Cheers, Phred.
>
>use it like prosciutto -- with bread, pizza, pasta, fruit, etc

It's just another form of bacon. Most of the speck I had when I lived
in Europe was not smoked. The Dutch use it in Stamppot/hutspot (think
Irish Colcannon, poor man's food):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamppot

but it is found in various forms from Scandinavia to Italy, Ireland to
Poland.

(Phred) wrote:
>
> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
> that "Speck" stuff. �The local second-tier supermarket often has a few
> lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>
> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
> control failed ;-).
>
> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
> here claims to be "double smoked".

What you describe doesn't sound like any speck I've ever seen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speck


http://tinyurl.com/46w4nb

http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/?...w&id=754&lg=en
---

In article >, Sheldon > wrote:
>(Phred) wrote:
>> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
>> that "Speck" stuff. =EF=BF=BDThe local second-tier supermarket often
>> has a few lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>>
>> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
>> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
>> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
>> control failed ;-).
>>
>> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
>> here claims to be "double smoked".
>
>What you describe doesn't sound like any speck I've ever seen.
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speck

G'day Shells,

Thanks for this info. A quick squiz at the above suggests our local
"Speck" as I described is the German form of the product -- smoked
rather than salted, and equivalent to the Italian "lardo".

Now, my Italian is nonexistent, but that "lardo" sounds suspiciously
like the Speck seen here. :-)

Also, the stuff here is produced by a mob called Gotzinger Smallgoods
(with the two little dots over the 'o') which sounds rather more like
a Kraut mob than a Wog one.

>http://tinyurl.com/46w4nb
>
>http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/?...id=3D754&lg=en

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

-- "Phred" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> G'day mates,
>
> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
> that "Speck" stuff. The local second-tier supermarket often has a few
> lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>
> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
> control failed ;-).
>
> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
> here claims to be "double smoked".
>
> At around $20/kg it's not exactly cheap lard, so I'm just wondering
> what you good folk out there use the stuff for, if you do! (I suspect
> Victor may be able to shed some light on the matter, maybe others
> can too?)
>
> TIA for any guidance/recommendations/recipes.
>
> Cheers, Phred.

That's not real speck as you describe it. It is our Italian smoked ham and
tends to be very lean. We just eat it. Have you tried that? Slice and
nibble.

Giusi wrote:
> -- "Phred" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> ...
>> G'day mates,
>>
>> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
>> that "Speck" stuff. The local second-tier supermarket often has a
>> few lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>>
>> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
>> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump
>> that had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their
>> quality control failed ;-).
>>
>> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
>> here claims to be "double smoked".
>>
>> At around $20/kg it's not exactly cheap lard, so I'm just wondering
>> what you good folk out there use the stuff for, if you do! (I
>> suspect Victor may be able to shed some light on the matter, maybe
>> others
>> can too?)
>>
>> TIA for any guidance/recommendations/recipes.
>>
>> Cheers, Phred.
>
> That's not real speck as you describe it. It is our Italian smoked
> ham and tends to be very lean. We just eat it. Have you tried that?
> Slice and nibble.
>
Sounds like Phred described mostly a lump of smoked fat. Not something I'd
eat. And at that price, certainly not something I'd buy!

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
>
> Sounds like Phred described mostly a lump of smoked fat. Not something
> I'd eat. And at that price, certainly not something I'd buy!

While his description makes it sound unattractive,
if people are paying serious money for it, there
might be some nuances which are missing from the
description. Probably worth trying once, if you
can find a small piece and have an idea how to use
it to best effect.

In article >,
says...
> G'day mates,
>
> I'm quite fond of Kassler ham/bacon/whatever but I'm curious about
> that "Speck" stuff. The local second-tier supermarket often has a few
> lumps of it for sale in its remarkably catholic "ethnic" section.
>
> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
> control failed ;-).
>
> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
> here claims to be "double smoked".
>
> At around $20/kg it's not exactly cheap lard, so I'm just wondering
> what you good folk out there use the stuff for, if you do! (I suspect
> Victor may be able to shed some light on the matter, maybe others
> can too?)
>
> TIA for any guidance/recommendations/recipes.
>
> Cheers, Phred.
>
>

I just eat it as is. It's delicious. Of course I live in a place where
it's available 365 days a year so that might have something to do with
it.

I too would be interested to see more about what it can be used for.

Phred > wrote:

> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
> control failed ;-).
>
> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
> here claims to be "double smoked".

"Speck", in German(y), is a fairly generic name. It is fat and meat
located under animal's (normally pig's) skin, usually of belly, back, or
leg. There are many kinds, mainly distinguished by whether or not they
are cured or smoked or both, as well as by the ratio of meat to fat,
from none at all to a lot (i.e. it can be mostly fat or rather lean).
Consistency can vary between chewy and melt-in-the-mouth. If raw,
uncured and unsmoked, it is called "grüner (green) Speck".

In your case, it is "fetter (fat) Speck". In Italy, it is called
"lardo" (which is unsmoked). Does it look anything like this
<http://www.lohff.de/onlineshop/images/medium/fetter_speck.jpg>? It
comes from the back (Speck from the belly is usually "durchwachsen",
i.e. "streaky"). It is likely to have been cured, not just smoked. You
can use it for a lot of things. Put a slice on a piece of black bread
or on toast with perhaps some garlic and/or pepper and eat. Fry
potatoes with it. Use it in hearty soups and stews, for example in bean
soup. It may be good added to stews with lean meat, such as venison or
kangaroo. Fry eggs or make omelettes, frittatas or Spanish tortillas
with it. Make quiche or Zwiebelkuchen with it. Make pancakes of
various kinds with it. Use it for making sausages. Use it in meatballs
or other minced meat dishes, if extra fat is needed.

Victor

In article >, Mark Thorson > wrote:
>jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> Sounds like Phred described mostly a lump of smoked fat. Not something
>> I'd eat. And at that price, certainly not something I'd buy!
>
>While his description makes it sound unattractive,
>if people are paying serious money for it, there
>might be some nuances which are missing from the
>description. Probably worth trying once, if you
>can find a small piece and have an idea how to use
>it to best effect.

As I mentioned yesterday in response to me old mate Shells, the stuff
we have here seems to be the German version and that's equivalent to
the Italian "lardo" (= "fat" I suspect according to the Wiki link
Shells provided.

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

In article >, (Victor Sack) wrote:
>Phred > wrote:
>
>> It usually looks like layers of bacon fat with almost invisibly thin
>> layers of protein interleaved; but the other day I did see a lump that
>> had recognisable meat between the fat layers (maybe their quality
>> control failed ;-).
>>
>> Also, in case it means anything, I should add that the stuff on sale
>> here claims to be "double smoked".
>
>"Speck", in German(y), is a fairly generic name. It is fat and meat
>located under animal's (normally pig's) skin, usually of belly, back, or
>leg. There are many kinds, mainly distinguished by whether or not they
>are cured or smoked or both, as well as by the ratio of meat to fat,
>from none at all to a lot (i.e. it can be mostly fat or rather lean).
>Consistency can vary between chewy and melt-in-the-mouth. If raw,
>uncured and unsmoked, it is called "grüner (green) Speck".
>
>In your case, it is "fetter (fat) Speck". In Italy, it is called
>"lardo" (which is unsmoked). Does it look anything like this
><http://www.lohff.de/onlineshop/images/medium/fetter_speck.jpg>? It
>comes from the back (Speck from the belly is usually "durchwachsen",
>i.e. "streaky"). It is likely to have been cured, not just smoked. You
>can use it for a lot of things. Put a slice on a piece of black bread
>or on toast with perhaps some garlic and/or pepper and eat. Fry
>potatoes with it. Use it in hearty soups and stews, for example in bean
>soup. It may be good added to stews with lean meat, such as venison or
>kangaroo. Fry eggs or make omelettes, frittatas or Spanish tortillas
>with it. Make quiche or Zwiebelkuchen with it. Make pancakes of
>various kinds with it. Use it for making sausages. Use it in meatballs
>or other minced meat dishes, if extra fat is needed.

Ah! Thanks for that Victor. I knew I could rely on you to explain
these European "ethnic" foods. :-)

Yes, usually the stuff found here looks rather like the image you
referred to above -- mostly fat with bugger all meat! However, I did
see one piece the other day which was probably 30 - 40% meat. If a
similar bit turns up I might try it instead of bacon with cabbage etc.

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

"Phred" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> In article >, Mark Thorson >
> wrote:
>>jmcquown wrote:
>>>
>>> Sounds like Phred described mostly a lump of smoked fat. Not something
>>> I'd eat. And at that price, certainly not something I'd buy!
>>
>>While his description makes it sound unattractive,
>>if people are paying serious money for it, there
>>might be some nuances which are missing from the
>>description. Probably worth trying once, if you
>>can find a small piece and have an idea how to use
>>it to best effect.
>
> As I mentioned yesterday in response to me old mate Shells, the stuff
> we have here seems to be the German version and that's equivalent to
> the Italian "lardo" (= "fat" I suspect according to the Wiki link
> Shells provided.
>
> Cheers, Phred.

If you have never tasted lardo, you've a guilty treat ahead. Sliced
extraordinarily thin and laid over a warm piece of grilled bread... Lardo is
not, however, smoked ever.

Phred > wrote:

> Yes, usually the stuff found here looks rather like the image you
> referred to above -- mostly fat with bugger all meat! However, I did
> see one piece the other day which was probably 30 - 40% meat. If a
> similar bit turns up I might try it instead of bacon with cabbage etc.

Why... didn't you like the fatty stuff? If it is good, it could very
well be better than anything you have ever tried in your life. But it
does have to be good and some of the stuff isn't, of course. Some of
the German "fetter Speck", Italian "lardo" (especially lardo di Arnad
or lardo di Colonnato), Ukrainian/Russian "salo", and Hungarian
"szalonna" (particularly if flavoured with paprika... Pick makes a good
version) can be out-of-this-world-good.

Victor

In article >, (Victor Sack) wrote:
>Phred > wrote:
>
>> Yes, usually the stuff found here looks rather like the image you
>> referred to above -- mostly fat with bugger all meat! However, I did
>> see one piece the other day which was probably 30 - 40% meat. If a
>> similar bit turns up I might try it instead of bacon with cabbage etc.
>
>Why... didn't you like the fatty stuff? If it is good, it could very
>well be better than anything you have ever tried in your life. But it

I confess I haven't actually tried the fatty stuff -- the look of it
put me off. (Why eat a lump of expensive fat?
But, based on your recommendation, I'll give it a go. :-)

>does have to be good and some of the stuff isn't, of course. Some of

And that's a bit of a problem here in the sticks of the deep north of
the deep south -- I've only ever seen Speck (and Kassler come to that)
in one shop here. The brand is Gotzinger[1] (with the umlauted 'o').

Given this restriction it may be hard for me to compare. :-)

>the German "fetter Speck", Italian "lardo" (especially lardo di Arnad
>or lardo di Colonnato), Ukrainian/Russian "salo", and Hungarian
>"szalonna" (particularly if flavoured with paprika... Pick makes a good
>version) can be out-of-this-world-good.

That would agree with the comment earlier this evening from "Giusi"
in Message-ID: > where he referred
to the Italian Lardo (unsmoked) eaten on grilled (toasted?) bread.

[1] I'm cross-posting this to aus.food in the hope someone in that
group down in one of the big smokes may know of other brands and be
able to offer a comparison of Gotzinger versus others available in Oz.

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID