www.lovepork.co.uk

 



Jonathan Benjamin ‘JB’ Gill has been announced as the ambassador for British Sausage Week 2016, the annual sausage celebration which rewards those bangers with the X factor.
British Sausage Week 2016 (31 October – 6 November) is in its 19th year and is asking one-and-all to celebrate the sausage! And who better to sing the praises of the popular British banger than former X Factor contestant and chart-topping band member of JLS, Jonathan Benjamin ‘JB’ Gill.
JB, who after selling millions of records and performing to countless number of fans across the globe, left the music industry, with his wife Chloe and son, Ace, to become a farmer who has since reared pigs, cattle and deer.  A regular on BBC’s Countryfile and currently presenting CBeebies TV series, Down on the Farm, he has a passion for educating young and old about the countryside, which also includes plans to add author to his CV, with a range of books about the countryside and farming life planned for the future.
JB will help British Sausage Week celebrate the sausage, by talking family-life, farming and foodie-favourites to the media. JB will award the best sausages in retailers, independent butchers/farm shops and catering establishments, following a nationwide competition, which has drawn well over 700 entries. His son, Ace, has also got in on the action and created one of the recipes for British Sausage Week, Ace’s Pork Sausage Fajita Wraps.
JB Gill said: “It’s a huge pleasure to be involved in British Sausage Week 2016, celebrating the amazing range of sausages from around the country. In our house, sausages are always a go-to option for a quick, easy and tasty mid-week meal, which my family loves tucking into.
“I’m passionate about food and it’s one of the reasons why I went into farming. I know from my own experience the attention and care which goes into producing quality fresh pork sausages, so when choosing your sausages look for the Red Tractor logo on pack. This way you’re not only supporting British farmers, but ensuring the sausages you eat are from pigs produced to high welfare standards.  With more than 500 varieties to choose from, there’s a sausage to suit everyone’s tastes. And if you’re looking for a sausage recipe with a twist, give my son’s sausage fajitas a go!
“So please join me in celebrating the best bangers in the country during British Sausage Week, which runs 31 October – 6 November.”
 www.lovepork.co.uk/

Beef short rib ragu -http://mistermeatball.blogspot.co.uk/

Beef short rib ragu -http://mistermeatball.blogspot.co.uk/

The furnace has been running lately. So has the living room fireplace.

It's braising season.

Not a lot of things are better for braising than short ribs. They're terrific served whole, of course, but I was in the mood for a hearty ragu the other evening, and so that's the direction I went in.

Nobody complained.

I started out with 3 pounds of beef short ribs. After liberally seasoning the ribs with kosher salt and black pepper I dredged them in all-purpose flour and then tossed them into a dutch oven with plenty of olive oil.

After the ribs have browned on all sides, remove and set aside.

Add one large chopped carrot, two celery stalks, one medium onion, one leek, four garlic cloves, and some thyme. Saute until the vegetables have softened.

Return the ribs to the dutch oven and add one quart of stock (beef here), 2 cups of red wine, and one can of tomatoes. Let the liquid come to a boil, then cover the pot and place in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F.

After around two hours check that the meat is tender. If it isn't tender continue to cook until it is. Once tender remove from the oven and allow things to cool.

Once cool enough to handle, remove the ribs from the sauce and pick away all the meat from the bones.

All that's left to do now is add the meat back into the sauce, reheat and serve.

As you can see by the picture up top I served the ragu over polenta the first night. The next night I went with cavatelli.

It feels like winter tonight. I only wish there was still some of the stuff left.
 http://mistermeatball.blogspot.co.uk/