Kountry Specialties

12/11/2020

Here is another recipe from Petit Jean Meats' website. Credit to Author: Debbie Arnold, Dining with Debbie:

Instant Pot Black Bean Chili with Bacon and Ham

Want to put a new twist on chili night at your house? This Instant Pot Black Bean Chili with Bacon and Ham is sure to please even the pickiest eater in your family. While I prefer to prepare it in the Instant Pot, it is easily adapted to the slow cooker or stovetop.

It will take approximately 8 hours in the slow cooker depending upon your slow cooker. On the stovetop, expect it to take about 2 hours. You’ll want the beans to be tender but not overly soft.

If you prefer, you can substitute canned black beans but the Instant Pot makes it super easy to use the dried variety. When substituting canned, be sure to drain and rinse them before using.

This is another handy way to use up some of that leftover Petit Jean Hickory Smoked Ham which will had a full depth of flavor and body to the chili. We are spicy chili people at our house, but you can certainly lessen the heat by omitting the chipotle in adobo and the ground smoked chipotle. However, we really like the flavor they add.

The mashed beans and crushed corn tortilla chips help to thicken the chili but may be omitted if you prefer. I would always add the crushed tortilla chips, however, as they add a unique flavor that would be lacking otherwise.

I like to set out a variety of garnishes so everyone can choose to add whatever they wish.

Make this chili to suit your family’s preferences. As you can tell, it’s a very flexible recipe. It will keep 3-4 days in the refrigerator and freezes well making it handy to have readily available for those busy week nights when you’re in a rush to have a nutritious and delicious dinner on the table.

SERVES 8 - 10

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dry black beans, rinsed*
6 slices Petit Jean Meats Hickory Smoked Bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 32-ounce container chicken stock, unsalted
1 10-ounce can Rotel Chili Fix-ins
1 10-ounce can Rotel Mexican Style
1 1-ounce package Williams Chili Seasoning
1 chipotle in adobo, finely minced, optional
1 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1- 2 teaspoons ground smoked chipotle, optional
1 cup crushed corn tortilla chips
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups cubed leftover Petit Jean Meats Hickory Smoked Ham (or more as desired)
Optional: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, shredded Mexican blend cheese, jalapeño, onion, sour cream, fresh lime, tortilla chips, cornbread sticks

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, cover black beans with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and allow to sit for 1 hour.
Drain beans, rinse and set aside.
Set Instate Pot on sauté. Brown chopped bacon until crisp. Remove bacon; drain on paper towels and set aside.
Add onion to Instant Pot with bacon grease. Add additional vegetable oil, if needed. Sauté until onion is softened. Add bell pepper and celery. Sauté 3-5 minutes before adding garlic. Sauté garlic 2-3 minutes watching carefully so it does not burn.
Add chicken stock, bay leaf, Rotel Chili Seasoning, Williams Chili Seasoning, chipotle in adobo, cumin and ground smoked chipotle. Stir well to combine.
Close lid securely. Set Instant Pot to “High Pressure” for 35 minutes.
Allow slow venting for 20 minutes before quick release. Remove lid after all of the steam has released.
If desired, remove 1 cup beans and puree or mash thoroughly. This will help thicken chili.
Add in crushed tortilla chips, reserved bacon and leftover ham. Stir well.
Set Instant Pot to sauté over low. Allow chili to thicken, stirring occasionally. Add additional chicken stock or water if chili gets too thick as it sits.
Serve garnished as desired. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread sticks.

https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/home/SMOKED%20HAM/Boneless

11/09/2020

In preparation for Thanksgiving, we will be sharing recipes (curated by our colleagues at Petit Jean Meats) where you can use ham, turkey and other items we sell for fun recipes and meals with your leftovers! Here is one titled "Farfalle With Ham, Peas, Asparagus And Greens", and you can order from us at this link: https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/home/

Credit to Debbie Arnold | Dining with Debbie

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces mini-farfalle
5 slices thick-cut Petit Jean Meats Hickory Smoked Bacon
1 cup chopped onion
4 roasted garlic cloves (or 2 fresh), minced
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal in 1-inch pieces
4 ounces baby portabellas, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas (do not thaw)
½ cup grated Parmesan
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons prepared basil pesto
fine zest of 1 lemon
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided use
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided use
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups thinly sliced fresh spring greens (spinach, arugula, sorrel)
6-8 ounces thinly sliced Petit Jean Meats Hickory Smoked Peppered Ham (or leftover ham)
4 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup shaved fresh Parmesan, as garnish
minced chives, as garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) In a large cast iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; set aside to drain on paper towels, reserving bacon fat.
2.) Add onion to skillet and sauté until tender. Add in garlic and cook 1 minute.
3.) Add asparagus and mushrooms to onion and garlic mixture, sauté 3-4 minutes.
4.) Meanwhile prepare pasta according to package directions, just until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, receiving 1 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot.
5.) Add ½ cup grated Parmesan, heavy cream, olive oil, pesto, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir well.
6.) Chop bacon and add ½ to vegetable mixture.
7.) Stir in ½ of the parsley and ½ of the basil along with 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, stirring until butter is completely melted.
8.) Add pasta water 2 Tablespoons at a time, if needed to create a slightly creamy sauce.
9.) Add peas to asparagus mixture; sauté until just tender, about 2 minutes. You want the peas to retain their bright green color.
10.) Add vegetables to pasta, stirring well. Add in spring greens and sliced ham, stirring to heat through. Toss in halved tomatoes.
11.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12.) Serve pasta garnished with parsley, basil, chopped bacon, minced chives and shaved Parmesan.

12/17/2019

Thank you to Petit Jean Meats and author Debbie Arnold (Dining With Debbie) for this recipe for Sausage, Bacon And Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms:

INGREDIENTS - 9-10 servings

18 - 20 extra-large white or baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
½ - 1 pound Petit Jean Peppered Bacon or more* (3 slices for filling, remaining slices for wrapping mushrooms)

Found here:
https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/details/46/peppered-bacon

1 pound Petit Jean Hickory Smoked Breakfast Sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 rib of celery, minced
½ small onion, minced
½ small red bell pepper, seeded and minced
1½ teaspoons red pepper flakes*
½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper*
2 garlic cloves minced
1 (10-ounce) box chopped frozen spinach,thawed and squeezed dry
8 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese
3½ tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2.) Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside.
3.) In a large skillet, fry 3 pieces of peppered bacon until crisp; crumble when cool and set aside.
4.) Over medium-high heat, add the sausage to the skillet, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it is completely browned.
5.) Drain and rinse the sausage under warm water; drain again.
6.) Reduce heat to medium; add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the skillet.
7.) Add the minced mushroom stems and cook for 3 minutes.
8.) Stir in the celery, onion, bell pepper, red pepper flakes and ground chipotle and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9.) Add minced garlic and cook 2 minutes; add in the spinach making sure to mix it throughout the vegetable mixture.
10.) Return sausage and crumbled bacon to skillet with vegetables; reduce heat to medium-low.
11.) In a small bowl, beat together mascarpone and egg.
12.) Drop mascarpone mixture by spoonfuls into vegetable mixture, continuing to cook until the cheese has melted throughout the sausage mixture.
13.) Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons minced parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste,
14.) Cool slightly.
15.) Mound each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture.
16.) Wrap each mushroom with a slice of peppered bacon with bacon enclosing stuffing ½ way up; secure with a toothpick.
17.) Arrange the mushrooms in a large baking dish or skillet sprayed with nonstick spray. The dish should be large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer.
18.) Prepared mushrooms may be refrigerated until ready to bake.
19.) Bake for approximately 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty and the bacon is browned.
20.) Garnish with minced flat-leaf parsley.
21.) Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm.
22.) Note: Stuffed mushrooms may be partially frozen individually in a single layer then sealed in a zipper or vacuum sealed bag and stored in a freezer up to 3 months. It is not necessary to thaw them before cooking. Adjust cooking time, if necessary.
23.) The amount of stuffing needed will depend upon the size of your mushrooms. Because they are easily frozen for later use, I go ahead and make up a batch for alter use.
24.) *One slice of bacon per mushroom will be needed if they are large or extra-large. Smaller mushrooms may only need ½ slice.

12/12/2019

Thanks to Petit Jean Meats and Author Milisa Armstrong (Miss in the Kitchen) for this recipe for Epic Ham And Cheese Stuffed Bacon Burgers.

The sticky barbecue sauce and crispy bacon take this burger to epic proportions. You will really wow your friends and family with this one!

How to Make Epic Ham and Cheese Stuffed Bacon Burgers:

Form ground chuck into 1/4 pound patties. Making half of the patties with an indention for the filling.
Mix diced ham and cheese together in a bowl. Spoon into patties and top each with another patty. Pinch edges to seal. Season both sides with salt, pepper and garlic.
Prepare grill to 350°. Place burgers over the fire and sear on both sides. After flipping the burgers, brush with barbecue sauce, flipping one more time. Continue to grill until internal temperature of burgers is 165°.
Meanwhile cook bacon in the oven and toast the buns.
Place burgers over toasted buns with your favorite toppings and serve immediately.

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Tips for making stuffed burgers:

Use 80% lean ground beef, I prefer ground chuck.
Make patties about 3 to 4 ounces.
Cook your filling ingredients like bacon and onions before stuffing, otherwise the filling won't be fully cooked.
Fill each burger with 2-3 tablespoons of filling.
Seal patties together by pinching edges or pressing with a fork.
Grill burgers over medium heat to cook evenly throughout.

Filling Ideas for Stuffed Burgers:

Bacon: Crispy Petit Jean Meats Bacon is a must-have and makes both a great filling and topping!
Ham: Petit Jean Meats Hickory Smoked Ham adds an amazing depth of flavor to stuffed burgers.

Available here: https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/details/9/smoked-ham-ez-carv-slices-3-pkgs

Cheese: Smoked Cheddar is my go-to for stuffed burgers. Pepper-Jack or Onion and Garlic will also add lots of terrific flavor.
Caramelized onions, fried peppers or pickled jalapeños would also be delicious.

Take your summer cookout to the next level with these Epic Ham and Cheese Stuffed Bacon Burgers!

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PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

20 minutes

TOTAL TIME

35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds 80% lean ground chuck

1/4 cup diced Petit Jean Meats Smoked Ham

1/4 cup shredded Petit Jean Meats Smoked Cheddar Cheese

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

8 slices Petit Jean Meats Thick Sliced Bacon

8 Toasted Buns

leaf lettuce

Condiments: mayo, mustard, ketchup if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

Form ground chuck into 8, 1/4 pound patties. Make half of the patties with an indention to fill with ham and cheese.
Mix diced ham and shredded cheese together in a bowl. Spoon into 4 patties and top each with another patty. Pinch edges to seal.
Season both sides with garlic, salt and pepper.
Prepare grill to 350°. Place burgers over the fire and sear on both sides.
After flipping the burgers, brush with barbecue sauce and flip again.
Continue to grill until internal temperature of burgers is 165°.
Meanwhile cook bacon in the oven and toast the buns.
Place burgers over toasted buns with lettuce your favorite condiments and serve immediately.

12/09/2019

Thank you to Petit Jean Meats and Author: Jamie Claire Riser (The Sparkle Kitchen) for this recipe for Savory Italian Bread Pudding With Hickory Smoked Bacon.

This savory Italian bread pudding is perfect if you have any “little helpers” in the kitchen, as there are plenty of easy steps (like cracking the eggs, cutting or tearing the bread into small chunks, etc.) that you can do as a family.

INGREDIENTS
8 slices Petit Jean Hickory Smoked Bacon -- which you can get here: https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/details/44/hickory-smoked-bacon

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
¼ cup shallots, finely chopped
1 ½ cups sliced Portobello mushrooms
1 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced into strips
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ cup dry white wine
4 large eggs
5 cups day-old bread, sliced into cubes
1 ½ cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ tablespoons sundried tomato pesto (optional)
1 cup grated mozzarella
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra to sprinkle on top)

INSTRUCTIONS
1.) Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
2.) Arrange bacon slices on a baking tray in a single layer. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes, until bacon is fully cooked and starting to brown. Remove from oven, but leave temperature set to 350. When bacon is cooked, remove excess oil with a paper towel and crumble into pieces. Set aside.
3.) While bacon is cooking, prepare the vegetable mixture. Heat olive oil, garlic, and shallots in a large skillet on medium heat and cook for three minutes.
4.) Add mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and oregano to skillet and stir occasionally for five minutes, until mushrooms are cooked.
5.) Pour in white wine and cook for additional five minutes, until absorbed. Turn skillet heat off.
6.) Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add half-and-half, milk, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and sundried tomato pesto (if using). Slowly incorporate bread cubes, stirring to make sure all pieces are damp. Add more half-and-half, if needed.
7.) Stir in vegetable mixture, bacon crumbles, and cheeses.
8.) Pour bread pudding into a greased 9x9 baking dish, patting down with a wooden spoon to make sure that the finished product is dense.
9.) Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350, until golden brown. Serve hot.

12/05/2019

Thanks to Petit Jean Meats and Samantha Stricklen for this recipe for BREAKFAST QUESADILLAS:

INGREDIENTS - 2 servings

½ cup chopped Petit Jean Ham -- available here:

https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/home/SMOKED%20HAM/Boneless

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 Eggs
½ tsp chopped green bell peppers and onions
¼ tsp onion powder
1 tbsp jalapeño slices
¼ jalapeño juice
¼ black olive slices
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt
Spinach (optional)
2 spinach and herb or flour tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

Beat eggs, salt, pepper and onion powder in mixing bowl until blended

Add other ingredients except shredded cheese

Spray frying pan with cooking spray over medium heat until hot

Pour in egg mixture

Once eggs begin to firm, add shredded cheese to mixture

Place top tortillas on chopping board and add mixture

Place top tortillas and cut into four squares

Preheat conventional oven to 400º

Bake for 15 minutes or until tortillas turn golden brown

(Cook 10 minutes using Quesadilla maker)

12/04/2019

Thank you to Petit Jean Meats and Author: Debbie Arnold (Dining with Debbie) for this recipe for Peppered Ham Salad:

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces Petit Jean Meats boneless Peppered Ham slices (available here: https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/details/19/peppered-ham-ez-carv-slices-3-pkgs)

2-4 hard boiled eggs *
⅓ cup dill pickle relish
3 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise

INSTRUCTIONS

In the bowl of a food processor, place the ham slices which have been roughly chopped (large pieces).

Pulse 5-8 times just until the ham is coarsely chopped. Do not puree.

Add in the hard boiled eggs and pulse 2-3 times; Add in the dill relish and the mayonnaise. Pulse just until blended.

This will keep several days in the refrigerator. You can easily vary the amounts of the ingredients to suit your family’s tastes.

*I use only 2 eggs, one whole and one just the white.

12/02/2019

During the rest of the Holiday season we will be posting some recipes which come from Petit Jean Meats' website which we hope you will enjoy! The first is the "Breakfast Elvis", which comes from Author: Taylor Bradford (Pink Heels Pink Truck).

According to Bradford, "One of my all time favorite sandwiches as a kid was the Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich. I would eat them as an afternoon snack right after school nearly every single day. Sometimes, I’d even forego the bread sometimes and just chow down on the peanut butter and bananas. As an adult, I was introduced to the Elvis version of my beloved sandwich. His favorite sandwich was the Peanut Butter and Banana sandwich with one extra ingredient…BACON."

INGREDIENTS
French Toast Dredge:
3 eggs
¾ cup of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
¾ teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
pinch of salt
Caramelized Bananas:
3 bananas
4 tablespoons of butter
⅓ cup of dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon of vanilla
3 tablespoons of bourbon
Sandwich:
1 Mini Brioche Loaf
Peanut Butter
6-8 strips of Petit Jean Meats Hickory Smoked Bacon (which you can get here: https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/details/44/hickory-smoked-bacon )
Extra Butter

INSTRUCTIONS
1.) Heat the oven to 375˚F.
2.) Place the bacon slices on a wire rack, sitting on a cookie sheet lined with foil.
3.) Bake for 25-35 minutes (your oven will vary) until the bacon is crispy.
4.) While the bacon is cooking, slice the bananas on an angle, about 1” thick.
5.) Add the butter into a Cast Iron Skillet turned to low-medium heat. Let it melt.
6.) Add in the sliced bananas. Cook till slightly browned.
7.) Add in the dark brown sugar and let it incorporate into the bananas. You want it to get thick kind of like gravy.
8.) Add in the vanilla and bourbon. Stir to combine both ingredients. Turn the heat down to low and continue cooking.
9.) Slice the Mini Brioche Loaf in about 1-inch thick slices.
10.) Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium sized bowl. Whisk the ingredients together.
11.) Soak a slice of the brioche in the dredge mixture for a few minutes, allowing the brioche to soak up the mixture.
12.) Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of butter and let melt. Toast it in the skillet for 2-3 minutes per side.
13.) Slather on peanut butter on the cooked French Toast.
14.) Layer on the bacon pieces.
15.) Add in some of the caramelized bananas.
16.) Slather on the peanut butter on the other slice of bread.
17.) Place on top of the sandwich. Add some more of the caramelized bananas and dust with powdered sugar.

11/26/2019

First, we wish you and your loved ones a wonderful upcoming Thanksgiving!

If you are wondering what to do with your ham leftovers then you are welcome to download the following infographic about the 7 Day Ham Plan. It gives ideas on how you can use your leftover ham for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the first week after Thanksgiving.

In the upcoming days we will share more recipes like we did last year in order to provide you with new ideas for the Holidays. Should you be interested in planning ahead for Christmas, New Year's and the rest of the Holiday season then you are welcome to call us or visit our website to order ham (smoked or peppered), bacon, sausage and more for gifts or if you would like to send a complete Holiday dinner (with sides and dessert) to someone. We also have volume discounts for large orders such as companies buying hams for their clients and employees.

Enjoy the leftover ham recipe ideas and we look forward to sharing recipes with you starting in a few days!

https://kountryspecialties.com/

05/21/2019

Congratulations Joy O'Brien !! Enjoy your ham and the cap from Kountry Specialties !!

Congratulations to Joy O'Brien, the winner of the yummy ham donated by Ken Hendrix of Kountry Specialties, for the drawing of those members who "engaged" with our speakers during Small Business Week.

04/15/2019

We used the random number generator from Random.org to select the number of the person who liked our page to win the free half-ham giveaway. Congratulations to Randy L Ilseng for winning this Easter's contest! Kountry Specialties confirms that we don't know Randy personally, so we want to make sure that any contest we run has winners chosen at random as well as the winners are not personal friends, colleagues, family members, employees, vendors or other people we may know already. The first random number generated selected a family member, so we went to the next random number to find someone we did not already know.

Randy, please send your information to Ken through the Kountry Specialties website: https://kountryspecialties.com/contact/us/

Contact Kountry Specialties for information on high quality meats including smoked ham, peppered ham, bacon, sausage, beef, turkey, gift boxes, samplers & so much more.

04/14/2019

Thank you to Petit Jean Meats and Author: Brittany Little for this recipe for Ginger Ale Glazed Ham.

INGREDIENTS

Petit Jean Spiral Sliced Smoked ½ Ham
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup spicy brown mustard
1 can Ginger Ale soda
⅓ cup of honey
1½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Place cloves in the middle of the spiral ham cuts on the outside of the ham in any design you prefer. Place the ham on a large roasting pan with a rack, tent it with foil, and make it for an hour.

Heat the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, ginger ale in a small saucepan until bubbly. Cook until reduced and a bit thicker, about fifteen minutes.

After the hour of baking time, remove the foil and spoon half of the glaze on the ham. Cook for another fifteen minutes. Repeat process.

Remove from the oven and allow resting 15-20 minutes before slicing ham.

Another good tip when buying spices for the holidays is to check out your Hispanic section of the supermarket. I find the best cinnamon sticks and cloves that are perfect for the fall. Also make sure you package up any leftover ham to use in other recipes at Petit Jean Eats. I also make sure to freeze the ham bones to use in soups, which are a must for the season.

If you would like to order the spiral sliced half-ham then you may do so at this link:

https://kountryspecialties.com/shop/home/SMOKED%20HAM/Spiral%20Sliced