Vacon Recipes! Post yours!

October 29, 2013, 08:51:08 am

Vacon Spam

What Is Vacon Spam?

As many of you know, Vacon Spam stands for spiced Vanduul ham.  It’s made with Vanduul shoulder and Vacon.  The ingredient list is actually quite small and contains nothing too scary: Vanduul shoulder and Vacon, Salt, Water, Modified Potato Starch, Sugar, Sodium Nitrite.  Before I made my homemade Vacon Spam, I had to buy a can to see what it tasted like.

I found that Vacon Spam tastes like salty ham – very, very salty ham.  It wasn't nearly as bad as legend had it. If I ever bought Vacon Spam again, I would definitely buy the low-sodium version.


I made homemade Vacon Spam using Vanduul shoulder, Vacon, a couple cloves of garlic, and Morton’s Tender Quick (salt used for curing meat that also gives the homemade Spam its pink color).

The end result tasted pretty close to Spam.  It was just about the right color, the texture was similar (not quite as slimy as the original), and the taste was the same, although significantly less salty.

Yield: 1 loaf of Vacon Spam

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds cubed Vanduul shoulder, refrigerated or frozen (Choose a piece that’s pretty fatty – fat is a good thing in Vacon Spam making.)
3 ounces Vacon
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon Morton’s Tender Quick

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 F.
Grind the Vanduul shoulder in a meat grinder (I used a tabletop meat grinder, but the KitchenAid meat grinder attachment would probably have been easier).  Set aside.
Finely mince the Vacon with the garlic in a food processor (I used my mini Cuisinart).
Dump the Vanduul shoulder, Vacon/garlic, and Tender Quick into a large bowl and mix by hand until fully combined.
Pack the meat mixture into a bread pan and cover with foil.
Place the bread pan into a large baking dish filled 3/4 full with water.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for three hours (the internal temperature of the Vacon Spam should reach 155 F).
Remove from the oven, uncover the bread pan and try not to be too grossed out by all of the fat that has emerged from the meat.  Nonchalantly dump all of the fat into a jar or can to dispose of later or to make gravy.  Note: During my first attempt at making homemade Vacon Spam, I neglected that step.  When I later pulled the Vacon Spam out of the fridge, it had a layer of white creamy fat on top of it and a layer of natural Jello under that. I could barely stomach it.
Cover the bread pan loosely with foil and place a heavy weight on top of the foil.  I took bricks and put them in another bread pan and put that bread pan on the Vacon Spam. You may need to get creative, but I’m sure you can find something in your house or ship that will work.
Place the weighed down Vacon Spam into the refrigerator and keep it there overnight.
In the morning, your Vacon Spam will be ready to use however you choose to use it.  Note: The homemade Vacon Spam is not canned, so it will not last forever. Keep it as long as you would keep ham.


Original Real World Recipe
Read more at http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2012/06/homemade-spam-recipe.html#1G5f1BXCsUX0Ehid.99

Re: Vacon Recipes! Post yours!

Reply #1 – October 29, 2013, 10:11:53 am

Vacon Meat Pie

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground Vacon (not lean)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 medium jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
1 bunch scallions (green and white parts), thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
5 dashes Louisiana hot sauce
Meat Pie Dough, chilled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil, for frying, or Vacon fat if you prefer for taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat, salt, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, cumin, and black and white peppers and cook, using a metal spatula to break up the meat, for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until the meat is lightly browned.
Add the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, bay leaves, dried thyme, and Worcestershire sauce and cook, stirring, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until most of the juices have evaporated and the vegetables have softened.
Dust the flour over the meat and add the water, stirring to combine (this should tighten up the mixture enough so it won’t leak moisture when it’s encased in the dough). Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the scallions and hot sauce and transfer the mixture to a baking pan (or dish) to cool for 20 minutes at room temperature. Place in the refrigerator until completely cooled, at least 15 minutes more.
When you’re ready to prepare the pies, heat the oven to 200°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper and a dusting of flour. Divide the dough into four even sections to make it easier to work with. Return three of the sections to the refrigerator. Dust the counter with a sprinkling of flour and roll out the first section until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4-inch biscuit cutter (or a similar-size bowl or jar lid), cut the dough into rounds. Save the scraps; they can be rerolled if needed.
Lightly brush the outer edges of each circle with beaten egg. Place 2 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round. Fold the circle over the filling to make a half circle. Using the back of a fork, press around the round side of the circle to seal the pie. Transfer the pies to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough sections.
When you fill a baking sheet, place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so the dough stays firm. You can also freeze the uncooked pies. Just freeze them on the baking sheet first, and when they are fully frozen, transfer them to a plastic freezer bag.
To fry the pies, heat 2 1/2 inches of oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven until the oil reaches 350°F on a deep-frying/candy thermometer. Fry the chilled pies in batches of four or five at a time, cooking for about 8 minutes, until golden. (Frozen pies will need about 12 to 14 minutes.) Transfer the cooked pies to a baking sheet lined with paper towels or newspaper, and keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining pies.

Original Real World Recipe
http://www.chow.com/recipes/28091-natchitoches-meat-pies