gonefishin wrote: But really...all the farms aren't this nice. (have you checked out Audi Acre's in Yorkville for heirloom vegetables? not a bad place)

Keep on smokin'!
dan

Audi's Acres is a little north of Plano on Little Rock Road. Haven't been this year but we stumbled upon it last when we were back roading. Go during tomato season for an interesting variety!

http://audisacres.com/

LikestoEatout wrote:

gonefishin wrote: But really...all the farms aren't this nice. (have you checked out Audi Acre's in Yorkville for heirloom vegetables? not a bad place)

Keep on smokin'!
dan

Audi's Acres is a little north of Plano on Little Rock Road. Haven't been this year but we stumbled upon it last when we were back roading. Go during tomato season for an interesting variety!

http://audisacres.com/

Thanks for the correction...you're absolutely right.

dan

I'm calling Mike in a few minutes and reserving some spares and bacon for a visit next Saturday. Anyone need anything or wanting to visit the farm?

let me know.

jimswside wrote:I'm calling Mike in a few minutes and reserving some spares and bacon for a visit next Saturday. Anyone need anything or wanting to visit the farm?

let me know.

Some bacon please

boudreaulicious wrote:
Some bacon please

Ill try to grab some extra, they were out yesterday and hoping to have a new batch by next Saturday when I go out there.

finally got around to eating the last of the items from my innaugral visit to the pig farm for dinner last night.

The Berkshire brats were top notch. Cooked low and slow on the Weber Kettle, got a really nice smoke ring. Flavor was great, juicy, etc. I have some pics on my home p.c., Ill post them when I have a minute. They were nice.

Overall, as predicted by some here and elsewhere, I am really going to have a hard time eating lesser pork anymore. The difference in taste/quality going right to the source is that impressive(I have eaten Berkshire @ a couple restaurants and not been as blown away as I am today - could have been their source, or the preperation/cook, im not sure).

I have 4 slabs of spares and hopefully some bacon(if they made any this week, as they were sold out when I talked to them this past Friday)on order with Bubba Berk's to pick-up on Saturday. I probably wont get to the spares this weekend since Im still suffering from bbq burnout, but I may break down and do them.

I gotta try to get a couple bone in shoulders from Mike for the LTH picnic.

Whaaaaat...Jim suffering from BBQ burnout. Say it ain't so!

razbry wrote:Whaaaaat...Jim suffering from BBQ burnout. Say it ain't so!

its true(my luck, just when I found a source for great pork).

Im betting the burnout is short lived.

a really nice surprise from the folks @ BB's. When I called today to verify that I was coming out tomorrow for the ribs, Mike told me he had 2 shoulders ready for me as well.

no bacon though, so I wont be able to grab any for the folks that have asked me to grab some.

I might have to shake off my BBQ fatigue & knock out one of these shoulders Saturday night for Sunday supper on the WSM.

I've got some stuff reserved for a Sunday pickup.


Only problem is I won't be able to smoke it Sunday. Unless we want pulled pork for a bedtime snack. Hmmmm...maybe that's not a bad idea after all

dan

gonefishin wrote:I've got some stuff reserved for a Sunday pickup.


Only problem is I won't be able to smoke it Sunday. Unless we want pulled pork for a bedtime snack. Hmmmm...maybe that's not a bad idea after all

dan

nice dan,

I just got back, Mike was doing a 180 lb. pig for a pig roast, grabbed the (2) shoulders, and (2) racks of spares. A little over 30#'s of premium pork.

my haul: 10 lbs. of spares, 20#'s of shoulder:



cap trimmed and ready to be rubbed:




a chunk of maple i needed to cut down:




cant wait to taste this pork tomorrow..

rubbed and ready:




overnight smokes are the best:

jimswside wrote:
I just got back, Mike was doing a 180 lb. pig for a pig roast, grabbed the (2) shoulders, and (2) racks of spares. A little over 30#'s of premium pork.

*tap* *tap* *tap* Hmmmm...I only got one of the two shoulders I had reserved. He said the Jim guy, that I had mentioned to him, got the other one.

No worries though, I picked up plenty of pork. One huge shoulder, a bunch of back ribs, plenty of spares, some brats and a Berkshire/Duroc loin.

dan

gonefishin wrote:

jimswside wrote:
I just got back, Mike was doing a 180 lb. pig for a pig roast, grabbed the (2) shoulders, and (2) racks of spares. A little over 30#'s of premium pork.

*tap* *tap* *tap* Hmmmm...I only got one of the two shoulders I had reserved. He said the Jim guy, that I had mentioned to him, got the other one.

No worries though, I picked up plenty of pork. One huge shoulder, a bunch of back ribs, plenty of spares, some brats and a Berkshire/Duroc loin.

dan

sorry dan, I just took what he offfered.

Well, we went on a small vacation. We went to St. Louis and then Tennessee...when we we're in St Louis we stopped at Super Smoker's in Eureka, Mo. Nice shoulder...the Tennessee sauce was really good! So good in fact I had to pick some up for my home.

Anyway, once I got home I cooked a couple of baby back ribs and some spares. Great flavor...the fat broke down into gelatinous goodness like a dream. Next will be the Berkshire/Duroc loin and some brats...then some more ribs and that big shoulder.

Can't wait!

dan

I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with JohnH from Yuppie Hills Farms this past Saturday @ the Naperville Farmers market. We had a few minutes to talk pig and bbq, and I got some of his Berkshire bacon to try. Good stuff.

I have been incredibly spoiled and blessed since finding Bubba Berk's and I have tried to share this top notch pork with a few folks on here as well as my non LTH family and friends. Everyone I have shared it with has enjoyed it.

last of my Berkshire stash gettin prepped up for an overnight smoke. Shoulder trimmed up, gonna get hit with my rub right before it goes in the WSM. Coshell & Hickory will do the job on one ring of fuel. Last Berkshire shoulder took about an hour per lb. This shoulder is about 10 lbs. Gonna make some kick-ass pulled pork sandwiches tomorrow on some pretzle rolls from LaBriola, & topped with my cole slaw.

WSM set up, and ready to get lit around 2:00 a.m.

I gotta get back to the farm & stock up.

untrimmed Berkshire shoulder:




fat cap trimmed down how I like it:



life is good.

13 hours later:








I love the Berkshire.

Love that middle pic, bark, pink and bone. Looks awesome.

AlekH wrote:Love that middle pic, bark, pink and bone. Looks awesome.

thanks, that shoulder knuckle pulled out pretty clean.

Looks great Jim!

I'm out of pork myself...I've got to get up there for some smokin' supplies (ie: pork!) When we cooked our 10lb shoulder we thought we would have tons of leftovers, we only invited a couple of people. After all was said and done there was only a small container left over. Big hit...great pork!

I still think that people shouldn't overlook the Berkshire/Duroc pork loin. I almost forgot how good "other" cuts of pork can be. You have to cook it gently, so as not to render all the fat out. But when your done it really is a nice treat. Who would'a thought I would ever like a pork loin again.

keep smokin!
dan

gonefishin wrote:Looks great Jim!

I'm out of pork myself...I've got to get up there for some smokin' supplies (ie: pork!) When we cooked our 10lb shoulder we thought we would have tons of leftovers, we only invited a couple of people. After all was said and done there was only a small container left over. Big hit...great pork!

I still think that people shouldn't overlook the Berkshire/Duroc pork loin. I almost forgot how good "other" cuts of pork can be. You have to cook it gently, so as not to render all the fat out. But when your done it really is a nice treat. Who would'a thought I would ever like a pork loin again.

keep smokin!
dan

thanks dan,

finally getting back into smoking, I was really burnt on it for a while, I didnt want to look at a slab of ribs or a shoulder.

I am going to pick up some oher cuts on my next visit for sure.

Here's how we spent our Halloween




It was delicious! Mike also has a friend that makes his own brand of Bbq sauce. There were three different flavors, each really good and a bit unique. It was nice to taste that he wasn't trying to really copy anyone else's flavors. I'll get the link and post here later.

dan