Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

It's the first episode of 2019 and we had a wonderful week off. Today, I will talk through processing deer as well as share recipes along the way that we use.

My independence fund got a huge boost last week in the form of venison. 40 pounds to be more specific. Processing it cost me $38 in supplies, of which I only used ¼, so that works out to $.23 cents a pound spent for $120 in meat (conservatively). Add to that the 6-8 quarts of deer stock I will be canning and it was a pretty big score!

Concepts

• Skinning and gutting (How I learned to field dress)-- do not pierce the gallbladder!
• Quartering
• Tools & Knives
• Some Cuts
• Storage and Rigor

Make it a great week.

Advisory Board

• The Booze Whisperer
• The Tactical Redneck
• Chef Brett
• Samantha the Savings Ninja

Resources

• MT Knives
• Meat Tenderizing Tool
• Consumer grade vacuum sealer
• Cryovac Machine (Way cooler - also way more expensive)
• Meat Grinder
• Meat Grinding Attachment for Kitchenaid
• Membership Sign Up

Closing out the series, we bring you two versions of The Night Before Christmas. One from an intellectual fellow and one set to music. Enjoy!

Rest, regeneration, rejuvenation and reflection are the topic of today's show. The season has changed, we are officially in winter - and have been weather-wise for a bit. And the hardest days are likely ahead. But right now, in this moment, if we are following the natural flow of seasons. We finally have time to get some rest. Today, I also wanted to discuss the spirit of the season - no matter your religious leaning, and to think through ways to make the most of the season of regeneration.

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• Zello Meetup Drunk Snacks
• Ham ideas: Ham sauerkraut stew, red eye gravy, pasta with cream sauce and broccoli, ham salad sandwiches (or hors d'oeuvres)
• Spring is coming: Seed catalogs and seedling growing station

Stump the Sauce

• Making Mayo: The process and how to not get it to taste like olive oil
• Canning Lid fail

Operation Independence

• 2018 Finance Review is Done and we kept the house! (New tracking spreadsheet for 2019)

Main topic of the show: Season of Regeneration

Merry Christmas everyone - and make it a great week.

Song:

Advisory Board

The Booze Whisperer

The Tactical Redneck

Chef Brett

Samantha the Savings Ninja

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

This year on the podcast, we started hearing more often from a certain redneck. Sometimes as a segment, sometimes on an interview and a time or two on Youtube. So when he offered (ok was voluntold) to read a redneck version of The Night Before Christmas, how could we say no. Don't worry though, there are no bad words if your kids want to listen. :D

A friend from down under recorded this version of the poem for us with a few adjustments made for her local environment. Thank you AussieRo.

NOTE: I TALK ABOUT WHO SANTA IS IN THIS...

Join us in the series in the first in a series for 2018 of poems read from throughout the world. This version of The Night Before Christmas comes from our friend "Jaggy Little Thistle" who listens from Scotland. Thanks for the recording Jaggy!

Today, I want to take on another country kitchen topic but from a bit of a different angle over last week: Modern Cooking in the country kitchen with a sous vide machine. Yup, this year, I got my hands on a sous vide machine and started experimenting with it. At first I was a bit skeptical about if it would really make a difference, but I also knew of other uses for it outside of cooking and thought it would be handy to have around. Then I got the thing and ended up LOVING it - like as in loving it more than my crockpot. So today, we will talk about what sous vide is, why I have started using it here at the Holler Homestead and even talk through some recipes.

Direct Download

First Aid Episode Feedback

Announce Holler Hat Wednesday

Modern Cooking with Sous Vide

Nicole's Lessons Learned on Soux vide

1. It really shines with meat
2. Large numbers of eggs work well
3. Pre-spice your meats then freeze….
4. Defrost with it, or go from frozen to cooked without the defrost phase
5. Awesome when you need to time things just right

Cons

• Sometimes you just want a slow cooked stew
• Haven't found many vegetable sides I like cooked this way
• It is one more kitchen gadget

Questions:

• Does it make tough meat more tender?
• What if you do not have a vacuum sealer?
• How do you boil eggs with it?
• What if you cook something too long?

Finally, the add-on use: Hand and dish washing stations: heat the water and hold it there

Story: Pig processing at 17 degrees on an off grid farm

Booze Whisperer: Gin and Juice

Make it a great week.

Advisory Board

The Booze Whisperer

The Tactical Redneck

Chef Brett

Samantha the Savings Ninja

Resources

• Anova Sous Vide
• NPR Article on Sous Vide
• Egg Calculator
• Membership Sign Up

Today, we talk about five areas of first aid that you should think about both on your homestead and, well, pretty much anywhere.

Spring Workshop Session: Developing Your Positive Community in the Modern World, from the Tactical Redneck

Direct Download

Tales from the Prepper Pantry Turkey for the weekend reception Smoked Leg of Marty Cushaw Squash, roasted, in soup, with feta as a salad Retort Pouch Canning: Video

Stump the Sauce Preparing Eggplant from the Store

Operation Independence Really Cool Thank You Gifts for our Premium Supporters

Main topic of the show: Learning First Aid for the Homestead

#My3things Teresa - managed to do a move with a sprained ankle - go girl!

A note on #my3things for the week: Update from last week: the surprise is ready to ship Paperwork Domestic decluttering Prepare week 1 jan 2019

Advisory Board

• The Booze Whisperer
• The Tactical Redneck
• Chef Brett
• Samantha the Savings Ninja

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

I haven't talked much about homesteading or domestic arts lately. We've focused more on building the life you want to live. So today, I thought, why not surprise them with something that goes back to our roots of homesteading?

Cooking has changed

• Eating out culture
• Processed/prepared foods
• Dietary changes and fancified meals
• Plated and other mail order meal services

But the country kitchen goes through cycles. One thing feeds another - or gets in the way. So today, I thought I would run you through a not so atypical morning here at the Holler Homestead….

It all starts with coffee and 30 minutes of peaceful reflection…….Then we dive in.

There is something quite satisfying about the levels of production that you can attain if you let one thing feed the next in your kitchen. Next thing you know you have homemade broth in the pantry, lard going in the crockpot, home smoked meat, and easy plan for dinner, and a load of laundry hung out by the fire.

So why not learn a new "old" skill this winter and begin developing your own cycles in the kitchen?

Make it a great week!

Advisory Board

The Booze Whisperer

The Tactical Redneck

Chef Brett

Samantha the Savings Ninja

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

Living on a homestead is like having a variety show in your life: Something unexpected happens almost every day. Just today, I walked out to the roasting camper and saw 2 goats in my yard. If you look at the show's photo today, you will understand why I was baffled by this. They should have been shut in the barn. And sometimes we get so mad when things go off plan, but when has anything ever really stayed on plan? Today, I will walk through several topics that impact homesteaders and those of you who are starting or have started your own business. From honey bees to healthcare, today is like a fireside chat.

Spring Workshop Session: Chef Brett Corrieri - Charcuterie.

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• A cow and 2 pigs fit in the freezer and the process dictated our menu this week: Pork chops, ribs, chicken dumpling soup, and I am making lard.
• Winter budget tightening means a focus on living off the pantry stores: Borscht - beets, broth and a blender and spices. Served with Sour Cream.
• Wish I could solve the dairy problem

Stump the Sauce

• Faith and Sarah: Broth, Bone Broth, Stock

Operation Independence

• Roasted all the coffee. ALL OF IT. (And I love this)

Main topic of the show: Take Each Day as it is on the Homestead

Make it a great week!

Song: Cilly Song by Sauce

Advisory Board

The Booze Whisperer

The Tactical Redneck

Chef Brett

Samantha the Savings Ninja

Resources

• Membership Sign Up