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Simple Raw Milk Yogurt
A simple recipe to make healthy and great quality yogurt at home!
Ingredients
- 1/2 Gallon Raw Milk
- 1/4 Cup Plain Yogurt (store bought or from a previous batch of yogurt) containing live cultures
- Large glass bowl with lid
- Digital Thermometer
Directions
- pour 1/2 gallon of milk into a heavy bottomed pan.
- heat on low until 180°F. I find it easiest to use a instant read digital thermometer that clips to the side of the pan for a constant temperature read.
- stir often and be sure to scrape the sides and bottom to prevent any scalding of the milk. When the temperature reads 180°F, remove from heat and allow to cool. When the cooled milk reaches 105°F pour 1/2 cup of the milk into a bowl and a whisk in 1/4 cup of the plain yogurt that you will be using as a starter culture. This helps to temper the starter culture.
- pour this mixture back into the remaining milk and whisk until completely mixed.
- pour into a glass bowl and cover with lid.
- set in oven with oven light on. This allows the temperature in the oven to stay just warm enough for the yogurt to culture.
- remove from oven 24 hours later and place in fridge. Yogurt is ready to enjoy!
Our kids eat so much of this yogurt that I make 2 batches a week. They eat it plain as they are just babies, but I like to add homemade granola, a bit of jam, or fresh fruit if I desire a sweet treat. This is a thick and tangy yogurt that can also replace sour cream in many recipes. Enjoy!
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Cabbage & Kielbasa Skillet
This dish comes together so easily making it a perfect weeknight dinner, or a make ahead dish for meal prepping. It is low carb but can be easily extended into a larger meal by adding rice or potatoes. I suggest chopping all the ingredients in advance so the preparation goes even faster.
Using a fresh head of Cabbage and good quality Kielbasa is important! I am lucky enough to be able to snag each from my weekly Farmer’s Market, but even if it is from the grocery store be sure to pick a quality sausage, it makes all the difference.
Ingredients:
- 4 links Kielbasa Sausages or 1 large whole Kielbasa “U” sliced into small slices
- 1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion chopped
- 1/2 Head of Cabbage sliced into ribbons
- 1 Cup Bone Broth (or your favorite Stock)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoon Dried Sage
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Dill Weed
- 1/4 Teaspoon Allspice
- Pork Lard or Butter for cooking
First place Pork Lard (or Butter) in a cast iron skillet and grease liberally. Heat on medium-high heat. Once hot, place Kielbasa in the pan and brown on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Place onions in the same pan and begin to caramelize onions using the sausage drippings. Once onions have developed a golden brown color, add the broth to the pan and deglaze. I keep the onions in the pan during this step, it helps make them even softer and more flavorful.
Add the Sage, Dill Weed, Allspice, Salt and Pepper and cook until herbs are hydrated. Stir often. The aroma will be amazing!
Place the cabbage in the skillet and stir to help incorporate the cabbage into the mixture . The cabbage will fill the pan at first but will begin to decrease in size once cooked down. Once all the cabbage is softened, add the Kielbasa back to the pan. Once the sausage is thoroughly heated, remove the pan from the stove and serve!
This makes great leftovers, and I will often have a few days worth of lunches after making this for dinner.
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Cabbage Wrapped Sausages
Plump, juicy sausages wrapped in tender cabbage leaves create a simple meal that is filling while still being a healthy choice. You will not miss the bun once you make this dish!
Use your favorite type of sausage in this dish. It is completely interchangeable as long as your choose a good quality. I am a “sausage-snob”, but it truly will make or break a dish if you choose poor quality meat! We have a great local sausage company that comes to the Farmer’s Market weekly where I snag my favorites.
Ingredients:
4 Sausages in casing (Bratwurst, Knockwurst, Kielbasa, Weisswurst etc)
4-6 Large outer leaves from a big head of Cabbage
1 cup of Bone Broth
1 Teaspoon of Paprika
2 Tablespoons Whole Grain Mustard
Salt/Pepper to taste
In a shallow saucepan melt butter (or duck/pork fat) and then sear each side of your sausages until crispy and golden brown. The sausages will swell and plump up at this point. I typically place a lid on the pan and let them cook while I prep the cabbage leaves.
While the sausages are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a simmer. After removing outer leaves from the head of cabbage, blanch each piece by dipping in the boiling water using a set of tongs and set aside until finished. The leaves will turn a bright green and become limp.
Once sausages are done, remove from pan and place on a plate allowing them to cool enough so they can be handled. Meanwhile, pour 1 cup of Bone Broth into the hot pan to deglaze. Be sure to scrape the pan well to release any brown bits stuck to the pan. Add paprika, mustard, salt and pepper. Simmer and stir until thickened. I prefer to use my homemade whole grain mustard https://itsasavagelife.com/savory-wholegrain-mustard/ but any flavorful course ground or wholegrain mustard will do.
Once the sausages are cool enough to handle, wrap each sausage in 1-2 overlapping leaves of cabbage (depending on the size of the leaves) tucking the ends (similar to wrapping a burrito). Even if they don’t wrap perfectly, the dish still turns out great.
Place back in the same sauce pan, and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. I typically flip them halfway through so that the sauce coats both sides.
Once finished, serve immediately and pour a hearty spoonful of sauce over each one. My favorite sides to compliment this dish are cooked greens and spatzle or mashed potatoes. These also make fantastic leftovers!
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Savory Cheddar Herb Biscuits
This recipe was inspired by the Cheddar Bay Biscuits we all know and love. While looking for a hearty item to bring to a Crawfish party the idea popped into my head to recreate these cheesy, tender, flaky biscuits using my “Marry Me” Biscuits https://itsasavagelife.com/marry-me-biscuits/ recipe as a launching point. I used a star shaped cookie cutter and dusted with chili flakes for a bit of festive color. They were a HUGE hit and ensured that this recipe was a keeper!
Ingredients:
- 4 Cups all purpose flour (plus a little additional for dusting your work surface)
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons dried dill weed
- 1 Bunch of finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon paprika
- 2 Teaspoons salt
- 1 Cup unsalted cold butter (I pull mine from the freezer and allow to sit for a few minutes)
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
- Red chili flakes for garnish (optional)
Preheat your oven to 450F.
In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, dill weed, parsley, garlic powder, paprika and salt. (I mix this recipe by hand with a silicone spatula, an electric mixer will “over” mix the dough resulting in a tough texture.)
Grate the hardened butter onto a plate. Then gently mix into your bowl of dry ingredients. Once the butter is evenly distributed, add the milk a little at a time, and stir until moist. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. The dough will resemble crumbly pie crust dough. It should be moist but not wet!
Dump out onto a floured work surface. Using your hands form the dough into a thick rectangle shape. Fold the dough over onto itself 3 times. Then roll out to 1/2 inch thickness and fold it over onto itself again 3 times. This will help create the flaky layers that are necessary for a good biscuit. Roll dough out to 3/4 inch thickness and using a cutter, cut out as many biscuits as possible. Be sure to place the cutter straight down and pull back up again without twisting.
Place biscuits on baking sheet lined with parchment paper leaving about 1/4 inch space in between each other. Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes until golden on top. Oven times may vary and I used the convection setting on mine, so check yours at 10 minutes to prevent over baking. Smaller biscuits will also cook quicker than larger.
Allow cool and serve along your favorite dishes, seafood, soups, and salads. Or slather in butter and eat until you can’t eat anymore…that is usually what ends up happening!
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
Enjoy!
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Smoked Bacon & Onion Jam
Smoked Bacon & Onion Jam will soon be your favorite condiment! Sweet caramelized onions, salty bacon and a smoky sauce come together to make the perfect addition to burgers as well as atop grilled meat or fish. This is called a “jam” but there is little sugar (only natural sugar from Honey) and there is no canning involved. It is perishable and needs to be kept in the Fridge or Freezer (for storage longer than a week). But in all honestly, it gets eaten really fast around here.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of Bacon (I prefer our homemade bacon https://itsasavagelife.com/homemade-smoky-peppered-bacon/)
- 2 Sweet Yellow Onions
- 3/4 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons of Mustard (You can use traditional yellow mustard but I used our wholegrain mustard, and it turned out great! https://itsasavagelife.com/savory-wholegrain-mustard/)
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Raw Honey
First, chop the bacon into bite sized pieces. Place in a shallow saucepan and cook until crispy. While the bacon is cooking, prepare onions by removing skins, cut each in half and slice into thin slices so that they will easily caramelize and cook down evenly.
Before adding the onions, you will deglaze the pan by adding the Apple Cider Vinegar, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan well with a silicone spatula. Removing the “stuck on” pieces of bacon will prevent scorching and also add to the flavor. Add onions to the pan and cover with a lid. Simmer until onions are soft, stirring often. Then add mustard, paprika and pepper. Cover and continue cooking for about 30 minutes until rich brown in color (as shown in picture).
Heat up your smoker (we use our Traeger Grill) and set to 375F. Place the jam into a foil lined metal pan (the foil makes clean up so easy!) and then place on your grill uncovered. Cook for 30-45 minutes and remove once thickened and the color has deepened to a dark brown.
Allow to cool completely before pouring into 2 pint jars (or other glass containers of your choice) and then store in the fridge for up to a week, or the freezer for longer storage (be sure to leave extra headspace and leave the lid off until completely frozen).
The night I prepared this, we enjoyed it on top of Grilled Chicken and it was perfect! I found that we didn’t even reach for the barbeque sauce as this complimented the chicken so well! Our menu this weekend will be Burgers with Blue Cheese and this Smoked Bacon & Onion Jam… I can’t wait!
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Homemade Smoky Peppered Bacon
Everyone loves the smoky, salty, taste and SMELL of bacon. But you truly don’t know how good bacon can be until you’ve had small batch homemade bacon! Like with everything, being able to control the ingredients and quality makes a world of difference in the final product. Our Traeger Grill is perfect for the smoking process, it causes the meat to be penetrated with the perfect amount of smoke and beautiful color, as well as allowing us to easily control the temperature throughout the process. This is not a quick or instant gratification recipe as it takes 7-10 days to cure the meat, but like with most things the wait is worth it!
Ingredients:
- A good quality Pork Belly (home grown or from your favorite local butcher) we usually choose one that weighs about 12lbs, if your pork belly weighs differently just make sure the cure ratio is still the same
- 2 1/2 Teaspoons of Premium Pink Curing Salt (Important note: this is curing salt- not regular salt)
- 3/4/ Cup Kosher Salt
- 1/4 Organic Raw Sugar
First, cut the pork belly into sections. We slice approximately 2 pound sections. This is usually the amount we would want in a package of bacon. If you don’t use or eat too much bacon at a time, you will want to make your sections smaller. By cutting the sections before curing and smoking it allows better penetration of the meat, and it makes everything easier rather than handling a giant slab of pork belly.
In a medium sized bowl mix together pink curing salt, kosher salt, ground black pepper and sugar. Weigh each section of Pork, weigh curing mixture, and then divide mixture by weight of pork so that each piece receives the right amount of curing. Then rub the mixture evenly over the entire surface area of your sections of pork.
Take each section and seal individually in a vacuum seal bag or a regular Ziploc bag. We prefer vacuum sealing each piece as it helps the cure penetrate the meat deeply and makes for really easy clean up. Place in the fridge to cure for 7-10 days.
After 7-10 days remove from bags and rinse each piece with cold water to remove excess curing rub that hasn’t dissolved and been absorbed. Pat dry each piece and place on a pan with a rack. Set in fridge uncovered to allow meat to “dry age” for 24 hours.
The next day, fire up the Traeger (or the smoker you choose). Set to the lowest setting, for us it is the “Smoke” setting on our Traeger. Smoke for 2-3 hours until desired color and smoke is reached, then remove from smoker and set aside to cool.
Once cooled, place in fridge overnight to chill and firm up. The next day you can freeze for later, or go ahead and cook up a batch (we usually can’t wait). To freeze we place in vacuum seal bags and freeze the sections without slicing. I like to have the option to slice once I have it out for the recipe I will be making. It also makes it easier to slice if it is still slightly frozen.
This bacon is perfect to fry in slices in a cast iron pan for breakfast or dice and cook into soups, pastas, salads… pretty much ANYTHING. My personal favorite is my Bacon Wrapped Elk Loin https://itsasavagelife.com/bacon-wrapped-elk-loin-elk-backstrap/. After cooking bacon I always pour, strain, and save bacon grease into a jar that I keep in my fridge. It is the perfect fat to sauté vegetables in or create a roux for the best gravy, soup or sauce you will ever make! Believe me, once you start you won’t stop! Enjoy!
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Farm Fresh Egg Muffins
These are the perfect breakfast (or snack) to meal prep ahead of time!
Fluffy egg, spinach, and cheese easily come together for a cost effective and easily customizable “meal on the go”.
In the spring when my hens increase egg production these are a great way to use a lot of eggs and also get some of my meal prep done for the rest of the week. It takes minimal time and ingredients while still being a low carb and high protein option. You can add in meats, veggies, potatoes, and other cheeses to change it up so it never gets boring.
This is my simple basic recipe that can be customized to suit your tastes. I always use spinach or kale as I feel it pairs with eggs so well, and it’s a chance to sneak some extra leafy greens into my diet. This is a large recipe as I like to bake these in 2 Extra Large Muffin pans (making 12 Extra large muffins). It gives us plenty to have as breakfast or snack through the whole week. I often use our Traeger Grill to “bake” these, as I am typically cooking meats and meal prepping other items at the same time so I use it as I would my conventional oven.
Ingredients:
- 24 Eggs
- 1 Cup Milk (I use whole Milk)
- Shredded Cheese of your choice (I prefer a blend of Cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan)
- Fresh Baby Spinach leaves or chopped Kale (Rinsed and Dried)
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seed
First, preheat conventional oven (or Traeger Grill) to 375F.
Grease muffin tins so that the eggs do not stick while baking.
In a medium sized mixing bowl: crack and scramble all eggs with milk and seasonings. I prefer to use my immersion blender for this step as it blends the eggs consistently. Next, place spinach or kale leaves in muffin tins, keep in mind that they will cook down. Then pour about 3/4 cup of egg mixture over spinach leaving approximately 1/4″ headspace as the eggs will expand as they cook. Top each muffin with shredded cheese.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until set in middle and golden on top. They will be expanded like a souffle when you remove from the oven, and then start to “deflate” as they cool. This is totally normal. Allow to cool in muffin tins before serving or storing.
If being ate right away, I serve with a side of breakfast meat (Bacon or sausage), a dollop of sour cream, hot sauce or my homemade mustard https://itsasavagelife.com/savory-wholegrain-mustard/. I love the way tangy wholegrain mustard and eggs compliment each other.
I will often take these to work as a hearty snack, they reheat well in the microwave for 40-50 seconds. I find they do best wrapped in a paper towel, on a microwavable plate.
Each batch I make is a little different depending on what I have on hand. I often use leftover veggies and meats to change it up. I hope you take this basic recipe and make it your own. Enjoy!
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Our Family’s Favorite Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are one of our family’s favorite foods! A plate of these sunny yellow eggs disappear quicker than anything else on the table. This recipe uses sour cream instead of mayonnaise. It creates a tangier filling that we prefer, and it holds up better in the fridge if you have any leftovers (which is a RARE occasion for us). This recipe is for a large batch, but you can easily half it.
Ingredients:
- 18 Eggs (Hard boiled and peeled)
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 1 /4 Cup Yellow Mustard
- 1/2 Teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Distilled White Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- A “dash” of your favorite Hot Sauce
- Optional: Pastry Bag and Piping Tip
To start you obviously must boil and peel your eggs. Then slice eggs “long ways” and remove yolks. Place all yolks in a medium sized mixing bowl, then smash all the yolks to a smooth consistency. I use a fork as the tines tend to break apart the yolks easier than a spoon leaving less “chunks”. Once the consistency is right, add in Sour Cream, Yellow Mustard, Paprika, Salt, Pepper, Vinegars, and Hot Sauce. Stir until completely mixed.
I prefer to put the filling in a pastry bag with a piping tip and pipe into the egg whites. It makes them look so much nicer and it really doesn’t take much extra effort. The easiest way to get the filling in the bag is to place the bag in a large cup, fold the sides over the lip of the cup and spoon in the mixture. Then twist the top of the bag and pipe into egg whites. You can always just spoon the filing in, but I end up making more of mess that way. And I can always use less messes to clean up! Once all eggs have been filled, you may place in fridge for later or serve right away. Be prepared for these to disappear fast!
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Perfectly Pickled Eggs
Newsflash: Pickled Eggs are actually delicious, as well as being a high protein and low carbohydrate snack! I know that the term “pickled egg” makes people think of the scary, room temperature, gross, glowing-neon yellow eggs floating in a jar on a gas station countertop (that have been there for who knows how long?!). BUT these are a whole different story! The results are a tangy (think vinegar), salty, flavorful snack that can also be a contribution to other dishes. I like to add them to salads, atop homemade Ramen, and as a fun addition to cheese boards.
I also make an adorable “mini” version with Quail Eggs: https://itsasavagelife.com/pickled-quail-eggs/
Pickled eggs are perishable and need to be kept refrigerated, but they only get better with time as the brine sinks deeper into the egg. We usually have emptied the jar in a few weeks but oddly enough they are said to be perfectly safe if stored in an airtight container below 40F for a few months! (I don’t suggest it though!)
Let’s get to it!
You will need:
- 1 clean and sterilized 1/2 Gallon Mason Jar
- 18 Hard boiled and Peeled Eggs
- 2 cups White Vinegar
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (aka ACV)
- 1/2 cup Boiling Hot Water
- 1/4 cup Liquid Aminos (or Soy Sauce- whichever you have)
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
- Various spices of your choice: Pickling Spice, Bay Leaves, Peppercorns, Dried Red Chili Flakes, Dried Rosemary, Dehydrated citrus slices, Celery Seeds, Dehdrated Onion, Dill Weed, Garlic Cloves, the list goes on…
Place peeled hard boiled Eggs in clean 1/2 Gallon Mason Jar. There should be a little headspace left near the top of the jar. Add salt, pepper and your choice of spices. You really can’t go wrong with any variety of savory and fragrant herbs. Then pour in Vinegars, Aminos (or Soy Sauce) and boiling Water until eggs are covered. Tightly place the lid and gently shake to mix the spices into the brine. Some air bubbles may release causing the brine level to drop, if this happens you can add more hot water until eggs are covered. You may also place a glass fermentation weight in the jar to keep eggs submerged deep in the brine but it is not necessary if you don’t own one.
Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator. Allow to “pickle” for at least 10-14 days and then enjoy!
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Savory Wholegrain Mustard
Mustard is hands down my favorite condiment! The tangier the better for me! This recipe has the perfect vinegar tang, herbs, and a savory depth contributed by beer. I prefer wholegrain mustard since I like the unique texture. This recipe can easily be turned into a smoother texture with the help of a immersion blender. This recipe is for a multi-jar batch to be canned or simply placed in the Fridge.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 Cup whole Yellow Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 Cup whole Brown Mustard Seeds
- 1 Cup Beer (a light lager or ale… nothing too “hoppy” or else the mustard can become bitter)
- 1 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Celery Seed
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Sage
- 1 Teaspoon dried Dill Weed
- 1 Teaspoon Salt and Pepper
- 1/4 cup Honey
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 1 hour. Then place mixture into a large saucepan and cook on Medium-High heat. Simmer for 30 minutes and be sure to stir every so often during the cooking process.
Next remove from heat. If you are going to use the immersion blender, do so CAREFULLY! Place immersion blender in the mixture and slowly blend to desired thickness.
If canning the mustard: While mixture is still hot pour into sterilized jars, place lids/rings, and water bath for 10 minutes. Gently remove with jar tongs and let sit on a towel lined counter where they will not be disturbed for 24 hours. After 24 hours tests the lids, and if sealed place in cupboard. If not sealed, place in the fridge. *Please be familiar with canning basics and educate yourself on canning food safety before attempting to can for the first time. It is a skill that requires certain steps for safety.
If refrigerating the mustard: Pour mixture into sterilized jars. Place lids/rings and then allow to cool before placing in refrigerator.
Whether you can it or refrigerate it, the hardest part of this recipe is waiting about 4 weeks for it to be perfect! The longer it sits, the more complex the flavors become. All good things take time, and this is no difference!
I tend to keep a jar in the fridge at all times, and use it in many ways. It is fantastic slathered on sandwiches and burgers. Also as a addition to salad dressings and marinades. I tend to use it as a sauce for meat, and to dip just about anything in (my favorite being soft pretzels)!
