Our Chosen Heritage

Ingredients: 

Grandma Litkes Sunday Baked Chicken

Grandma Litke was a God fearing woman and never missed church on Sunday, which meant she had to get up early to start dinner. One of her specials was baked chicken. She’d get everything ready and just before she walked out the door it all went into the oven. She knew her bird would take longer to bake than most and she had the cooking time planed according to the standard 45minute sermon, 3 hymns, the offering and the preacher handshake as they went out the door of the church. By the time they had arrived home the house smelled wonderful, and the bird, well the bird was cooked to perfection.

Ingredients:

4-5 to 5 lb Good Shepherd Ranch Heritage  Chicken™  roasting type
2 tsp salt 
1 branch of celery 
1 small onion sliced 
½ clove of garlic minced 
3 tsp Poultry Seasoning 
¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

Clean chicken thoroughly. Wash quickly inside and out with cold water and drain thoroughly. Sprinkle one half the salt inside the chicken. Truss chicken lightly to hold shape. Choose a kettle of a size into which the chicken will fit snugly. Keep the shape uniform so that the bird will stand squarely in its back when put into the roasting pan. Add 2 ½ cups of water along with celery, salt, garlic and onion. Cover tightly and heat to boiling, then reduce and simmer for 30 minutes. To keep the chicken moist, spoon some of the hot broth up over it from time to time during this parboiling. Remove the chicken, drain off the broth and measure, there should be about 2 cups fluid to be used with dressing. Sprinkle half of the poultry seasoning into the cavity of the bird. Mix ¼ cup of olive oil with remaining poultry seasoning . Brush chicken on outside. Place chicken in roasting pan that has a rack that lifts the bird ½" from base of pan. Add ¾ cup of broth around chicken. Cover the roasting pan and place in a moderately hot oven (375` F ) and bake until chicken is very tender and browned or from 30 to 35 minutes per pound or 2 ½ - 3 hrs. for a 5 lb bird. 

Ruben Chicken Burgers

Traditionally Rubens are made with beef , however this New York favorite takes a healthy twist by using  Heritage Chicken   The unique flavor of this traditional bird enhances the overall flavor.
 
1 lb Good Shepherd Heritage Ground Chicken™     1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs                                     4 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion                                          (1 oz each)
1 lrg egg beaten                                                         4 burger buns (or dark rye bread)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce                                     4 tbsp  of rinsed and 
1 tsp soy sauce                                                            drained sauerkraut
1/2 tsp garlic powder                                               4 tbsp Russian dressing

Directions:

Combine chicken, bread crumbs, onion, egg, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and mustard. Shape into 4 patties, no thicker that 1/2 inch. Lightly grease broiling pan and grill about 6 inches from heat. Cook 4-5 min on each side or until no longer pink in the center. During the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, place Swiss cheese slices on top of burgers to melt. Put burgers on buns and top with 1 tbsp of sauerkraut and Russian dressing.

Heritage Chef™ Tex-Mex Caviar

A great snack or appetizer or a great side with a South of the Border taste. This recipe was used many times during my 20+ years of entertaining in Texas. Best if you let it marinate and chill for 4-6hrs

Ingredients:

 ½ lb.  of ground Heritage Poultry ™      ½ lb. of Heritage Turkey Bacon™

2 tbsp. Garlic & pepper salt                      1oz mesquite marinade

2 tbsp. of canola oil                                   2 cans drained black beans

3-5 good-sized Tomatoes                         1-2 large white onions

1 bunch fresh Cilantro                             1 -2 jalapeno peppers

 

Directions:

Finely Chop Tomatoes, onions, cilantro and mince jalapenos then place in large bowl to marinate

Cut turkey bacon into small fine pieces and brown lightly in a nonstick pan. Remove bacon from pan and     

Set aside. Mix Mesquite marinate and garlic, salt and pepper with ground chicken. Add oil to fry pan and brown chicken chopping it into small pieces as it fry’s. Remove and blot chicken pieces on paper towel. Add meat to tomato, onion, cilantro and jalapenos. Mix thoroughly let set for 5 min then taste for any additional salt. Chill in closed container for 4-6 hrs. Serve with corn chips or toasted flour tortillas. May also be used as a great side dish too

Great Grandmothers Gustaf Laverne Bair’s Chicken and Noodles

Immigrants brought their family recipes with them when they came to America. Food was part of their identity. Not only as ethnic these recipes were often part of individual families identity. Mostly close in their ingredient these common became personalized by adding small amounts of flavors or spices to bring its identity closer to each family. Such was the case of Laverne Blair a strong woman originating from England Grandmother Blair had learned the importance of making the most of anything including stretching the availability of food during the cold winter months. Often a few birds were kept over during the winter months just to make Chicken and noodles.

     

Directions:

Select 1 Good Shepherd Ranch Heritage Chicken™ 

Cut up chicken and place in slow cooker on low add seasoning and enough water to cover chicken completely.  Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground pepper Cook 4-6 hours on low heat adding water so bird remains covered.  Remove chicken with slotted spoon and transfer broth to a large pan.  Allow chicken to cool just enough to be able to work with it with your hands, pull chicken off bones and tear into bite size pieces, return chicken back to broth, bring to a slow boil and add desired noodles and cook until noodles are tender.  Serve Chicken and Noodles over mashed potatoes 

Coq au Vin

The origin of the recipe is unknown. There are two popular myths as to its source: Napoleon and Caesar. What is known is that the recipe is very old (at least 400 years) but did not become popular until the early 1900s. Since then it has become one of the best-known French recipes, both within and outside of France. Coq is the French word for "cock" (as in old Rooster, or male chicken). Vin is French for "wine" and "au" is French for "of the". Consequently, "Coq au Vin" literally translates as "Cock of the wine". However, as literal translations are not that meaningful, a better translation would be "Cock cooked with wine".  Until the 20th century it was common for rural families to have some chickens (for eggs and meat) and a rooster. The rooster would be kept until it was too old to perform its duties, at which time it would be killed and eaten. However, by this time the meat would be hard and stringy, so cooking it slowly in wine would tend to soften the meat and make it more edible. As such, the recipe has historically been considered "peasant food" or "poor people's food" as the well-off would be able to afford a better cut of meat which would not require slow cooking in wine in order to be edible.

Ingredients:

6-8 strips of thick apple wood smoked bacon 1/4 by 1 1/2-inch strips 
3 1/2 pounds Good Shepherd Heritage Poultry ™   (Rooster or older bird a selection of parts, or all of one kind), thoroughly dried
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
18 to 20 small white onions, peeled or roughly diced large whole white onion
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups red wine (hearty Burgundy,)
About 2 cups chicken stock or beef bouillon
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
About 2 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, washed, and quartered

Directions:

1. Sauté bacon several minutes in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole until lightly browned; remove bacon to a side dish and leave fat in pan.   
2. Heat fat in pan to moderately hot, add chicken (skin side down), and turn frequently to brown nicely on all sides.

3. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper; add bay leaf and thyme. Place onions around the chicken. Cover and cook slowly 10 minutes, turning once.

4. Uncover pan and sprinkle on the flour, turning chicken and onions so flour is absorbed; cook 3 to 4 minutes more, turning once or twice.

5. Remove from heat, gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken. Add the bacon, garlic, and tomato paste to the pan. Cover and simmer slowly 20 to 30 minutes per pound, then test chicken; remove those pieces that are tender, and continue cooking the rest until tender. You may add additional broth to keep cooking sauce bubbling. If onions are not quite tender, continue cooking them; then return all chicken to the pan, add mushrooms, and simmer 6 to 8 minutes. Sauce should be just thick enough to coat chicken and vegetables lightly. If too thin, boil down rapidly to concentrate; if too thick, thin out with spoonfuls of chicken broth.

** IF you did use the above method for an old egg layer or rooster then you could use the raw bones to make the below stock:

YIELD  

Makes about 4 1/2 quarts 

INGREDIENTS

1. 
   
   • 6 pounds chicken bones (backs, necks, carcasses, and/or wing tips)
   • 5 quarts water
   • 2 large onions, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
   • 4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
   • 3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
   • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
   • 3 dried bay leaves
   • 8 fresh parsley stems (Italian or curly)
   • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
   • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
   • Kosher or sea salt
     
     
   PREPARATION

1. Place the chicken bones in a 6- to 8-quart stockpot, add the cold water, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and skimming the white foam from the top of the stock. (Using a ladle and a circular motion, push the foam from the center to the outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.) Turn down to a simmer and skim again. It is important to have a clean stock before you add the other ingredients, because the foam is impure and should not be cooked into the stock; if the stock is not clean before you add the herbs and spices, you will wind up skimming them off, altering the flavor of the recipe. However, there is no need to skim the fat; it will flavor the stock during the cooking and can be removed after straining.

2. Add the onions (w/ skin to increase the golden color), celery, carrots The vegetables for the stock can be coarsely chopped, in large pieces — the cooking time is ample to extract all of their flavor.  Place garlic cloves, bay leaves, parsley stems, thyme, cloves, and peppercorns and simmer slowly for 4 hours, gently stirring a few times. Top the stock off with water if the level goes below the bones due to evaporation. Towards the end of the cooking time, season the stock lightly with salt and start tasting it for doneness.

3. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve. If you are not going to be using it within the hour, chill it as quickly as possible. You can skim the fat while the stock is still warm, but the easiest way is to wait until the fat solidifies at the top of the chilled stock, then just remove it in one piece. (This fat can be frozen and held so that IF you want to make a roux for gravy or a thicken chicken soup you can use it instead of butter) Cover the broth after it has completely cooled and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.

***I wanted you to know that I would recommend this link as well for Chicken Stock that will provide for even more vitamins and nutrients to be released.  The first step was to place bones in stainless steel bowl and add  Cover with filtered water and add 2 tbsps vinegar. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This acidic solution helps release the nutrients from the bones.  In addition, you simmer the broth for 6-8 hours long vs 4 hours. 

For equipment, you will need a 7- to 8-quart stockpot, wooden spoon, a ladle, and a fine-mesh strainer.

Heritage Chef™ Chicken Salad

                                                                                   

Of the hundreds of versions of Chicken Salad (and I’ve tasted hundreds) this is my absolute favorite. When creating this recipe I wanted to enhance the wonderful natural taste of fresh baked Heritage Chicken while adding a mix of flavors, along with various levels of crunch, sweet, sour, and creaminess. I think this version would make my Mama proud. It can be served on fresh bread, as a party appetizer or on a bed of crisp lettuce. I’m sure you’ll love it. (See "Grandma Litke's Sunday Baked Chicken" for cubed chicken)  

Ingredients:

2+ cups Baked Heritage Chicken (cubed)                  1 cup fresh chopped white onion

½ cup medium cheddar cheese (diced)                     ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

¾ cup white seedless Grapes (sliced in halves         ½ cup diced celery

3 tbsp.  sweet relish                                                   1 cup Mayo (not salad dressing)

dash of fresh ground pepper                                     ½ tsp. Sea salt

Directions: 

Mix all items together let set for 5 min and then add additional salt if needed

PS. You can also add a dash of hot sauce if you want to create a slight amount of heat.

Turkey Brine

Instructions:

(For one gallon)

1c. kosher salt or ½ c sea salt

6 bay leaves

½ c garlic cloves - smashed with the skin on

2 T black peppercorns

3 large sprigs of rosemary (1/2 oz.)

1 large bunch of thyme (1/2 oz.)

1 large bunch Italian parsley (2 oz.)

Optional:

2 large lemons grated and juiced

5 T honey

Directions:

Combine salt and 1 quart of water in medium pan. Bring to boil, stir to dissolve. Cool slightly.

Place remaining ingredients in large container for brining.

Pour warm salt water into brining container and stir to combine.

I like to use ice for half the liquid - so I double the ingredients and add the other gallon as ice.

Place turkey (pork or chicken) in container. Add ice to cover.

May brine in as little as 4 hours or overnight.

  

Perfectly Roasted Heritage Turkey

Traditions are a long-standing part of American tradition and there is nothing that says Thanksgiving better than a perfectly roasted Turkey. The smell of the traditional turkey quietly roasting in the oven can bring a house to life. The wood stove, once the center of attraction, in the main kitchen created some of the most unforgettable meals for the family. That stove also held a key to the essence of the house that came alive each time the burning wood would heat its fire pit and chambers. And as it warmed the kitchen its creaks and groans invited the walls, floors ceilings and those in it to join in revitalizing the slumbering life of the house. And as the aromas of the turkey cooking permeated throughout the house and there was a quiet understanding of why the taste buds responded with anticipation of the coming special event. Good Shepherd Heritage Turkeys™ carry within them the ability to once again call upon the taste of the day’s gone by.

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees Rinse 12-16 lb turkey well, inside and out with cold running water. Pat dry inside and out.
2. Rub bird in side with mixture of 3/4 tsp salt and ¼ tsp of fresh ground pepper. I do not stuff the birds, using skewers I pin the neck skin to the underside of the bird and fold the wings behind the back (akimbo-style), tie drumsticks together to reduce cavity space.
3. Rub the entire bird with butter. Sprinkle bird on the outside with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Place turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan place 1 ½ cups water Place open in oven for 30 min.
4. Remove from oven and baste exterior with natural juices cover tightly return to oven that has had temp reduced to 300-325 degrees. Plan to bake bird for 25-30 min per pound.
5. To increase moisture and natural flavor 1 ½ hours after baking remove bird from oven. Using an injector, draw and inject breast, thighs and drumsticks with cooked juices.
6. Add 1 small-med cubed yellow onion to cavity (small amounts of rubbed sage, rosemary may be added to cavity at this time if desired) Return to oven in tightly sealed roasting pan. Bake according to time/weight ratio. Doneness can be checked by when drumstick feels tender when pressed and juices from bird run clear. Internal meat thermometer should reach 180 degrees. 30 minutes before bird is to complete baking time.
7. Remove cover baste bird with ½ natural juices and ½ butter return to oven in open roasting pan to brown lightly. (Dressing can be made separately using neck/heart/gizzard and baked later as part of bird cooking time).

Stuffing’s can be their own dish and both of these recipes come from the 1930's . Their tried and true and proclaim Holiday seasons like no other

POTATO AND GIBLET STUFFING

Ingredients: 

6 Large potatoes, peeled, boiled until done but not mushy.

Giblets from turkey, boiled until tender and diced

Dice potatoes into I inch cubes and brown in 4 tbsp. butter

Brown lightly I cup chopped onions, 2 tbsp. chopped parsley, and giblets

Mix potatoes, adding 2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. thyme, and mix thoroughly.

 

Directions:

Stuff turkey and roast as usual.  Make gravy with stock in which giblets were cooked to serve with potato stuffing.

CHESTNUT-SAUSAGE STUFFING

Ingredients: 

1 large loaf bread broken and put through food grinder

2 stalks celery

1 small onion

12 stuffed olives also ground

1 pound chestnuts roasted enough to loosen skin, pealed, quartered

1 pound Good Shepherd turkey Sausage, fried in pork fat

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and stuff into turkey being careful to leave chestnut meats unbroken. 

Sauce for POTATO AND GIBLET STUFFING & CHESTNUT-SAUSAGE STUFFING

With either of these stuffing's, you’ll like the following sauce, which as a hand me-down from my childhood, was called Confederate Gravy- why , I do not know.  It’s handy to have around, and is excellent as a sauce for vegetables as well as turkey stuffing.

Directions:

Break one raw egg into a cup and beat slightly adding 1/2 cup sifted flour a little at a time until mixture is stiff.   Slowly add 1/2 cup milk, beating after each addition until the cup is full.  Slowly add egg mixture to 1/2 cup turkey broth and 1/2 cup fat from turkey, which have been heated together in saucepan. Do not let gravy boil, but keep over low heat until flour is cooked, about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste, turkey giblets and one chopped, hard boiled egg.  When heated through serve.

Southern Hot Chili Gizzards

1# of Heritage Breed Chicken Gizzards cut in ¾-1” strips

½ small onion julienne strips

2 clove garlic minced

2 tbls Oil oil

1 16 oz can tomato sauce

1 fresh lime juice

1/8 teaspoon Chili powder

1/8 teaspoon Cumin

1/8 teaspoon Franks Red Hot Sauce

dash black pepper

salt to taste

Directions:

1. Cut the Gizzards while oil is heating in an iron skillet on medium heat. Place Onions & Garlic and chicken into pan. Braise on each side for 3-4 minutes until brown.
2. Add tomato sauce and spices and simmer at least for 4-5 hours w/ lid on the skillet. Stirring occasionally so the sauce does not stick.
Serve over rice or noodles