ACF Professional Chefs & Apprentices of NE Annual Fundraiser

On Sunday,October 23rd of the ACF Professional Chefs and Apprentices of Nebraska had our annual fundrasing dinner. This is something that I have been a part of since 1999 and have hosted it at the places I work a few times and have always cooked for. This years I was a bit bigger part of the planning and execution than I had been in years past.

Earlier in the year I offered to do a educational presentation on the difference and benefits between heritage breeds and conventionally raised pork and whole hog butchery and utilization. Building on that idea we decided to base our dinner and the menu around the heritage breed hog we would be purchasing for the presentation and showing how to use different parts of the animal throughout the meal.

We were able to get a beautiful big Red Wattle from Travis at TD Niche Pork and on the Tuesday before the dinner at the college and I gave the presentation and several members of the chapter and myself butchered the pig and compared it to the convetionally raised Yorkshire-Cross pig I purchased from our Southeast Community College Agriculture Program. The Red Wattle shined compared to the Yorskshire-Cross which is still a exceptional product.

Here's are some pictures from the butchery and the dinner.

This is the Amazing Red Wattle Hog that we got from TD Niche Pork. This picture was taken right before it went in for harvesting.

This is of me preaching the gospel of heritage breeds

Still talking

Removing the Ham

Talking about the kidney.

Demoing the seperation of the belly and loin

This was really cool for me. Teaching my former instructor about whole hog fabrication.

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Several Chefs working on finishing up the work

The Dinner Menu

The First Course. My Course. Slow Roasted Pork Belly with a Cocoa Rubbed Smoked Pork Ravioli, Candied Bacon and Bacon Emulision. This dish was over the top in pork fat goodness. Couple more tweeks and it could be a perfect dish.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup utilizing the Pork stock from our Red Wattle

Maple Leaf Farms Smoked Duck Breast Salad with Wisconsin Camembert Cheese Beignets & Caramelized Walnuts

Slow Roasted Dried Fruit Sausage Stuffed Red Wattle Loin with Robert Sauce, Butternut Squash Risotto and Fresh Greens Beans and Bacon

Trio of Desserts: Mocha-Pecan Torte, Pumpkin Cheesecake and Fresh Berry Tart utilizing the Lard from our Red Wattle in the crust

Beer Drank while writing this post: Mountain Standard by Odell Brewing Co out of Fort Collins, CO.