Recipe: Chef Michael Allemeier’s Evans Cherry BBQ Sauce

Chef Allemeier's Evans Cherry BBQ Sauce

Last month Calgary played host to the first annual Brewery and The Beast, an event that brought together an incredible line up of chefs from Alberta who showcased their passion for all things meat. My first stop at the outdoor event was to see Chef Michael Allemeier and his colleagues at the SAIT School of Tourism and Hospitality.

The SAIT crew was serving up Smoked Hill View Colony pork shoulder, or as Chef Allemeier would call it, real BBQ. The cleaver chopped pieces of smoked pork shoulder were accented with Chef Allemeier’s hand-picked Evans Cherry BBQ sauce.

Chef Allemeier wanted me to stress that the key to the sauce is truly in the cherries. The Evans Cherry is a sour cherry that comes from a hardy tree that happens to grow well in Alberta. Even my mom has one of the self pollinating trees in her backyard; I raid her freezer for them often. If you don’t have that luxury you can pick or pick up up Evans Cherries at local orchards or at a farmer’s markets.

If you don’t own multiple smokers like Chef Allemeier, don’t worry, this sauce will be great on any piece of pork. Mix it in with your pulled pork, as a finishing sauce on ribs, as dip for your grilled pork chops, or on top as the perfect glaze for a pork tenderloin.

Chef Michael Allemeier’s Evans Cherry BBQ Sauce

2.5L               fresh Evans Cherries
400ml            brown sugar
400ml            honey
200ml            white sugar
400ml            raspberry vinegar
400ml            cider vinegar
750ml            ketchup
1.4L               water
15                  pods green cardamom
5                    quills cinnamon
5cm               ginger – peeled and sliced
15ml              red thai chili paste

Method

  1. Bring all ingredients to a simmer and simmer for five minutes.
  2. With hand blender – carefully puree cherries.
  3. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Pass through a sieve and chill.

Chef Allemeier

Recipe: Chef Allemeier’s Cardamom Clove Glazed Ham with Ginger Snap Crumb

photo 4 (6)Ham is a wonderful dish to have over the holidays, both on the table for Christmas dinner and for digging out of the fridge to make leftover sandwiches with.

During Chef Michael Allemeier‘s Alberta Milk session at Christmas in November at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge last month participants were treated to this Cardamon Clove Glazed Ham recipe (and the samples that came along with it). I soaked piece after piece of sliced ham into the leftover cardamom glaze – sticky and delicious – and I just couldn’t get enough!

After I found a bag of green cardamom pods at Superstore, I couldn’t wait to test out this recipe. The aroma will make your kitchen come alive with aroma of Christmas. Dig in and enjoy!

Cardamon Clove Glazed Ham with Ginger Snap Crumb

6-8 lbs – (3-4 kg) bone in ham

photo 1 (13)Cardamom Clove Glaze:

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark rum
1/3 cup molasses
3 tbsp cider vinegar
15 pieces green cardamon pods, broken
15 whole cloves

Ginger Snap Crumb:

1 cup ginger snap cookies (approx 12 – 14 cookies, finely ground)
3 tbsp butter
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 325 F

Ham:

Trim any excess fat from the ham and create a nice scored diamond pattern with a sharp knife in the fat. Do not cut into the meat.

Place ham into a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove from the oven and brush well with the Cardamon Clove Glaze, return to the oven and continue to roast. Brush the ham every 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 170 F. Let rest in a warm place for 15 minutes before carving.

When serving, thinly slice the ham and arrange on a serving plate. Sprinkle some of the Ginger Snap Crumb over top of the Glazed Ham for a great texture and flavour Drizzle with some of the remaining glaze.

Chef Allemeier at CIN
Chef Allemeier at CIN

Cardamon Clove Glaze:

In a pot combine all the ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Simmer, stirring often until the glaze has reached the consistency of maple syrup.

Taste the glaze. Once the desired clove and cardamom flavour has been reached, strain the glaze and set aside until needed.

Singer Snap Crumb:

Process ginger snap cookies in a food processor or blender until smooth. Measure one cup (250 ml) of the cookie crumbs.

Melt butter over low heat. Add the ginger snap crumbs and mix well.

Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 2 – 4 minutes until fragrant. Add a pinch of salt if needed.

Remove from heat and set aside until needed.

photo 2 (12)

 

Recipe: Chef Michael Allemeier’s Tartiflette

photo 5 (2)I first learned about Tartiflette a few weeks ago; the French dish from the Savoie region of France is made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, pork lardons, and onions. (Think fancy scalloped potatoes).

This Ukrainian girl was instantly attracted to the list of ingredients, but I wanted to recreate it using as many local ingredients as possible. My first attempt created a decent result, but to make it blog worthy I needed some help. Thankfully I had a trip to Calgary planned and I know that my sister’s neighbour, Chef Michael Allemeier, enjoys sharing his culinary knowledge (and enjoys my Passion for Pork recipe challenges/opportunities).

Always interested in products of Edmonton-area producers, I brought Chef Allemeier cured side pork from Acme Meat Market and La Bianca cheese from The Cheesiry. When I told him I wanted to make something with lardons, he explained that lardons are defined by cubes or matchstick sized-pieces of pork fat; just another part of the pig to love.

photo 2 (3)With just a few simple ingredients, and generous portion of whipping cream (Chef Allemeier is a great friend to Alberta Milk), he whipped up an Albertan-version of tartiflette that was lapped up immediately by our families. I wasn’t the only one at the table looking the empty La Crueset pot wishing we had made more.

photo 1 (4)Chef Micheal Allemeier’s Tartiflette

4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
150 g lardons
2 tbsps canola oil
1 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 round of local/Canadian cheese (La Bianca from The Cheesiry, brie, etc.) or substitute with 3/4 cup shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large cast-iron or oven safe pan over medium heat, heat canola oil and cook onions and lardons, stirring occasionally for approximately five minutes or until they begin to brown. Add cream and cook for one minute more.

3. Remove from heat and arrange potatoes on top in an even layer. Cover and bake until potatoes are tender, approximately 30 minutes.

4. Cut cheese in half horizontally, and place the half on top, rind side up, or sprinkle grated cheese over top, and bake until cheese is melted into the potatoes. Serve immediately.

photo 4 (1) photo 3 (2) photo 2 (4)photo 1 (5)photo 5 (1)photo 4 (2)photo 2 (5)

My niece Kali and sister Shawna patiently wait to try Chef Allemeier's tartiflette
My niece Kali and sister Shawna patiently wait to try Chef Allemeier’s tartiflette