Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen

Fried Chicken

September 3, 2016

Classico e Moderno

October 20, 2016

by Francine Bryson with Ann Volkwein

Few people know that national pie champion Francine Bryson got her start on the cooking contest circuit at age sixteen with a savory stuffed pork loin—that won first place. In Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen, Francine invites you into her home to share recipes for everything that graces her Southern table: chicken dinners, savory pies, Sunday suppers to serve the preacher, make-and-take casseroles, dips and other redneck whatnots, backyard barbecue favorites—and, of course, three chapters devoted to her celebrated baked goods, including her most-requested holiday sweets. Feeding people is what Francine loves to do, and here are simple instructions for 125 dishes with 60 color photographs to help you to bring her Southern charm to your table.

TSG Review

Down home cooking!

I followed all the recipes exactly as written.

Deviled Ham Dip

Makes about 2 cups

If you were ever interested in trying pate and the idea of liver or other strange offal freak you out deviled ham is a good place to start. Deli-ham blended into a paste with cream cheese so you can put it on crackers. The horseradish and garlic in it, help intensify the flavors and make this spread something that only your vegetarians will turn down. It also totally reminds me of the 80’s. My mom would get Underwood brand cans of this stuff and when my parents were gone I would put it on white bread to make deviled ham sandwiches.

Slaw for the Family Barbecue

Serves 8

I only made this so I could put it on the BBQ pork sandwiches like they had it in the books picture. It was a basic slaw recipe with buttermilk in it. Felt much more country than the cream slaws with just mayo for the creamy part but not as flavorful as I would have hoped. I like my creamy slaw a bit sweeter than this was.

Hot and Spicy BBQ Sauce

Makes 2 Cups

Figured if I was going to make the BBQ pork but I’d need something to put on it. As BBQ sauce goes this one is nothing special. It’s got heat and it’s sweet, but I have had really spectacular sauces over the years and this one doesn’t stand up to those. However, it is really simple and quick to make and that has it’s own kind of value.

BBQ Pork Butt (In the Oven)

Serves 14 to 16

I used a 4 1/2 pound bone in butt so making this for a single serving is out of the question but again, it was really easy to do with the most basic ingredients so as not to be overwhelming to a new cook. It took an hour longer than the book suggest cooking it but you check for doneness in the easiest way possible, pull the bone out easily it’s done. Tasted really good, the only thing that could have made it any better was if I had cooked it in a smoker. I also tried the Coleslaw, BBQ sauce, and the BBQ Pork together on a sadwich like the book suggests and that was very good. The lacking flavor in many of the recipes worked together to make a balanced sandwich. I at both of these then had to sit back in my chair for a while.

Aunt Fanny’s Buttermilk Pie

Makes 2 Pies

Full Recipe

Sweet and creamy like cream brule in a pie shell. This is a variation on a sugar cream pie. Even though buttermilk is a main ingredient the buttermilk doesn’t impart its flavor it only makes the pies richer. I didn’t make my own crust but the recipe is in the book if you want to make the entire thing. Making the custard filling was all I had time for but man was this recipe easy. The picture in the book doesn’t match my “well browned” pies but I don’t think it changed the taste any.

Summary

First off this book is made for BIG family cooking. For those small family’s and singles you will have to cut most of the recipes in half, be prepared for lots of leftovers, or just make this stuff when you are participating in a pot-luck. The recipes are very easy to make with minimum ingredients and most importantly it’s all pretty yummy. Down-home cooking with zero thought to being health conscious and all concerned about tasting good.