The second in our series of Krakus canned pork products is Konserwa Tyrolska, a sort of corned, minced pork shank product very similar to Hormel's SPAM. In fact, just like SPAM it is best when sliced and fried.The pork comes out of the can in a more-or-less solid cylinder of meat, with little blobs of fat and pork jelly here and there, and I admit that it wasn't very appetizing to look at fresh out of the can like that. But sliced and then sizzled in a medium-hot frying pan until golden brown on both sides, this stuff is great.
Now, I'm not the biggest fan of SPAM. I seem to recall liking it at one time, but over the years it seemed "different" than it used to. Has Hormel changed their recipe? Or maybe it's just me? I dunno, but SPAM and I are kind of like old friends that have drifted apart over the years where you don't really hang out together anymore - and you kinda don't want to - but you still can't bring yourself to say anything bad about them because you remember the fun you had once upon a time.
Anyway. Konserwa Tyrolska, once fried up, had a very good hammy flavor, not too greasy, and good texture. If you're at all predisposed to minced canned pork (i.e. if you likes you some SPAM) you won't go wrong with this. It was an excellent accompaniment to eggs at breakfast, and I livened up some baked beans later by heating them up with the leftover konserwa strips later on. Thumbs up.
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You my friend have an iron tongue and stomach. I've always been open to, and wanting, to try any sort of offal but I can't get around this sort of stuff....maybe I've a flawed outlook on it.
ReplyDeleteAre you a fan of Scrapple? (My guess is you are) Do they serve that up where you are?
What's the nuttiest thing you've tasted?
Not only am I a fan of scrapple, I did a three-part series on it back in August, culminating in a step-by-step instructional post, with photos, which you can check out here.
ReplyDeleteI buy scrapple in the supermarkets when I get pre-made stuff. I haven't found it in restaurants near me, but it's popular a little south of me, in Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delawre.
As for the nuttiest thing I've ever tasted, that would be a roasted pig's eyeball, at a pig roast back in '98 or '99. It was nothing special.
'Tis true I keep my eyes open for strange, odd, and sometimes questionable things to taste.
Dave- how about Haggis? I got some cans of this for my brother several years ago. Every time he comes over for dinner I ask him what he would like and he says "anything you cook is fine". So I made chicken/mushroom lasagna with all or the fixings but for him I set the can of haggis in a bowl (I did not have the guts to open it). As you can guess he ate th lasagna! I made him take the 6 cans home and never asked what he did with them!
ReplyDeletecheezmaker
I'd eat haggis. I don't think it's that much different from scrapple, except instead of cornmeal it's got oatmeal.
ReplyDeleteCanned haggis, though. That's real interesting. I'll have to keep an eye open for that.
http://ridiculousfoodsociety.blogspot.com/2009/09/dnipro-market-cohoes.html
ReplyDeleteCheck out the bottom of the above linked post. I got a can of "konserwa" too! Army Brand! I will post a review soon and link to yours, maybe a throw down is in order.
http://ridiculousfoodsociety.blogspot.com/2008/07/canned-haggis-tatties-and-neeps-yum.html
ReplyDeleteAbove is one of my earliest posts, on canned Haggis! Coincidences.
That's an awesome write-up in making your own scrapple. I would love to do that. I've never had haggis but I love oatmeal. I'd probably make a hybrid haggis/scrapple...that'd be interesting.
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