I apologize for the recycled picture - these are wieners from Thurns. Aren't they pretty?
I had a suggestion at the dinner to offer folks a guide to shopping at Thurns for the uninitiated. I know visiting Thurns for the first time can be a little intimidating, because I was intimidated going there for the first time and I'm even sort of German-ish. You can see yummy pictures and read about my first visit here - there are pictures of bacon, brauschwager, black leona, and knackwurst. You can read about another visit here! there are pictures of wieners and servalot.
First of all, Thurns is a pork lover's paradise. It is the best-smelling place in the city, hands down. It's also one of the few remaining old-school charcuteries (if not the only) in the city. If you haven't been there, you must proceede immediately. Well, you'll have to wait until Thursday, because they are closed until then. They have to smoke the meat sometime.
On your first trip to Thurns, you should definitely procure some bacon. It is my favorite bacon made in Central Ohio. (A very close second is from Blues Creek Farms.) Their fresh sausages are also a delight. Here is a brief tutorial on the things I've tried, along with some great ways to use them:
Cottage Ham: this is a small ham which is tied in cheesecloth, hung, and smoked. Although I don't believe it is technically cooked, it has been cured and will last awhile. This ham needs a good bit of simmering in water to rehydrate; the cooking water makes an amazing base to cook the rest of one's dinner in. Remove the cheesecloth surrounding the ham, and place it in a largish pot (I used an 8 quart pot for a nerf football-sized ham) and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about an hour, then add some chopped potatoes or other starchy veggies, or prepared beans (either canned beans or dried beans which have soaked overnight), cabbage, or whatever else you'd like to have for dinner. Make some cornbread. Great winter dinner. I am sure you could also put the ham and whatever else you'd like in the slow cooker before you leave in the morning and have a great dinner when you get home from work.
Knackwurst: Thurns has great knackwurst, which is a traditional garlic-flavored pork sausage with a nice snappy casing - in fact, the name refers to the snap, or crack, of the casing when you bit into the sausage, which should be juicy and really flavorful on the inside. I love these with sauerkraut, and they really only have to be cooked until heated through. I put them in the crockpot once with pork shoulder, and although they filled the whole dish with an amazing flavor, the texture after a few hours being cooked left a little to be desired. For that reason, I recommend just throwing them on the stove top in a shallow pan with some sauerkraut and a beer or two and simmering for half and hour or so. Turn the heat up and let the beer reduce a bit and then serve with some good mustard.
You can read about something similar here. Although on that occasion, I did cook them in the crockpot, although only for 2 hours.
Servalot: This is the German answer to salami. It is a seasoned sausage which is uncooked and air-cured. The result is a deliciously meat sausage which is slightly gamey. It makes a great addition to a charcuterie plate and a little goes a long way, so you can enjoy a few thin slices and feel satisfied. It's really great. I paired it with dried tart cherries for a salad at my dinner on Sunday, and I thought it was a nice accompaniment. I got the idea after reading somewhere that in Italy, the yummy soppresata is paired with cherries during the summer.
Landjager (might be misspelled): a very dry, small and thin sausage which is highly seasoned and lasts forever in pretty much any setting. Landjager was created originally for soldiers on the march, because it is dry and lasts a long time. This is a very chewy sausage and is really great cut into thin slices and snacked upon.
Black Leona: a delightfully robust and uber smoked summer sausage, recognizable by its black casing (which comes from a long hang in the smokehouse). Most summer sausages last a pretty long time. Another great snacking sausage which would be great on a meat and cheese plate.
Country Liverwurst: a pate which is really great and mild despite its name. I served this at my January Sunday Supper and think it was well-received. It's great with toast or crackers, some nice tart cornichons (small pickles) and Dijon mustard. A fruit jam would probably also serve it well.
Shinken: the German answer to prosciutto, in that it is from the same cut (leg), although prosciutto is salt-cured, and the German shinken is smoked. Great sliced thinly and served with fruit - it's especially great in the early summer with strawberries - or with a simple arugula salad. This is a rich, savory, and gamey meat which pairs well with something else strongly flavored.
Ham Salad: what can I say about a classic revised and made into something great? After a few bites, it's a pinch too rich and sweet for me, so I love to pair it with some raw slices of onions.
Fresh Sausages: Thurns has a variety of fresh sausages - including brats, or course. I like to simmer fresh sausages (especially brats) in beer and onions for 20 minutes and then throw them on the grill. Other fresh sausages make a great base for soup - remove the casings and brown the sausages, crumbling with a wooden spoon. Stir in some beans, greens (such as kale or escarole) and some really good homemade stock and heat to a simmer. Very easy.
Braunschwager: A dense liver paste, available either smoked or unsmoked (both are great); this is a very livery spread and makes a great base for sandwiches. My cat Mimi LOVES this stuff - especially the smoked variety. She senses whenever it enters the house and won't leave me alone until she gets some.
Franks & Wieners: I learned on a recent Thurns visit that these are the same thing, but Franks are fat and wieners are skinny. They are great - again, a pinch on the rich side, so they call for a nice hot mustard and dill relish. A few chopped onions never hurt anyone, either.
Okay - I think that will give everyone a good place to start. I hope you give them a try! Next week, let's talk about the different types of tongue, head cheese, and scrapple available at Thurns.
You can read about other Columbus foodbloggers' love for Thurns
here and
here.
info:
Thurns Specialty Meats 530 Greenlawn Ave (South side) Thurns has limited hours - I believe they are open Thursday through Saturday; the other days they are smoking. They do have extended hours around the holidays. No plastic is accepted - cash or check only
