My friend John of Emporia days saw my entry about Muddle on FB and asked for the recipe. He said his dad used to make it often, stirring in any cigarette ash that might find its way into the pot. John has spent his adult life out at the University of Illinois, so he probably hasn't had much muddle in recent years.
I thought some of you might want to give it a try, so here is the recipe, or more accurately, the process. The first column is Woodrow Pollard's recipe as Daisy gave it to me. They assumed that anyone who would try to use it could fill in the missing information. The second column is my attempt to cut down the amount. I can't tell you how much it makes. I just use my biggest pot, and if it gets too full as I start adding things, I pull out my second largest pot and shift part of it over. I try to even things out as I add the remaining ingredients. If it doesn't seem quite right, I get out a third pot and use it to mix some from each of the first two pots. Then I combine what's left in the first two pots and finally combine the whole mess into the two big pots.
Woodrow's Recipe My Adjustments
3 hens 1 hen
5 lbs. potatoes 1 2/3 lb.
3 lbs. onions 1 lb.
3 lbs. onions 1 lb.
3 qt. butter beans 1 qt
3 quarts corn 1 qt
2 lb. bacon or side meat ½ I actually use less
4 qt. tomatoes 1 1/3
salt salt
black pepper black pepper
red pepper red pepper
Here's what I do:
chop the bacon and cook until crisp in my biggest stock pot.
add the hen, cover with water, canned broth or a combination of the two and stew with the top on until done.
take the chicken from the pot, let cool enough that you won't burn your fingers, remove skin and pick meat off bones. Tear into shreds.
add chicken back to the pot with chopped onions, potatoes and still frozen butterbeans (baby limas)
put in some salt, and both peppers - It will take a good bit, but be careful
cook until vegetables are tender.
use potato masher to smash some of the potatoes a little, but leave most as they are.
add chopped tomatoes with juice.
use low heat and stay nearby to stir frequently, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot each time to prevent scorching. Stir more often as it gets thicker. Taste for seasoning and check for the traditional color. Add some more tomatoes if it looks pale.
when it starts getting thick, add frozen corn.
cook until there is probably no nutrition left and the spoon will stand up in the pot.
place pot in an ice water bath to cool, adding more ice as needed and stirring frequently.
put in appropriate sized containers for your family, refrigerate over night and then freeze.
Just because I like yall, I'm also going to tell you how to make fried corn bread as mother used to make it. I don't make this very often. Once a year at the family beach bash and the first time or two I serve muddle for company each fall, but it certainly is good, though not good for you.
Buy plain, white unbolted corn meal - Johnson's used to be the brand, but I don't know now (Quaker just won't do, so don't even try . Get a friend to send you some real meal or just use white corn tortilla chips)
Dump some meal into a bowl
Add some salt and black pepper
Add water until quite soupy more runny than pancake batter
Let sit for a few minutes because it will absorb water and may need a bit more.
Put enough oil in a well seasoned iron frying pan to cover the bottom, or use a teflon pan with oil.
Stir the meal mixture and put serving spoon sized amounts in pan.
Mixture will begin to brown and make little bubbles.
Turn the little patties and remove to paper lined plate when crisp and brown.
Prepare to fight for your share.
So, there you are friends. John, I hope this will give you at least a beginning place for your muddle adventures. It really is more a process than a recipe. I just keep tasting and adding until my memory begins to jangle and then I quit. Sometimes I cook the chicken ahead and refrigerate overnight, by the way.
add chicken back to the pot with chopped onions, potatoes and still frozen butterbeans (baby limas)
put in some salt, and both peppers - It will take a good bit, but be careful
cook until vegetables are tender.
use potato masher to smash some of the potatoes a little, but leave most as they are.
add chopped tomatoes with juice.
use low heat and stay nearby to stir frequently, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot each time to prevent scorching. Stir more often as it gets thicker. Taste for seasoning and check for the traditional color. Add some more tomatoes if it looks pale.
when it starts getting thick, add frozen corn.
cook until there is probably no nutrition left and the spoon will stand up in the pot.
place pot in an ice water bath to cool, adding more ice as needed and stirring frequently.
put in appropriate sized containers for your family, refrigerate over night and then freeze.
Just because I like yall, I'm also going to tell you how to make fried corn bread as mother used to make it. I don't make this very often. Once a year at the family beach bash and the first time or two I serve muddle for company each fall, but it certainly is good, though not good for you.
Buy plain, white unbolted corn meal - Johnson's used to be the brand, but I don't know now (Quaker just won't do, so don't even try . Get a friend to send you some real meal or just use white corn tortilla chips)
Dump some meal into a bowl
Add some salt and black pepper
Add water until quite soupy more runny than pancake batter
Let sit for a few minutes because it will absorb water and may need a bit more.
Put enough oil in a well seasoned iron frying pan to cover the bottom, or use a teflon pan with oil.
Stir the meal mixture and put serving spoon sized amounts in pan.
Mixture will begin to brown and make little bubbles.
Turn the little patties and remove to paper lined plate when crisp and brown.
Prepare to fight for your share.
So, there you are friends. John, I hope this will give you at least a beginning place for your muddle adventures. It really is more a process than a recipe. I just keep tasting and adding until my memory begins to jangle and then I quit. Sometimes I cook the chicken ahead and refrigerate overnight, by the way.
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