Sneak Peak: the Smoking Goose in Chicago

Smoking Goose's meat treats were part of a sneak peak that lucky diners in Chicago got to taste earlier this month. The sold out dinner was a preview of Chris Pandel's forthcoming Balena restaurant. "Italian inspired, honest cooking" is how Pandel describes the menu at his soon-to-open set of Chi-town tables. That's why Smoking Goose's charcuterie fits deliciously into his line up that uses local, all-natural products to put a twist on Italian classics.

Check out the menu that's getting the attention of Time Out Chicago and look for more updates on Smoking Goose's Chicago features soon.

Chris Pandel includes Smoking Goose meats on his new Chicago menu.

image by Time Out Chicago

We're hiring: Are you a Smoking Goose?

The Smoking Goose is accepting applications for full and part time Cutters.  This position includes breaking down whole animals using both seam butchery and American butchery techniques.  The position requires good knife skills, some heavy lifting, and the ability to cut accurately and quickly.  Some experience could result in a higher rate of pay, but experience is not required for application.  All government holidays off and regular daytime hours.  Please apply in person at 407 North Dorman Street Indianapolis Indiana 46202 between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm, Mondays-Fridays.  No phone calls please.

The Smoking Goose is accepting applications for part-time packaging positions.  This position includes portioning, packaging and labeling of product.  The position requires attention to detail, an eye for consistency and quality, some heavy lifting and the ability to work in a cold environment.  Experience is not required, and training is provided.  All government holidays off and regular daytime hours.  Please apply in person at 407 North Dorman Street Indianapolis Indiana 46202 between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm, Mondays-Fridays.  No phone calls please.

Feature Friday: Zestfest

Since 2006, Chef/Owner Valerie Vanderpool has been putting a little zest into the Indy food scene. Her uptown treatment of downhome cooking in Broad Ripple's Zest! Exciting Food Creations has landed her restaurant and catering operation on magazines and tvs (and happy diners' plates).

Her tomato bon bons got the attention of Food Network's Guy Fieri and his show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. This spring, ESPN came straight to Zest to organize their VIP party in Valerie's new private rental space. (Chris Berman is gonna love her creme brulee french toast and eggplant Wellington.) And Indianapolis Monthly named Zest's "3-Napkin Burger" the best burger in the city.

Alongside truffled-asiago pomme frites, Valerie piles a 10oz burger with bbq sauce, grilled red onion, white cheddar, smoked gouda, and creamy bleu cheese before gilding this lily of a burger with Smoking Goose's Applewood Smoked Bacon. Three napkins for this Zestfest? Yes, please.

image by Indianapolis Monthly

Feature Friday: Swine & Table

After more than 25 years in the biz, company founder Joe Husar still waits on customers at his Vine & Table gourmet market in Carmel. Bringing friends and family together over a table of good eats and sips is what keeps Joe hard at work providing the same delicious spreads to his clients.

Along with a tempting and comprehensive cheese selection that spans the globe, Joe and his team stock the shelves with corks and caps from the world over. That rare French sheep's milk cheese still molded in baskets by Basque shepherds? It's in the cooler and Joe and his staff can recommend a bottle of wine, craft beer, or even a new-to-Indiana scotch to pair with it.



All this means Smoking Goose goods are in good company now at Vine & Table! Get staff recommendations about how to pair their favorite cheeses and condiments with Smoking Goose Salame Cotto, City Ham, and Smoked Turkey for a sandwich that's the best since sliced bread. Pick up our Smoked Duck Breast and Pig and Fig Terrine at Vine & Table and get a personal recommendation for a stand up vino or special released brew that pairs perfectly. Swine 'em and dine 'em with the Smoking Goose and Vine & Table.

Feature Friday: Quie sera sera

We have to wonder if Jacquie misses the coast. After culinary school along the British shores, she took to the high seas, cooking as a private yacht chef along the French and Italian Riviera.

Up in landlocked Carmel, though, Jacquie has her land legs under her again…though her ship is still rocking. The catering business she opened in 2001 thrives today along with the storefront café where she plates breakfast, lunch, and dinner now with Smoking Goose meats.

Around noon, our stomachs start growling for Jacquie’s Local Smoking Goose sandwich, a hot one piled with Smoked Goose City Ham plus our Mortadella and Capocolla along with fresh mozzarella, tappenade, tomato, onion and mixed greens. 

Look for updates on Jacquie’s Café facebook page where she makes us hungry with posts and pictures of her plates piled with Smoking Goose goods. Psssst, word is she even makes posts that could save you some dough (er, meat…er, cheese).

Sassaka, or "bacon butter"

The lumberjacks in northern Italy know how to keep warm. Centuries ago--even before salame was a widespread Italian tradition--the tree huggers of Udine along the Slovenian-Italian border needed a way to keep meat on their bones...and to keep their recently butchered harvest from spoiling.

In their cool cellars, they cured pork belly and back fat in garlic-marinated wine, salt, and whole black peppercorns. Both sides went into a cool smokehouse so the sweet smoke permeated the cured the slabs but didn't render the fat.

The lot was finely chopped and blended with crushed white onions to make a paste that could be packed into jars or rolled into logs. Kept cool and covered, the flavor-packed schmear would keep for months as the lumberjacks moved through the northern Italian forests.

To warm up from the inside out, those ancient foresters only had to toast a slab or two from their hearty loaf then spread on a thick layer of the sassaka. On top of hot toast, the "bacon butter" warms and begins to render for a stick-to-your-ribs starter layered with sweet, smoky, salty flavor.

Come into the Smoking Goose soon--check out the Meat Locker hours--for your allotment of bacon butter! We've revived this traditional recipe with all-natural, pasture-raised Duroc pork from Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange, Indiana.

Prep at your table is simple. Squeeze the sassaka out of the its package and let it come to room temp, about 20 minutes. Cut slices of crusty bread--the Italians prefer rye--and slather on the bacon butter while the toast is still hot, red plaid flannel optional.

Any leftover sassaka can be kept tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge. If properly stored, it'll keep till New Year's. But with flavor like this, we wager there'll be a need for seconds before 2012, Mr. Bunyan.

Feature Friday: Give 'em the boot

When Rosa was just three years old, her family left their native Reggio Calabria in southern Italy and landed in South Bend, Indiana. She had to go to the other side of the world for her new life, but it turns out the love of her life would be waiting just two blocks away from her new home.

Rosa and her husband Tony Hanslits have known each other since attending the same elementary school. Today they’re still side by side at their fresh pasta store named for their two daughters, Nicole-Taylor’s.

With over 22 types of pasta—and offers to take special orders for your favorite flavor-shape combo—Rosa and Tony can make dinner a one-shop-stop by helping to match one of their handmade pastas and sauces with sausages and cured meats from Smoking Goose.


We come home early for steaming plates of their pumpkin-flavored ravioli with Smoking Goose Italian sausage. Freshly cut linguine, rigatoni and fusilli all go down sweetly after a bite of Smoking Goose Mortadella or Pig & Fig Terrine, but head over soon when our Pancetta and Bresaola will be cozying up to mushroom pappardelle and some of their housemade mozzarella.