Reflection- A Year at NWS, Pandemic Edition

These days, it’s not uncommon for any of us to reflect on the past year and be wide-eyed and possibly fatigued at how much has changed in our worlds. The past year at Northern Waters certainly wasn’t anything we could have anticipated nor did we have a map to navigate what would come to be a new way of doing business for the foreseeable future. On March 11, we shut our doors to in-deli customers but remained open for pickup and delivery orders. “It was the slow season”, we said. “We’ll be okay”, we said. “We’ll make it work.” While our internal affirming statements came true, we really had no idea what was in store and the challenges we would collectively overcome. 

“The business coming in, it’s not going to last,” we said, as people stayed home and we watched our favorite eating establishments forced to close up. We were so wrong. Suddenly it was summer. And it lasted. And it lasted and it lasted some more. Our customers all showed up by supporting our business with local pickups for our smoked salmon or deliveries of sandwiches to new home offices and socially-distant cubicles.

Meanwhile up on the third floor, our usually-sleepy-in-spring mail order department started looking more like the holiday season. Boxes of smoked goodness lined our hallways waiting for the big brown truck to come. Was this December all over again? What is happening? 

We adapted by the second. We expanded our delivery zones. Our HR manager and owner would run deliveries. The culinary crew in the smokehuas proper would grab a delivery going to Gary or Deep Congdon. We juggled the phones and the online orders. The response from our customers was incredible.

We tried to plan for the time being only to discover we needed to tweak the plan. And then make a new plan. And then another. And maybe some more adjustments here… or there. And suddenly we are over a year into life in a pandemic world. And guess what? We are still adapting. It’s not a reflection of our inability to commit, rather, learning from all of our customers on the best way to deliver our products and quality service. The Smokehaus is a place of a constant effort to get it right. 

I write this post with much gratitude for all our customers who helped keep The Smokehaus open for business. I would be remiss if I also didn’t acknowledge the incredible group of people I get to work with everyday. They took on the challenges in such admirable, whatever-it-takes attitudes. It was remarkable.

There have been times over the last year where I would pause and wonder what the magic was that helped us come together to accomplish what we have this past year. A lifelong student of studying team and workplace cultures, it was fascinating. Some of my coworkers nerd out about music, some over fishing, some over food. I nerd out about what makes people come together to do remarkable things. We have great people with great character that work here. They are people committed to their craft and each other. But we have something a lot of places don't: Eric Goerdt.

Eric, our founder and owner, is responsible for this magic. He is the secret sauce. He brings a relentless level of energy and positivity to each department-- every. single.day. It is difficult for me to eloquently describe Eric's effect on this business and after trashing five paragraphs trying to describe this, I realized someone much more skilled with pen and paper has already done so. Steve Hoffman wrote a piece on The Smokehaus back in 2018 for The Growler. He says:

In Eric Goerdt’s vision, we live in a world where it is possible for a tiny deli counter, with next to no seating, in a mixed-use warehouse building in Duluth, to sell enough carefully made, world-class salumi, smoked fish, and cured meats each year to reliably employ 43 Minnesotans on an ongoing basis. All it takes is virtue.

What that virtue consists of, in Eric’s case, is a relentlessly cheerful insistence that employees be treated well, so that they are content in their jobs, so that, in turn, they stay around long enough to become knowledgeable, so that they will take informed and attentive care of their customers. As a result, those customers keep coming back, because they never get a single hint from the other side of the counter of rote, fast-food sullenness.

Eric Goerdt (right) and employee Steve Mann (left) decide on what orders they were going to be delivering Wednesday, March 18, 2020 in Duluth, Minn. as our regular dining area was converted to a space to organize delivery and carryout orders. The previous day, on orders from governor Tim Walz, all restaurants were ordered to cease dine-in services as part of efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Immediately, Northern Waters Smokehaus owner Eric Goerdt went to work on a new business model to reflect the new reality facing the business with the goal of continuing to employ every worker who would normally be working. Photo courtesy of Derek Montgomery Photography.

As we prepare for the busy summer season ahead, we know we are not past the challenges we've faced this past year. If we've learned anything, we know there will be more. But we know that we have a crew of people ready to find ways to make sure you can still experience The Smokehaus with the same enthusiasm and attention that you received when you used to be able to walk through our front doors and gaze into our deli cases full of products we are so proud of--- because behind all of us is a guy named Eric who humbly and enthusiastically gives us the best of himself everyday.

Cold Turkey Sandwich Kit

Introducing the third in our series of sandwich kits: The Cold Turkey!

The Cold Turkey is our second most popular sandwich, after the unstoppable Cajun Finn and just ahead of the Northern Bagel (both of which we also offer as kits!). It's not only a showcase for our maple-sage smoked turkey (obvy.), but our signature crayo spread. (We mix together walnuts, garlic, and dried cranberries with southern-style smooth and creamy Duke’s mayo.) Add on a couple slices of Swiss and a stack of fresh greens (held inside our Haus-baked ciabatta) and you have yourself a double handful of sweet and savory perfection.

Want to take something great even further? It is possible. Add your own "Jean Jacket." That's Sriracha and cilantro, if you're not already in the know. The added punch of spice and brightness will open up a whole new world of flavor possibilities.

The kit also comes with chocolate chip cookies from our friends at 3rd St. Bakery, assembly instructions and tips, a Smokehaus tote bag, and should leave you with a little leftover crayo to enjoy later. Available for two, and for four. Enjoy a taste of the Zenith City, wherever you are.

No Contact Pick-up Zone

It’s a Spring that we will always remember. This is our current new odd reality. We miss to share bad (and good) jokes with our customers. We also miss explaining the difference between wet and dry-cured pepperoni or what kippering is.

However, we are incredibly grateful for the amount of support, encouraging words, and positive feedback we have received from our customers in the last thirty-eight days.

Our love for food has not faded. We are committed to providing exceptional customer service. We will pivot and adjust to the challenges that arise. We will continue to ensure that our operations and policies are sustainable while maintaining the highest safety possible.

How to place a pick-up? 

You can place it online or you can call us. We recommend placing your order online for the fastest turnaround. 

How do I pay?

If you’re calling to place an order, we will take your payment over the phone. 

Can I tip? 

Yes! Over the phone. Everyone appreciates it. 

How do I know when my order is ready?

We will give you an estimate over the phone. When your order is ready it will be placed in our new no contact pick-up zone.

Where do I pick-up my order?

Our no contact pick-up zone is located on our deck facing the DeWitt-Seitz parking lot. You’ll see a large white tent. Your order will have your name written on the bag. 

Corned Bison with Roasted Beet Salad

Reheat Smokehaus Corned Bison:

1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F.

2. In deep roasting pan, place corned bison

3. Fill with water until the corned beef is submerged.

4. Cover and place the pan in the oven.

5. Check every 45 minutes to see if liquid needs replenishing and use a thermometer to temp the corned bison. 

6. Continue this process until internal temp reaches 165.

7. After the appropriate amount of time has passed, pull pan out and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

8. After cooling time has passed, pull corned beef out of pan to carve. Remember to always carve against the grain. Cut into 1/8th – 1/4 inch slices.

Roasting the Beets:

• 4 beets (either red or golden)

• 4 Tablespoons of olive oil 

• Salt and black pepper

• Heavy duty tinfoil.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Scrub beets under water and trim off any tops.

3. In a large bowl, toss all four beets with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

4. Individually wrap seasoned beet in tinfoil. 

5. Place all four wrapped beets directly on the oven rack.

6. Roast for 60 minutes. 

7. Unwrap beets and poke with a knife to check tenderness. If the knife does not cut with ease, place the beets back in the oven for another 10 minutes. 

8. Once knife tender, unwrap all four beets and let cool for 20-30 minutes. Next use a paper town to scrub off the skins of the beets.

9. Cut beets into wedges and set aside.
   

Salad

• 4 oz container of arugula

• 4 oz container of spinach.

• 2 T maple syrup (we prefer Simple Gifts maple syrup, harvested in Duluth by Dave Rogotzke.)

• 2 ounces of aged sheep’s milk cheese, shaved thin. We prefer Friesago from Shepherd’s Way Farm (sold in shop)

1. In a large bowl, combine arugula, spinach, roasted beets, and cheese. Toss and drizzle with maple syrup. 
   

Cult of the Instant Pot

Instant Pot is a cult! NEXIVM, Heaven’s Gate, heck, even the Branch Davidians had nothing compared to this updated take on a very old (chances are your grandparents and great grandparents swore by them) piece of cooking tech- the pressure cooker. However, this hype is warranted! Unlike the pressure cookers of yore, the Instant Pot has a few other really useful features built in, such as a sauté setting, timed and automated cooking features, and the ability to hold food to serve just to name a few. Since most of us work for a living, having a device that cooks food from scratch in a fraction of the normal time is really appealing, but what that doesn’t tell you is how beautifully the pot cooks things. Waaay better than a crock pot at cooking meat to fork-tender. Waaay better than a rice cooker at cooking toothsome, perfectly defined grains. Waaaay better at giving you collard greens that are soft and full of flavor, but not decimated. Pressure cooking really drives the flavor into your food (with pressure!) and may even make you prefer its outcome over that of, say, a slowly braised roast in the oven. To wit, here are some recipes that you could make with Northern Waters Smokehaus products in your own Instant Pot.

New England Boiled Dinner

Ingredients

• Half of a Northern Waters Smokehaus smoked Berkshire ham (3-4 lbs) or Corned Bison (3-4 lbs)

• 2 T butter or oil 

• 1 large rutabaga

• 3 large turnips (save the greens if they have them)

• 5 medium sized parsnips

• 4 mediums sized red potatoes

• 4 large carrots

• Half of a large head of green cabbage (or a small one)

• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled

• 1 small white onion, sliced

Preperation

1. Peel all the root vegetables except the potatoes. Cut the rutabaga into larger chunks (about two inches). Leave carrots, potatoes, turnips and parsnips whole. Slice cabbage up into 2 inch wedges (length does not matter). Be sure to save any turnip greens if attached to throw in with the cabbage at the end.

2. Crank up your Instant Pot’s sauté setting to high. Once preheated, add 2 Tablespoons of butter or oil and sear off the meat on all sides. 

3. Once the meat is seared, add the sliced onion, garlic, and about a cup of liquid to the pot (water, wine or beer are nice), close the lid and commence to pressure cooking on the high setting. You will want to adjust your cook time to meet the texture that you prefer: 20-30 minutes for a yielding-but-still-has-bite-to-it meat, 30-45 minutes for falling apart tenderness.  The cooking times are somewhat vague by design, as the musculature of the meat and a few other factors will contribute to how long it takes. The nice thing is that if you err on the side of less time, it is very easy to throw it back in for a little longer if It’s not soft enough.

4. Once you have the meat cooked to your liking, remove it from the pot and into a roasting pan in the oven at 170 degrees. Add all the vegetables to the pot except for the cabbage and potatoes. You may want to add a little more (up to a cup) of liquid to the pot if it seems scant. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and potatoes and pressure cook for 5 more minutes.

5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from the pot and nest around the meat in your roasting pan in the oven. Remove meat from roasting pan to a cutting board for slicing. Taste the cooking liquid and adjust for salt.  

Serving

To serve family style: On a large platter (or even in your roasting pan) place vegetables in a ring around the outside, place sliced meat in the middle, and douse with several ladles of the cooking liquid.

To plate individually: Same thing, but smaller.

Serve with horseradish sauce and stone ground mustard. Don’t forget to make hash with the leftovers!

Greens

Ingredients

• 3 bundles (about 3lbs) of collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, kale or any combination of these and sturdy leafy greens

• 2 tablespoons red miso

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

• 2 Tablespoons butter 

• 1 packet Goya Sazon Cilantro and Achiote  seasoning

• 1 Cup warm water

• 1 ham bone or small chunk of ham (optional)

• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Pick the greens- Before you start this step, set your Instant Pot to the high sauté setting. Remove the stems from the greens. You can do so by flipping the green over to its underside, folding the sides of the leaf to the center and pulling up on the thick part of the stem. Another method which is way slicker but harder to master is to make a small ‘o’ with your thumb and forefinger (think the OK signal) and pull the entire leaf through your ‘o-finger’ stem side first, thus ‘stripping’ the leaf from the stem. 

2. Combine miso, soy sauce and warm water

3. Add butter to the pot. Once melted and getting bubbly, add greens and sauté until they are all coated and wilting down. 

4. Throw it in the pot- Combine all the ingredients in your instant pot and set it to pressure cook on high for 30-40 minutes, depending on how well cooked you would like them. 30 minutes should yield a tender green, 40 minutes a very soft and falling apart green.

5. Season- This is the part of cooking greens that people often screw up. You absolutely should never salt your greens before they are done cooking. Once they are cooked to your liking, add salt until tasty.

Notes

It should be noted that this recipe has an easy vegan workaround- just sub oil for butter and omit the ham-bone. It’s also OK to experiment with some of the variables in this recipe- instead of water use wine or beer, use any kind of meat that you want instead of ham (bacon or chorizo spring to mind), and if you don’t have the Cilantro and Achiote seasoning or the miso or the soy sauce, just omit them and add more salt at the end. Greens taste good!

Cooking up the Beaut of a Porketta

Porketta [por'ketta]: A roasted MN Berkshire collar-butt is adorned with plenty of garlic, parsley, fennel and red pepper flakes to engulf your home with aromatics and water your mouth. Some people, like those from the great country of Italy (where the recipe originates) spell it porchetta.

We are still quite astonished with the amount of orders and new customers we have received since our appearance on the Holiday Bon Appétit issue and online "6 Stunning Mail Order Food Gifts That Won't Reveal You Can't Cook".  We are still blushing and beaming in glee. 

So it's still a little frozen (or a lot frozen)?

You can defrost your roast in your fridge with a sheet pan underneath it. This will take less than 48 hours so plan accordingly.

So you want to cook this beauty up?

Here are two ways in which you can achieve a soft roast or a crispy crust.

Crispy Crust

Heat Porketta in a 425F degree oven in a an uncovered baking dish, on a rack, until internal temperature reads 150F degrees. 
Let rest for approximately 10 mins before slicing.

Softer Roast

Heat Porketta in a 350F degree oven in a covered baking dish with 3/4 cup liquid, such as beer, stock, or water for 60-90 mins. Uncover and continue to roast until it reaches an internal temp of 165F degrees- approximately 15 min. 

Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, or chop the Porketta into the liquid and serve accordingly.