Urban Grub's Cure
Charcuterie (shahr-KOO-tuhr-ee)--the French culinary art of curing meats.
If you’re looking for Chef Edgar Pendley of Urban Grub, chances are you’ll find him in the “finishing room.” This is where the house-cured and smoked meats are hung for their last few days. The room is filled with sausages, hams and salamis ready for serving and the selection is dizzying: Waygu Coppa (made from the finest Waygu beef) is cured with sea salt and pepper, then washed in a Cabernet wine twice, Pepperoni is not that which comes on your pizza, but is combined with red pepper, smoked garlic and fennel. Pendley has been making Urban Grub’s charcuterie for over a year.
He is particularly dedicated—judging by his bovine tattoos—as it occupies him for roughly 4 hours a day. The restaurant used to buy hams from The Hammery, a small outfit in Murfreesboro that makes excellent hams, “Bob’s hams are great and they're our go-to if we run out,” said Edley. “But I figured why not make it ourselves.”
And they make a lot. They go through 3 hams a day, alone, in the restaurant. Their charcuterie plate is a mix and match situation similar to mixing and matching sushi. When pressed for his favorite combo, Pedley smiled and said, "Nah, can’t say, it’s personal preference."
Urban Grub
Healthy and casual, Urban Grub covers all the bases from fresh fish and seafood to smoked and grilled meats to Cantina...
