Ryan, you need to try this recipe that we call wilted endive. Boil a few eggs, peel and cut in half. Fry 6 strips of bacon, cut into 1" pcs., set aside bacon and bacon grease still in the pan. In a mason jar, combine 1/2 cup vinager, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, salt and pepper and shake well. With bacon and grease on medium heat, pour mixture in the grease and continuously stir until it comes to a boil and thickens. Pour over endive or leafy lettuce, add eggs and enjoy. This is a four generation recipe from my late mom, grandmother and great grandmother. my son is now in charge of making this for our family holidays. Soo good!
LOL at all the people in the comments not understanding the basics of Appalachian food. Y'all need to visit us more often and you'll fall in love with our food. It's not all pork fat, so don't worry. And no, Ryan didn't get everything right but at least he tried and did an okay job, so 10/10 for that. Protip to outsiders: If you're gonna cut corners by using Bisquick, you'll want to use buttermilk instead of regular milk. Or just use White Lilly self-rising flour and buttermilk - the only two ingredients you need for dumplings or biscuits. Maybe some added butter added to each if you aren't trying to be healthy.
Yes indeed, buttermilk and White Lilly flour. Growing up I watched White Lilly flour being made in Knoxville, TN home of White Lilly. That is our family favorite.
I'm from Knoxville, too. Bless his heart, he did his best, but White Lily and buttermilk would have saved it. I do understand not having the space to roll out dumplins and boiling a whole chicken though
From Kentucky here. Next time for your dumplings, add about 2 tablespoons of butter and toss a slice of bacon into that broth, you'll get that nice creamy salty broth that just seeps into those dumplings for that nice little kick. Add some paprika if you want a bit of smokey heat to 'em too. Other than that, you did good!
Love watching u cook. I have lived in GA all my life 53 years. I had never heard of wilted lettuce before until I started watching Facebook cooks. I want to try it. I love chicken and dumplings and I also use bisquick but I season them with S&P garlic and onion powder and Badia seasoning I prefer my dumplings seasoned and I always add green English peas to my chicken and dumplings. I love cooking but I am disabled with a paralyzed hand and arm so it is not easy for me to cook I am homebound due to disability. I would love to do van life but I am on oxygen due to several brain surgery so I live vicariously through your videos. You are an amazing chef and person. Thanks for your entertainment Please stay safe my friend
Ryan, Wilted lettuce and chicken and dumplings is a Missouri Ozarks meal too. My grandmother made both while I was growing up. I always enjoy your videos. Safe travels.
So cool you went to WV! I was born in WV. It's secretly the best place to live. Iv rock climbed and repelled right below that bridge! And white water rafting down the new river, SO MUCH FUN! Honestly I thought you'd be eating pepperoni rolls sense they were invented in WV. ✌️👍 ⬇️
My favorite video yet! I’m originally from West Virginia (in Florida now!) and no one gives it the attention it deserves. It’s beautiful and way more natural than most states. Wilted lettuce is one of my favorite dishes!❤️❤️oh, and real wilted lettuce also has vinegar and sugar (green onions too, if you like them!) make it again and see how awesome it is!
Thought that place looked familiar. Every year, New River Gorge has an event called Bridge Day where BASE jumpers from around the world come to jump off of it!
By far the best video yet I’ve been watching you now for about 4 months and to see you go to Fayetteville where my mom lives felt amazing, i have driven that little road down to the little bridge lots of times and each drive was amazing I miss the years spent in West Virginia keep up the great work on your videos Ryan! You passed so many places It felt like I was home.
Ryan, love your videos man and all the content you've been putting out. I do wish though sometimes in these videos that we could see more of the different areas you're in. A lot of this was food focused and I would've loved to have seen more of the New River Gorge area and some of the other places you went to that are nearby.
gotta add vinegar, shallots/onions, etc to the bacon fat to make a vinaigrette. try looking up warm bacon vinaigrette to make a salad next time, its very good dont miss out
Awesome to see you're on the East Coast! If you have time I highly recommend coming by on the finger lakes region of NY during peak foliage (oct.13) let me know if you do! Also if you are in the area try the "garbage plates" in Rochester NY I'd love to see your take on it!
Love your videos Ryan keep up amazing work so proud of you keep up these banger videos coming we always support no matter what brother happy Monday have blessed Monday brother ❤
I'm in a major east coast city and I've been DYING to go out camping this year, but sadly haven't had an opportunity. I'll be living vicariously through you a little bit! All the best!
Yessssssss you are in my hometown. Fayette County, WV. There's a reason it's called Almost Heaven. There's no place like my place of birth. And our best feature is that bridge 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Hey Ryan, you make really good videos. The cooking segments are excellent too. AND!! I love your new apron. I have a bad habit of doing the same thing, wiping my hands on the pants! It would be a cute idea, as you mentioned, to make and sell those! LOL! Been following you for a few months now, and I'll keep coming along as long as you keep turning out the shows! Good luck - stay safe and healthy.
Ryan, you should definitely try out Green Ridge State Park in the western Maryland Appalachians. I would also recommend trying out many more of the parks in the northern Appalachians of the new england states above the mason-dixon (Pennsylvania included), even the southern Appalachians.
The New River Gorge is one of the most beautiful places there is. I camped the whole Blue Ridge Parkway once. It was beautiful! You might really enjoy it. I was born in West Virginia. My mom made that wilted salad. Yum!
I’m making marinated salmon it’s a butter Lemmon herb in a cast iron and steaming some artichokes with a side of garlic and herb butter sauce and white rice
Wow you got across the country quick. That looks like a really neat area in that bridge is insane. Thanks for the inspiration I moved to Arizona and had old pots and pans and I got the same stuff you do and the plastic cutting board it's all awesome I don't think I'm going to get the apron though I'll just continue to wipe my hands on my shorts lol. Thanks fir the vids bro
Bravo! I love the Better Than Boullion…I don’t use broth or boullion anymore. Also, I agree with adding vinegar to your bacon grease to make a vinegrette. Sometimes I add a little dijon mustard too. For variety, I sometimes make it with arugala instead of lettuce, shallots instead of green onion, and diced pancetta instead of bacon. Sometimes, I’ll add a boiled egg or two, especially if the salad is all I am making. The videos just keep getting better! Enjoy the wedding and time with the girlfriend.
I’ve killed a few dishes in my life but I’ve never killed a salad. Also I went shopping for a few necessities today which included Coors Light. Loved your video, as always.
I've brought trains through there while on a transfer with csx. They also have bridge day there they let people base jump from the bridge into the river.
Wilted lettuce salad - only differences to your recipe is to add ground pepper to lettuce/ green onions, and after removing bacon from pan, add 1/4 cup each white vinegar and water. Heat liquid then pour over lettuce. Delicious!!
Great video! My only .02 (Missouri expat here) is use melted butter instead of cooking oil in your biscuits, and add fresh ground pepper to the batter.
Something that my mother in law does to kick the kilt lettuce up a notch is adding vinegar to it as part of your dressing. So essentially everything you did just add some vinegar, makes all the difference!
I moved to and left and moved back to Appalachia for the same reasons you mentioned. The people are Ginuwine, and the beauty is breathtaking. I’m in VA. ❤
Ryan, on your way back if you pass through west virginia again, black water falls and spruce knob (the highest point in west virginia) is a must visit!! absolutely beautiful scenery and easy drives. you will not regret it!
My family farm is in Virginia on the New River. The railroad tracks that border the river have been torn down and is now part of the New River Trail. You should check it out. There is a bridge over the river on our property that looks just like the one in your video. People come from all over the US to hike or ride horses on the New River Trail.
My wife, son, and I just missed you while we were in West Virginia! Wish we could have seen you at New River Gorge 😂 Keep up the great content and safe travels!
Hey, swing up to Pittsburgh PA Spend a night at Raccoon State Park ! It is beautiful. Nice camp ground. And there is some history around here to check out.
I’ve followed you around North America, and even played Modern Warfare with you, but I never thought I’d see you film the best restaurant on earth, Tudor’s Biscuit World. Welcome to Appalachia! Go get a Herd biscuit.
LOL. I wonder if there are trains. That's a fairly busy CSX line. Depending on which side of the river you were on, it may also carry the Amtrak Cardinal from Chicago to NYC. Next time through, you should stop at the National Park on that line at Thurmond WV. Very interesting history.
I think the Amtrak station is on the line on the other side of the New River. I have read something about a tourist train through the New River Gorge from Huntington to Hinton, maybe it uses one of those lines.
I’m in the try state Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, area and your apron is great, ham and dumplings is my favorite that my late wife fixed for me a lot my grand pa called them ham and hounds ears. The view from your door is amazing. Also I noticed that you were watching Suites a great show just a shame it didn’t go on a little longer I binged watched it in about a month. I Enjoy all your videos, can’t wait to see the next one you build.
Ryan I’ve been around this rock a time or 50 and I can honestly say I have NEVER seen a salad dressed with bacon grease. Thank you for reminding me there are SO MANY “other “ ways of cooking . I mean. Salad dressing in itself is basically oil based so I guess it makes perfect sense. The best tasting oil is bacon grease. LOL !!!
add vinegar and a pinch of sugar to your salad before you add the bacon grease. At least that is how my mom and grandma makes it. Looks like your dumplings turned out good. These are two of my favorite dishes to make. My mom always made that salad with greens from her garden. so yummy. I have made it with spinach as well. Trick for the dumplings to always come out fluffy is to make sure the liquid is bubbling when adding them. so put them in slow to keep it boiling. Love your video's. Suzi
If you ever make it to NEPA go to a town called Nicholson, they have the largest man made bridge in the world. It's a train bridge, but its really cool.
Welcome to my neck of the woods. I’m just north of you over the Pennsylvania line. Come north there’s lots to see in western Pennsylvania he will definitely enjoy the area.
I always roll and cut my dumplings in missouri! My great grandma Frannie called what you made Ruffels(I think trchincally they're called drop dumplings?) To make rolled and dumplings I think you'll need a tougher/drier dough then that. I always found ruffles to be nore chewy and rolled dumplings to be more noodle-like. But both are awesome. Bone in chicken makes a huge difference you'll have to do that next time!
Hi Ryan. Love your videos. Me and my wife are thinking of doing this once our daughter graduates and goes out on her own. It has been inspiring. We want to travel, and go more off grid, have less financial burden. I was curious if you have a video of your monthly finances of this lifestyle on average? Would love to hear.
Should have made a vinaigrette with the bacon grease. Man that would be bomb. Also I havent had chicken and dumpling soup in ages. My mom used to make it all the time and it was so good.
To chop veggies...keep the tip of the knife down, don't lift it off the board...just use the middle and heel of the blade to chop. Then it goes more quickly, almost like paper cutter fashion. :)
Hey, you're in my home state! Don't forget to grab a pepperoni roll while you're here. Also, if you're in southern West Virginia near White Sulphur Springs, check out the Greenbrier and take the bunker tour. You won't regret it.
Ryan you forgot to add apple cider vinegar to the bacon grease before you pour it over the lettuce cuz it cuts the fatty taste of the oil (sort of like a vinaigrette) I’m an avid wilted lettuce fan and can eat it for breakfast,lunch and dinner… The AC vinegar makes all the difference in the flavor of your salad !!! Give it a try, you’ll like it even more 😉
