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| Photography: Heinrich Klaffs
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In the winter of 1949, King played at a juke joint in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a common practice at the time. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending blazing fuel across the floor. The hall burst into flames, forcing people from the building. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside. Ignoring the danger, B.B. entered the burning building to retrieve his Gibson hollow electric guitar. The next day, King learned that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid as run into a burning building for a replaceable guitar.
King is known for touring the entire "Chitlin' Circuit", and 1956 became a record-breaking year, with 342 concerts booked.
It’s said that at one time, Mr. King's favorite dish was smothered pork chops with collard greens.
Ingredients
Pork Chops
4 shoulder pork chops cut 1 1/2 inches thick
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp GF Flour (for vegetables)
2 Tbsp reserved hock fat
2 Tbsp reserved hock fat
1 green pepper seeded 1/4-inch sliced
2 medium onions
2 medium onions
1/4-inch sliced
3 c. hock stock, hot
Collard Greens:
1/2 gallon ham hock stock
5 large bunches of collard greens chopped into 4-inch pieces
1 large onion peeled
1 large onion peeled
1 jalapeno pepper, split in half lengthwise
Malt vinegar to taste
Malt vinegar to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Hock Stock
10 lb smoked ham hocks
10 pounds fresh ham hocks
Preparation
Chops
Preheat Oven 350°F.
Season chops with salt and pepper then dust with flour.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low flame. Add reserved pork fat and brown the chops well. (around 4 minutes per side). Remove chops from pan and set aside. If the pan is dry, add another tablespoon of fat.
Add onions and peppers. Increase the heat to medium high in order to brown the vegetables well.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the flame and stir in the hot hock stock until thickened and smooth.
Bury the pork chops in the gravy.
Cover skillet and place in preheated oven. Cook 2 hours, or until pork is very tender.
Collard Greens
Place hock stock in a large sauce pot over a medium high heat. Bring hock stock to a rapid simmer.
Collard Greens
Place hock stock in a large sauce pot over a medium high heat. Bring hock stock to a rapid simmer.
Pack collards into the stock with the onion and jalapeno.
Simmer 2 hours.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and malt vinegar.
Hock Stock
Place ham hocks in a stock pot large enough to hold the hocks, leaving 6 inches of free space at the top of the pot.
Hock Stock
Place ham hocks in a stock pot large enough to hold the hocks, leaving 6 inches of free space at the top of the pot.
Pour enough cold water over the hocks to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a rapid simmer over a medium high heat. A thick foam will build on the top of the stock. Carefully remove all of the foam.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 6 hours. Constantly skim the clear fat that builds at the top of the stock. Reserve the fat for cooking.
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