Spring in Bozeman

Fun times in the sunshine

The winter of 2026 is coming to a close. It’s been a long one that isn’t really all that cold or snowy. Such an odd winter all in all, just not sure if this is the beginning of the crazy warm weather we all should expect for the future, or if it is a fluke of a wild weird winter. All in all, quite an interesting way to get into the new year.

America has made quite a few… intriguing choices about the future of our citizens and economy. To say the least. Here in Bozeman, the constant issue of housing and work seems to be prevalent still. There is a constant background noise of workers asking, “So how am I supposed to pay rent on this pay, at just this one job?” It is a question that seems to be happening more and more everywhere in the nation. It is a very real question for all of the line cooks, dishwashers, servers, and bussers working in restaurants here in the Bozone.

Now, more than ever, there is a profound responsibility to recognize the inherent value within every ingredient. To honor them all fully, to waste nothing, and to draw out its greatest potential. In choosing to walk the aisles of local markets and invest in independent purveyors, we do more than simply purchase food; we participate in the quiet strengthening of our own communities, allowing resources to circulate and take root where we live. Through the deliberate cultivation of relationships with farmers, ranchers, and artisans, we establish a network of trust and reciprocity. One that sustains not only those who produce, but also those who cook, teach, and gather around the table. In this way, food becomes more than sustenance; it becomes a living system of connection, resilience, and shared prosperity.

In that mindset, here are the super tasty dishes I have done lately. It was during the one week where the land decided it was winter again. Since I was working at the farmer’s market on the saturday morning, I was able to pick up quite a bit of the supplies I needed. Following through to Town and Country, a local store, I picked up some beans made by Timeless, a company here in Montana that produces good legumes.

Taking the drippings from the searing of the pork shoulder from Shield’s Valley Ranchers, some onions, garlic, parsley, new mexico chilies, and homemade chicken stock, I brought it all up to a boil in a cast iron pan. Adding in some honey from Little Stingers, some marjoram and thyme from Gallatin Valley Botanicals, and some black pepper and aleppo pepper from Fisher Spice, this dish smells absolutely amazing going into the oven. After 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to make sure nothing was sticking to the bottom, the dish was amazing. A nice smooth consistency with a great depth of flavor.

This dish turned out so good. The savory sweet combination was so good. This with some tortilla chips and a touch of cheddar was so damn good on a snowy day. Combine this with some damn good roast pork shoulder, and it just goes up another notch of greatness. Around Bozeman, the community is blessed with some really good pork producers. There are lots of spots to get them as well, which helps out a lot when looking for some good fatty pieces of shoulder to roast up and pair with this dish.

This shoulder was hit up with mustard, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, coriander, honey, and some grapeseed oil. Roasted at 400 F for thirty minutes, flipped at the fifteen minute mark, over a bed of onions, garlic, and Nice Fella Pilsner from Mountains Walking Brewery… this pork shoulder came out tasting amazing. Total cooking time for the shoulder was just over three hours, as the bone in the interior of the shoulder lengthens the time. Man, I cannot stress enough just how much of a flavor and textural difference the bone and it’s marrow gives to the flesh and fat of the shoulder. I made this one, and another smaller guy to try out a shorter cooking time. The smaller guy was a boneless picnic ham and the flavor was good, just not great like the bone in shoulder.
So… all in all, try to get out there, grab some good pork from a local purveyor and try out some good dishes of a high end pork and beans. Here in the Bozone, we have Daniel’s Meats over on Oak street, Black Dog Farms on Saturday’s at the farmer’s market, or you can call ahead to Grotto Meats and we can set ya up with a damn good piece of meat (shameless self promotion there). It is important to get out there and find who is producing good ingredients around you, and utilize what you can get with the right seasons. The right ingredients utilized in the right timelines gives you another extra step of good flavor and texture for any dish. There are so many breweries here that can give you good ingredients to work with no matter what season you are in. Try out Mountains Walking, MAP, Bridger Brewing, or any of the many other producers of fine beer and drinks in the Gallatin County area.

Have fun getting out there and exploring the culinary scene. Remember to sit down once in a while and enjoy the scenery around you. Never can tell when the muse of creation comes about a moment of contentment after having damn good pretzels with beer cheese sauce.