pork....

[shroomgirl]

Interesting developments.....I've got several parties where the only meat is pork. These are nice parties.....not BBQ's. I've seen it happen more and more. What are you finding in your area?

The pork is a mixed heirloom variety....duroq, berkshire, tammworth...two more I've forgotten.....but marbled and 1 1/2 + inches of fat between the skin and the meat. Gorgeous.

[buonaboy]

I've noticed over the past few years there's a kind-of pork revival going on, not that it was ever really gone. Five or so years ago it was a tough sell if I ran a dinner special like fennel encrusted roast pork belly, people were like "isn't that mostly fat?! eww". Now (mabey thanks to food network) it's no problem, the more pork fat the better. I butcher a birkshire every month or so. I love them, they make lovely panchetta, flavorful chops and lions...and lets not forget the headcheese. I just got a wild boar in from Nicky USA and am planning a wild boar tasting dinner for the end of the month. VIVA LE SWINE.

[wizcat3]

I have been serving pork belly since I started serving Dinners at my restaurant (Oct 23 06.) I tasted this wonderful pork in NYC and fell in love with it. Said: " I may not sell any but it will not come off my menu even if I have eat it all myself" Well it took a long time for anyone to try here in Vermont. It took me to leave the kitchen and talk to patrons. AND I adressed the selections on the menu. Not overselling mind you. Just suttle. Instrestlly enough! The more I get into the dinning rm the more "I" sell the more interesting (at least to me) items that are on the menu. Anyway, I have used the berkshire and tammworth pigs. I braize them and make the belly the star on the plate. Anyone who orders it loves the dish and suprised that its not TOO fatty. I do tell my customers that it IS a llittle fatty-and it is a tastefull thing. They like it. So, now I am selling alot of Pork Belly UM!!

[AndyG]

My take on it, if we don't think of meat as something to eat 3 pounds a day of, may as well have what tastes best. I think that's a great idea. If we're going to have meat, have the best whether it's pork or turkey breast or buffalo or whatever. Don't starve your taste buds

[BombayBen]

hey buonaboy - I know its just a typing error but your Pork 'lions' cheered me up on a really miserable day - thanks!!

[InABox]

Once at school we made a wild boar pate. It was perty good. Had a nice texture. At the resturant we normaly have a pork special weather it be boneless chops or tenderloin. My fav is the curried pork tenderloin with a carmalized apple and toseted almond yogurt. Rosted popatos and mixed veg.

[bigchefherbs]

Pork tenderloin obviously in not fatty but there are some breeds that might be raised a certain way and therefore fatty. Look at kobe beef tho....when people go out to eat they want something that taste good. At least the large portion do. Myself, I go for taste. I may eat less but I deprive myself nothing.

Can someone post that pork belly recipe? Is that was you call it on the menu?

[castironchef]

I'm doing a 5 course meal for the local Boy Scout District Dinner (for adult volunteers) next month and I'll be featuring pork for the main course. I didn't realize that I'd tapped into a trend.

Good to know. (I am a bit curious as to how many "I can't eat that" whines I'll hear before the meal. I'll have both vegetarian and non-pork meat substitutes in the wings.)

[bluezebra]

shroomgirl I don't find this very surprising given its price/lb. As prices for other meats go up, inventive and creative chefs & cooks look toward the lesser recognized (read, more cost attractive meats/cuts). I'm just surprised it's taken this long to spring back from it's bad rap given by the fatophobes...

As an example, just look at the popularity of beef shortribs! It seems every bistro or "upscale restaurant wannabe" has a dish of beef shortribs. ****, too. Their price/lb has gone crazy. They were one of my favorite cheap cuts right up there with pork neckbones before it all went "so very wrong"...

[usingtheforce]

We menu a pork rib roast, and baby-back ribs, as well as features such as pork tenderloin, stuffed pork loins roulades, pork "steamship"(fresh ham), braised shoulder chops, and pretty much anything else I can get my hands on. Pork specials always sell well where I am in Maryland. We also do wild boar once in awhile; sausages, chops, rib roasts..... Good pork is seeming to be coming back, especially with the new pH information.

[shroomgirl]

broke down a whole 260# pig yesterday....I'm getting faster....shoulders and ham are in the oven going on 16 hours, 225-250*.
Loin is in fridge.....ribs are in belly

[shroomgirl]

I'll not leave the skin/fat on meat in the oven that long again....8-10 hours max next time.

[thetincook]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

I'll not leave the skin/fat on meat in the oven that long again....8-10 hours max next time.

What happened with it?

[shroomgirl]

all non skin covered surface was hard/black...had to be discarded. All of the fat had leached out and there was a few inches of fat....should have saved it for frying chicken but just did not have space in the fridge for one more extra. The meat was not dry....I just hated having to throw out what stuck to the bottom of the pan and the open edge meat. It did not need to cook that long. Lesson learned. Pig was still good....there was a solid 2" of fat lining the back between the skin and flesh. Good Pig. Really good with homemade BBQ sauce, caramelized onions and hamburger (read sweet) rolls.

[shroomgirl]

Getting in a half this Wed to make pate for the annual STL chef's wine country BBQ...aka James Beard picnic. lavosh, pate and I told them grape chutney. Pull out my handy dandy 1000 watt sausage grinder and have at it.