Stick a Pork in it š“ š
Talking Pork, Plus the October Review
Iām really not into food trends (surprise, surprise š)
My contrarian nature for food trends is because something good or tasty is then adopted by every restaurant, dining room, blogger or chefā¦ only then to be bastardized into oblivion; resulting in a plate thatās no longer even a remnant of the original.
Itās no secret some of my least-favorite food trends are
Avocado Toast
Putting an Egg on everything
Micro-greens for āfancy colorā
Gourmet Burgers
Deconstructed dishes
Not to mention the grotesque TikTok abominations like āFlaming Cheeto Mac ān Cheeseā, Nacho tables, Pancake cereal, Donut cerealā¦ Iāll stop there.
No wonder the Western palate has been dulled beyond belief š©
Now itās become fashionable and trendy to avoid porkā¦
Yeahā¦ one of the most usable and useful animals to mankind is now ānot coolā and should be avoided.
What would a pork-less eating world look like?
It would suck.
*Obviously if you avoid pork for religious reasons Iām not referring to that.
Pigs are the ultimate nose-to-tail animal.
The quality of pork goes to how the pigs are raised. Pigs have very few sweat glands and in order to cool themselves in heat they will cover themselves in mud.
The people who are bellyaching about pigs eating feces etc are overblowing a huge point. Yes, pigs are scavengersā¦ if they are raised in a clean environment and fed regularly this isnāt an issue.
Go look at the footage of Iberico pigs in Spain roaming the hills and fields, feasting on acorns and hazelnuts. These are not disgusting animals. They are amazing creatures that provide us with amazing opportunities for good eating.
Yet, many people are still hung up on 60 year old data about trichinosis and other parasite issues that are basically non-existent these days. Youāre more likely to get e. coli from tainted lettuce than a pork related parasite issue.
I spent many years working with pig farmers raising absolutely stunning quality pigs. Heritage breeds like Ossabaw, Duroc, Berkshire, Mangalitsa all with their own unique qualities.
Many cooks who worked with me learned great butchery skills because whole pigs would be delivered and broken down right in my kitchen.
Every part of the pig is usable and can be made delicious.
Aside from chops, shoulder, belly and hamsā¦
Pork liver mousse
Braised and stuffed trotters
Pigs head pastramiā¦ or head cheese (made from the entire head)
Bones for broth
Skin for chicharron
Bladder and intestines for sausage and charcuterie casings
Deviled kidneys
Blood for morcilla sausage or black pudding
Ears and tails, poached then fried crispy
All trim ground and seasoned; made into sausages or fermented and dried for salami
Think, if we didnāt cook with pigsā¦ charcuterie as we know it wouldnāt exist.
A whole segment of Italian š®š¹ cuisine would be extinct:
Pancetta
Guanciale
Prosciutto
Salami
Pepperoni
Soppressata
Mortadella š¤¤ š¤¤
+ the >50 other kinds of fermented and aged pork salamiāsā¦ gone, not to be enjoyed.
China šØš³ , Thailand š¹š , Philippines šµš , Vietnam š»š³ and other Asian countries use pork as a main protein in many regions. (Like the insanely delicious Moo Ping recipe I already dropped)
In France š«š· , pork is given a respect bordering on religious. PĆ¢tĆ©s, terrines, rillettes and those stuffed trotters are all delicacies that have stood the test of time.
Spain? šŖšø They even butcher the pig differently to get specific muscle cuts that are prized in Spanish cuisine. Add in aged Jamonā¦ morcilla, sausages, chorizoā¦ pork is a crucial part of the culture.
In the USA šŗšø , Pork & BBQā¦ whole hog, smoked racks of ribs, pulled pork shoulders, hot links, bacon, fried bologna and donāt forget pickled pork which is mandatory for legit Red Beans & Riceā¦ all integral to many parts of the country.
Iāll stop there but didnāt even touch on Germany, the UKā¦ and many other countries.
So the trend of avoiding pork, one of the culinary worldās greatest ingredients?
Iām sticking a fork in that today š¤š¤š¤
Keep an eye out, this weekend Iām dropping one of my favorite pork recipes that will make you look like a kitchen pro at home. Itās gonna be tasty on steroids.
October Review
Packed with flavor this was a month filled with kitchen alfa.
Top 10 Seasonings
I gave my top 10 store bought/premade seasonings to give you easy options when cooking in a rush. Especially love the salad dressing seasoning that makes probably the tastiest dressing that isnāt 100% homemade.
Smarterā¦ not harder. š
Curry Magic
We took it up a big notch with a step-by-step into making the classic Lamb Rogan Josh.
I got multiple dmās from Subs who reported people demanding 3rd servings š . This is a must-have flavor bomb for your recipe toolbox and I walk you through the layering of flavors to perfection.
Tired of Boring Rice
This Persian herbed rice with crispy bottom ācrustā is a mind blower. This was the first video embed that Iāve dropped to walk through, visually, how to get the perfect crust that so many people mess up.
Sabzi Pollo with Tahdigā¦ š
Updating a Classic: Chicken Piccata
Iām going to be looking forward to doing more āClassics Updatedāā¦ eating this diners were left speechless except a few āoohāsā and āahhāsā. A reminder of why classics areā¦ classics. When done right š
Mango š„ Coconut Sticky Rice š„„ š
Took this Thai š¹š staple and made it perfect for home cooking. Not too sweet, letting the mango and coconut shineā¦ and that unctuous sticky rice.
Simple and deliciousā¦ make sure you got good mangoes.
Stay Tuned for Crispy Pork Belly that will make your taste buds melt into culinary delight submission. š
Until Next Time š¤