Pork Made Easy

Whether it’s a soul-warming roast, tender ribs, or a succulent chop, pork is always a delicious choice that’s sure to please any crowd.

Quick Tips

Freshness
• Purchase uncooked pork on or before the “sell by” date.
• Use or freeze within 3 to 5 days of purchase.

Marinating
• Always marinate in the refrigerator, never the sink or the countertop.
• Never re-use marinade.

Keeping Clean
• Always was your hands with hot, soapy water before handling food.
• Use a non-porous cutting board like plastic or glass.
• Wash any surfaces that touch raw pork before they touch cooked pork or other foods.

Freezing and Thawing
• You may freeze pork dishes like ribs or sweet and sour pork. Use within 3 months for best quality.
• Always thaw raw pork in the refrigerator.
• Defrosted pork kept in the refrigerator is safe to use for 3 to 5 days.

Leftovers
• Cooked pork is safe to eat, cold or reheated to 165 degrees F, within 3 to 4 days.
• Pork that has been partially cooked or thawed in the microwave should be cooked and used immediately.

Cooking Methods
Pork cooks quickly. To ensure that it’s at its tender, juicy best, avoid overcooking. The meat can be slightly pink when done; it needs only to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. The juices should run clear, not pink, when the pork is pierced with a fork. For extra flavor, marinate and season with non-fat, low-sodium herbs and spices instead of high-fat sauces and gravies.

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The following video, Chicago's Best Ribs, courtesy of You Tube.

BEEF 'N A LITTLE TRIVIA

Generally, the term “meat” refers to the flesh of mammals such as beef, pork, and lamb. But it also refers to poultry, fish, wild game, and even insects. For this section, our attention will be focused on mammals that are domestically raised for food purposes.

Many chefs include most of the non-muscle organs of these animals as meat also. Examples of such are kidneys, liver, tongue, heart, and brain. USDA has quality grades for beef, veal, lamb, yearling mutton, and mutton. It also has yield grades for beef, pork, and lamb. Although there are USDA quality grades for pork, these do not carry through to the retail level as do the grades for other kinds of meat.

Since many cuts of meat such as steaks, chops, and roasts are labeled with a USDA grade, you do not have to be a meat expert to identify the quality you want. Just look in the meat counter or case until you find the cut you want. Then, look for the USDA quality shield on the package to make sure you are getting the quality you want.

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Burgers International
Burgers come in many different tastes depending on the country you are in. Here are some exciting taste delights for you to discover and enjoy.

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A little trivia to entertain us while we indulge in our burgers:

There is some contention as to who invented the hamburger. In 1885, Charlie “Hamburger” Nagreen made claim to serving the first hamburger sandwich at the Outagamie County fair in Seymour, WI. The hamburger was described as a “flattened meatball” and “butter fried ground beef”.

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Argentina
Place a “boiled” burger on a piece of pumpernickel bread and top with an egg.

Germany
In a bowl mix the following: ground beef, wet bread, onions, mustard—and never forget an egg.

Switzerland
The Swiss enjoy their burgers the good old American way, except they add a bit of class by eating them with a knife and fork.

Korea
Spice it up with kimchi, which is a mix of pickled cabbage and some very hot peppers, and you have a Korean burger.

Sweden
Called a pannbiff, the Swedes mix their ground beef in a brown sauce with fried onions and a special ingredient, Lingonberry preserves. Mmmmm, Good!

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Ever have your meat turn grey while cooking? To eliminate the problem just cook a smaller amount in the same size pan.

Seems overcrowding causes excess steam and that is the culprit. Want to save money when buying meats? Check the cost per pound and you may find that some boneless cuts cost less per serving.

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ALERT: some turkey bacon may contain as much fat as regular bacon! Read the labels.

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...And finally a little hamburger humor (very little):

Q: How do you make a meat loaf?
A: Send it on a vacation!

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The following video, Vintage Welch`s grape juice TV commercial, courtesy of You Tube.