[sea] Local, flavorful pork?

[ScorchedPalate]

Anyone have a line on local producers who are raising pork that actually has taste?

Cam and I had two dinners of the most amazing pork while we were in London: One a shoulder from a heritage-breed butcher at the Borough Market, which we turned into chile verde, and the other a slab of braised Middlewhite leg (with crackling attached) at St John on our last night.

Having had the scales lifted from my eyes, I don't think I can eat insipid supermarket pork anymore.

~Anita

[laurel]

Whistling train farm sells pork. I've never tried it, but their eggs and vegetables are great, so the pork might be worth a try.

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M480

I think the info in the web site might be out of date, because I don't think they do Pike Place Market anymore (They are at U-District and West Seattle farmers' markets).

[mamster]

I think Whistling Train is the one I've bought pork from at the University Farmer's Market. I bought a pack of thick-cut rib chops and they were quite tasty. I wouldn't say they were a whole different category from supermarket pork, though. Maybe my expectations were too high.

[tighe]

Sounds like this producer's meat would be worth trying and is available in a number of retail outlets in the area:

Sara Joe's Pork Products

[ScorchedPalate]

Cool, thanks all for the tips.

We're out of town this weekend, so no farmers' market for us until 7/24. But maybe we can work in a Madison Market run (for Sara Joe's) before we leave.

~A

[MsRamsey]

Sounds like this producer's meat would be worth trying and is available in a number of retail outlets in the area:

Sara Joe's Pork Products

Cool. Those were the people I was trying to think of. I've had the Sara Joe's pork belly at The Georgian (back when they participated in 25/$25 ), and I've seen Sara Joe's sausages in the past at Madison Market--haven't looked recently, though.

Edit: According to the website, their product is served at "Earthen Ocean."

Edited July 14, 2004 by MsRamsey (log)

[tighe]

With all this talk of pork, I had to swing by Madison Market on the way home and get some of Sara Joe's meat. Two chops, about $7/lb, expensive for pork, but still reasonable.

I also made a stop at the Columbia City Farmer's Market for veggies, and noticed that a farm from Skagit County was there selling organic meats, including pork.

In any case, although I wouldn't say the Sara Joe's chops were necessarily a pork epiphany, they are markedly better than standard supermarket chops. There is more flavor and the flavor is cleaner somehow. I only wish that I'd cooked them a little less, next time....

[DRColby]

Pork, being as tasteless as today's chicken, benefits greated wirh a short brining.

dave

[ScorchedPalate]

Despite the possibilities of introducing flavors this way, I'm not a fan of the textural changes that brining (even briefly) causes. I realize that this is heresy in the Good Eats / Cook's Illustrated axis-of-foodism, but there you have it. I guess I am out of the closet as a philistine now...

I prefer starting with a fresh, flavorful cut of meat, or cooking via a moist method.

[mklynch]

If you find yourself down in Portland, give a call to Viande Meats and Sausages and ask if they have Laughingstock Farm pork. Then go buy a cooler or do whatever you have to to get it home. It's raised on hazelnuts and goat's milk whey and is like none other. Viande gets it in every so often and turns parts of it into hams, sausages, pancetta, smoked hocks, etc. and sells the uncured meat as well. YUM!

[Drae]

I had to respond to this post. I am an ex-Seattlite who has actually moved to Idaho and married a Hog farmer. If you want tasty pork there are a few questions you need to ask the producer. First of all - the hogs must be grain fed. It is extremely important for the tenderness of the pork. Secondly, No growth enhancers - this is one of the main causes to the tasteless pork you get in the supermarkets. Thirdly, Happy hogs are tasty hogs - Although we raise our hogs for food - we make sure that they are happy and living in good surrounding while they grow. They have room to freely move about, get plenty of fresh air and great feed.

We have many clients who will purchase a hog from us, have it processed to their specifications and have enough pork for a year. Of course you need to have a freezer in order to do this and locate a hog farmer in your area. (there used to be one down by South Center mall in Seattle)

Hope this helps and keep eating the other white meat -

dr

[tighe]

I grilled some pork chops I got a Larry's tonight that were really good. The brand was Hall's Meat Company Natural Pork. I have to say it was better than Sara Joe's and much cheaper.

[wesza]

I have experimented with the majority of so called brand name pork suppliers. I enjoy Pork in all it's guises. If your interested in getting better tasting pork at reasonable prices then I feel the best way to shop for pork is by shopping at Ethnic Asian Markets that operate by butchering the whole pork carcass.

They generally buy younger, smaller pork, because it the type customers prefer.

There are few offals that taste better if prepared correctly then Pork Kidney, Livers and Tongues from fresh killed pigs.

The Loins, Sirloin, Ribs, Butt, Ham and Legs are generally leaner, with a nice light pink color that remain juicy, have taste and character rarely found in Boxed Pork that's packed in Cryovaced Packages generally from factory provisioner's from the Mid-west.

If I'm buying Pork Loins for a special occasion I often will buy them 10/12 days before I intend to prepare them, having them tagged and allowed to hang on a meat hook in the stores Walk in Cooler [generally 33/34 degrees] to age all permit the enzymes to naturally tenderize the pork and enhance the flavor.

Pork doesn't require the amount of aging that beef does, but it well worth the time and small lost from trimming the hung loins. When I pick them up I have the Butcher remove the Chine Bones. I prefer to remove the back ribs and dress the rest of the loin myself, but if you wish the butcher will dress the loin to your specifications.

The Pork Chops, Roasts or Ribs will taste better then anything else available. I don't care for brining, since I feel that the salt effects the taste and sucks out the moisture from the finished meats drawing them to the surface. Pork is a lean meat, and the moisture is better retained in the meat itself.

Even more important the actual cost is often only about 1/2 the price being charged by most supermarkets for the Tender, or Flavor enhanced Pork being sold by many chain stores that had 12/15% Fluid added, that your paying a ridiculous premium price for salted, chemically enhanced water, courtesy of your "USDA".

This pork is available in the Seattle area at markets in Edmond's, International District, Tacoma, Kent, Ranier Valley and Burien.

Irwin

[ScorchedPalate]

I think I found a source: click here