Pork in the news

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Teens Fueled by

5/1/2013
A newly released study by the University of Missouri reinforces what most farm moms already know: Teens who eat a high-protein lean pork breakfast may consume fewer sugary snacks later in the day.

The recent 12-week study suggests that, for teenagers, eating a protein-rich breakfast that includes lean ham or pork sausage reduces daily hunger, increases daily fullness, improves morning blood sugar control and leads to less late-day snacking, thus reducing calories from fat and sugar.

To view the article click here.

Bacon and H.A.M.

5/2/2013
On Sunday, May 5 Tavernita, Chicago, IL, toasts Cinco de Mayo by offering a Bacon and H.A.M. brunch. Tasting Table will be co-hosting the shindig with pineapple-tequila cocktails and chilaquiles in hand (reservations suggested).

To learn more about the event click here.

Pork Producers

4/22/2013
As the world celebrates another Earth Day on April 22, research shows that America's pork producers have made huge improvements in environmental management over the last 50 years. The research, titled "A 50-Year Comparison of the Carbon Footprint and Resource Use of the U.S. Swine Herd: 1959 - 2009," found that modern pork production methods have led to a 35 percent decrease in the carbon footprint, a 41 percent reduction in water usage and a 78 percent drop in land needed to produce a pound of pork compared with a 1959 baseline.

To read more on the on the National Pork Board’s four pillars of environmental sustainability commitment - carbon footprint, water footprint, air footprint and land footprint click here.

31 Irresistible

4/22/2013
From classic dishes to new twists – Food & Wine has their finger on the pulse with these 31 irresistible bacon recipes. The crispy, salty, and sometimes sweet protein is the perfect complement to any dish including snack, cocktails and desserts. Try any of these mouthwatering recipes on your menu; you can’t go wrong – juicy bacon burgers with smoked Gouda, Steamed Bacon Buns with Hoisin, Pea-and-Bacon Risotto, and Bacon Candy.

Click here to view the recipes.

New Pork Chops

4/5/2013
Krystal is introducing pork chops to the menu that are sure to please fans. Made from a Thick Cut Smithfield premium pork chop and placed atop a steaming bun, the Pork Chop Krystal can be topped with either Apple Butter or Sweet & Zesty Barbeque Sauce. This chop will also be available during breakfast, served on a biscuit or steamed Krystal bun with Apple Butter.

In addition to the Pork Chop Krystal and Pork Chop Biscuit, Krystal is offering a Loaded Pork Chop Platter for breakfast. The platter is made of a Thick Cut premium pork chop loaded with fluffy eggs, all on top of a flaky biscuit and covered in country gravy.

To read more about the new menu items click here.

Boston Market

4/4/2013
After two years of researching, testing and perfecting, Boston Market® is adding a limited-time offer of St. Louis Style Ribs to its menu. 

The move makes Boston Market the first national fast casual restaurant in the United States to offer rotisserie chicken paired with St. Louis Style ribs. The National Pork Board is supporting the campaign with in-restaurant banners, menu boards, and drive-thru POPs.

To read more about the bone-in, seasoned and slow-smoked ribs click here.

PORK 101

3/25/2013
PORK 101 is schedule for May 21-23, 2013 at Texas A&M University. PORK 101 is hosted by AMSA in cooperation with the National Pork Board. Attendees will learn about the value differences in swine, pork carcasses, pork primals and processed pork products from meat science faculty and AMSA members at Texas A&M University.
 
The hands-on course is designed to give people the opportunity to participate in the selection, evaluation and fabrication of pork carcasses. Attendees will also prepare and sample products from pork carcasses including pumped loins, bacon, hams and sausage.

For more information or to sign up click here.

Baconalia

3/12/2013
Baconalia is back! After the success of the inaugural Baconalia at Denny’s, they are bringing back the bacon through May 19, with bacon items for breakfast, lunch, dessert and everything in between. The bacon obsession features returning favorites, like the Maple Bacon Sundae and the Spicy Pepper Bacon Jack Burger. They also added several new bacon items for each mealpart, including: Caramel Bacon Stuffed French Toast, Pepper Bacon Avocado Omelet, Bacon Pepper Jack Tilapia, BBQ Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese Bites, and Salted Caramel Brownie with Bacon.

Join the bacon-obsessed community and take a look at the menu here.

Acorn

3/19/2013
La Quercia is proud to be the first domestic producer to bring an old world tradition to the United States. Their Acorn Edition Prosciutto is made from Tamworth pigs raised on a diet of sixty percent acorns. Tamworths are known for their succulent meat and sweat nutty flavor, and acorns have been associated with superior dry cured meat for centuries.

Click here to view the varietals of acorn-fed pork.

Dale Talde

3/19/2013
Dale Talde, chef/partner of Talde, Pork Slope and Thistle Hill Tavern in Brooklyn, NY, talks about his restaurant idols, junk food, and must have ingredients with Restaurant Hospitality. His top ten thoughts included, “If there was no pork — definitely pork — I’d have no reason to live.”

To see what else is on Chef Talde’s mind click here.

Valentina’s

3/12/2013
Opening last week to rave reviews, Valentina’s is the dream of two long-time friends and veterans of the Austin scene –- Miguel Vidal and Michael Lerner. Their food is made from scratch, using recipes and techniques passed down and perfected through generations, and cooked today with love and a sense of pride. They utilize 3 generations of BBQ techniques and recipes, and their sauces and sides have been tested and perfected over the 17+ years Miguel has spent in the culinary world. All fresh meats are smoked for up to 20 hours on-site at the trailer.

Click here to locate the delicious food truck.

Old Major

3/6/2013
Denver’s newest restaurant, Old Major, defines cool, from the re-purposed tractor air filter light fixtures to the Chuck Taylor’s the servers sport. Old Major’s 3,000 square feet of space was formerly a roller rink, and has been transformed into a rustic farmhouse kitchen. 

Executive Chef and owner, Justin Brunson, has created a diverse menu with contemporary farmhouse cuisine featuring seafood, swine and wine. Reviewers have raved about the pork at Old Major including the Pan-Seared Pork Chop with parsnip puree, Brussels sprouts, guanciale, and pork demi.

To read more about the household name to come click here.

Pork

3/6/2013
Carnal Swine, a daily pulled pork delivery service, is unleashing an avalanche of porcine goodness on Chicago. Scottie Moran, owner, got started with a street cart, but now he is churning out his signature pork recipes from the kitchen at The Haute & The Dog.

The signature dishes include the Meat Me Sunday – a meat sundae made with alternating layers of mashed potatoes, pulled pork, baked beans, and cole slaw. In place of hot fudge there’s chipotle BBQ sauce, and the cherry on top is of the tomato variety.

Click here to view his other signature dishes like pulled pork offered three ways, and the gringo carnitas.

Asia's Top Chefs

3/6/2013
Asia's top chefs: What do they eat? Three chefs who were recently named winners in the inaugural San Pellegrino Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards revealed that their favorite foods – pork, white rice and tomato-based pasta -- are ingredients they cannot live without.

Chef Andre Chiang is obsessed with pork. He says, “Pork and pork and pork, it can never go wrong,” whose eponymous restaurant in Singapore hit fifth place in the Asia's best list.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see what the chefs are saying about pork.

MenuMasters

2/28/2013
Meet the 2013 MenuMasters Award winners

This year’s MenuMasters Award Winners were announced in NRN’s AM Daily e-newsletter. The Awards honor outstanding foodservice research and development, and this year five of the six restaurants being honored worked with the National Pork Board – Taco Bell, Noodles & Company, Papa John’s International, Red Lobster and Cooper’s Hawk Winery.
Three of the awards are for new Pork dishes!

Noodles won Best Menu Line Extension for their braised pork as a limited time offer. The LTO was so successful it is now on the permanent menu. Best Menu Revamp went to Red Lobster for their first-ever pork chop — wood grilled and topped with apple compote and peach bourbon barbecue sauce. And Illinois based Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants won Menu Trendsetter with their Asian BBQ Pork Belly Nachos.

To read more about the award winners and dishes click here.

Marc Forgione’s

2/13/2013
These days, the typical trendy-restaurant-going New Yorker isn’t squeamish about eating variety meats. Still, it’s one thing to tuck into a nice braised beef tongue or pork-jowl-bacon BLT, and quite another to have a pig’s head plopped down in front of you. A few chefs though, would like to change that, including Marc Forgione. At his eponymous restaurant, Thursday night is crispy-pig’s-face night. 

Forgione soaks, confits, and roasts each order to the point where the skin shatters like a crème brûlée. “It’s one piece, but seven different flavors and textures,” says Forgione, who especially extols the tongue, the point where the shoulder meets the neck, and the meat behind the eyeball. “It’s like the oyster on a chicken.”

To learn what other chefs are doing with pig’s heads click here.

Porking It Up

2/12/2013
Despite the noreaster, Cochon 555 still held the first edition of its competition in New York City on Sunday, February 10. The contestants included: Missy Robbins of A Voce, Leah Cohen of Pig & Khao, Alex Guarnaschelli of Butter, Shanna Pacifico of Back Forty West, Elizabeth Falkner of Krescendo and Sue Torres of Suenos took on heritage hogs—and each other.

When the dust settled, Missy Robbins won the title of Porc Princess with an Italian-inflected menu. 

To read more about the competition click here.

Bacon

2/12/2013
Thousands of bacon enthusiasts converged Saturday, February 9 in Des Moines, IA at the State Fairgrounds to celebrate all things connected with the beloved meat. The U.S. event featured more than 10,000 pounds of bacon served in unusual ways, including chocolate-dipped bacon and bacon-flavored cupcakes and gelato. 

Mike Vogel, wearing a head-to-toe bacon costume, said, “A widespread love for bacon is the reason about 8,000 tickets to the event sold out in just over three minutes.” Jessica Dunker, president and CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association, said, “Bacon used to be just a breakfast food. Now chefs across the country use it in everything from vegetable dishes to desserts.”

To checkout more festival details click here.

Luxbar

2/13/2013
Chef Michael McDonald, the former chef/parking-lot farmer at One Sixtyblue, has taken over the kitchen at Luxbar, Chicago, IL. In an interview with Chicago Magazine, Chef McDonald discusses what he is bringing to the table at the established, high-volume restaurant – “Our pork program, we get one whole hog every week from Slagel Farms. We use everything. We are making our own Canadian bacon, our own ham, our own chili fennel sausage, our own breakfast sausage patty. The rest of the hog we use for a roasted barbecue sandwich.”

Chef McDonald is also adding a byproduct of wheat, soy, salt, and water to the hog’s diet, which comes from a mash used to make single-batch soy sauce that is aged in bourbon barrels in Louisville, KY.

To read the whole interview click here.

20 Most

2/7/2013
The 20 Most Important Restaurants in America

Andrew Knowlton took a look into America’s restaurants to find the 20 most important places. They’re the fearless spots that drive chefs to innovate, restaurateurs to imitate, and the rest of America to line up, going beyond the fanciest, trendiest, or even the one with the most stars. He found the restaurants that define how people eat out. In short these are the restaurants that matter – right now.

Many restaurants on the list feature pork as their staple dish, including Husk in Charleston, SC. Chef/Owner Sean Brock is a self-proclaimed evangelist for the Southern pantry. Everything he serves comes from below the Mason-Dixon line like the ingredients for his Sassafras Glazed Pork Ribs with Pickled Peaches and Rev Taylor Butter Beans.

Other restaurants making the cut include The National Pork Board’s e-Newsletter, “The 400,” featured chefs and restaurants – Uchi/Uchiko in Austin, TX, Avec in Chicago, IL, and Franklin Barbecue in Austin, TX.

To check out the top 20 list and the Chef’s Top 20 picks click here.

McDonald’s

2/7/2013
Going global is a trend often explored at fine dinning restaurants. However, there have been recent reports that McDonald’s is serious about importing more menu ideas from its stores around the world. If this is true, then breakfast will become much more interesting.

Outside the U.S. the humble McMuffin is getting a turn in the spotlight. Japan stores are offering a new stacked-up Mega McMuffin with double the sausage, as one part of the annual Big America All-Stars promotion. In Germany, the English muffin is the platform for a new McMuffin BBQ Pork breakfast item.

To check out the chain’s global McMuffin’s click here.

Breakfast

2/7/2013
Breakfast and brunch sales boomed post-recession and have grown steadily since, accounting for an estimated $59 billion dollars in total industry revenue, according to The NPD Group. Consumers are craving creativity during the morning meal part. Restaurants are embracing this trend by turning the breakfast sandwich into an art form, chucking the boring egg sandwich for more inspired combinations. The Bristol in Chicago, IL features the Fried Egg Sandwich: pork belly, Mornay sauce and breakfast potatoes.

To check out other innovative sandwiches click here.

Pancetta

2/7/2013
Pancetta is a mouth watering delicious bacon, with orgins from Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia. Pork Belly is cured with salt and peppercorns and the results are used in various ways – from flavoring pasta dishes to the star of a charcuterie board. The Culinary Institute of America's shared a delicious recipe to make your own in-house pancetta.

To view the recipe click here.

NBBQA

2/7/2013
The National Pork Board will attend the 2013 NBBQA National Conference in Mobile, AL, February 20–23. This year's conference theme is The Evolution of BBQ. Our own Stephen Gerike will present during The Butcher Shop: From Farm to Fork event. This all day class is about hog preparation, trimming and cooking. The class begins with an introduction to the basic breeds of pork, meat quality and muscle to meat conversion (with comparisons and tastings). Representatives from Compart Family Farms, Newman Farms and Smithfield will also be on hand to delve into the details of each breed as they are presented.

One pig will be prepped for whole hog competition smoking, ending with a demonstration on how to break it all down for a large service. Two other hogs will be completely rendered, beginning with the primal cuts, then on to the specialty cuts, and then cooking techniques for tenderloin, collar trimmed butts, cracklins and much, much more.

To sign up for the conference and class click here.

Brined Pork

2/7/2013
Justin Uchtman, sous chef at SPQR in San Francisco, is the latest sous chef to participate in the Tasting Table series. He shared details on why he’s never intending to leave San Francisco, his tips for the perfect brine, and his go to equipment for cooking pork chops – a cast iron skillet. Uchtman urges chefs to try this simple recipe for Brined Pork Chops served with spaghetti squash.

To Check out the recipe click here.

Meat + Mozza

2/7/2013
Meat + Mozza: A Perfect Lunch in L.A.

The Plate Chef's Table recently lunched at Mozza's Scuola di Pizza. Chef de Cuisine Chad Colby, a National Pork Board Pork Summit Demo Chef, turned out an array of delectable dishes.

The lunch included Brussels sprouts with prosciutto breadcrumbs, grissinis slathered in truffle butter and wrapped in prosciutto, and prosciutto di Parma pizza with rucila, tomato, and mozzarella. The main event was the roasted pork shoulder served with beans, soffrito, and prosciutto castellucciano. All of the dishes were served to an appreciative and pork-loving group of L.A. chefs.

To watch the slideshow click here.

10 Trends

2/7/2013
Julia Mosken of the New York Times shares her predictions for the top 10 trends of 2013 and how she saw food lovers everywhere embracing new interpretations of farm-to-table and nose-to-tail as fast as they came along. Pork was amongst the top trends in the form of chicharrones and pigtails. Lastly the nose-to-tail movement impacted an astounding range of in-house cured pork items; which consumers will definitely see on the menu in 2013.

To view the whole list click here.

Austin's Top

2/7/2013
The Austin Chronicle has outlined 2012’s Top Pork Dishes.

The number one dish was a New Year's Day favorite at Rancho Winslow, the Pork and cheese stuffed chiles wrapped in bacon were served with black-eyed peas with ham hock collards. Also served with dish were sides of apple-smoked bacon and poblano cornbread, and Johnny G's garlic sausage.

To check out the full list click here.

Bacon

2/7/2013
Destination America grants a full-series order to United States of Bacon. Based on an episode from summer 2012’s three-part series United States of Food, the breakout bacon special earned phenomenal ratings for the network. Now, the special-turned-12-episode-series continues across the country as its host, Chef Todd Fisher, searches for the most mouth-watering bacon creations that American kitchens have to offer. Currently in production the show promises to serve viewers the sizzling strips they crave.

To learn more about the show click here.

Easy Thai

2/7/2013
Chef Robert Danhi – a National Pork Board Pork Summit Chef – has put his two decades of traveling through Thailand and teaching people how to cook Thai food to the test. Easy Thai Cooking gives you the recipes and relevant information to introduce authentic flavors of Thailand onto your menus.

To learn more about the book, Chef Danhi’s travels, and pork recipes click here.

Cuban-Style

1/15/2013
Today’s consumers are craving more authentic dishes full flavor. Energize your menu by offering bold spices that will get customers raving, like this Cuban-style pork and rice recipe. This take on the Spanish paella uses boneless pork loin chops paired with shrimp, paprika, cumin and saffron to create a succulent meal.

To view the pork and rice recipe click here.

Pork Profits

1/15/2013
As hog production costs decline; spring could bring profits. The December Hogs and Pigs report from USDA provides evidence that 2013 pork supplies will not be down as much as the two percent that had been anticipated. Rather, pork supplies for the year may be closer to unchanged with a one-to-two percent reduction in the first-half offset by a one-to-two percent increase in the second-half of the year.

To read more about the 2013 pork projections click here.

10 Trends

1/7/2013
10 Trends for 2013

Julia Mosken of the New York Times shares her predictions for the top 10 trends of 2013 and how she saw food lovers everywhere embracing new interpretations of farm-to-table and nose-to-tail as fast as they came along. Pork was amongst the top trends in the form of chicharrones and pigtails. Lastly the nose-to-tail movement impacted an astounding range of in-house cured pork items; which consumers will definitely see on the menu in 2013.

To view the whole list click here.

Austin's Top

1/7/2013
The Austin Chronicle has outlined 2012’s Top Pork Dishes.

The number one dish was a New Year's Day favorite at Rancho Winslow, the Pork and cheese stuffed chiles wrapped in bacon were served with black-eyed peas with ham hock collards. Also served with dish were sides of apple-smoked bacon and poblano cornbread, and Johnny G's garlic sausage.

To check out the full list click here.

United States

1/7/2013
Destination America grants a full-series order to United States of Bacon. Based on an episode from summer 2012’s three-part series United States of Food, the breakout bacon special earned phenomenal ratings for the network. Now, the special-turned-12-episode-series continues across the country as its host, Chef Todd Fisher, searches for the most mouth-watering bacon creations that American kitchens have to offer. Currently in production the show promises to serve viewers the sizzling strips they crave.

To learn more about the show click here.

Easy Thai

1/7/2013
Chef Robert Danhi – a National Pork Board Pork Summit Chef – has put his two decades of traveling through Thailand and teaching people how to cook Thai food to the test. Easy Thai Cooking gives you the recipes and relevant information to introduce authentic flavors of Thailand onto your menus.

To learn more about the book, Chef Danhi’s travels, and pork recipes click here.

Attention

12/14/2012
Attention McRib fans: your wait is almost over. McDonald's announced that everyone's favorite pork sandwich is returning to locations throughout the country on December 17. The LTO sandwich offers tender boneless pork bathed in sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. That's right, the McRib 2012 release date is less than a week away!
To learn more about the limited time offer click here.

Pulled Pork

12/14/2012
MonkeyDish interviewed Noodles & Co, known for its globally inspired noodle bowls and salads, on introducing its first sandwich LTO this October. Pork was the protein of choice for its cross-functionality and global popularity.

Perfecting the pulled pork was the first step. “I’m from the South and grew up eating a lot of pork,” notes Tessa Stamper, Noodles’ executive chef and director of culinary. “I wanted a whole muscle cut that could be pulled into shreds for soups, bowls and sandwiches. It had to work well with our existing menu and be a springboard for new items,” she explains.

Click here to learn how Noodles & Co. perfected the sandwich and what’s next for pulled pork on the menu – Asian noodle dish, soup or grownup mac ’n cheese.

Farming Fact

11/7/2012
When it comes to pig production many consumers believe myths about farmers using hormones to promote growth in pigs. Putting the rumors to rest, Dr. Deborah VanOverbeke, a pork production expert, tells us there are no hormones used to promote growth in pigs. In addition, there are no available hormone-containing products approved for U.S. pork producers to use in pig production.

To learn more about the pig production click here.

Bacon Shortage

12/4/2012
Did You Know?

Q: I’ve been hearing about a bacon shortage, are the rumors true? I hope not, bacon is important to my operation.

A: The short answer is no. Bacon will be available in 2013 and you do not need to start stockpiling product. But the quantity of bacon available in the US and the rest of the world will decline in 2013 due to high feed costs and significant financial losses by pork farmers. The hog and pork markets will require supplies to be reduced in order for prices to rise enough to cover these higher feed costs.

This process has been ongoing since 2006 due to higher grain prices caused first by the rapid growth of corn-based ethanol production and, more recently, by drought-shortened crops worldwide this year. U.S. pork production is forecast to reach 23.23 billion pounds in 2013, only slightly smaller than the production record of 23.35 billion set in 2008.

So, the bottom line is pork will be available but you may have to pay slightly more. The USDA predicts that prices of live equivalent 51-52 percent lean hogs are expected to average “almost 3 percent above prices this year.” Even with the small price increase, there is no reason to panic; plenty of bacon and other pork products will be available to you in 2013.

Porklandia

11/26/2012
We know from our 2011 Pork Crawl that Portlanders know their swine – from pork chop on a bun to fried pig ears Portland chefs are getting creative with pig parts of every variety. The Woodsman Tavern offers a ham plate: this seemingly simple dish comes with instructions on the proper order to eat the hams – from most delicate to heartiest. Tasty n Sons menus a soft fried egg served atop a perfectly golden-brown, intensely crispy fried pork cutlet. To round out the Porklandia experience the legendary Voodoo Doughnut menus a maple-bacon doughnut. The doughnuts are made with whole strips of bacon.

To check out Portland’s featured pork dishes click here.

Belgian-inspired

11/7/2012
BEL 50, a Belgian-inspired waffle shop, opened its doors last week bringing sweet and savory waffle sandwiches prepared by chef Joey Altman to the River North neighborhood of Chicago. Menu items include a BLT and pulled pork sandwich both served inside freshly baked waffles. The pulled pork is brined, and rubbed with a special smoky, slightly spicy rub and slow roasted for 8 hours. It is then gently dressed with a house-made barbecue sauce and set in the fold of the waffle with fresh avocado salsa.

To check out the rest of the menu and how BEL 50 is menuing pork and waffles click here.

2013

11/7/2012
Hot Trends
 
In the fifth annual trend-spotting webinar by public relations and marketing firm Andrew Freeman & Co., principal Andrew Freeman said 2013 will be a year of evolution that will force restaurants to look for opportunities for revolution. This list consisted of toasted bread samplers, pork secreto, ancient grains, house-made ricotta, and pig heads.

To view the entire list of 2013 hot restaurant menu trends and learn about pork secreto click here. 

Fresh Ham

11/7/2012
Preparing for the holidays? Add a fresh uncured ham to your menu with this Pecan, Bourbon and Cane Syrup Ham Recipe. This ham can be made from the butt portion with less bone so it is easy to slice. Feed a crowd by using the sliced meat at the center of the plate or by making a holiday sandwich LTO. The sweet crunchy crust is sure to make mouths water.

To check out the fresh, uncured ham with pecans, bourbon and cane syrup click here.

Country Ham

11/7/2012
Around the Southern Table hits the spot with this Country Ham and Cheese Biscuit Bread recipe. Layering the dough in a loaf pan with the gooey cheese and salty country ham provides Southern goodness in every bite.

Click here to view the recipe for the Country Ham and Cheese Biscuit and other recipes with ham.

Green Eggs

11/7/2012
If Dr. Seuss were Italian, Keys To The Kitchen imagines his legendary "Green Eggs and Ham" would resemble this arugula pesto sandwich. This open-faced sandwich is likely to be your new brunch favorite – crusty country bread, slathered with peppery arugula pesto, topped with a fried egg and crisp cured ham. 

To view the recipe and other brunch favorites click here.

Lardo

11/1/2012
Tasting Table recently traveled to Portland, OR and the National Pork Board was excited to read that our friends at Lardo, got some great recognition. “Chef Rick Gencarelli’s pitch-perfect sandwich shop was, appropriately enough, born of a food cart. Having wowed hungry pedestrians with sandwiches like the Coppa Cubano, Gencarelli’s brick-and-mortar space has an expanded menu. A lunch of griddled mortadella with provolone or an over-the-top pork burger with lardo sauce is hard to beat.”

To read more about Portland and Lardo’s menu click here.

Pork Fat

10/15/2012
Stephanie Izard of Chicago’s Girl and the Goat and Top Chef Winner has new plans to open the Little Goat by the end of 2012. The retro, '50s-style diner will feature a bakery that makes its own bread and a bar that sells local craft brews. Izard also says she wants to serve up a pulled pork sandwich on a pork fat doughnut!

To check out more plans for the pork fat doughnuts and the Little Goat click here.

A perfect pair

10/31/2012
Mike Meehan, co-owner (with Chris Dodge) of Fat Guy’s Burger Bar in Tulsa, OK discusses their PBBB, Peanut Butter Bacon Burger, with Burger Business. Meehan exclaims the latest burger trend is one of the top sellers, “I would say that 90% of the people who have tried it have loved it and order it again and again.”

Fat Guy’s Peanut Butter Bacon Burger is a $7.75 combo of those three ingredients. Fat Guy is not the only burger restaurant to jump on the Elvis bandwagon, paying tribute to the Kings’ favorite pairing. At Des Moines, IA’s Zombie Burger & Drink Lab, the Undead Elvis burger combines peanut butter, fried banana, bacon, American cheese, an egg and mayo. Depending on how undead you want to be, it’s priced at $5.99, $7.99 or $9.99. The Graceland Burger at KC’s Bar-B-Que Rib Shack in Manchester, NH has chunky peanut butter, mayo, bacon and onion burger $10.99.

To learn about the decadent burger and different peanut butter and bacon burger variations click here.

Chains

10/26/2012
Noodles & Company, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster and other and chain restaurants are adding new pork items to their menus. The restaurants are benefitting from the large pork supply due to high corn prices causing liquidation of herds.

The fastest-growing types of pork consumed includes hocks and shanks, which rose 12 percent; ground pork, which rose 9 percent; and Italian specialty meats, which rose 3.4 percent. Breakfast sausage and bacon, which still make up the vast majority of pork consumed in restaurants, rose 1.5 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.

These new menu items range from sweet glazed pork tenderloin (Outback Steakhouse), Hot Island pork ribs flame-broiled with jalapeño barbecue sauce (Golden Corral), potato skins topped with cheese, pulled pork and barbecue sauce (Ram Restaurant & Brewery), wood-grilled pork chops (Red Lobster), double-cut Berkshire pork chop served with chorizo baked beans (Smith & Wollensky), and braised pork shoulder — served on a ciabatta or macaroni & cheese (Noodles & Company).

To read more about the pork supply and new pork items to chain menus click here.

The offal truth

10/25/2012
Unusual animal organs are winning customers' minds and hearts — and the occasional spleen. More than ever, chefs buy high-quality whole animals and do the butchering themselves, which means the "lesser" animal parts are part of the deal. The reasons for the “nose-to-tail” phenomenon are both financial and ethical.

Oftentimes offal dishes are semi-disguised on menus with romantic-sounding names like guanciale, which is cured pork cheek. Girl and the Goat’s, Chef Stephanie Izard, most popular dish is called "crispy pig face." The fact of the matter is that the so-called secondary animal parts have become stars in their own right.

To learn more about restaurants using the whole animal click here.

Seoul Sausage

10/24/2012
Little Osaka an area in Los Angeles, CA welcomed the brick-and-mortar debut of Seoul Sausage Company in early October. The company comes to the area following a victorious season on the reality show The Great Food Truck Race, Season 3.

Seoul Sausage proudly serves Gochujang, a sausage link flavored with traditional Korean spices served with apple cabbage slaw on a roll.

To check out Seoul Sausage and the Gochujang click here.

Trenchermen

10/3/2012
The Trenchermen restaurant in Chicago, IL’s Wicker Park neighborhood launched its brunch menu in late August. Brothers, Mike and Pat Sheerin, have created a menu that surpasses typical omelets and pancakes. Highlighted are the pig-skin noodles and fried grits. The pig skin is steamed until pliant and chewy, and sliced into ribbons that mimic rice noodles on steroids. The dish is a general nod to pad Thai, with herbs, pickles and a ladle of pork-tamarind-shrimp broth. The dish is definitely a proper way to greet a weekend morning.

To read more about the Trenchermen click here.

Red Lobster

10/3/2012
Red Lobster rolled out a new menu on October 15 that includes more non-seafood meal options, more pieces of fresh fish, and more items that cost less than $15. Among the latest additions are Red Lobster’s first-ever pork chops, which Michael LaDuke, Executive Chef, said is one of his favorite additions. LaDuke stated the changes, “Are just a natural progression of how we’re trying to grow our business. We’re listening to customers. We want to give them more opportunities and more reason to come into the restaurant.”
 
For more information about the new menu click here.  

Richmond, VA

10/4/2012
Tasting Table traveled to Richmond, VA to explore the emerging culinary scene. The premier stop included Chef Jason Alley’s latest endeavor Pasture. Here Alley reinvents southern cuisine serving cheese grits larded with pickled chiles and topped with guajillo-braised pork. Chef Lee Gregory of The Roosevelt has created a to-die-for brunch menu including: breakfast-sausage corn dogs.

To check out more of Richmond’s acclaimed restaurants click here.

Pig Ear

10/13/2012
Pig ears? They're seriously tasty and a major player in the worldwide culinary movement of nose-to-tail cookery. Chef Sang Yoon of Lukshon in Los Angeles, CA introduces his take on Chinese Charcuterie – Pig Ear Terrine. Nearly every cuisine in Europe and Asia has a special preparation. Most often fried crispy, but they're also served boiled, braised and roasted. Yoon explains, “It's an exciting way to experience something new and turn dinner into an adventure.”

To learn how to create the Pig Ear Terrine click here.

Chef Tyler Wiard

9/19/2012
Bravo TV announced the line-up for the tenth season of the hit show Top Chef to be filmed in Seattle, WA. Amongst the contestants is Chef Tyler Wiard – a National Pork Board Celebrated Chef and National Taste of Elegance winner. Wiard is the Executive Chef and Culinary Director of Elway's Restaurant in Denver, CO.

In 2008, Waird won the Taste of Elegance competition with his cumin roasted pork loin and braised shoulder with green chile, posole cake, smooth avocado and red chile.

To read more about Top Chef and Chef Wiard click here.

Pork Futures

9/26/2012
Daily Livestock Report (DLR) author, Dr. Steve Meyer, explores the “world shortage of pork and bacon” story that has exploded into newsstands. Dr. Meyer has discussed how this year’s drought and mainly the emergence and rapid growth of corn-based ethanol in the mid ‘00s is affecting pork futures with multiple media outlets, including the Today Show.

Dr. Meyers concluded, in his opinion, there will not be a “shortage” of pork in the manner that consumers cannot find pork or have to stand in line for pork. However, there will be less available and prices will be higher.

To review the article and facts about the “world shortage of pork and bacon” click here: /filelibrary/daily Live report/Daily Livestock Report.pdf.

King’s Hawaiian®

9/20/2012
King’s Hawaiian® Pork & Slaw Sandwich

Firehouse Subs announced the LTO King’s Hawaiian® Pork & Slaw Sandwich will continue through the end of the year, due to rave reviews. The collaboration between Firehouse Subs’, Hawaiian King, and the National Pork Board resulted in a unique pulled pork product that breaks the mold of the typical barbecued pulled pork sandwich.

The sandwich stacks hardwood smoked pork and Pepper Jack cheese with Firehouse’s tangy Hawaiian coleslaw, all served on a King’s Hawaiian sweet sandwich bun. The collaboration enabled Sorenson to achieve his goals of a unique and richly flavored product.

To taste the succulent sandwich click here to find a location near you.

Local Chefs

9/20/2012
Local chefs compete with pork.
 
On Saturday, September 23 the South Dakota Pork Producers Council is sponsoring a state culinary competition designed to inspire innovative and exciting new ways to menu pork. Six Rapid City chefs will compete in the Taste of Elegance with pork for top honors at the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn. The winner of the annual competition will receive $1,000 and the right to attend the Pork Summit in Napa Valley at the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone Campus next spring.

The chefs include: Ben Pruett from Enigma Restaurant, Angel Adams from Angel’s Catering, Jeremy Bomb from Texas Roadhouse, Benjamin Klinkel from Tally’s Silver Spoon, Ben Venables from Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn, and Carlos Osorio from The Corn Exchange.

For more information about the local pork competition click here.

5 Bricks

9/14/2012
What would you trade for 5 Bricks of Bacon?
 
 
In an original ad campaign, comedian Josh Sankey has been tasked to make his way from New York City to Los Angeles with nothing but a smile and a refrigerated trailer filled with 3,000 pounds of bacon.

Sankey, puts Oscar Mayer's new Butcher Thick Cut bacon to the test by bartering the bacon for gas, food, and shelter. During the cross-country adventure, Sankey has already traded the bacon for Jets tickets, shelter at a Chicago Firehouse, and even a bacon tattoo.

To see how much American’s love bacon and to learn more about the bacon barter click here.

Bratwurst,

9/14/2012

Schnitzels, and Beer Oh My!

 
As Oktoberfest nears, people across the country are strapping on their lederhosens, filling their steins, and heading to local beer gardens to celebrate the fall festival. With German beers on tap, restaurants, beer gardens and brew-houses load their menus with Bavarian-inspired foods. Bratwursts and Pork Schnitzels take center stage at these traditional German meals typically served with German Potato Salad or spätzle.

To check out how New York City is preparing for the festival click here.

Taco Bell

9/3/2012
Taco Bell introduced its FirstMeal menu program, in January 2012, in western states and continues to roll out to new Taco Bell restaurants. This month, the chain is introducing the cornerstone of FirstMeal—the new A.M. Crunchwrap—and Mtn Dew A.M., a combination of Mountain Dew and Tropicana Orange Juice mixed in-store.

The A.M. Crunchwrap was inspired by the chain’s Crunchwrap Supreme. The menu item includes scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, cheese, and a hash brown, all wrapped up and grilled in a warm, soft, flour tortilla; available for only $2.49. Taco Bell hopes the breakfast meal will offer maximum portability and a complete breakfast solution for the great value that Taco Bell is famous for.

To read more about Taco Bell’s FirstMeal program click here.

Deep-fried Cajun

9/3/2012
When State Fair food comes to mind, one imagines easy to eat food, comforting and often times fried. Over Labor Day, judges were tasked to award the 2012 Big Tex Choice Champ at the State Fair of Texas. From fried pork wings to fried bacon cinnamon rolls, judges tasted 8 dishes. In the end, Abel Gonzales, the creator of deep-fried Cajun sausage jambalaya won the crown.

Gonzales’ gave this Cajun classic a spin for the state fair. The "from scratch" jambalaya is created using shrimp, Cajun sausage and seasonings, then coated in lightly seasoned flour and fried to a golden perfection. The deep-fried Southern delectable was served with a side of "made in house" spicy ranch sauce.

To read more about the crown winner and other competitors click here.

Pork Producers

9/30/2012
Chris Hurt an Extension Economist at Purdue University predicts the US pork producers will loose a record of $60 per head. There is strong evidence that the initial wave of breeding herd reduction began in early August and has intensified. The stressors include: more hogs than expected, rapid sow liquidation now underway, and record feed prices.

To learn more about pork production click here.

2012 Fall Menu Preview

8/22/2012
Nation Restaurant News’ senior food editor Bret Thorn explores upcoming fall trends in America’s restaurants. Thorn stated this fall the nation will see more chain restaurants using creative cuts of meat; Noodles & Company is doing just that. For the first time the chain will be using a braised pork shoulder. Tess Stamper, the chain’s executive chef and director of culinary, explained, “We’re using a whole-muscle shoulder that’s marinated, seared and slow cooked, that we hand-pull into shreds in-store.”

The chain will feature the protein in a pulled pork sandwich on ciabatta and will also mix it with macaroni and cheese that's drizzled with barbecue sauce and topped with crispy onions.

To learn more about this fall trend click here.

25 Pork Sandwiches

9/16/2012
In honor of August Sandwich Month, SeriousEats.com shared a list of twenty-five pork sandwiches Americans love. The list began with a classic Pulled Pork sandwich from Gatlin's BBQ, Houston, TX. The sandwich is piled with shreds of pork and crunchy bits. The bun is flavorful, and has the soft but sturdy nature that keeps the sandwich together. The remaining twenty-four sandwiches include a range of pork cuts well suited for the pig-and-bread combo: pork belly, porchetta, and pork loin to name a few.

To see the remaining delicious pork sandwiches through out the country click here.

Cochon Heritage Fire

8/25/2012
On Saturday, August 25, Cochon Heritage Fire, the second largest COCHON 555 event, celebrated heritage breed animals and produce ranging from pigs, goats, lamb, rabbit, foraged mushrooms, truffles and wild birds. Hosted along the banks of the Oxbow River in the heart of Napa Valley, the event spotlighted wood-fired whole animal theatre cooking, butchering, family-owned wineries, artisan foods, craft beers and spirits.

This year’s menu featured a plethora of pork dishes from renowned chefs including 2012 Grand Cochon Winner, Jason Vincent of Nightwood in Chicago, IL. Vincent made Belcampo pig cooked on the plancha. Todd Spanier, King of Mushrooms in Daly City, CA, roasted a whole-truffled pig from Early Bird Farms in Pescadero. The pig was studded with Perigord black truffles.

To check out the whole menu click here.

Hogtober 2

8/10/2012
Be tickled hog pink on Saturday, October 6 with the return of Hogtober in Richmond VA’s historic Church Hill on Libby Hill Park. The 2nd annual fall BBQ festival is bringing back all the favorites to the hill: smoking hot barbecue, foot-stomping bands, and golden beverages. The festival is produced and run by Style Weekly benefiting the Church Hill Association.

For more information about Hogtober 2 click here.

Best in The Nation!

8/15/2012
TV food host Adam Richman, Travel Channel, toured the country sampling 28 sandwiches, and when the smoke cleared, he named DiNic's roast pork, the best in the nation. In its fourth generation, Tommy DiNic's is the only remaining family-owned DiNic's located in the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, PA. Tommy Nicolosi owns and operates the shop with his son, Joey. With a deep respect for the past and an eager eye on the future, Joey has built upon DiNic's lineup of classic Italian sandwiches to include new classics like the Italian-style pulled pork.

The DiNic's sandwich includes thin sliced pork, broccoli rabe, and extra-sharp provolone on a sesame-seed roll from Carangi's. Then it gets a splash of gravy. What makes the DiNic roast pork sandwich the best in the nation? To create this dish the pork undergoes a three-day process. On the first day the pork is prepped, boned, seasoned, and tied. The second day the pork is roasted for five hours. Finally, on the third day the pork is sliced and reheated in the pork gravy sauce for service.

To read this article click here. 

To view DiNic’s menu click here.

Salumi

8/16/2012
Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing

Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn inspired a revival of artisanal sausage making and bacon curing with their surprise hit, book Charcuterie. Now they delve deep into the Italian side of the craft with Salumi, a book that explores and simplifies the recipes and techniques of dry curing meats. Released on August 16, Ruhlman and Polcyn give recipes for the eight basic products in Italy’s pork salumi repertoire: guanciale, coppa, spalla, lardo, lonza, pancetta, prosciutto, and salami, and they even show how to butcher a hog in both the Italian and American ways. This book provides a thorough understanding of salumi, with 100 recipes and illustrations of the art of ancient methods made modern and new.

To learn more about the art of salumi click here.

Lard

8/16/2012
Chefs, Home Cooks Going Whole Hog for Lard

Using lard in cooking dates at least as far back as the 1300s. Rediscovered along with other healthful animal fats in the 1990s, lard is once again embraced by chefs, dieticians and enlightened health care professionals. For San Francisco chef Chris Cosentino, executive chef at Incanto restaurant and known for his nose-to-tail cooking, lard is a natural byproduct of his whole-animal approach. “When we’re getting a very beautiful hog, we try to use every bit of it,” he says. “I think to do so is just the right thing.”

To learn more about the lard comeback click here.

'Bon Appetit'

8/16/2012
'Bon Appetit' Names Its Best New Restaurants Of 2012
 
What does Bon Appetit’s restaurant editor, Andrew Knowlton, look for when narrowing down the best new restaurants of 2012? “Well, to start, they're usually scrappy and personal, guided by chefs with a passion to create independently owned places they would want to eat at on their day off.” Of the "Hot 10" the cover story highlights San Francisco’s State Bird Provisions’ Glazed Pork Ribs with Shichimi Togarashi. Chef Stuart Brioza uses a foolproof two-step method: he bakes the ribs in a foil packet with lemon and rosemary to infuse the meat, and then reduces the pork juices into a thick sauce for lacquering. Other restaurants highlighting pork recipes include LA’s Bäco Mercat, Washington, DC’s Little Serow and Portland, OR’s Luce.

To learn more about the restaurants and their recipes click here.

Hog & Hominy

8/14/2012
Chefs Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman like to play with their food, and that’s why the pair’s new Memphis, TN, restaurant, Hog & Hominy, combines a brick oven, family meals and bocce courts with Southern cookin’, a lively bar and a love of pork. The menu is packed with a lively mixture of classic Southern and Italian dishes. The creamed corn, a combination of fresh sweet corn, tarragon and Parmesan, is swathed in a rich, cob-infused cream sauce. Seek the freshest corn you can find and serve heaping spoonfuls alongside your favorite hog-friendly recipes.

Click here to see this recipe and try it out for yourself.
To view Hog & Hominy’s menu click here.

Top 10 Trends

8/3/2012
Food experts, like fashionistas, love to predict next year’s hot fads. Maybe you can take a fad to the bank, but not for long. Restaurant Hospitality's forecast is based more on reality, observation and statistics than on a bid to grab headlines. They expect these trends to transcend fad status and have staying power. One of the included trends is charcuterie - the house cured delicacies are popping up on menus across the country.
 
Click here to see how it's being menued and check out the other 9 expected trends for 2012. 

Boudin

8/3/2012
In small towns across South Louisiana, one of life’s challenges is catching a whiff of a fresh fried batch of pork fat and skin and trying not to stop. And there’s no denying yourself a link or two of fresh ground pork meat mixed with rice and seasoning and stuffed into a casing, better known as boudin. These two items make up a true Cajun breakfast, and it probably comes as no surprise that these two treats are a result of one of the Cajuns’ most long-lived traditions. Boucheries, which are cookouts where a whole hog is killed and cooked over a fire for an entire day, began as a way to cook meat before it spoiled, but is now a long lived tradition and all day event. Menuism breaks down these two Southern favorites and why they're a household and menu staple.

To read the article about traditional Louisiana boudin and cracklins, click here.

Prosciutto Pizza

8/3/2012
Serious Eats conducts a number of polls and this week's is specifically focused on pizza toppings. They're interested to know what you think about prosciutto on pizza. Is it the best thing that's happened to pizza since the Margherita?

Click here to cast your vote and see what everyone else thinks.

Scott Rodney

8/3/2012
Rodney Scott runs Scott's Pit Cook Bar-B-Que in Hemingway, South Carolina with his parents and a couple of family members. The town is a very small dot on the map, halfway between Wilmington and Charleston. For being in the middle of nowhere, Scott's supremely smoky pulled pork is earning the family porcine fame. Soaked with a vinegar sauce and lined with squares of crunchy pig skin for good measure, it's been said that his pork can't be beat. To test his barbecue skills, he made his way to to the Big Apple BBQ in NYC. There, Food Republic caught up with him to see why his South Carolina pork differs from the rest.

Check out the interview with Rodney Scott, here.

Pork Belly

8/3/2012
Chef Paula DaSilva of 1500º in the Eden Roc Renaissance hotel, Miami Beach's chic farm-to-table eatery, created a modern deconstructed lasagna recipe using flavors from her native Brazil. Much of this recipe can be prepared ahead of time, sealed in plastic bags, frozen and heated up to create an impressive meal in no time. She kindly provided her technique and recipe for you to try on your specials menu or at home.

Click here to see this delicious and innovative recipe on Food Republic.

Pork Battered

8/3/2012
Two cultures take the notion of a simple fried pork cutlet to a new level. The first version of this dish comes from Austria - schnitzel. More specifically schnitzel wiener art, is a large, thinly pounded portion of boneless pork fried to a golden crisp and served very simply with a lemon wedge and potato salad. Japanese tonkatsu is the other example of pork breading and frying gone very, very right. It's served differently than schnitzel in that it's coated in crunchy, light panko crumbs, sliced before serving and isn't nearly as large. Food Republic vouches for breaded and fried pork over chicken any day, and breaks down why you should too.

Click here to read the article and see how you can lighten up your menu with this protein switch.

Pork Burger

8/3/2012
Trying to make the perfect burger is the goal of aspiring home cooks and chefs alike. Deciding factors come down to the condiments, the choice of toppings, the bun and most importantly, the meat. Typically, your average burger is made up of ground beef. But lately, there has been an addition to this universal patty - pork. Tasting Table put together a burger that will surely trump competitors, and have generously shared it with the public.

Click here to see the recipe that could make your menu the most talked about.

Chorizo Fundido

8/3/2012
Big Star, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, has only been open for three years but the never-ending lines would lead you to believe that it's a brand new hot spot. They're known for their cheap drinks, great margaritas and delicious food. A menu favorite that keeps people coming back is the Queso Fundido, which is layered with delicious, crumbled chorizo and strips of poblano chiles for that extra bite. Serious Eats Chicago stopped into Big Star to try this menu mainstay and agreed that it's worth the wait.

To see what else they had to say about this cheesy and porky appetizer, click here.

CIA Recipe

8/3/2012
The Culinary Institute of America's online recipe collection offers an extensive assortment of delicious recipes suitable for nearly any occasion. From ethnic-inspired dishes and classic favorites to delectable desserts, you'll find a host of recipes to choose from. Recently featured is a delicious pork empanada recipe that incorporates juicy pork butt with cumin, raisins and spicy jalapeños. The mixture is encased in tender and flaky empanada dough and served best with pico de gallo and sour cream.

Click here to see this recipe and try it out for yourself.

Avec's

7/18/2012
Avec in Chicago is known for their well-crafted menu, but one item has people consistently returning. The chorizo-stuffed bacon wrapped Medjool dates have made Eater's "Untouchable" list. This list highlights iconic cult dishes that persist through menu changes - ones that chefs don't remove for fear of revolt. Avec's Sous Chef, Justin Large, shares the simple secret behind these cravable bites.

Watch Eater's first "Untouchable" video here.

G.E.B

7/18/2012
Graham Elliott's new restaurant, G.E.B. opened in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood recently, and it's eclectic menu has drawn attention. The Executive Chef, Jacob Saben, is a classically trained violinist who uses the same musical theory ideals when developing dishes. He shares one of his newest unique recipes with Tasting Table - a pickled watermelon salad, fried okra, and sweet tea and spice-infused pork tenderloin.

Click here to get this sweet and summery recipe.

Best Breakfast

7/18/2012
Serious Eats went to Portland, Maine to discover the best breakfast sandwiches the city had to offer. With so many delicious options to choose from, they narrowed the list down to 10 and almost all of the selections include delicious pork. Featured sandwiches are the Breakfast Strata from Scratch Baking Company, which features prosciutto, boiled egg, mustard and greens in between a buttery English muffin. Also making the list is the Hogzilla from 158 Pickett Street, with bacon, ham and sausage, cheddar cheese and scrambled egg in between a toasted bagel.

See what other sandwiches made their Top 10 list, here.

Pig Roasts

7/18/2012
Pig Roasts are becoming a popular social event - as they're being hosted in backyards and offered on menus. Smart operators who have caught onto this trend are getting playful with the idea, and executing successful pig roasts for the masses. The pig isn't always the main attraction at these roasts, the paired beverage is also getting notice. To see what all the talk is about, Wine Enthusiast magazine interviewed chefs who are pairing wine with roast pork, like Naomi Pomeroy from Beast in Portland, and Scott Hebert from Troquet in Boston.

Get ideas from some of the best in the business and see why you should host a pig roast of your own, here.

BBQ Pulled Pork

7/18/2012
In 2011 Executive Chef Adam Sobel, of Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak in the Georgetown Four Seasons, entered the Cochon 555 competition. Unfortunately Adam didn't take the crown, but one of his fan favorites, the BBQ Pulled Pork Cupcake, became a menu mainstay for Bourbon Steak. The cupcake was developed to replicate the always cravable Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit, so it has of course gained it's own cult following. The savory cupcake-shaped biscuit with juicy smoked pork shoulder inside, has diners asking for more.

Click here to read about how the BBQ Pulled Pork Cupcake made the menu and where you can get one for yourself.

Firehouse Subs

7/16/2012
With almost 20 years in the sandwich business, Jacksonville, FL-based Firehouse Subs takes pride in serving up great sandwiches made with quality ingredients. In 2011, Firehouse Subs was looking to create a new premium sandwich to add to their existing menu, so they partnered with The National Pork Board and King's Hawaiian to develop something cravable, delicious and unique. And the results were the new King's Hawaiian Pork & Slaw Sandwich, the most successful LTO that the chain has ever done. In response to the impressive consumer demand, the sandwich rolled out systemwide.

To read more about how this chain made an LTO into a successful menu mainstay, click here.

Pork Inspired

7/16/2012
Andrew Carmellini is a two-time James Beard award-winning chef who oversees Locanda Verde in Manhattan, and The Dutch in Miami Beach and New York City. When he's not working, he enjoys road trips and 'getting lost' across the country. During his travels in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and South, he regularly stops at restaurants to discover local cuisines and regional flavors. When Andrew returns to the kitchen, he recreates dishes inspired from his experiences. Most recently, he was out West, and shares a cider glazed rack of pork with hatch chili grits recipe.

Click here to discover this inspiring recipe and read about his travels.

CIA Recipe

7/16/2012
Whether you're in need of a quick recipe for a last-minute menu idea, or interested in trying your hand at an advanced pastry technique, the Culinary Institute of America's online recipe collection offers an extensive assortment of delicious recipes suitable for nearly any occasion. This dry-cured pancetta recipe enhances the natural flavors of delicious pork belly with nutmeg, thyme and juniper. With only a few simple ingredients and a little patience, the results will have everyone talking.

Click here to see how you can make your own dry-cured pancetta.

Cedric Harden

6/22/2012
Cedric Harden grew up in Ypsilanti, Michigan with dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. His dream was cut short after a rotator cuff injury in his freshman year of college took him out of the game for good. Harden decided to follow his other passion and entered culinary school. After working the stoves at Outback Steakhouse, he's made a name for himself as the Sous Chef for Bill Kim's acclaimed restaurants, Urban Belly and Belly Shack. Tasting Table caught up with Cedric and discovered his penchant for barbecue and his proven theory of "cooking low and slow." He shares his own delicious recipe for BBQ ribs that require two six-packs and patience.

Get tips and techniques from Cedric himself, along with his BBQ ribs recipe here.

Philly's Best

6/22/2012
Chicago is known for their hot dogs, New York for their pizza, and Philadelphia for their cheesesteak sandwiches. The cheesesteak is still a cultural staple, but another sandwich is slowing climbing the ranks as a Philly favorite - the roast pork sandwich. Three venues are known for serving up the best, John's Roast Pork, DiNic's, and Tony Luke's. The sandwich consists of wet, juicy, thinly sliced pork on a hoagie roll with your choice of cheese (usually provolone), and greens, either broccoli rabe or spinach. Each establishment puts a unique twist on these simple ingredients, which may be why people can't get enough. USA Today put together a comprehensive list of where these trendy sandwiches are, and why you need to get one for yourself next time you're in the City of Brotherly Love.

Click here to read the article.

The Grand

6/22/2012
After weeks of pork-focused culinary competitions across the country, Cochon 555 finally landed at the Food & Wine Classic at Aspen for the Grand Cochon. There, the 10 winners who took the crown in their hometowns, faced off against each other for the final and ultimate title, "The Prince or Princess of Pork." Top contenders like Michelle Bernstein, Naomi Pomeroy, Lars Kronmark and Marc Forgione looked on as the shocked Jason Vincent of Nightwood in Chicago was announced as the winner. The chefs were charged with presenting three dishes, and the judges favored Vincent's repertoire that included bacon-butterschotch doughnut served with soft scrambled egg and "hollandoink" sauce and a bloody mary on the bone; a liver chip and a version of cocido, a Spanish-style pork and vegetable stew. Eater was there to capture this winning moment and all of the behind the scenes scoop.

Click here to read the article and see the event slideshow.

Del Taco

6/19/2012
Del Taco reintroduced their Carnitas menu, with a new offering: the Primo Carnitas Burrito. This delicious addition to the popular LTO features tender, braised pork, seasoned rice, spicy Jack cheese, a creamy chipotle sauce, and fresh pico de gallo, all wrapped in a warm tortilla. Other items joining this pork-centric menu are the Carnitas Taco al Carbon, the Carnitas Combo Burrito, Carnitas Macho Nachos, and the Carnitas Macho Burrito.

Click here to check out Del Taco's Carnitas menu.

Cracker Barrel

6/19/2012
Cracker Barrel is featuring a summertime LTO menu option, the Summer Barbecue Plate. This seasonal offering features seasoned pork shoulder that's slow cooked until tender, basted with a cider-infused barbecue sauce, and served over grilled cornbread fritters, along with steak fries, sweet kernel corn, cole slaw and made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits. This mouthwatering dish is priced at $8.99 and available until August 15th.

To see this summer hit and other menu items at Cracker Barrel, click here.

Sausage Pizza

6/14/2012
Jared Van Camp's new restaurant has dominated headlines since opening day with its specialty meats and in-house milled flour. Serious Eats visited Nellcote to sample one of their menu highlights - pizza. The Fennel Sausage pizza has reigned supreme, with Van Camp's specialty sausage that is spiced with the robust flavor of fennel pollen and ground fennel seed. The Mortadella pizza is a close second, with toppings like shaved red onion, sweet mortadella, pistachios and ricotta cheese. Thanks to their freshly prepared ingredients and delicious flavor profiles, Nellcote's pizza menu is becoming a customer favorite.

Click here to read the article, and check out Nellcote's other specialty pizzas.

JG Domestic

6/14/2012
Our friend and past Celebrated Chef, Jose Garces, is partnering with Six Point Brewery to host a BBQ on June 27, at 6:30pm EST. If you like beer, and you like pork, then this event is right up your alley. At $55 a person, you can enjoy five different Six Point beers like their Crisp, Sweet Action and Righteous ales, as well as a delicious menu crafted by Chef Garces himself. Menu highlights include JG Domestic dried pork sausage with house mustard and a sourdough baguette, and pork crackling corn bread with sea salt and whipped butter.

Click here to see the full menu, and here to get your tickets before they're all gone.

Charcuterie

6/14/2012
Charcuterie is the craft of preserving meat, traditionally before refrigeration. This art is devoted to prepared meat products such as sausage, ham, bacon, terrines and patés - primarily from pork. Libbie Summers is a blogger and author of "The Whole Hog Cookbook." In her blog, she writes about her experience growing up on her grandparent's hog farm, and watching the processual aging of fresh pork, duck, rabbit and the occasional raccoon. Summers shares a simple and elegant recipe from her cookbook for "Old No. 7 Pork Liver Pate," that takes 35 minutes from prep to cook.

To see this recipe and other great charcuterie ideas, click here.

Cubanita Torta

6/14/2012
Napa Valley, California is the wine epicenter of the country. And along with great wine, usually comes great food, like the Cubanita Torta sandwich from La Condesa in St. Helena. Smoked Berkshire ham and slow roasted Kurobuta pork belly are nestled under peppery arugula and melted Swiss cheese, then topped off with pickled jalapeños, toasted garlic and a habanero mustard, between pressed ciabatta. This spiced up version of a Cuban classic has made Serious Eats' list of best sandwiches, and for good reason.

Click here to read the article and see where you could try it for yourself.

38 Recipes

6/14/2012
It's been said before, and we'll say it again: bacon is good on everything. Its salty crunch complements a variety of flavors, and it's been showing up on menus in many creative ways. If you feel as though your bacon recipes are becoming repetitious, you don't need to look any further. Chow has compiled 38 amazing recipes with bacon. 
 
Add more bacon ideas to your recipe repertoire, by clicking here.

Charcuterie

6/14/2012
Whether it’s a sampler of handmade salami and patés or a Danish smorrebrod sandwich topped with ham, restaurant operators are exploring new ways to present house-made charcuterie to customers in search of the next food sensation. This article on Monkeydish, explains the variety of ways that smart operators like Jared Van Camp of Old Town Social and Nellcote in Chicago, and Justin Brunson of Masterpiece Delicatessen in Denver, are menuing this traditional and trendy craft.

Click here to see why charcuterie is an important menu addition.

Protein Premium:

6/14/2012
Over the past few years, cutting-edge chefs have embraced all parts of the pig and have reignited in-house curing and sausage making. People are starting to realize that what we used to consider as leftover parts, really are some of the best parts. Stephen Gerike, Director of Foodservice Marketing at the National Pork Board, spoke with Flavor & The Menu and revealed the strategy behind one of the most up and coming protein trends. 

Click here to read more about this powerful protein.

Art & Science

6/4/2012
Smoking is much more than an old technique, it's about preserving, tenderizing and adding flavor to meat. Creating a perfectly smoked pork dish is based on a few variables: the cut of meat, the kind of wood, the smoker, the temperature at which you smoke the meat, and the brine. If you balance all of these variables perfectly, you are bound to create some really delicious results. Just in case this seems like too much, Monkeydish has an article to help you harness this age old technique so you can be on your way to becoming an acclaimed pitmaster.

Click here to learn the art and science of smoking.

Grilled Pork

6/4/2012
Although Memorial Day weekend is behind us, it’s really just the start of grilling season. You may think you've got your summer menu already planned, but there are a few recipes that you may want to try out in addition. Fire up the grill and think about including summertime favorites like Pulled Pork Belly Sandwiches, and Chili Rubbed Pork Chops with Corn Salsa. Or, turn some heads and get creative with Pinchos Morunos, and Pork Souvlaki. To help you decide which dish best suits you, Serious Eats pulled together some amazing recipes to inspire you.

Make your summer menu with one of these 20 grilled pork dishes.

Scuola di Pizza

6/1/2012
Last week, we shared the great news that Mozza Scuola di Pizza received their permit to cure meat in-house, and is the only restaurant in L.A. to do so. As a result, Chef Chad Colby is proudly introducing the new "Salumi Bar," which debuted yesterday, Thursday May 31st, and will take place every other Thursday after. Each Salumi Bar evening, Chef Colby will be offering guests an entirely house-made, a la carte menu of assorted salumi, sausages, patés, terrines, pickles, breads, entrées from the grill and several well known contorni. All of these dishes will be prepared directly in Scuola's open kitchen, where Chef Colby and his team will be available to chat about all things salumi.

To get a sneak peek at the new menu, click here.

Epic Roasthouse

6/1/2012
Mark your calendars, because another pork-focused food event is almost here. Epic Roasthouse in San Francisco is hosting their "High On The Hog" pig roast and pinot noir tasting, on June 30th from 1pm-4pm, on their scenic patio overlooking the bay. Chef Jan Birnbaum will be on the grill, serving up dishes like Slow Roasted Fennel Porchetta, Maple Roasted Pork Legs on Rotisserie, Sausages, Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Spare Ribs. There will be live music by Joey Altman and the Soul Peppers and featured wines from Cobb, Freeman, and Flowers wineries. This all-inclusive event is $75 a person, and tickets are on sale now.

Don't wait until it's too late, click here to see the invite and to get your tickets.

Cochon 555

6/1/2012
Cochon 555 rolled through San Francisco last weekend and stopped at the Fairmont Hotel, where five pigs were presented to five local chefs. As other compeitiors in many cities have done before them, the challenge was to make these whole animals into a world-class tasting menu. The competitive lineup consisted of Jason Fox of Commonwealth, Thomas McNaughton and Matthew Sigler of Salumeria, Nicholas Borzee of Bouche, Anthony Strong and Craig Stoll of Locanda, and Traci de Jardins of Jardiniere. After a tough battle, the Salumeria team pulled ahead and took the crown. McNaughton and Sigler will go on to compete, in Aspen on June 17, against the other Cochon 555 winners for a chance to be titled the ultimate "Princes of Pork." Eater was at the Fairmont for the inside scoop.

Click here to read the article and see the winning dishes.

"The Pig"

5/24/2012
The Pig opens its doors on 14th Street in Washington, D.C., this week with an obvious pork-focused menu. Unlike other restaurants that proudly display pigs as dining room decor, the owners have decided to leave the porky trinkets for the restrooms. The Pig's dining room is a timeless and rustic combination of trendy textures and versatile artwork. The menu will highlight charcuterie and other pork dishes, creatively crafted by head Chef, Garret Fleming, who toured Sicily to learn Italian charcuterie techniques. Eater has more to tell you about this pork-centric new restaurant, like its wine and beer selection, and their offal offerings.

Click here to read the article by Eater.

Hard Rock Cafe

5/24/2012
The smokehouse trend isn't going away anytime soon, at least that's what Hard Rock Cafe is showing us. The 138-unit casual dining restaurant has revamped their "smokehouse" menu section. They're adding items like the South Carolina Smokehouse Sandwich, made with pulled pork and served with with mustard barbecue sauce, cole slaw and cayenne onions. Not only is this menu expansion a sign of things to come, but trend-watcher Nancy Kruse, of Kruse Consulting Company and NRN, thinks adding a conventional or unconventional smokehouse segment to your menu is a two-fold advantage. NRN spoke with Nancy and shares the new smokehouse menu additions that are heating up Hard Rock Cafe.

Click here to see why Nancy thinks smoky flavors are a here to stay.

Allan Benton

5/24/2012
As owner of Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams, Allan Benton is the bacon legend of the South. He headed North to Brooklyn Brewery's GoogaMooga festival, where alongside Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn's, he presented an event simply titled, "Mmmmmm, Beer & Bacon." Benton spoke with Esquire and explained why he doesn't mind working 70+ hours a week at the age of 65, and what makes his Tennessee bacon and dry-cured hams something to celebrate.

Click here to see what else Allan Benton had to say to Esquire.

Atlanta F&W

5/24/2012
Serious Eats spent last weekend eating biscuits, drinking bourbon, and having a grand time at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. In its second year, the four-day event celebrates the rich food and drink traditions of the South, bringing together talented chefs hailing from 13 states. After strolling through the rows of vendors serving everything from tacos to barbecue with whole hogs smoking outside, they got a look inside the tasting tents and are sharing their "16 Greatest Bites" list with you. One of the offerings that made this list was Pastrami-Cured Pork Loin, from our good friend Jason Alley, of Comfort and Pasture in Richmond, VA.

To take a look at what other mouthwatering dishes were the best of the festival, click here.

Sausage Heaven

5/21/2012
Chad Colby, Chef de Cuisine at Mozza2Go and Scuola di Pizza in Los Angeles, California, has been trying for over a year to receive the permit that would allow him to dry-cure salumi in-house. And with much anticipation, it's finally been received. At Scuola, a separate dry-cure storage room has already been built in order to house the salumis. And, the meat will come from the heritage breed hogs that Chef Colby butchers during his popular "Saturday Night Whole Hog Family Dinners," held weekly at Scuola di Pizza. The Los Angeles Times covered the recent news, and lets you know how you can get some of this highly anticipated salumi for yourself.


Click here to read the article and see how you can be one of the first to try Scuola's salumi.

Best Butt

5/21/2012
Summer is here, and barbecue season is in full force. At backyard family barbecues, restaurants and city-wide events, head-to-head competitions are proving who can smoke, rub, baste, and serve up the best barbecue. Whether the prize is a trophy or neighborhood bragging rights, people across America are always trying to reinvent the way they barbecue. USA Today posted a list, developed by Southern Living Magazine, that ranks the top barbecue across the country. One restaurants from Memphis,Tennessee, called The Bar-B-Q Shop, made the list for their smoked pork shoulder sandwich with a tangy mustard sauce, served on thick Texas toast.

Click here to get a sneak peek preview of their acclaimed BBQ list, that hits newsstands on May 25.

COP Training

5/17/2012
The North American Meat Processors Association is pleased to be offering its flagship Center of the Plate Training Course at Texas A&M University. The course is June 12-14, 2012, and early registration ends May 22nd. This will be the last COP Training held in 2012, so take advantage of this unique learning opportunity by signing up early. Also, by registering three people from your company, you'll get to add a fourth attendee for FREE.

To learn more about this essential training course, who will be there and why it shouldn't be missed, click here.
To register for this training course, click here.

Charcuterie Gap

5/16/2012
It's obvious that charcuterie is becoming a mainstay trend; it's versatile, profitable and undeniably delicious. However, the skill to breakdown an entire pig, salt, cure and patiently await the intoxicating result, has been a long-forgotten curriculum in U.S. culinary schools. Because of the butchering education drought in America, students are traveling abroad, to apprentice in European butcher shops, or are just teaching themselves. Classic, artisanal, cured-meat production had been a depleting art-form in this country, but a new wave of progressive culinary innovators have brought the focus back - using old world techniques with new age technology. The Washington Post detailed the fascinating culinary trend spreading in the U.S., with rising and acclaimed chefs driving the charcuterie movement.

Click here to read the "Charcuterie Gap" by the Washington Post.

U.S. BBQ

5/16/2012
This time of year, there are a handful of signals that alert chefs to the hot and delicious season ahead. Although open patios and cooling frozen drinks are the first of many signs, the smell of a burning barbecue pit screams, "Summer." That's right folks, it's barbecue season, and that means competitions. There are many reasons to attend a barbecue competition, for starters, they are an experience you'll never forget and they only happen once a year. Thankfully, Food Republic gathered up a guide of the top pork pitmaster battles across the land. They're popping up in New York, Kentucky and Texas, amongst others, so check your calendar, clear a weekend and get into summer mode at a competition near you.

Click here to view the 2012 U.S. Barbecue Competition Calendar.

Pork Belly

5/10/2012
Tacos seem to be the food trend that everybody's talking about. They're the perfect size, they allow for versatility per order, and if done properly you'll get customers saying, "These are the best tacos around, seriously." That's what William Todd, Executive Chef for Delaware North Companies Sportservice at the Padres PETCO Park in San Diego has realized. Todd tries to source local Southern Californian ingredients to make his outstanding Smoked Pork Belly Carnitas Tacos better than anyone else's. He's shared this amazing recipe with Food Republic, who has shared it with everybody else (because, it's the right thing to do).

Click here to try the Pork Belly Carnitas Taco recipe, and get people talking.

Rusty Doorhinge

5/7/2012
Baconfest Chicago 2012 has wrapped up and we’re beginning to receive the highlights of the event, including unbelievable bacon/cocktail pairings. Templeton Rye was the official whiskey of Baconfest 2012. Michael Killmer, Templeton Rye’s brand manager, whipped up a cocktail created specifically for bacon, and called it the Rusty Doorhinge. Since then, Killmer has received so many requests for the Doorhinge recipe; we just had to share it with you:

The Rusty Doorhinge

1.5 oz Templeton Rye whiskey 

.75 Fresh orange juice

.25 Fresh lemon juice 

.25 Simple syrup 

.25 Carpano Antica sweet vermouth 



Build all ingredients in a shaker tin, add ice and shake hard for 8-10 seconds. Strain in a cocktail glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with orange twist express orange oil. 

For added effect when serving you can add the sweet vermouth last as a floater and not include in the build pre-shake.
Click here to watch the Templeton video, which lays down a little TR history- you can also check out their Facebook or Twitter.

DiNic's

5/8/2012
The Travel Channel is debuting a new show called Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America, and DiNic’s in Philadelphia has joined the final list with their roast pork sandwich. DiNic’s, located in the Reading Terminal Market, will join other sandwich beasts like Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh, and Katz’s Deli in New York City. Eater has all of the details you need to know, to see if your hometown hoagie has made the cut.

Click here to read the article.

Cochon 555

5/1/2012
The popular traveling porcine food competition known as Cochon 555, rolled into the Chicago Four Seasons this past weekend. Five Chicago chefs armed themselves with their most delicious pork recipes and the results were nothing short of spectacular. The participating chefs were Stephanie Izard of The Girl & The Goat, Mike Sheerin of The Trenchermen, Jason Vincent of Nightwood, Carlos Gaytan of Mexique and Danny Grant of Ria. Vincent took home the big win with ginger blood pudding, a butterscotch bacon donut, and a pork aspic. The Chicagoist was there and got the inside scoop on all the dishes, surprising displays and who attracted the most attention.

Click here to read the article and see the photo slideshow.

Austin

5/1/2012
Nine chefs, from around Texas and the nation, competed at the culinary cookoff in Republic Square Park as Top Chef Judge Gail Simmons, Food & Wine Publisher Christina Grdovic and Host of Bizarre Foods Andrew Zimmern devoured their way through each sampling to pick the taco champion. Some of the nation's most respected and talented chefs competed including Tyson Cole, Tony Mantuano, Masaharu Morimoto, Marcus Samuelsson, Christina Tosi, Jonathan Waxman, Michelle Bernstein, Tim Love and Elizabeth Karmel. In the end, Tyson Cole's flavorful and crispy pork jowl taco helped his hometown capture the title for best taco. Culture Map Austin asked the judges and competitors what they thought of each others' dishes, and why Austin deserves to be the taco capitol of America.

Click here to read the article and see what tacos the delicious pork jowl triumphed over.

Cochon 555

4/24/2012
On Sunday, five chefs hit the Liaison Hotel in Washington, D.C., where Scott Drewno of The Source took the competition for the second straight year. Some of his winning dishes included pig's blood custard served with a pork skin broth, char siu belly and pig's ear streusel. His nose-to-tail dim sum blowout featured pork potstickers, chow feung made from the pig's heart and wonton soup made from kidney and head meat. The other competitors included Nicholas Stefanelli (Bibiana), Ed Witt (701), Mike Isabella (Graffiato) and Wes Morton (Art and Soul). Food Republic was there and got some amazing shots of this year's dishes.

Click here to read the article and see what Cochon 555 D.C. offered up.

Big Chef Tom's

4/24/2012
Our friend Tom Pizzica has been perfecting his Belly Burgers into what has now become a rising trend in San Francisco, where Tom runs a pop-up that sells these beauties. Unlike other burgers, Tom's are 100% ground pork belly patties nestled in between two toasted buttery buns (because he cares about you). Since Belly Burgers have grown in popularity, it seemed natural that he takes his humor and love for pork and announce Belly Burgers to the public. Tom stars in a fun and whimsical commercial that will leave you laughing, and hungry.

Click here to watch Tom's BB commercial and follow his Twitter to see where you could grab a Belly Burger of your own.

NAMP + NMA =

4/24/2012
The North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) and the National Meat Association (NMA) will consolidate on July 1 to form a new organization, the North American Meat Association (NAMA). The consolidation provides an opportunity for both organizations to better represent and serve a larger segment of the meat industry. The combined membership includes nearly 400 meat processors and 300 supplier companies. Membership includes both slaughter plants and further processors.

To read the full article on Meatingplace.com about this consolidation, click here.

Baconfest 2012

4/19/2012
Whoever said you can have too much of a good thing has never been to Baconfest Chicago. When it began in the Fall of 2009 as a modest 10-chef event with 75 paid guests, the demand for bacon was rising to a new level. This year, from primary sponsor Nueske's donation of over 4,000 pounds of bacon, to the 90 chefs who accepted the offer of free pork belly, to the 20 or so chefs who made their own bacon, to the eager eaters who began lining up over an hour before the doors opened - there's no doubt Baconfest has tapped into something special. Chicago Eater was there and snapped some amazing images of the dishes, the people, and the chefs.

Click here to read the article and see the slideshow.

Bacon Wrapped

4/17/2012
I think by now everybody realizes that you can wrap bacon around anything, and it'll taste delicious. Here's an innovative recipe that ties together one of America's favorite finger food, with America's favorite protein.

Click here to get this simple and delicious recipe for bacon wrapped sweet potato fries.

Carbonara

4/17/2012
This Food Republic recipe stems from one of the most traditional pasta dishes of Italy- spaghetti alla carbonara. The few ingredients used to create this salty and savory dish can be substituted for similar cousins, like guanciale for ham, pecorino for parmesean, or spaghetti for linguine, which makes it extremely versatile and always delicious.

Click here to get the most authentic spaghetti alla carbonara recipe, straight from Rome.

10 Great Places

4/10/2012
Susan Russo, author of The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches, is a trusted voice when it comes to where to get the best sandwich. She compiled a list of the "10 Great Places To Bite Into A Surprising Sandwich" and shared it with USA Today. Susan's list includes spicy favorites like the Cochinita Pibil Torta from Xoco in Chicago, that features roasted pig served with black beans, pickled onion and habanero sauce. Also suggested, is the original Muffuletta from the Napolean House in New Orleans, and from Homegrown in Seattle, the Roast Pork sandwich rubbed with coffee and cayenne. All of these sandwiches are completely different, but have one thing in common; they're unbelievably delicious.

Click here to read the article and see if your favorite local sandwich made the list.

Cochon 555

4/5/2012
Cochon 555 wheeled its way into Miami on Sunday, where six elite chefs battled to create 5 dishes using pigs at the Four Seasons Hotel. Among the contenders were, Aaron Brooks of EDGE Steak & Bar at Four Seasons Miami, James Petrakis of the Ravenous Pig, Michael Schwartz and Bradley Herron of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, and James Strine of Café Boulud, Palm Beach. The chef who swept the competition and followed Naomi Pomeroy's win for the "Princesses" was, Michelle Bernstein of Michy's and Sra. Martinez! She took the crown with dishes like a PB&J Sack Lunch, a Nose-to-Tail Croqueta, and Whole Beast Ravioli. Food Republic was there and brings you insider photos and delicious dish descriptions.

Click here to see the slideshow and read about what happens next!

Cochon 555

4/4/2012
Beast's Naomi Pomeroy was crowned the Pork Princess at the Cochon 555 cooking competition in Portland, which made it's way into town once again to celebrate pigs, and give people an excuse to eat a gluttonous amount of pork. Pomeroy bested follow chefs Vitaly Paley of Paley's Place, our friend Adam Sappington of The Country Cat, Jason Barwikowski of The Woodsman Tavern, and Rita Jia You of Lucky Strike. Pomeroy's winning dishes featured a foie gras poached pork loin, a take on BBQ with a smoked pork shoulder served on a mini-roll, and a chocolate pork pudding for dessert. With her crown comes the honorary spot to represent Portland in the "Grand Cochon" event later this year in Aspen. Eater went inside the event to bring you fantastic photos, dish descriptions and what some chefs considered their "secret weapon."

Click here to read the article and view the photo gallery.

Cochon 555

4/4/2012
The fourth annual Cochon 555 came to the Mandarin Oriental in Boston last week, where where local chefs showcased their nose-to-tail offerings including Tim Cushman of O Ya, Barbara Lynch of Menton, Barry Maiden of Hungry Mother and Steve Postal of Fenway Park. After the crispy pork skin particles settled, Chef Jamie Bissonnette of Toro and Coppa was crowned champion due to his hearty menu: pork belly pho, a banh mi made with coppa, kidney spread with head cheese and ham, red curry pork skin, Vietnamese sausage and pig foot rillettes. Incredibly, there was a popular pork item that was absent from nearly every menu; bacon! Food Republic provides insider photos and the scoop on what went down at the Boston-style pork battle.

Click here to read to see the action.

Taco Shell

3/27/2012
If you thought the taco trend was getting innovative, now you're in for a savory treat. Although corn and flour reign supreme as the lead options for taco shells, a new and, we think, genius invention could quickly climb the ranks- a taco shell made of bacon. We all know bacon goes well with everything, but in this recipe the bacon literally holds the dish together. An at-home foodie/photographer shows you how to create this new and exciting taco shell with just a few strips of fresh bacon. Try something different and use it as a brunch item filled with eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy!

For proof that everything you just read is real, click here.

Adam Sappington

3/21/2012
Our friend, Adam Sappington, owner and executive chef at Country Cat in Portland, Oregon was featured in Plate On The Fly, Monday, March 20, 2012. Country Cat was a stop on our 2011 Portland Pork Crawl and Adam was our Featured Chef in our October The 400 e-newsletter. Adam's known for his Southern hospitality and appreciation for whole animal cooking. Born and raised in Missouri, Adam grew up around the simple food his grandmother would cook for him like biscuits and collard greens. After getting his feet wet in fine dining establishments, Adam moved to Portland with a dream and a culinary focus; an all-American food perspective. This Plate article delves into Adam's humble beginnings and why he does what he does.

Click here to read the Plate article.

Congrats!

3/21/2012
Congratulations to Chef Jose Garces! Our own Celebrated Chef, the master of Latin cuisine, and the owner of Garces Restaurant Group in Philadelphia, has been inducted into the MenuMasters Hall of Fame. Inductees are honored for outstanding menu development plus excellence in foodservice research and development. Garces, no stranger to these types of honors, won a James Beard Award and was crowned Food Network's "Next Iron Chef," both in 2009.

Click here to read more about his honorable recognition on NRN.com

Monkeydish

3/21/2012
From long-smoked pork shoulder to Vietnamese marinated pork loin, there's a barbecue style form every part of the globe. And this on-trend culinary technique is craved by consumers of all kinds. In this article, MonkeyDish speaks with various operations to explore what purists and newbies, from Harvard to food trucks, have to say about this preparation method.

Click here to read the Global Barbecue article on Monkeydish.com

Pork Doughnuts

3/8/2012
Just when you thought donuts couldn't get any better, Dunkin' Donuts went ahead and added pork. Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. announced a multi-year marketing agreement on Monday with NBA star LeBron James, who has been tapped to endorse pork doughnuts in China, where the company has 150 stores. The coffee and baked goods chain has, "other savory products that we have been testing and introducing country by country," Chief Executive Officer Nigel Travis told Reuters in an interview.
So, until there's news that these shredded pork topped doughnuts will be landing stateside, we'll all have to watch China enjoy them, in jealousy.
Click here to read the article by the Miami Herald.

Top 10

3/7/2012
Last year, the Huffington Post announced it's list of Top 10 Sandwiches in America, which proved to be the year's most read article. After months of research, discussion and of course taste-testing, they've announced the list for Top 10 Sandwiches in America, 2012. Some of the exciting winners this year include the Irish Breakfast Sandwich from Beachside in San Francisco, with thick slabs of salty bacon, savory Irish sausages, a fried egg and garlic aioli. Another top contender is the Noble Pig Sandwich from Noble Pig Sandwiches in Austin that features tender pulled pork, spicy slivers of ham, and crispy bits of bacon, all mixed together, topped with provolone cheese, and served on toasted, house-baked bread.

But, we won't spoil all the fun. Go ahead and see the full list of America's top 10 craziest, loveliest, cheesiest, most creative new sandwiches here.

D and D

3/6/2012
The sold-out, sixth annual Dark & Delicious food and wine event was held on Friday, February 17 at the Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda, Calif. D & D is a yearly event hosted by P.S. I Love You and sponsored by the National Pork Board. Attendees drank Petite Sirahs from 58 wineries and ate delicious, pork inspired dishes prepared by local restauranteurs, caterers and food purveyors. Some of the mouthwatering items presented to guests included seared pork loin with chimichurri, Chicago barbecue riblets, poblano braised pork with cilantro gremolata, and caramelized pig's candy.

To see photos of the delicious dishes served up at the D & D event, click here.

Awarded

3/6/2012
On March 2, 2012 The Pork Checkoff, along with its co-sponsor, National Hog Farmer magazine, announced four pork production operations as winners of the industry's highest environmental honor, the Pork Industry Environmental Steward Award. The award, now in its 18th year, honors producers who demonstrate a firm commitment to safeguarding the environment and their local communities. The recipients are:


To read more about the winners and other dedicated folks who produce our pork, click here.

Pork Souse

2/28/2012
When it comes to Florida cuisine, the conversation starts with Norman Van Aken. The chef and author was among the first to realize the tropical food goldmine of the region, and his restaurants and cookbooks have had a huge influence on chefs in Florida and beyond. Van Aken shares his unique and flavorful Pork Souse recipe with Foodrepublic.com. This Trinidad-native dish is made with the succulent broth of pig bones, serrano chilies, and honeycomb tripe.

Click here to get Chef Van Aken's Pork Souse recipe.

SOBE Bash

2/28/2012
Food Network Iron Chef Michael Symon turned a triple dose of pork into a third consecutive win at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival's annual Burger Bash on February 24, 2012. This year's winner, the Porky Burger, featured a ground pork burger studded with bacon, then topped with pulled pork. And for good measure, he added a side of pork cracklings. Other outstanding chefs that competed at the Burger Beach Bash were Masaharu Morimoto, Tim Balloo, Spike Mendelsohn, Marc Forgione and Andrew Carmellini.

Click here to see photos of contesting chefs and other pork inspired burgers.

Don't Forget!

2/27/2012
Don’t forgot to register this week in order to take advantage of early registration deadlines for the Center of the Plate II: Cuts to Culinary Course. Early registration discounts are available until March 1, 2012. This culinary workshop is being held March 27-28 at Kendall College in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

The course, which features pork, beef, lamb, and veal, will demonstrate innovative meat preparation and cooking techniques. Also, a powerhouse team, including our own Chef Stephen Gerike, will be ready to answer questions about animal agriculture and animal welfare, explain meat product labeling and claims, and to discuss the various factors that affect meat quality. They will also give foodservice professionals tips on writing specifications and communicating with customers and chefs. The course includes information on wine and beer pairing, and will feature a sampling of the demonstrated recipes and pairings. Anyone involved in the buying or selling of meat, should take advantage of this opportunity to harness this important foodservice knowledge.

Click here to register for the COP II culinary workshop.

Candied Pork

2/21/2012
Chef Chris Shepherd, the founding chef at Catalan in Houston, TX, has recently decided to leave and start up his own restaurant. Debuting in the Fall of 2012, Underbelly will feature a full-scale in-house butchering operation to further explore Shepherd's fascination with whole animal cookery. While finishing touches are being put on the restaurant, the Underbelly chef shared his recipe for Candied Pork with TastingTable.com. The deliciously prepared main course is rubbed with spices, slow roasted to fall-off-the-bone perfection, then slathered with brown sugar and bourbon.

To view Chris Shepherd's sweet and glazed pork shoulder recipe, click here.

Pig Ear

2/21/2012
On Farish Street in Jackson, Mississippi is a small quick-service restaurant called the Big Apple Inn. Its been serving loyal customers for over 70 years and only menus one type of item: sandwiches. Some could say they're famous because of their economically friendly, pork-focused $1.05 menu. But most know its because of their soft, succulent and juicy pig ear sandwiches. They are made from whole pig ears, which are cut into thirds and pressure cooked for over two hours until they reach the desired, supple texture. Then, a third of the ear is placed between two buttered buns, and topped with a mustard sauce, slaw and hot sauce before serving. Joe York of Southern Foodways Alliance created this documentary to expose the most culture-rich aspects of Jackson, Mississippi, but most importantly, food.

Click here to watch the documentary on foodrepublic.com and see what other pork inspired sandwiches get customers talking at the Big Apple Inn.

Bacon + Dessert

2/17/2012
AMC Theatres is serving up an easy-to-execute and patron pleasing show-stopper, the Waffle Sundae. The dessert features two warm Belgian waffles infused with authentic maple flavor, topped off by a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled in luscious caramel and a generous sprinkle of sweet and savory candied bacon. Since its debut in November, 2011 the Waffle Sundae has been the second best selling dessert, and has driven incremental dessert revenue by 4%. Since consumers are now beginning to select menu items featuring new and unique flavors, being on trend is key and adding bacon takes you there.

Click here to get the Waffle Sundae with Candied Bacon recipe.

Dark & Delicious

2/16/2012
The sixth annual Dark and Delicious food and wine event kicks off Friday, February 17 at the Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda, Calif. from 6pm to 9pm. This wine focused event showcases petite sirahs from 58 wineries, and delicious dishes of various cuisines created by over 38 restauranteurs, caterers and food producers. The National Pork Board is sponsoring this event again this year alongside the popular review blog, Yelp. Tickets for this dark and delicious evening are priced at $63.00 a person, and includes free parking.

Click here to purchase tickets, get directions and see the full list of debuting and returning sponsors.

Awarded

2/15/2012
In the effort to spread the word about fighting heart disease, pork has earned the iconic Heart-Check mark from the American Heart Association. In celebration of this recognition, two mouthwatering pork dishes have been created to star at the Woman's Day Red Dress Awards. Michelle Dudash, dietitian and Le Courdon Bleu certified chef, will serve grilled orange ponzu pork with napa cabbage and carrot stir-fry, and thyme roasted pork tenderloin with a balsamic shallot compote for tonight's gala dinner. Now donning the American Heart Association's red Heart-Check mark, the pork tenderloin gives you one more reason to create inspiring dishes.

Click here to read the full press release and see more reasons why pork is award-worthy.

Salt-Crusted

2/15/2012
Fish isn't the only protein getting a salt crust these days. Eric Ripert, Executive Chef and owner of Le Bernardin in New York City, demonstrates how to create this simple and flavorful dish with pork. Chef Ripert chooses a juicy pork tenderloin, which is enveloped in an herb and salt dough and paired with lentils du puy stew and curried cauliflower. This easy to create dish allows for flavor versatility in the herb-dough, and variation with its sides. Watch this quick, how-to cooking segment on MSNBC and see how pork's versatility makes way for inspiring menu changes.

Click here to view the video.

Cochon 555

2/9/2012
On Saturday, February 4, the traveling food competition Cochon 555 settled in Memphis, at The Columns at One Commerce Square. Five local chefs, including Lee Richardson of Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel, Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Café, and Andrew Ticer of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, battled head-to-head to create six dishes using heritage breed pigs. The winning contestant who created the best dishes was Kelly English of Restaurant Iris. English used ingredients like pork belly, pork skin, back fat noodles, slow roasted shoulder, and loose lard crème to steal the crown.

Food Republic went behind the scenes tat this pork inspired event.

Click here to see the winner, his opponents and the other fantastic pork dishes.

Cochon 555

2/9/2012
The 2012 Cochon 555 is underway and the 10-city tour wrapped up its Napa Valley competition on February 2. Five local chefs were each given a heritage breed pig to create nose-to-tail dishes. The victor of the Napa cook-off was none other than Lars Kronmark, of the Culinary Institute of America's Greystone Campus. Kronmark, a good friend of the National Pork Board's, showcased his innovative dishes with the help of seven CIA culinary arts students and captured the title on his home turf at the CIA.

Food Republic was onsite and covered the top contenders and their prize worthy dishes.

Click here to see the offal dishes that paid homage to the pig.

Sliders

2/3/2012
The fascination with miniature-sized food doesn’t stop at poppable desserts and candies. The ever-growing finger food phenomenon includes savory dishes as well. Sliders are bite-size, ingredient-focused miniatures, appearing on menus across the country. They pack huge flavor in small portions and allow for versatility in a single serving. Food and Wine set out to find the best places in the US serving sliders, and the mouthwatering results included Pork Celebrated Chef Alumnus Jose Garces’ smoked Berkshire pork sliders served at his restaurant JG Domestic. Also, Lou’s Foodbar in Denver menus a ginger and chipotle rubbed pulled pork slider.

To read further about the best sliders in the U.S, check out the Delish.com article here.

CIA video

1/25/2012
The Culinary Institute of America has developed video-training modules for chefs to learn about the flavors of the world. A recent video takes a trip to Restarante Majore, a four generation owned, family restaurant in Ragusa, Sicily that solely serves pork. The restaurant embraces Sicily's historic reputation as pork aficionados. The featured chef discusses homemade salami, pork "la gelatina," prosciutto and how the natural flavor of pork is all you need.

Watch the video and hear why their motto is "Here, pork is glorified", click here.

Cochon 555

1/25/2012
The fourth annual New York City Cochon 555 took place on January 22, 2012. The culinary competition and tasting, where 5 Chefs cook 5 heritage breed pigs and pair them with 5 wines, crowned Marc Forgione winner. The top dishes included charcuterie, slow braised pork shoulder, mini hot dogs, crispy pork belly squares and pork infused cocktails.

To read more about this pork inspired competition and see Huffington Post's photographs from the day, click here.

Pork is "it"

1/25/2012
Independent and chain operators are harnessing the powerful culinary trend that is nowhere near saturation: pork. This popular protein is seen barbecued, nestled in a sandwich, covered in cheese and hand-dipped and battered. Nation's Restaurant News breaks down their top four reasons why pork is the most versatile and culinarily creative protein.

Click here to read more about why pork is "it".

Cheeky Cut

1/20/2012
Pork is a beloved protein because every cut of the animal can be utilized. One cut in particular is climbing ranks amongst the favorites, pork cheek; the slip of meat in the hollow of the cheek, underneath the animal's eye. It's delicious and dangerously flavorful when slowly cooked to preserve the supple texture. Serious Eats provides insight into this favorite cut and its value.

See why pork cheek is the rising star amongst cuts, and get full recipes here.

Nose-To-Tail 101

1/19/2012
Chef Fergus Henderson is renowned for his use of offal and other neglected cuts of meat. His celebrated nose-to-tail philosophy is on display at his St. John Restaurant on St. John Street in London. Most of his dishes are derived from traditional British cuisine, and have been praised by chefs and critics all over the world. Food Republic sat down with the chef, in his home city, to discuss whole hog butchering and his career before he became "Chef Fergus Henderson."

Click here to read the full interview.

Recipe Favorite

1/18/2012
Slow roasted pork shoulder is a fan favorite. Usually served shredded, nestled between two soft buns, and slathered with sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. However, its just as good whole, and even better when its crispy.

Try this unbelievable combination of sweet and spicy, and get the full recipe here.

Barbecue

1/18/2012
The definition of barbecue differs across the country. Some barbecue aficionados believe that barbecue refers to the actual final product of the process, which in almost every case, involves pork. Some also believe that barbecue is a verb that simply describes grilling a hot dog. However, the truth is that barbecue is something much more scientific and detailed. To find out more read this article by Food Republic, that explores the regional differences that make barbecue such a uniquely American institution.
 
To read the Food Republic article, click here.

Meatloaf

1/18/2012
If you consider yourself a purveyor of meatloafs, you have probably tried to improve the recipe your mother has handed down to you. But at Marc Taft’s new American restaurant Chicken and the Egg in Marietta, Georgia, the chef proves that a layer of bacon is the only addition a meatloaf needs.

The full recipe to this smoky, sweet and pork glazed meatloaf is available here.

2012 Trends

12/20/2011
According to the new top trends for 2012, the culinary world will see increasingly creative changes. There is a shift of influence happening based on ever-growing social climates, the economy and technical innovation. Chefs are reinterpreting classic dishes like blood sausage and beer-infused sauces, and recreating them with modern twists. In the new year, you’ll begin to see more potatoes on menus, matched with creamy sauces or unassuming toppings. Trendologists see flavorful fats being used like rice bran and fruity olive oil. Also, cutting edge Chefs have been embracing whole animal cooking, by making use of every part and wasting none, so expect to see even more snout to tail pork on menus.

See what else is about to hit mainstream menus, and check out the top 10 trends to watch by clicking here.

Meatballs

12/19/2011
Meatballs, the spherical protein served in variations across the globe, is one of the latest trends in comfort food. In New York City, meatball shops have been popping up from the Lower East Side to Uptown. Shops are offering them with gravy or specialty sauces and are going so far as to serve them up as a cocktail with fat from spicy fried sausages drained into Irish whiskey. Meatballs are now on chain restaurant menus, at neighborhood delis and the star offering at James Beard award-winning chefs’ restaurants.

See how else meatballs are taking the lead as the latest foodie trend by clicking here.

7-Eleven

12/15/2011
7-Eleven has announced an exclusive new breakfast item this month, a Maple Pancake Sausage Roller. It’s a maple-flavored pancake wrapped around a pork sausage link served hot off the roller grill. This great option for breakfast-on-the-go is available at participating 7-Eleven stores for $1 each.

Click here to read more about this crave-satisfying snack.

Porchetta

12/15/2011
The newest trend in holiday roasts is the Porchetta. A slow-roasted, fennel-scented all belly or all lean roll, surrounded in crispy crackled skin. This Italian roast has been the center of holiday tables over other protein roasts for numerous reasons from taste to affordability.

Check out the link here to read further and see why you should consider gracing your holiday table with a Porchetta roast.

Pig Wings

12/5/2011
Pig Wings are taking the restaurant scene by storm. Landing on menus across the country, Pig Wings, also known as pig shanks, are allowing chefs to get creative with different flavors, dipping sauces and drink pairings. Memphis Mae’s, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, smokes their Pig Wings and serves them with a cherry-apple dipping sauce, while Mac’s Speed Shop, of Charlotte, North Carolina, serves up beer-braised and hickory smoked Pig Wings. The shank was once a valued part of cooked ham but according to National Pork Board’s Director of Foodservice Marketing, Stephen Gerike, as convenience foods like boneless hams and spiral-sliced whole hams gained in popularity, meat processors began to remove the shank before processing. Processors then turned those shanks into cold cuts and other ham products like Pig Wings. Restaurants are embracing their patrons' love for tasty pork wings and are serving up inspiring dishes.

To read more about Pig Wings, read the full article here.

Peruvian

12/2/2011
"Peruvian food is in the dining spotlight, propelled by the increase in ambitious, chef-driven Peruvian restaurants. Although the famed seafood ceviches are probably still the face of the cuisine, Peruvian pork dishes, typically layered with rich flavors and multiple ethnic accents, are getting their just renown."

To read more about Peruvian pork dishes, read the full article here.

Charcuterie

11/17/2011
Charcuterie has been taking the independent restaurant scene by storm. Chefs across the United States are trying whole hog butchery and as a result, are smoking their own bacon, developing their own sausages and serving up homemade salami. Jacob Sessoms, co-owner of Table and Tod’s Tasties, both located in Asheville, North Carolina, says now that customers know he’s making everything on his charcuterie plate in-house, the dish has become a best seller. Chef Preston Dishman, of Viognier in San Mateo, California, reports that he’s been offering his popular charcuterie at the four retail gourmet stores his company owns. To read more about the growing popularity of charcuterie, click here.

Pork on Menus

11/16/2011
“Chicago, November 14, 2011, Business Wire – Leading restaurants are expanding their protein selection on menus by offering more pork dishes, according to foodservice consultants Technomic. With a 7 percent increase in menu mentions over the past year, pork is now being showcased in appetizers, entrées and sides. This protein suits the trend of using rustic, natural ingredients, from Chipotle’s use of naturally raised pork for its carnitas to Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants’ new All-Natural Iowa Pork Tenderloin Medallions with a maple, mustard and pretzel crust.”

To download Technomic’s full press release, click here.

Bacon Growth

11/16/2011
Bacon is being applied to food products more today than ever before. From doughnuts to popcorn, bacon has become the “it” ingredient to use in restaurant kitchens across the country. FastCasual.com features an article discussing this increase in restaurant use of bacon. For example, earlier this year, Denny’s Restaurants promoted Baconalia: A Celebration of Bacon. The menu featured Bacon Meatloaf, a Maple Bacon Sundae and a Bacon Bowl. Additionally, the NPD Group has found that Quick-Service Restaurants experienced an increase in bacon food products by 7% in 2010 with an additional 2% increase in 2011. Bacon has become a leader in product innovation and restaurants are exploring new and exciting ways to incorporate it into their dishes.

To read more from FastCasual’s article, click here.

Pork Burger

11/16/2011
Suzanne Goin, chef at Tavern, located in Los Angeles, serves up a mouthwatering pork burger that is sure to inspire. The pork burger is made of ground pork, chorizo and bacon, and then topped with melted Manchego cheese, house-made aioli and romesco sauce. Goin describers her triple pork burger as, “smoky, fatty, juicy, dripping-down-your-chin delicious.” KCET, Southern and Central California’s public television station, has adapted a recipe from Suzanne Goin and it’s available to see here.

Click here to find out more about Tavern.

McRib is Back

10/27/2011
McDonald's famous LTO, the McRib, is back on the menu for all to enjoy. Click here to read more!

Bacon Desserts

10/27/2011
Using bacon as a dessert ingredient is a trend sweeping the nation. From doughnuts, to cookies and macaroons, bacon is a hot addition to sweets. Salt Lake City, Utah, is no exception, with doughnut shops and bakeries using bacon to top their treats. Beyond Glaze, a gourmet doughnut shop, tops their doughnuts with maple-flavored frosting and sprinkles of crispy bacon. Bear Country Cookies features a bacon-milk chocolate cookie, which is topped with maple cream-cheese frosting and two strips of bacon.

To learn more about bacon desserts and to see some tasty bacon dessert recipes, read the full article here.

To learn more about Beyond Glaze, click here.

To learn more about Bear Country Cookies, click here.

Pork & Burgers

10/27/2011
In order to stand out, restaurants recently have gotten creative with classic burgers. A growing trend is topping the burgers with more meat, and pork is no exception. Pulled pork, ham and bacon – chefs are using it all to boost the flavor of their burgers. Doc Crow’s, in Louisville, Kentucky, offers the Bubba Burger, a half-pound beef patty topped with pulled pork, beef brisket, a fried green tomato, onion rings, a fried egg and cole slaw. Red Robin’s Oktoberfest Burger is topped with Swiss cheese, beer-mustard sautéed onions, green leaf lettuce and black forest ham. And bacon is now a deliciously common burger topping served at restaurants all across the country.

To read more about Chefs topping burgers with more meat, read the full article here.

Bahama Breeze

10/27/2011
Bahama Breeze, a Caribbean-inspired restaurant concept known for their made-from-scratch cuisine, has introduced three new pork appetizers to their menu. Meals start off right with these three delicious appetizer choices:

  • Mojo-Marinated Pork and Sweet Plantains: slow-roasted pulled pork over sweet plantains with a black bean, roasted corn tomato salsa and smokey quava barbecue sauce.
  • Ham and Cheese Croquettes: crunchy won-ton skins stuffed with ham, melted cheese and potatoes. Served with mustard aioli to dip and black bean, roasted corn tomato salsa.
  • Wood-Grilled Chorizo Sliders: wood-grilled Chorizo served on toasted brioche buns with caramelized onions, ballpark mustard and melted Manchego cheese.

To learn more about Bahama Breeze and their savory new pork dishes, visit their website here.

Pulled Pork

10/12/2011
Pulled Pork is in demand and Nation’s Restaurant News is featuring a topical article provided by the National Pork Board supporting this trend. Restaurants are adding pulled pork to menus in new and surprising ways, and consumers are eager to enjoy. According to Technomic’s Center of the Plate: Beef & Pork Consumer Trend Report, consumers are craving pork variety and would order pork dishes more often if those needs were satisfied. In response, restaurants, like California Pizza Kitchen, are incorporating pulled pork to their menu. The popular restaurant has added the Habanero Carnitas Pizza, which features slow-roasted pulled pork, red onions, cilantro pesto, mozzarella and queso quesadilla cheese with spicy habanero salsa.

To see what other restaurants are doing with pulled pork and to learn more about the rising trend, read the full article here.

Pork and Pizza

10/12/2011
Pizza Today's article, "Hog Wild," discusses the Pork and Pizza trend sweeping the nation. Menus across the country are topping their tasty pizzas with pork belly, pork shoulder, prosciutto and more. This piece includes examples of standout restaurants like Pete & Sam’s Restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee, which features their Bar B Q Pizza. The Bar B Q Pizza is topped with slow-cooked pork shoulder tossed in house-made sweet barbecue sauce. Their bone-in Boston butt is smoked over hickory and apple wood for 16 hours before serving up the pie with house-made tomato sauce, cheddar, and mozzarella.

To learn more about Pork and Pizza trends, read the full article here.

Chapa Blog

9/30/2011
Check out the new blog post from our pork and beverage pairing expert, Rebecca Chapa. This month’s entry features food and drink highlights from SF Chefs. See what drinks Chapa pairs up with tasty pork dishes from Big Jim’s BBQ, Delfina, Tom Pizzica, and more!

Click here to read Chapa’s latest entry.

Mateo's

9/28/2011
Mateo’s Cocina Latina, located in Healdsburg, California, serves up slow-roasted pork with distinctive ingredients of Mexico’s Yucatan region that patrons love. Prior to a 4-½ hour roasting time, chef-owner Mateo Granados, bathes the pork shoulder in an annatto-seed paste and wraps it in banana leaves. Tasting Table recently featured an adapted recipe for readers to enjoy.

Click here for the story and recipe on Tasting Table.
Click here to find out more about Mateo’s Cocina Latina. 

IPPA Donation

9/28/2011
On September 23, the River Bend Foodbank was presented with 4,293 pounds of ground pork from the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) and the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). The donation was made to the campaign for Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois. With this additional donation, the total number of pounds donated by the pork, corn and soybean groups has increased to over 34,000 pounds of ground pork. These donations have reached the eight regional foodbanks associated with Feeding Illinois.

Feeding Illinois provides food to nearly 2,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters that feed nearly 900,000 Illinois residents. The pork donations have been made to support September Hunger Action Month.

To learn more about the donation read the full story here. 

Pie Shop

9/22/2011
Pie Shop, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is well known for their sweet and savory homemade pies. Right on trend with using bacon in desserts, owner Mims Bledsoe offers an apple pie with bacon-streusel topping. Tasting Table featured an adapted recipe for readers to enjoy.

Click here for the story and recipe on Tasting Table.
Click here to find out more about Pie Shop. 

Del Taco LTO

9/22/2011
Del Taco’s new LTO offers Shredded Pork Carnitas menu items, which feature tender, slow-braised pork that is simmered in small batch kettles, the traditional cooking method of Mexican kitchens. The LTO features a Carnitas Combo Burrito, Carnitas Taco al Carbon and Carnitas Macho Nachos. The Carnitas Combo Burrito features tender braised pork, grated Cheddar cheese and green sauce wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. The Carnitas Taco al Carbon features shredded pork, California Chili sauce, diced onions and chopped cilantro wrapped in two warm corn tortillas. The Carnitas Macho Nachos feature fresh tortilla chips, loaded with slow-cooked beans, carnitas, nacho cheese sauce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and topped with sliced jalapeno peppers. John Cappasola, Del Taco’s Chief Brand Officer, says, “Shredded Pork Carnitas reinforces once again that Del Taco is the destination for more flavor, more variety and great value.”

To read more about Del Taco’s new LTO click here. 

Bacon Fun Facts

9/14/2011
Bacon has exploded onto menus and into the hearts of countless Americans. In fact, each year in the United States, more than 1.7 billion pounds of bacon are consumed in foodservice. Interestingly, consumers aren’t just eating bacon during Sunday morning brunch; 59% of bacon consumption is during weekdays. Bacon is a fun way to add a unique twist to your menu. To find more fun bacon facts check out this infographic here! 

Obama's Chops

9/1/2011
After trying a bite of an aide’s dish at Hotel Blackhawk’s Bix Bistro, President Barack Obama requested that the Cinnamon Brined Grilled Iowa Pork Chops replace his medium-well steak. Hotel Blackhawk Executive Sous Chef Dean McCollum and Bix Bistro Chef Kevin Nape whipped up another order of the chop recipe, which includes cornbread skillet, sweet corn casserole, Applewood smoked bacon and caramelized wilted spinach and a mustard demi-glace, for the President to enjoy. President Obama loved his pork dish so much that the dish is now going to be on the official West Wing menu.

For more details about the President’s dish click here. 

Pigskin Trend

9/1/2011
Pigskin is on trend and not just because it’s football season. Across the country restaurants are starting to serve dishes that feature the often left-out part of the pig. Chefs are creating unique, fun, and flavorful dishes that are pleasing taste buds everywhere. Chef Chris Consentino, of Incanto in San Francisco, has started serving dishes such as ciccioli and pigskin pasta at his restaurant with great success. Pigskin is a distinct way to change up your menu and give customers a chance to explore more with pork.

Click to download a PDF of this Pigskin update: Pigskin News Ticker 

Chef News

8/19/2011
The Culinary Institute of America is gearing up for the 14th annual Worlds of Flavor Conference, themed World Casual: The Future of American Menus. Held November 3-5 at CIA Greystone, one of the Guest Chefs is Pork Celebrated Chef, Jose Garces. The CIA recently interviewed Chef Garces for their Presenter Spotlight. Read an excerpt here and click the link below to read the full interview.
 
CIA: Your collection of ways to enjoy food and wine outside the home seem to exemplify the "world casual" theme of this year's Worlds of Flavor Conference at the CIA at Greystone: cafés, wine bars, restaurants with markets attached, places where great food is served on small plates and perhaps across a counter and a taco truck. What is it about this moment in time that this on-the-go, drop in, neighborhood feel, casual yet well-crafted approach to eating is so appealing to Americans? What about this "world casual" approach attracts you as a chef and entrepreneur?

Jose Garces: As more and more Americans learn more about the food they eat, they naturally begin to demand higher quality. Suddenly, once you open your eyes to farming and regional specialties, heat-and-serve fast food doesn't seem so appealing. Our restaurants make high-quality food available in a fun, interactive way – without breaking the bank or forcing diners to endure hours-long meals over white tablecloths. Click here to read more. 

SF Chefs 2011

8/17/2011
The National Pork Board was a platinum sponsor at this year’s SF Chefs event and restaurant week from August 1-7, 2011. The event, which was organized by San Francisco’s Golden Gate Restaurant Association, is a food, wine and spirits festival. This year the Grand Tasting Tent on Union Square featured hundreds of San Francisco’s best restaurants, bars, distilleries, breweries and wineries. There were classes, demonstrations, speakers and sponsored parties, held at different venues throughout the city.

Pork was featured in a large number of dishes throughout SF Chefs. See below for some of the tasty recipes served up by distinguished restaurants at the event:

Friday, August 5th - Opening Celebration & Grand Tasting
  • Kuleto's - House cured salumi
  • Pican - Louisiana crawfish boil with sweet corn, chilies, potatoes and pork
  • Pier 23 Cafe - Chipotle and brown sugar rubbed ribs 
  • Baker & Banker - Soft egg roll, Vietnamese sausage, sriracha aioli and pickled vegetables 
  • Tacolicious - Chilled avocado soup with roasted corn relish and cumin crema
  • Big Jim's BBQ - Pulled pork, BBQ ribs
  • Delfina - Porchetta panini with salsa verde and calabrain chili relish 
  • Ryan Scott 2 Go - Pork rillette with pickled fig tapenade, broccoli rabe pistou and fennel pollen

Saturday, August 6th - Afternoon Grand Tasting: Classic San Francisco
  • Jasper's Corner Tap & Kitchen - Sausage bites with spicy mustard
  • La Quercia - Sliced proscuito and lomo
  • The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards - Heirloom pork meatball with stewed garden peppers, oregano and green olive oil

Saturday, August 6th - Night Grand Tasting: Decadence After Dark
  • The Phoenix Supper Club - 'Pig from head to toe'
  • Betelnut - Chaing Mai lemon grass pork sausage and sticky rice
  • Silks at Mandarin Oriental - Fire spice crispy pork, apple and red cabbage slaw, yuzu vinaigrette
  • Bon Appetite Management Company - Pork and corn scrapple 
  • Fifth Floor - Douglas fir consumme with sucking pig and fois gras cappellacci, bergamot oil, permigiano reggiano 
  • CIA Grestone - Crispy pork belly
  • Ryan Scott 2 Go - Pork rillette with pickled fig tapenade, broccoli rabe pistou and fennel pollen 

Sunday, August 7th - Afternoon Grand Tasting: Culinary Innovators
  • Frances - Pork confit with stone fruite mostarda
  • Orson/Citizen Cake - Pork and beans, spanish style
  • Big Chef Tom - Thit kho to burger (vietnamese carmelized pork) in burger form with hard boiled egg, fresh cilantro and jalapenos

For a more detailed report of SF Chefs click here.

To read an SF Chefs review written by Emma Krasov, of Art and Entertain Me, click here.

NPB at NAMP

8/17/2011
The National Pork Board will be a sponsor for the upcoming North American Meat Processors Association’s (NAMP) Center of the Plate Training. The event will run September 22-23 at Kendall College in Chicago, Illinois. Center of the Plate Training will increase attendees’ knowledge of center of the plate items and will also provide additional training in areas such as: the IMPS/NAMP numbering system, origin of meat items, the importance of standards, common meat defects to watch out for, current foodservice trends, and more. For more information about this educational event, and to register, visit NAMP's website. 
 
To view the Center of the Plate brochure, click here. 

New Pork Dish

8/3/2011
On July 20th Outback Steakhouse introduced the new Wood-Fire Grilled Pork Chop. Positioned under the “OUTBACK FAVORITES” section on the menu, the Pork Chop is featured as a “wood-fire grilled pork chop, served with garlic mashed potatoes, fresh steamed green beans and Creole marmalade” for $13.99. The Pork Chop made its debut in tandem with Outback’s hot new Wood-Fire Grilling cooking method. After a 4-year absence of the Jackaroo Chop, the new Wood-Fire Pork Chop is menued alongside the still available and very popular Sweet Glazed Pork Tenderloin and Baby Back Ribs.

Outback Steakhouse is an American casual dining restaurant chain, with an atmosphere reminiscent of the Australian outback. Headquartered in Tampa, FL, the chain boasts over 960 units across the U.S.

For more information on the Wood-Fire Grilled Pork, please visit: http://www.outback.com/menu/menudescriptions.aspx

New Subway LTO

7/26/2011
Milford, Connecticut-based sandwich giant Subway recently unveiled their new summer LTO – the BBQ Pulled Pork Sub. The sandwich features tender, succulent slow-cooked pork with sweet and smoky barbecue sauce on freshly baked bread, and is available at about $5 for a six-inch sub and $8 for the foot-long.

The BBQ Pulled Pork Sub has been offered at certain Subway locations for years, and with barbecue as one of the fastest growing food trends in the country, it was pushed onto the national stage. The promotion runs until August 14, and franchises may choose to keep the sandwich on their permanent menu after the promotional run.

For more information on the Subway BBQ Pulled Pork Sub, please visit www.subway.com.

Chef News

7/20/2011
July 20, 2011 - Michigan Taste of Elegance winner and 2011 Pork Summit Attendee Chef Stephen Grostick will be cooking at the James Beard House in New York tonight! The executive chef of The Toasted Oak Grill and Market in Novi, Michigan, aims to give attendees a taste of the Great Lakes State with a menu of Michigan favorites, including pork. His “Sausages” dish features Toscano salami with olive oil and pickled red onions; duck ham with truffle oil and cracked pepper; and Hunter’s sausage with Michigan sweet corn chutney. He will also be presenting a take on Porchetta, with housemade kielbasa and smoked bacon–wrapped Wordhouse Farms pork tenderloin with spring peas and ham, Michigan chanterelles, Posen potato dumplings, and mustard sauce.

Congratulations to Chef Grostick! If you’re in the NYC area tonight, make sure to pick up a ticket to this fantastic event. To learn more, visit the James Beard Foundation website, or call 212.627.2308 to reserve a spot.

You can also visit Chef Grostick year-round at The Toasted Oak Grill and Market. 

La Quercia

7/13/2011
La Quercia, the artisanal cured meat company from Norwalk, IA, recently introduced Tamworth Country Cured Bacon. The naturally dry-cured bacon has already been featured in Serious Eats, the Tasting Table, and The Atlantic for its rich, buttery flavor and amazing versatility – this bacon can be cooked or eaten raw.

La Quercia worked for four years with a Tamworth hog farmer to secure the “bacon pig” for their cured meats. The wait was well spent. Kenji Lopez-Alt from Serious Eats describes the flavor as, “first and foremost overtly porky. There's light smoke and plenty of salt, but not enough to drown out the flavor of the pig. It's got a very distinct sweetness to it … All of the sweetness comes from the pig itself.”

The Atlantic’s Ari Weinzweig remarks “The key for me is that the fat is super rich, almost buttery in texture … Sliced and eaten as is, the Tamworth is terrific on an antipasto plate … but you can of course do pretty much anything you like with it.”

Jane Black, from Tasting Table, concludes, “The purest beauty of this bacon … is that you enjoy it without turning on the stove: Toast bread. Top with thinly sliced bacon. Pronounce it "bacon sashimi." Eat.”

To order La Quercia Tamworth Country Cured Bacon, click here.

To read the reviews, click below:
The Atlantic
Tasting Table
Serious Eats

Marination

7/13/2011
Marination Mobile, our July Success Story, is featured in a recent NPR article about the fusion food truck trend sweeping the Pacific Northwest. Reporter Deena Prichep talked to Kamala Saxton, one of the women behind Marination Mobile.

When asked about the inspiration for her Hawaiian-Korean menu, Saxton explained, “I'm Korean, Hawaiian, Filipino and Spanish. And given that, you have someone in your family that knows how to cook one of those ethnic dishes."

Saxton’s spicy pork tacos illustrate the fusion of multiple ethnic cuisines in one dish. “It's wrapped in a corn tortilla—Mexican, taco truck. We have a spicy pork, which is very Korean. We have put our own homemade pickled jalapenos, which is Korean or Hawaiian.”

According to NPR, the fusion trend is creating a new American cuisine. Combining the familiar with the foreign makes food truck food more approachable. Saxton added, "There's something very familiar to eating a taco. If you've never had Korean food, or if you've never had Hawaiian food, fair bet that you have had a taco."
 
To find out more about Marination Mobile, read the interview in this month’s newsletter here.  

Pork Cares

7/8/2011
The North Carolina Pork Council (NCPC) teamed up with the North Carolina Association of Feeding America Food Banks to launch The Food Effect campaign. The Food Effect is an online network designed to educate, involve and unite people in the fight against childhood hunger. The site also includes an action center where people can find local food banks to support. NCPC provided crucial seed money through the Pork Checkoff to launch the initiative.
 
In North Carolina, where unemployment is high, the number of hungry people is increasing drastically,” says Ben Outlaw, NCPC president. “Pork producers have a great history of giving back to their communities, and The Food Effect was a way we could help spread the word and help families who must choose between grocery shopping and paying the mortgage or utility bills.”
 
According to Deborah Johnson, chief executive officer of NCPC, 25% of children under five in North Carolina are hungry.

To support The Food Effect, click here.

iPad2 at MEG

6/17/2011

The National Pork Board was a Gold Sponsor of the MEG Spring 2011 Conference. Not only did representatives from NPB attend the conference but they also sponsored a sweepstakes for an Apple iPad2. In order to be eligible to win, MEG members had to read the Why Pork Presentation on www.porkfoodservice.org and then enter to win. Corey Will, Director of Field Marketing for Boston Pizza Restaurants, was the lucky winner.

 
Congratulations Corey, and we hope you are Inspired by your new iPad2!

Texas Outlaws

6/17/2011
On June 17, 2011, the National Pork Board is the presenting sponsor of the Texas Outlaw party at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, CO. The event will feature delicious pork dishes from some fantastic chefs, including Tyson Cole, Bryce Gilmore, Tim Love, Sara Horowitz and Antonio Vidal and many more. The National Pork Board will also be giving out some Outlaw inspired SWAG like Pork® Be inspired℠ cowboy hats and bandanas to attendees. So stop on by the party for some serious fun!

The event is at Kenichi from 3:30 to 6:30pm. For more information on the event, please check out the Facebook page.

World Pork Expo

6/8/2011
Thousands of people are expected to arrive at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines this week to attend the World Pork Expo. Featuring a trade show, a convention, breed shows and delicious barbeque, the event brings together pork producers, distributors and industry professionals from around the world.

The World Pork Expo started today and will run through 6/10/11. For more information, visit www.worldpork.org.

Quiznos Subs

6/6/2011
On June 6, 2011, Denver-based sandwich giant Quiznos released two all-new pulled pork sandwiches in partnership with the National Pork Board. The Southern BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich and the Pork Cuban round out the chain’s sub sandwich offerings.

“Pulled pork has been rising in popularity recently and this trend represented an opportunity to further expand our chef-inspired menu offerings,” said Zach Calkins, Quiznos’ SVP of Culinary Creation. “My tasting trips to Chicago, San Francisco, and the American South served as culinary inspiration for Quiznos’ Pulled Pork Subs and elevated the standard for quick-service flavor and taste. We’ve been developing these flavors over the past four months, and they are definitely ready for prime time.”

The Southern BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich, featuring slow-roasted shredded pork, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, pickles, yellow mustard and smoky barbecue sauce is available at a promotional price of $5 for the month of June. A large Pork Cuban, with slow-roasted shredded pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, yellow mustard and mayonnaise, is going for $7.99. Both sandwiches are available at participating locations nationwide.

For more information on the new Pulled Pork sandwiches at Quiznos, please click here.

Susan Goss

5/31/2011
Susan Goss, a 2002 Pork Celebrated Chef, just released a cookbook entitled “West Town Tavern: Contemporary Comfort Food.” Co-authored by restaurant partner and husband Drew Goss, the cookbook features delicious recipes for every time of year. Spring recipes include Grilled Pork Loin with Rhubarb-Mint Relish, and Summer pork favorites are Slow-Smoked Pork Spareribs with Fried Potato Salad and West Town Tavern Barbecue Sauce and Roast Pork Shoulder with Michigan Cherry and White Bean Salad. The book also features beautiful 4-color photography by Pulitzer prize winner Dan Dry.

Susan Goss will be demoing a variation of the Grilled Pork Loin recipe on Wednesday, June 1 at the Green City Market at 10:30am, as well as Sunday, June 5, in the Good Eating tent of the Chicago Tribune Lit Fest at 11:45am. Susan and Drew opened the West Town Tavern in Chicago, IL in 2002. If you are ever in town, taste some of their incredible contemporary comfort food at 1329 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622.

To learn more or to order “West Town Tavern” today, please click here.

USDA Announces

5/24/2011
Chefs and foodservice operators have been delivering tender, juicy, medium-rare pork for years and today, the USDA announced that home cooks should do the same. With today’s temperature change report, consumers know that pork should be cooked to 145°F with a three minute rest time.
 
What does this mean to foodservice operators? It means you have a great opportunity to educate your staff on proper pork cooking temperatures and to encourage them to tell consumers with confidence that their pork order will be cooked medium-rare. Now more than ever, your patrons will enjoy the taste of juicy, flavorful pink pork.
 
To read the full news release, please click here. 

Memphis in May

5/13/2011
The National Pork Board congratulates 2009 Celebrated Chef Chris Lilly and the entire Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q competition team for winning the Grand Championship at the 2011 Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Contest. This is their eleventh world championship win since 1997.

The team also took first place in the Pork Shoulder barbecue category, and second in the vinegar-based barbecue sauce category.

Chris Lilly was a recent attendee at the First Annual Pork Summit in Napa Valley, CA, where he demonstrated his award winning shoulder recipe. 
 
To view the full list of 2011 Memphis in May winners, please click here.  

BJ's Restaurants

5/10/2011
On May 10, 2011, BJ’s Restaurants introduced a line-up of six “Enlightened Entrées,” menu items with under 575 calories each and priced between $6.95 and $10.95. Including the “Grilled Maui-Glazed Pork Chop,” the low-cal menu is designed to offer more variety and options to BJ’s customers.

"Our new line of Enlightened Entrees offers our guests the delightful flavors they expect from BJ's -- all for 575 calories or less," said Matt Hood, BJ's Chief Marketing Officer. "We are pleased to continue BJ's menu innovation by offering fresh, lower-calorie dishes at great everyday values for our guests.”

The Grilled Maui-Glazed Pork Chop is a center cut pork chop, lightly seasoned and glazed in a sweet and tangy sauce, grilled and served with oven roasted red potatoes, steamed green beans and topped with grilled sweet red onions.

To view BJ’s full Enlightened Entrées menu, click here.

JBF Awards 2011

5/10/2011
The National Pork Board congratulates the winners of the 2011 James Beard awards, as well as the nominees. The 2011 field included our own Celebrated Chef Paul Kahan, honored for a third time as a nominee for Outstanding Chef, as well as 2005 Celebrated Chef Tom Douglass, whose Seattle empire earned him a nomination for the Outstanding Restaurateur Award.

For the complete list of 2011 James Beard award winners, please click here.

Best in Smoke

5/8/2011
Chris Lilly, a National Pork Board Celebrated Chef in 2009 and recent Pork Summit attendee, is competing with five other nationally renowned pit masters for $50,000 and the title of “Best in Smoke” on the Food Network’s new barbecue-centric show. Judged by Tim Love, Amy Mills Tunnicliffe and Mitchell Davis, the show began May 8, 2011 and will run for a total of five weeks.

In the first episode, the competitors – Chris Lilly, Dave Anderson, Chris Hart, Sara Horowitz, Matt Lang and Brad Orrison – had to smoke up “The Best Bite in Barbecue.” They were allowed to cook whatever they pleased, but the judges would only taste one bite. Later, they whipped up elegant hors d’oeuvres for an art gallery opening in New York.

Watch “Best in Smoke” every Saturday at 9pm/8c. 

Seattle Weekly

4/27/2011
On April 27, 2011, Seattle Weekly’s Voracious Tasting and Awards event took place at the historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Seattle. The National Pork Board was the Secret Ingredient Sponsor of the Voracious Tasting Chef Showdown between 2010 Showdown Champion Seth Caswell of Emmer & Rye and Rachel Yang of Revel and Joule. Emceed by 2005 Celebrated Chef and Seattle restaurateur Tom Douglas, the two chefs were challenged to make four dishes using pork, and the winner was chosen based on taste, creativity and presentation.

Seth Caswell showed up to the table with a four-course meal of a bacon-topped green salad, pickled vegetables and bacon, a pork-pesto-potatoes dish, and a pork pasta. Rachel Yang put up a strong fight with her take on pork & beans, tenderloin and grits, and a pork biscuit sandwich. Even though Yang didn’t finish her fourth dish, only 30 points separated the two chefs, and Seth Caswell once again emerged victorious.

For more coverage of Seattle Weekly’s Voracious Tasting Chef Showdown, please click here.

Golden Corral

4/26/2011
On April 26, 2011, Golden Corral launched “Endless All-You-Can-Eat Baby Back Ribs” in partnership with the National Pork Board. The limited time offer will run for ten weeks and features baby back ribs, spareribs and pulled pork in a delicious and unlimited dinner buffet for only around $10.

“We are constantly challenging ourselves to deliver more menu options and even higher value to our guests. Our Endless Baby Back Ribs dinner promotion is a great example of serving a whole lot more delicious BBQ products for our same, every day low price of around $10,” said Ed Gleich, Vice President of National Marketing & Media, Golden Corral Corporation.

Golden Corral expects to use 8.5 million pounds of pork during the LTO. To watch the commercial, click here. To check out Golden Corral’s Endless All-You-Can-Eat Baby Back Ribs menu, visit www.goldencorral.com. 

Green Practices

4/22/2011

Friday, April 22 was Earth Day. This year, Earth Day's theme was "A Billion Acts of Green," a people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy, something pork farmers across the nation practice instinctively every day. Still, producers continue to seek ways to improve their overall sustainability to benefit their animals, their neighbors, their local community and consumers worldwide. 


Randy Spronk, a pork farmer from Edgerton, Minnesota, who serves on the National Pork Board's Environmental Committee, points out that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency - pork production contributes only one-third of one percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, every pound of pork produced in the United States today has a smaller carbon footprint than it used to have 20 years ago. This is due to improved production methods. 

 

"To us, sustainability is the ability to endure,” said Spronk, “We want to ensure that the resources required in pork production are used as efficiently as possible, with little or no waste. By focusing on environmental sustainability, we can help protect precious resources for future generations.”


As the pork industry plays its part to feed an ever-growing world population, the Pork Checkoff is developing new tools to help producers become more sustainable. A new carbon footprint calculator is in final stages of development that will help producers identify areas on their farms where they can become more efficient and potentially reduce their carbon footprint. This tool is expected to launch at World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa in June.

 
For more information about the National Pork Board's commitment to environmental stewardship, visit http://porkcares.org/ 

 

El Nuevo Bohío

4/21/2011

Roasted pork is a popular item at El Nuevo Bohío, a Puerto Rican restaurant in the West Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. The restaurant, owned by Ramon Fernandez, offers many Puerto Rican specialties but devotees go for the lechón, roasted pork. The difference is quality ingredients simply roasted and the payoff is crisp skin and succulent meat.

 

For the recent New York Times review of El Nuevo Bohío and for pictures of their lechón click here.

Doing Good

4/21/2011

Just in time for Easter, The Ohio Pork Producers Council gave more than 12,000 pounds of pork to the State of Ohio’s emergency hunger network. One of the largest one-time donations of pork in the state, the donation was used to help struggling families put food on the table.

The donation will provide nearly 60,000 servings of food to those in need. "The pork that we're receiving through this donation is actually some of the most wholesome, highly nutritious and high-protein-valued donations that we receive," said Charles Barber, communications manager for the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks.

 
Crawford County pork farmer Pat Hord, among those participating in this donation, says being in agriculture means doing your part to help feed the world - and the best way to do that is to help your neighbor. She said, “we really lined up with our values of wanting to reach out to our own communities here locally and do what we can in order to help feed families that are struggling."
 
The Ohio Pork Producers Council represents more than 2,500 pork producers from throughout Ohio.

J&D's Bacon Salt

3/23/2011

To make Baconalia! even better, Denny’s partnered with J&D’s Foods to provide Hickory Bacon Salt as a tabletop condiment. With a sprinkle of this specialty salt, Denny’s customers can make everything from eggs to hash browns to fries taste deliciously bacon-y.

 

J&D’s Foods is known for “bacon-o-vation” – their bacon-centric product line features Bacon Salt in 9 different flavors, BaconPOP, Bacon Ranch and Bacon Gravy. Find out more at www.jdfoods.net/

Baconalia

3/23/2011
On March 22, 2011 Denny’s, in partnership with the National Pork Board, launched "Baconalia! A Celebration of Bacon.” The 10-week LTO pays homage to America’s love for all things bacon and introduces seven new bacon dishes to the Denny’s menu.
 
“The average American consumes more than 18 pounds of bacon per year, so Denny’s decided to answer to the appetites of the nation,” says John Dillon, Denny’s Vice President of Marketing and Product Development. “Americans love bacon – and sausage, and other pork items, as well – so we not only include pork on our menu, but we go out of our way to find creative ways to feature it, like our Baconalia! celebration this spring.”
 
No longer relegated to a side dish, bacon is now front and center with the following pork-tastic dishes: the Ultimate Bacon Breakfast, Bacon Flapjacks, Pepper Bacon and Eggs, the Triple Bacon Sampler, the BBBLT Sandwich, Bacon Meatloaf and last but not least the Maple Bacon Sundae. For more details on the menu items click here.
 
Baconalia is being supported by strong television, radio, and digital advertising efforts as well as social media support. For a look at the Baconalia television spot current running nationwide click here.

Pork Rind Sundae

3/18/2011

Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar in Louisville, KY serves up all kinds of traditional Southern food. The menu includes seasoned pork rinds, po’boys, pulled pork and a to-die-for fried pork chop. But what people are really talking about is the Wilbur Sundae featuring brown butter praline ice cream with bourbon caramel ribbon atop cinnamon pork rinds sprinkled with candied bacon – all topped with a Bourbon cherry. A dessert every pork lover should try!

 

Check out the rest of Doc Crow’s menu here.

 

For a review of Doc Crow’s in the Louisville Courier-Journal click here.

Healthy BBQ

2/1/2011

In February of 2011, Famous Dave’s of America launched a line of six Citrus Grill BBQ platters with fewer than 600 calories each. Included in the line are two pork offerings, sauceless pork ribs and pork tenderloin.

 
“Our new Citrus Grill additions prove that our barbecue is not only good-tasting, it can also be good for you,” said Aric Nissen, Famous Dave’s Vice President of Marketing and R&D. By relying on leaner cuts, like pork tenderloin, Famous Dave’s is delivering proteins their customers want and at the same time, meeting the trend for healthier options.

 
For a look at Famous Dave’s Citrus Grill Menu click here.