Most people know by now that pork tenderloin has less fat than chicken breast – and is a lot more nutritious because of its high iron, riboflavin, potassium and thiamine content.
If you are calorie-conscious, ounce for ounce pork is a better deal than beef, too. Four ounces of lean pork racks up 140 calories vs. 200 for beef. Plus, it’s cheaper.
Until recently, I always thought of pork as a fall and winter menu item, mostly because it pairs so well with apples, squash and preserved root vegetables. But now that nearly every grocery store in town roasts Hatch green chilies this time of year, I can hardly wait for cool temperatures to enjoy green chili stew. I made a small batch for huevos rancheros yesterday.
Today I had the best pork loin I’ve ever tasted – at an Elks Foundation benefit. It was dubbed “Cajun seasoned” and grilled to perfection over charcoal, but it had none of the blackened hot Cajun peppers, just a smoky garlic and aromatic blend of seasonings. Event organizers named the cook who did the marinating, but that’s as far as the recipe went. These chops were uniformly tender and moist with no visible fat. Yet most chefs say it is the fat within pork that gives it such satisfying flavor.
Pork has always been more affordable than beef, and some say its safer now than ever because of greater attention being paid to hog farming. But if you are concerned about the source of your pork, buy locally slaughtered pigs that are fed organic grains.
In some third world countries where pork is a staple served with vegetables and rice, you’ll find it seasoned with turmeric or turmeric will be prominent in curry. That’s because of the anti-microbial properties of turmeric, a spice with anti-inflammatory and other medicinal benefits. Because pigs scavenge in some parts of the world, their diet is not consistent. Worms that cause trichinosis are controlled by heat and turmeric. Thoroughly cooking pork destroys most but not all parasites.
If I were to list the most versatile of all proteins – especially for ethnic cuisine – pork would be high on my list. Despite the religious prohibitions against pork, mostly for hygiene reasons, it is the second most widely consumed meat in the world – behind goat.
Yes, goat.
Had any goat lately? Looks like I’m going to be talking to Linda at Linda’s Local Foods Café. She’s told me it was a childhood favorite in her native Mexico.
