Pork: Belly, Cake, Camp and a Giveaway!
by Rachel Tayse • August 2, 2011 • Meat • 31 Comments
Today, I bring you news from the world of delicious pigs:
Thanks to support from the Pork Board’s Be Inspired campaign, we have been playing with pork. On Friday night, braised pork belly was the center of our meal. We served it over local root vegetables with mashed potatoes and homegrown green beans. This is a truly decadent preparation!
Saturday’s It Couldn’t Be dinner included pork sausage as the fat component in a spice cake. I realized when serving it the next day to my family that perhaps the inspiration for making a cake from raw meat was to avoid dairy; the crazy creation was lactose free!
Are you a fellow pork lover? On August 27, join me at Bacon Camp 2011. I’ll be there as one of the judges for the bacon cooking contest. For $10 you can purchase one of the few remaining tickets to taste bacon creations, view bacon art, and enjoy bacon-related discussions.
And finally, the giveaway! The Pork Board wants you to also Be Inspired by pork. One of you will win the fun stuff pictured above in the “Be Inspired with Pork” kit, including:
- $25 gift card to a local retailer to purchase pork
- 11” Square Grill Pan
- 16-Jar Revolving Spice Rack
- Pork Be Inspired Cutting Board
- Digital Thermometer
- Copy of “How to Cook Like a Top Chef”
All you need to do to enter is leave a comment about a pork dish you want to make at home by Monday August 8, 2011 at 8 pm. I will use random.org to pick a winner. Good luck!
Disclosure: I received a Pork Board Be Inspired kit in exchange for hosting this giveaway. All opinions are my own.
I’d love to make pork chops!
I would like to make brined pork chops, a la Third and Hollywood…mmm…
I’m craving pulled pork. But, I have to say, I am SO intrigued by that sausage cake!
OK, that pork cutting board is awesome! I love all pork but want to start experimenting with more. I.E. pork belly and making bacon.
When we were kids, my mom would make this delicious preserved turnip and minced pork filling and then have all of us roll our own with rice paper (the same round rice paper used to make Vietnamese summer rolls). We would roll and eat, roll and eat. It was fantastic. I want to try to reproduce the dish for my family.
I’ve been wanting to play with pork tenderloin recipes after seeing an Alton Brown episode re-run devoted to recipes for it.
I have read recipes calling for pork belly but have never seen it in the grocery store. There is a local sausage maker up the road. Wonder if he will have it?
And I need to get some cabbage to make my own sauerkraut to have with pork come fall when I might finally dream of turning on the oven again!
Pork and apple pie like the one from the Old Sturbridge Village Cookbook!
Yum! I’m going to make pulled pork sandwiches this weekend with cole slaw and homemade applesauce!
I’m still wanting to make my own bacon.
I want to learn a good pulled pork recipe.
Have a craving for Carnitas. Going to have a Mexican night this weekend.
oooh fun! i want to try a new pork tenderloin recipe. maybe one that’s indian inspired?!
I finally have ripe home-grown tomatoes so looking forward to BLT’s!
My grandmother’s French Canadian meat pie (“tortier”) with a lard crust!
I am looking forward to our half hog that is being raised in Delaware, Oh. Pork chops, bacon, more homemade sausage. Yum!
Tiger Skin Pork http://www.chinesefoodrecipes.org/chinese-pork-recipes/tiger-skin-pork/
I want to try the sausage cake, and a spicy Cuban sandwich
What I would really like to do is roast a whole pig! But my less aspirational desires would be to perhaps learn how to grill a pork roast.
I would love to use ground pork to make lettuce wraps; thanks !
Maple glazed pork chops with Bacon Jam!!!! Yummm!!!!
We would love to try our hands at bacon. Also banh mi sandwich.
Yummy!
Smoked, pulled pork…yum!!!
What a great giveaway!! That cutting board is very cute!
I’ve been craving shredded pork Mongolian BBQ-style with brown rice, made at home with onions, garlic, peppers, sesame oil, soy sauce, hot garlic chili pepper sauce and anything else I can throw in! 
Pulled pork in a slow cooker, or just a roast of pork tenderloin with a wonderful gravy served over rice. Thanks for the entry!
I can’t wait until fall to make a pork loin with a reduced apple cider glaze.
My father used to be famous for grilling pork chops and he would always cook to temperature. My husband freaked the first time he was served pink pork, but now he loves it! We would probably grill pork chops or brine a loin. And we are hoping to buy a pig in the next few weeks and learn how to slaughter this Thanksgiving from my husband’s grandfather. We love pork!
Maiale al Latte (Pork Cooked in Milk)
Eating Pork Tenderloin left overs now – am probably going to make pulled pork this next week-end…although we haven’t had pork chops in a mighty long time…hmmm
I’d love to try and make pork chops. I’ve only had it cooked for me and every time it’s delicious, but I’d certainly like to try it myself. A friend of mine makes quite the delicious pork chops.
A good blog post. Something I always tell students is keep raw ingredients totally separate from ready to eat foods.
Wash your hands well in soapy water after touching raw meat and raw vegetables. (Soil on raw vegetables is a major source of pathogenic organisms.
Check the internal temperature of cooked foods to ensure it has reached at least 75°C or 167°F. This temperature will ensure that it is safe to eat.