Food for Thought
Pork is meat from a pig, an omnivorous mammal. The male is called a boar, the female a sow, and the young, a piglet or feeder.
Because all meat from cloven-hooved animals is categorized as red meat, pork is considered a red meat. Seventy-five per cent of the whole animal can be used for meat. The rest can be used for lard, bristles, gelatin and more. There are various breeds of pig - Yorkshire, Duroc and Landrace to mention just a few.
Pigs were raised to have a three-inch layer of fat. Not any more. With less fat, the meat is less forgiving when it is cooked. Pork is distinguished nutritionally by its levels of thiamine (especially), riboflavin and niacin (B vitamins), which are higher than in other meats. It's also an excellent source of zinc and potassium, as well as a good source of phosphorus.
The nutritional value of pork varies, depending on the cut and whether the visible fat is removed or not. Cooked lean pork is no fattier or higher in calories than other meats.
Always cook pork, since cooking is the only way (apart from irradiation) to kill the parasites that are potentially present in the flesh. Pork has gotten a bad rap.
Trichinae (trichinosis) is killed at 137 F / 58 C. This parasite is what people are afraid of. Cooking that extra 20 plus degrees will have a tendency to dry out the pork. You may cook until the internal temperature reaches 155 F-165 F (68 C - 71 C) if you choose to (the flesh will then be slightly pink) to enhance the flavour of pork, season or marinate before cooking.
Avoid overcooking and, if the visible fat is removed, protect the flesh with a little fat, as it can dry and become tough during cooking. Pork should be cooked at a gentle heat - 250 F/120 C in the oven or medium heat in a pan or on the barbecue.
Roast Pork Loin
2 lbs pork loin
2 large onions sliced
2 large shallots, skin on sliced in half
1 garlic head, skin on sliced in half
1 lb sweet potatoes
1 bay leaf
fresh thyme
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tsp whole grain mustard
100 ml double cream
100 ml white wine
1 tbsp maple syrup
Method
1. Preheat oven 200 C/ 400 F.
2. Cut and parboil sweet potatoes in boiling water approximately five to 10 minutes.
3. Season loin with salt and pepper and sear on all sides.
4. Slice onions and place in a roasting pan, put seared loin on top.
5. Put the garlic, bay leaf, shallots, parboiled sweet potatoes, and thyme in pan, surrounding loin. Put in oven and cook 30 minutes.
6. Take pan out of oven and drizzle with honey.
7. Remove from oven and take out contents with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Add the mustard, white wine and cream, and whisk over heat until smooth.
8. To serve, arrange the vegetables on a platter and slice the pork and place on top of the vegetables and cover (nape) with the sauce.
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This week's column is written by chef Ron Christian, who has been a chef for 30 years. He is a CNC professional cook instructor, who has also taught at BCIT, Vancouver Community College and has worked all over the world. If you have any questions or comments, e-mail [email protected].
