jlawrence01 wrote:I do not care what the Pork Council says. Most consumers (inclusing those aware of the changes in pork production) will reject pork unless it is cooked to the point where *ALL* the pinkness is out of the meat.

Seen it in person.

Jlawrence01,

I'm sure you're right...but we're not "most consumers," are we?

Hammond

Mmmm...in an odd sort of confluence of two issues that arose in this thread, I grilled up some pork tenderloins last night marinaded and sauced according to another recipe in this month's Saveur (on Ole Miss tailgating--and no, despite being an avid college football fan, I don't know why I get emotionally involved).

I cooked up the pork tenderloins about medium rare. The thinner ends were nearly white straight through, but the thicker ends had a wonderful fleshy pinkness in the center. Delicious. And the jezebel sauce was a pretty nice accompaniment. Mashed potatoes, Swiss chard. That's good eatin'.

Cheers,

Aaron

I cooked up the pork tenderloins about medium rare. The thinner ends were nearly white straight through, but the thicker ends had a wonderful fleshy pinkness in the center. Delicious. And the jezebel sauce was a pretty nice accompaniment. Mashed potatoes, Swiss chard. That's good eatin'.

Aaron,

Prior to reading this exchange, would you have cooked it to medium rare? What was your taste impression of the white straight through, was it as tasty as the meat which was more temperately cooked?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Prior to reading this exchange, would you have cooked it to medium rare? What was your taste impression of the white straight through, was it as tasty as the meat which was more temperately cooked?

Good question, and I honestly don't know. You know, I don't think I've cooked a pork loin or tenderloin or chop in, gosh, maybe a year or more. No good reason for this really, though I think in part it's because I've had a tendency to overcook in the past. A friend moved to Tehran for a few months, and it made some sense to offer pork as his departing dinner. The Saveur article was the clincher. The point is, I've been thinking for some time, and read things about the grand tradition of overcooking pork, that made me determined to cook the pork a little pink. And when I've eaten pork at restaurants, I've noticed a little more pink than in the past. I wouldn't say this thread changed my mind any, but I wouldn't rule out a subtle, reinforcing influence.

As to whether the whiter part tasted different, you know, that's a good question, and it didn't even occur to me to find out. I gave the more cooked parts to Kate, who was a bit more squeamish about the pink.

Cheers,

Aaron

Depending upon who I am serving the meat to, I typically cook a pork roast to either 140 then letting it rest allowing the temperature to rise to 145 (for TPA and me) and 150 to my parents who are getting far less sqeamish about pink pork.

Aaron Deacon wrote:I cooked up the pork tenderloins about medium rare. The thinner ends were nearly white straight through, but the thicker ends had a wonderful fleshy pinkness in the center. Delicious. And the jezebel sauce was a pretty nice accompaniment. Mashed potatoes, Swiss chard. That's good eatin'.

Aaron,

The Saveur recipe for Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Jezebel Sauce was interesting, particularly for the Jezebel Sauce (horseradish, pineapple preserves, etc). Also of major note, to me, was the Breakfast Casserole --I'll tell you, I looked at the picture before going to sleep for several nights, and now, with the weather cooling, I will make it sometime soon.

Hammond

the Breakfast Casserole

Is this breakfast casserole a new concept for you? Or you were interested simply in that particular recipe?

When I used to do more 'Church Lady' type activities some years ago, these Breakfast Casseroles were a retreat type dish. There would be a dinner on Saturday night, leftover bread from this dinner (and maybe ham) would be recycled into a Sunday morning Breakfast Casserole.

I have several recipes in my files I have clipped over the years. So I have been familiar with this dish for a long time. However, there is a preference in my family for pancakes and waffles over custard-type casseroles, so I have never made it for the home crowd.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

the Breakfast Casserole

Is this breakfast casserole a new concept for you? Or you were interested simply in that particular recipe?

C2,

Well, breakfast casserole is not exactly a new concept to me, but it's something we almost never have at our house, mainly because it's something my kids would not like (they're more cinnamon toast people). Now, with most of my children living elsewhere, I can start thinking about what I want for breakfast, and what I want is a big messy heap o' baked eggs with loose sausage, mustard, crumbled up bread, etc.

Church lady, hunh? That sounds like a side of C2 few of us have seen.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:The Saveur recipe for Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Jezebel Sauce was interesting, particularly for the Jezebel Sauce (horseradish, pineapple preserves, etc). Also of major note, to me, was the Breakfast Casserole --I'll tell you, I looked at the picture before going to sleep for several nights, and now, with the weather cooling, I will make it sometime soon.

Yeah, that Jezebel Sauce was pretty darn tasty. I really like it when you're planning to make something (e.g., pork tenderloin) and you happen across a recipe that fits the bill so precisely. We don't do Breakfast Casserole too often, but I know Kate had her eye on that recipe as well.

Mostly, that article awakened a previously latent desire to attend a Saturday tilt at Ole Miss. Having grown up in Nebraska, I know a thing or two about fanatical college football fans, but my sense is that down in SEC country, they take it to a whole new level. I know we have at least an Auburn alum on here--ever tailgate at the Grove, Kman?

Cheers,

Aaron

David H, the Sicilians make a cauliflower dish something like Cathy2's called pasta chi vrocculi arriminati. You can use either the regular white kind or "broccoliflower." Cook the cauliflower a minute or two less than you like it. Chop into 3/4" dice. Saute a medium onion diced, add 1 Tbs pine nuts, 1Tbs raisins (I like yellow, but either's fine: soak a few minutes in warm water first), 4-6 anchovy filets, a pinch of saffron disolved in a little hot water, and a pinch of hot red pepper. Add the cooked cauliflower, toss with your favorite pasta (I like rigatoni or cavatappi). To top, pan toast bread crumbs and sprinkle over instead of cheese. The Sicilians call these "muddica" (molliche in Italian). I'd drink a Fiano di Avellino or Insolia with this.

Choey,

I read your recipe just as I was going downstairs to make dinner -- perfect timing!

I liked this dish a lot -- it's surprising (at least to me) how excellently pine nuts complement anchovies. We used white cauliflower, but broccoflower would have been better, from a visual perspective (more contrast). The red pepper is a nice touch.

Hammond

the roasted cauliflower recipies are similar to a recipie in the Zuni cookbook, by Judy Rogers. This is one of my favorite cookbooks, She roasts either cauliflower or broccoli or both with breadcrumbs, fennel, red pepper flakes, anchovies, black olives, olive oil. I have done it many times with just the cauliflower. Great roasted taste that isn't there with the "vanilla" way of cooking it