Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume III Part 14

46. One of the chief advantages of pork is that about nine-tenths of the entire dressed animal may be preserved by curing and smoking.

Originally, these processes required a period of 2 to 3 months for their completion, but they have gradually been shortened until now only a few days are required for the work. Pork cured and smoked by the new methods, however, does not possess such excellent flavor and such good keeping qualities as that so treated by the longer process. Any one who has the right storage facilities to care for the meat properly will find it much more economical to purchase a whole carca.s.s or a part of one and then salt, smoke, or pickle the various pieces that can be treated in this way than to purchase this meat cut by cut as it is needed or desired.

CUTS OF PORK

47. NAMES OF PORK CUTS.--The butcher usually buys a whole carca.s.s of pork. He first divides it into halves by splitting it through the spine, and then cuts it up into smaller pieces according to the divisions shown in Fig. 14, which ill.u.s.trates the outside and the inside of a dressed hog. As will be observed, the method of cutting up a hog differs greatly from the cutting of the animals already studied. After the head is removed, each side is divided into the shoulder, clear back fat, ribs, loin, middle cut, belly, ham, and two hocks.

48. USES OF PORK CUTS.--Hogs are usually fattened before they are slaughtered, and as a result there is a layer of fat under the skin which is trimmed off and used in the making of lard. The best quality of lard, however, is made from the fat that surrounds the kidneys. This is called _leaf lard_, because the pieces of fat are similar in shape to leaves. Such lard has a higher melting point and is more flaky than that made from fat covering the muscles.

49. The head of pork does not contain a great deal of meat, but, as the quality of this meat is very good, it is valuable for a number of special dishes, such as headcheese and sc.r.a.pple.

The hocks contain considerable gelatine, so they are used for dishes that solidify, or become firm, after they are made.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 14]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 15]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 16]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 17]

50. A shoulder of pork cut roughly from the carca.s.s is shown in Fig. 15.

This piece provides both roasts and steaks, or, when trimmed, it may be cured or smoked. The front leg, which is usually cut to include the lower part of the shoulder, is shown in Fig. 16. The ribs inside this cut, when cut from underneath, are sold as spareribs. This piece, as shown in Fig. 17, is generally trimmed to make what is known as shoulder ham.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 18]

51. The ribs and the loin cut in one piece are shown in Fig. 18. From this piece are obtained the most desirable chops and roasts. When a roast is desired, the rib bones are removed from the rib cut, which then resembles the piece shown in Fig. 19. Directly under the backbone in these cuts is the tenderest piece of pork to be had. When this is removed in one piece, it is, as in beef, called the _tenderloin_. Very often, however, it is left in to be cut up with the rest of the loin.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 19]

52. The middle cut is commonly used for bacon, while the belly is most suitable for salt pork. These two cuts consist of large quant.i.ties of fat and only narrow layers of lean. They are especially valuable for enriching and flavoring foods, such as beans, that are neither rich in fat nor highly flavored.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 20]

53. The hind leg, or untrimmed ham, just as it is cut from the carca.s.s, is shown in Fig. 20. When this piece is trimmed and ready for curing or for roasting, it appears as shown in Fig. 21. As will be noticed, the outside skin, or rind, is not removed from either the shoulder or the ham.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 21]

54. TABLE OF PORK CUTS.--As is done in explaining the meats that have been considered previously, there is here presented a table, designated as Table III, that gives the names of the pork cuts and the uses to which they may be put. This table will a.s.sist the housewife materially in learning the names and uses of the various cuts of pork.

TABLE III

NAMES AND USES OF PORK CUTS

NAMES OF CUTS USES OF CUTS

Head Headcheese, boiling, baking Shoulder Steaks, roasting, curing, smoking Spareribs Roasting, boiling Belly Salt pork, curing Middle cut Bacon, curing, smoking Ribs Chops, roasting Loin Chops, roasting Ham Roasting, curing, smoking Back fat Lard Hock Boiling, making jelly Internal organs and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs Sausage

COOKING OF PORK

FRESH PORK AND ITS PREPARATION

55. ROAST PORK.--In the preparation of pork for the table, and a roast in particular, several points must be taken into consideration. Unlike beef, which is often served rare, pork must be well done in order to be satisfactory. Rare pork to most persons is repulsive. Also, as a large part of the surface of a pork roast, especially one cut from the shoulder, loin, or ribs, is covered with a layer of fat, pork does not have to be seared to prevent the loss of juice, nor does it have to be put into such a hot oven as that required for beef. In fact, if the temperature of the oven is very high, the outside will finish cooking before the heat has had a chance to penetrate sufficiently to cook the center. While this makes no difference with meat that does not need to be thoroughly cooked, it is a decided disadvantage in the case of pork.

56. When a shoulder of pork is to be roasted, it makes a very satisfactory dish if it is boned and stuffed before roasting. To bone such a piece, run a long, narrow knife all around the bone and cut it loose; then pick up the bone by one end and shake it until it will pull out. Fill the opening thus formed with bread or cracker stuffing.

If an especially inviting roast of pork is desired, a _crown roast_ should be selected, for this is just as attractive as a crown roast of lamb. It is made by cutting corresponding pieces from each side of the rib piece, tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the bones clean as far back as the lean part of the chops, and fastening the pieces together. A garnish of fried apple rings is very attractive for such a roast.

57. To cook a roast of any of these varieties, wipe the meat thoroughly, dredge it with flour, salt, and pepper, and place it on a rack in a dripping pan. Bake about 3 hours, depending on the size of the roast, and baste every 15 minutes with fat from the bottom of the dripping pan.

After the roast is removed from the roasting pan, make a gravy as for any other roast. Serve with apple sauce, baked apples, cranberry sauce, chilli sauce, pickles, or some other acid dish. Such an accompaniment aids considerably in the digestion of pork, for it cuts the large amount of fat that this meat contains and that so often r.e.t.a.r.ds the digestion, and hastens the fat through the stomach.

58. ROAST PIG.--In some households, roasted pig is the favorite meat for the Thanksgiving or the Christmas dinner. There is sufficient reason for its popularity, for when properly prepared and attractively garnished, roasted pig offers a pleasing change from the meat usually served on such days.

To be suitable for roasting, a pig should be not more than 1 month or 6 weeks old and should not weigh more than 7 or 8 pounds after it is cleaned. The butcher should prepare it for cooking by scalding off the hair, washing the pig thoroughly, inside and out, and withdrawing the entrails of the animal through an incision made in the under part of the body.

59. When the pig is received in the home, wash it thoroughly, within and without, wipe it dry, and fill it with stuffing. To make a stuffing suitable for this purpose, season 2 quarts of fine bread crumbs with 4 tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, 2 teaspoonfuls of salt, 1 teaspoonful of pepper, and cupful of melted b.u.t.ter. Mix thoroughly and add 3 beaten eggs. If the stuffing needs moisture, add water or milk. Stuff the pig firmly with this stuffing, using every effort to restore its original shape. Then sew up the opening and truss the animal; that is, draw the hind legs forwards and bend the front legs backwards under the body, and skewer and tie them into place.

With the animal in this shape, wipe it off with a damp cloth, dredge it with flour, and place it in a dripping pan, adding 1 cupful of boiling water in which 1 teaspoonful of salt has been dissolved. Roast in a moderate oven for at least 1-1/2 hours, or 20 minutes for each pound of pig. Baste frequently, first with b.u.t.ter and water and later with drippings. When the skin begins to brown slightly, rub over it a clean piece of cloth dipped in melted b.u.t.ter. Repeat this operation every 10 minutes until the meat is well done. Then remove the pig to a hot platter and garnish with parsley, lettuce, celery, or fried or baked apples. If a more ornamental garnishing is desired, place a lemon in the mouth and use cranberries for the eyes. In carving, cut the head off, split through the spine lengthwise, remove the legs, and cut the ribs so as to form chops.

60. SAUTeD OR BROILED PORK.--Slices cut from the ribs and loin of pork are called chops, and those obtained from the shoulder and hind legs are called steaks. These, together with the tenderloin, the small piece of lean, tender meat lying under the bones of the loin and seldom weighing more than a pound, are especially suitable for sauteing or broiling.

When they are to be prepared by these processes, saute or broil them as any other meat, remembering, however, that pork must be well done.

Because of this fact, a more moderate temperature must be employed than that used for beefsteak.

61. PORK CHOPS IN TOMATO SAUCE.--A slight change from the usual way of preparing pork chops can be had by cooking them with tomatoes. The combination of these two foods produces a dish having a very agreeable flavor.

First brown the chops in their own fat in a frying pan, turning them frequently so that the surfaces will become evenly browned. When they have cooked for 15 minutes, pour enough strained stewed tomatoes over them to cover them well, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan tight, and allow them to simmer until the tomatoes become quite thick.

Place the chops on a hot platter, pour the tomato sauce over them, and serve hot.

62. SAUTeD TENDERLOIN OF PORK.--Since the tenderloin of pork is a very tender piece of meat, it needs no accompaniment to make it a delicious dish, but sometimes a change of preparation is welcomed in order to give variety to the diet. The accompanying directions should therefore be followed when something different from broiled tenderloin is desired.

Cut the tenderloin into lengthwise slices and brown these slices in melted b.u.t.ter, turning them several times. Then remove to a cooler part of the stove, and let them cook slowly in the b.u.t.ter for 15 minutes, taking care to have them closely covered and turning them once or twice so that they will cook evenly. At the end of this time, pour enough milk or cream in the pan to cover the meat well and cook for 15 minutes longer. With a skimmer, remove the meat, which should be very tender by this time, from the pan, and put it where it will keep hot. Make a gravy of the drippings that remain in the pan by thickening it with 1 tablespoonful of flour, stirring it until it is thick and smooth and seasoning it to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the gravy over the meat and serve hot.

63. PORK SAUSAGE.--The tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs and some of the internal organs of pork are generally utilized to make sausage by chopping them very fine and then highly seasoning the chopped meat. Pork in this form may be bought fresh or smoked and loose or in casings. It usually contains considerable fat and therefore shrinks upon being cooked, for the fat is melted by the heat and runs out of the sausage.

To cook pork sausages put up in casings, place the required number in a hot frying pan with a small quant.i.ty of hot water. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the sausages to cook. When they have swelled up and the skins, or casings, look as if they would burst, remove the cover and thoroughly p.r.i.c.k each one with a sharp fork, so as to allow the fat and the water to run out. Then allow the water to evaporate and saute the sausages in their own fat, turning them frequently until they are well browned.

To cook loose pork sausage, shape it into thin, flat cakes. Grease a frying pan slightly, in order to keep the cakes from sticking to the surface, place the cakes in the pan, and allow them to cook in the fat that fries out, turning them occasionally until both sides are well browned.

CURED PORK AND ITS PREPARATION

64. Under the heading of cured pork may be included many of the cuts of pork, for a large part of a pork carca.s.s can be preserved by curing.

However, this term is usually restricted to include salt pork, bacon, and ham. As has already been learned, salt pork is obtained from the belly; bacon, from the middle cut; and ham, from the two hind legs of pork.

65. SALT PORK.--As the cut used for salt pork is almost entirely fat, this piece is seldom used alone for the table. Occasionally, it is broiled to be served with some special food, such as fried apples, but for the most part it is used for _larding_; that is, slices of it are laid across the surface of meat and fish that are lacking in fat and that therefore cook better and have a more agreeable flavor when fat in some form is added. Pork of this kind is usually bought by the pound and then sliced by the housewife as it is needed for cooking purposes.