"Enhanced" Pork FYI

I just can't pass up this question....
Does Cooks Illustrated have a swimsuit edition?

GREAT!!!!!!!!
after reading the last reply now I got this picture of Christopher Kimball* in speedos...uughghhh

*editor of Cook's Illustrated


cookin-n-arkansas

Who pays for the added wait of the solution ?

Dr. Mac, I tried one of those treated pork butts. In fact, I tried 2 of them. I'm a slow learner.

After a long, low-and-slow smoke, dryness didn't seem to be a problem.

I'm just uncertain about having Big Brother brine my butts. Seems contrary, un-American. And not elemental; not good cooking. But, I may be wrong. Thanks for your good research.

I bet they'll sneak some fluoride in there next... (Anybody old enough to know why that's funny? Sort of funny?)

How is pork enhanced, Viagra or some other solution?

Racey thread, here.

"Enhanced" (if that's the right word!) is 10%saline solution. Pre-brined. To tenderize! Check out "Smithfield" pork. They have a web site.......and a big old brining vat...

I have two problems with solution added meat, paying for 10 to 15% solution wieght at the going price and it limits what you can do with spices, brines and injections.
Jim

I just don't like the taste of the babyback ribs with that enhanced solution added. Kind of a salty taste to me...my wife notices it too. Now you can't get the 1-1/2 downs anymore (Wally World, Costco, Sam's all sell the 3 pounders now) and to top it off they put juice in it...not real tasty. I think I may pay more at my local meat purveyor and get better quality tasting ribs...
PrestonD

Preston.....

Not sure about your comments on Sam's BB ribs. I have been buying them from Sam's for a few years now and they have been the same ribs that entire time.

They are 2 1/4 and downs, never seen a 1 1/2 and down and never seen a 3 and up. Also, I have never, ever seen injected ribs, loins or tenderloins at Sam's...one of the reason's I shop there.

WallyWorld is a whole 'nother story....the exact opposite of Sam's. Same parent company, just a different strategy for meat sales.

Also, be VERY wary of your local meat purveyor!! There are so few that deal in primal cuts.....they all buy the boxed meat and then unwrap, cut-up and display. I have seen all 3 of my local guys take ribs out of a box, unwrap from cryo and re-sell in their display cases.

If you are in doubt, simply look for carcasses hanging around....I doubt you will see any.

This is the reason I started shopping at Sam's.....if the local guy can't add any value, why pay the much higher prices?

Hi Stogie,
The ribs we got from Sam's last week were 3 to a cryovac bag and had solution added "enhanced" and were about 3 lbs each slab...kinda big. Just like what they had at our SuperWalmart...

I use to be able to get the smaller sizes there (similar to what you might see in restaurants) when Sam's first opened. Now these were prepackaged I didn't check at the meat window and see if there were fresh cut ribs available. Is that what you are referring to?

My butcher I am having to train for barbecue. His market is mostly New Yorkers that transplanted to Florida, so he needs some learning on 'que. He still won't stock brisket and I have to special order that, but whatever meat I order is usually very good quality just a tad pricey.

Take care!
PrestonD

Preston....

I haven't been to Sam's in about 3 weeks, but I will definitely check in next week.

I always buy the cryo'd stuff and 3 per package, but they always weigh out at 2 1/4lbs. per slab.

hanks for the heads up...I will report back next week.

I read somewhere that IBP was going to begin "enhancing" their pork. Maybe they started already. My sams has the 21/4 size loinbacks, IBP, for about $2.88lb. Now I need to check if they are prebrined, havnt bought any in a couple of weeks.

quote:

Originally posted by mainelydave:
[qb]I just can't pass up this question....
Does Cooks Illustrated have a swimsuit edition?[/qb]

No but most of the chef trade mags have naked chefs holding "Vita-Mix" blenders in front of certain parts of their' bodies

I just bought Sams cyro vac ribs today in Naples, Fl. Nothing added and they were 2.25#/ slab. I have a local butcher shop that can do imported danish baby's but my customers as well as myself are happy with the results of "Cookshack" and the Sams ribs. The Sams ribs were $2.87/# the imports both at my local butcher shop and Publix are about twice the price and the Publix imports have been brined. Rick

A great article on "Enhanced Meat" is now on the Virtual Weber Bullet site.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/enhancedmeat.html

An excellent article indeed, and to my way of thinking a very fair one. The author advocates the availability for consumers of both regular and enhanced meat, along with clear labelling of each. Can't see how anyone would disagree with that.

Would be great if a stack of copies were available at every supermarket in the land.

Now, back to the soapbox:
One thing I hadn't realized before is that injecting creates some of the same dangers as grinding together zillions of cows for premade hamburger. If the injection needles pick up bacteria from one piece, they can embed it on the inside of the following zillion pieces. The article says that the solution kills the bacteria. But what about the ones it doesn't kill?

Yikes,TJR! That statement would turn this Alaskan into a vegetarian if it wern't for hunting my own. Holy Hannah! The thought is repulsive! And to think I crave Ground Beef now and then...and I also cannot resist eating it raw! NEVER again!

Whew, TJR, I owe you my Life.

Checked with our local Sam's this week. Still NO enhanced meats on the pork side of the aisle.

I was concerned because IBP was still stamped on the bag..thought they were just working down the older inventory. The butcher assured me they get 2 meat deliveries per week and they carry NO backlog of inventory.

I will keep my eyes opened!

You folks with a Sam's Club are lucky. The nearest one from here is 83 miles. I have purchased fresh baby back ribs twice recently, once at Byerly's grocery store and once at a terrific meat market thirty miles from here. Unfortunately I had to pay $4.99 and $4.09 per pound respectively. They both were fresh and turned out to be the two best batches we have ever done. It may be all mental, but I think the ribs with the evil solution can't compare in flavor. Now to the point. Do any of you know if anyone does mail order ribs, where I might save a few bucks plus still get the quality?

Dr., check out www.ribman.com. they will ship.

Mornin',drbodkin.

You may have considered this already,but you might get a local restaurant or butcher to order a case for you.
If it is a restaurant you use regularly,they might even keep the case in their cooler.

Sometimes you can grease the situation with a smoked butt and a bottle of homemade sauce.


For home consumption,they freeze pretty well in the cryovac or maybe find a friend to split a case.

Another possibility, especially in the Mankato area, would be to find a local farmer who offers butchered hog parts for sale. There used to be a few who regularly showed up at the Minneapolis farmer's market with giant coolers of frozen farm-butchered pork. Can't recall if any of them were from parts south of town.

Or try a local locker. Quick check of the Yellow Pages turned up Dick's Locker and Vernon Center Locker - maybe you've already tried them? And who knows, many lockers probably just buy pork from the same places as everybody else.

Tompat, Tom and TJR, thanks for the info. I believe I will follow through and see if by putting in a special order or buying in bulk I can get a better deal. It's not that I mind paying over $4 per pound for quality, it is just that all the rest of you seem to be getting quality at a very favorable price. TJR, I need to change my address on here. I moved from Mankato out into the boonies north of Brainerd.

Well, you could always raise your own!