Pork Loin!

I grew up on a hog farm, where the pork was plentiful. We used ground pork for pretty much everything most people use ground beef for. We had pork chops and pork roasts and sausage burgers. Here’s what I learned about pork: I like it less than beef. However, pork does have its purposes, it’s typically cheaper than beef, and some uses are delicious.

I stopped by Fareway this afternoon to get my groceries, in particular the pork loins for cheap. I managed to get there about 4:30, so I figured the meat counter wouldn’t be very busy yet. Um, wrong. Also, I apparently got the new guy. I seriously could have cut and packaged the pork and cleaned up the mess in less time than it took this guy. We’re talking fifteen minutes here. I don’t want to rail on Fareway’s meat counter too much, though, since they usually have good prices and great service.

So what am I doing with all this pork? Sixteen pounds of pork is a lot for two people.

One loin was cut into slices, which pretty much made it tenderloins. I was going to get butterfly chops, but that seemed a little too complex for this guy. Maybe next time. The other loin was cut into three pieces, each about 3 pounds.

The tenderloins will probably be grilled, maybe pan-fried, maybe breaded and made into sandwiches, maybe further sliced and made into stir-fry.

One of the roasts will probably be roasted, and the other two will probably go in the slow-cooker for pulled pork or some Mexican dish. I have my eye on a recipe for carnitas. I was going to make this today, but that was when I was going to get groceries yesterday. Maybe Saturday.

Again, don’t be scared of buying the whole loin. I was last time (my first time), but I managed to use it deliciously. Just make sure to divide it into portions appropriate for your family right away–don’t throw the whole thing into the freezer, because then it will not get used.