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An astonishing 63.1 percent of Americans are overweight. As concern about the obesity epidemic grows everyone from the First Lady to scientists to the National Football League are looking for remedies. One such remedy getting a lot of recent media attention is the Meatless Monday initiative. The campaign claims that eliminating meat from the diet once a week will improve overall personal health, as well as reduce the carbon footprint. However, many health organizations and experts agree that the healthiest diets consist of a balance between fruits and vegetables as well as nutrient-rich red meat. In addition, environmental studies have shown that animal agriculture contributes only 2 percent to America’s total greenhouse gas emissions. It is time to change the view that protein consumption and protein production are negative and focus on the fact that proteins, including pork, are a key part of a healthy and socially conscious diet.

Given the current weight crisis, Americans need to concentrate on consuming foods with the most nutritional value per calorie. Eliminating meat from the diet removes a major source of essential vitamins and minerals, some of which can only be found in animal protein. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the meat food group, including pork, has the greatest percentage of foods with the highest “nutrient density value” compared to all other protein sources. For example, a three-ounce serving of pork tenderloin contributes only 6 percent of calories – about 120 – to a 2,000-calorie diet. It is also an “excellent” source of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorous, selenium and niacin, and a “good” source of potassium, riboflavin, choline and zinc. In addition to its positive nutrient value pork is also a lean protein source. In fact, the seven most common cuts of pork have, on average, 16 percent less fat and 27 percent less saturated fat than 20 years ago..

It has also been proven that meat helps with weight control and weight loss. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that consuming high-quality protein foods for breakfast, such as lean Canadian bacon, led to a greater sense of sustained fullness throughout the day. It also leads to reduced late-night snacking and less evening over-eating, two of the major contributors to weight gain according to a 2010 study from Obesity. A 2011 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that people eat fewer calories overall when they replace some carbohydrate and fat calories with protein. The research shows that the healthiest diets are balanced and consist of proper portions of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and red meat.

Not only can pork be a part of a healthy diet, it also can be a part of an environmentally conscious one as well. Animal agriculturalists, especially America’s pork producers, are constantly striving to reduce their footprint on the earth. Over the past 20 years, U.S. farms have increased production by almost 50 percent, yet greenhouse gas emissions have remained relatively constant – meaning that everything, from meat to milk to eggs, has a significantly smaller percentage of the carbon footprint than in the past. As part of its dedication to the environment, the National Pork Board created a research group involving producers, packers, distributors and retailers to examine and assess pork’s four pillars of environmental sustainability: land footprint, water footprint, air footprint and carbon footprint. Their research found that pigs produce only 0.3 percent of all greenhouse gasses – less than cows, and even humans.

The National Pork Board is dedicated to efforts that will reduce the industry’s carbon footprint even more. From funding research to measure pork production’s carbon impact at the University of Arkansas’ Applied Sustainability Center, to creating software tools that calculate the greenhouse gas emissions involved in sow and grow-finish production, to their overall sustainability efforts, American pork producers number among the most socially and environmentally conscious food producers in the world.

The bottom line is that there is no scientifically valid reason to eliminate pork from a healthy diet. Clearly, extreme intakes of many types of food can lead to obesity and health problems. However experts agree that lean proteins, like pork, when paired with nutrient rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy, have the healthiest results. Along the same lines, America’s pork producers strive to protect the natural resources that they manage on their farms so Americans can feel good about the relatively small environmental impact pork production has on air, water, land and carbon footprints.

To learn more about the nutritional values of pork please click here. http://www.porkfoodservice.org/MenuingPork/276/Nutrition.aspx

To learn more about the National Pork Board’s commitment to animal welfare, sustainability and environmental stewardship, please click here.
http://www.porkfoodservice.org/InformationAndResources/291/WeCare.aspx

Sources:

Hendrick, Bill. Percentage of Overweight, Obese Americans Swells - Americans Are Eating Poorly, Exercising Less, and Getting Bigger, Survey Finds. WebMD Health News. http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100210/percentage-of-overweight-obese-americans-swells

Drewnowski A. Concept of a nutritious food: toward a nutrient density score. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005;82:721-23.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service, 2009.

Cook AJ and Friday JE. Pyramid Servings Intakes in the United States 1999-2002, 1 Day. CNRG Table Set 3.0 released online March 2005. http://www.ba.ars.usda.gov/cnrg.

Leidy HJ, et al. Increased dietary protein consumed at breakfast leads to an initial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times. British Journal of Nutrition. (2009), 101, 798–803.

Leidy H, et al. The Effects of Consuming Frequent, Higher Protein Meals on Appetite and Satiety During Weight iv Loss in Overweight/Obese Men. Obesity. Advance online publication 13 September 2010.

Austin, G.L., et al. Trends in carbohydrate, fat, and protein intakes and association with energy intake in normal-weight, overweight, and obese individuals: 1971–2006. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2011; 93:836-43

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Safeguarding the environment comes naturally to America’s pork producers because they understand their inherent responsibility to preserve natural resources for future generations. Today, under the umbrella of environmental sustainability, producers have taken this public trust to the next level with their Checkoff investments in research into the four pillars of environmental sustainability—CARBON FOOTPRINT, WATER FOOTPRINT, AIR FOOTPRINT AND LAND FOOTPRINT. The insights and innovations found from this research will help producers maintain their role as leaders in protecting the natural resources they manage on their farms—one of the ethical principles of the pork industry’s We Care initiative they are committed to achieving.

America’s pork producers are among the most environmentally and socially conscious food producers in the world today. From their continual emphasis on the welfare of the animals under their care to their stewardship of the soil, water and land they call home, pork producers are leaders on many environmental fronts. And as always, producers continue to ensure that the food they produce is done so in a responsible and caring way for animals, consumers and the environment Just as they took steps in the 1980s and ‘90s to protect the soil and water, today’s pork producers are leaders in assessing and understanding their carbon footprint. Through the Pork Checkoff, producers are funding research efforts at the University of Arkansas’ Applied Sustainability Center to measure and identify the overall carbon footprint involved with pork production. They are determined to address this important area and capitalize on opportunities that make good environmental sense and are economically sustainable.

Some key facts to consider:

Pork production’s carbon footprint is a small fraction of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Animal agriculture as a whole contributes a small part of U.S. GHG emissions. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2007 only 2.8 percent of U.S. GHG emissions came from animal agriculture and pork production contributes even less--just over one-third of one percent (0.35%) of total U.S. GHG emissions.1

Pigs produce little expellable gas from enteric fermentation. Unlike some other livestock species, pigs with their single stomach don’t produce much expellable gas during digestion, which according to the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change, is ranked as second among the top four main sources for non-CO2 GHG emissions. The other main sources, in order, are soils, manure management and rice cultivation. • Pigs produce less GHG emissions than humans. In GHG emission terms, producing pork is easier on the environment than people are. In terms of waste handling, Humans generate 2.65 percent of total GHG emissions just from municipal sewage treatment plants and solid-waste landfills. Meanwhile, pigs only create 0.3 percent in total.

U.S. animal agriculture is very eco-friendly. A 2006 United Nation’s report2 concluded that about 74 percent of agricultural GHG emissions come from developing countries. The vast majority of global GHG emissions attributed to livestock production (12 - 18 percent) results from deforestation and converting rain forests and other lands to grow crops or pasture. Such actions do not occur in the U.S., which has actually seen an increase in the total acreage of forested land over the last several decades -- even while total agricultural production has increased.

Livestock-related GHG emissions in the U.S. have declined per unit of production. Since 1990, U.S. farmers increased meat production by almost 50 percent, milk production by 16 percent, and egg production by nearly 33 percent.3 The fact that GHG emissions from U.S. animal agriculture have remained relatively constant while protein production has dramatically increased reflects improved feed efficiencies, better manure-management strategies and efficient use of cropland. So, every gallon of milk or pound of meat produced in the U.S. today has a smaller carbon footprint than it used to have.

Pork producers are determined to lead in carbon-footprint knowledge. The National Pork Board has created a comprehensive working group. It consists of pork producers and representatives of the feed-crop production, feed formulation, meat packing and processing, and retail marketing components of the pork chain. While it’s already known that the three gases of primary interest in pork production are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4 ) and nitrous oxide (N2O), much more remains to be discovered. That’s why the industry is diligently working to assess pork’s life-cycle from feed to fork. The goal is identify areas where producers can continue the trend of producing more food using fewer resources for an ever-more eco-friendly and economically viable result.

The National Pork Board’s carbon footprint project is comprehensive with multiple phases. Since June 2008, the National Pork Board has been working on a specific plan to assess and better understand the pork industry’s carbon footprint. The Checkoff-funded research has completed:

A review of available literature and information related to energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from pork production.
A summary or “scan level” life-cycle assessment of energy use and emissions across the entire pork chain, including feed crop production, feed formulation, swine production, transportation, meat processing and retail components.
A detailed, in-depth life-cycle assessment of the on-farm animal production component covering all aspects of raising the animals, including manure-management practices.
A producer-friendly software tool called the Live Swine Carbon Footprint Calculator. It calculates the greenhouse gas emissions involved in sow and grow-finish production, which can help producers identify areas for potential improved efficiency.

For more information on Pork Checkoff’s environmental sustainability effort, visit www.pork.org/sustainability

1 http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads11/US-GHG-Inventory-2011-Chapter-6-Agriculture.pdf

2 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change/TP/2008/8; 21 Nov. 2008

3 American Meat Institute, 2009.

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James Beard award winner Paul Kahan is no stranger to the heat of the kitchen. As the executive chef of four of Chicago’s hottest restaurants – Blackbird, avec, Publican and Big Star – Kahan has a reputation for being one of the most exciting and influential working chefs in the country.

Kahan won the James Beard award for “Best Chef in the Midwest” in 2004, and has been nominated three times for Outstanding Chef. In 2010, he was named a National Pork Board Celebrated Chef because of his creative takes on classical cuisine and his advocacy for more pork on more menus. Kahan is also slated to open a butcher shop later in 2011 where his team will break down whole hogs for use in all four of his restaurants, as well as for retail sale in the shop.

From commuting to work on his bicycle to supporting local farmers, Kahan’s commitment to environmental practices is a constant thread throughout his life. We caught up with Paul to discuss his businesses and how they are going green.

NPB: Would you tell us about your restaurants?

Chef: Each of the 4 restaurants is a unique concept based on hospitality. Our goal is to provide continuity between food, service, and design. Blackbird, established in 1997, fine dining, modern-American cuisine and seasonality define the experience. Avec, next door to Blackbird, under Chef Koren Grieveson, provides Mediterranean-inspired peasant cuisine in a more communal environment. Avec refers to a philosophy based on sharing – sharing food, wine and time with family and friends. The Publican – modern American beer hall based on oysters, pork and beer. And Big Star, honkey-tonk taco joint. A taco joint specializing in authentic Mexican street food, tequila, whiskey and country LPs.

NPB: Your third restaurant, Publican, features pork dishes very prominently. Why did you make this decision?

Chef: Oysters, pork and beer – what sounds better?

NPB: Tell us about efforts you are making to help your restaurant be more environmentally friendly.

Chef: All of our restaurants have gone through green certification program – which is an ongoing program which evaluates the restaurant each year and teaches us to run our restaurants in a more environmentally friendly way.

NPB: There are a lot of buzzwords around food like local, sustainable, organic – what’s the most important thing to you?

Chef: Local and organic feed into sustainable. Hands down, minimizing impact on the earth is our primary directive.

NPB: You recently went on a tour of a pig farm in Iowa. What did you think?

Chef: It opened up my eyes to the great variance of pig farming methods used. I also got a greater understanding of the scale and amount of food actually produced. I learned economic and health advantages as they apply to different types of farms. All food for thought.

NPB: What are some environmentally conscious trends you are seeing in the foodservice industry?

Chef: I really don’t see trends; I see restaurants analyzing their entire operation to find sustainable options.

NPB: Why is it important for restaurants to be green?

Chef: We have approached our restaurants, from the very beginning, as sustainable in every way. We sustain great relationship with our purveyors and farmers and with cooks and former cooks, managers and former managers and most importantly with the way that we impact the earth. It’s important to us to leave the world a better place than we found it.

NPB: You are known for using the whole animal, and you are about to open a butcher shop where you’ll be featuring a wide range of cuts. Do you feel that using pork snout to tail is a good green practice?

Chef: Obviously, yes. Instead of product going to the trash, it’s all utilized and it also allows us to purchase and sell a higher quality and more sustainable product.

NPB: You got your degree in Math and Computer Science…how did you end up as the executive chef of four restaurants?

Chef: I grew up in the food industry in Chicago and ultimately just followed my passion.

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The Publican Ham Chop In Hay with Bird Mill Grits & Grilled Ramp Salsa Verde

ingredients

Brine

1 gallon water
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 oz wt pink salt #1 cure
12-15 POUNDS LOIN, BLADE END, BONE-IN CHOP, 1 1/2"-2" THICK CUT

Sous-Vide Prep

as needed thyme, fresh sprigs
as needed bay leaf
as needed butter

Bird Mill Grits

1 cup Bird Mill white grits
Lots butter
as needed Tabasco
to taste salt & pepper
3 cups milk

Salsa Verde

2 pounds ramps, fresh
as needed extra virgin olive oil
as needed lemon juice , fresh squeezed
as needed champagne vinegar
as needed anchovy
as needed capers
as needed chives
as needed parsley , fresh

Preparation

Cooking Directions

Pork Preparation:

In a container large enough to hold the chops, combine all the brine ingredients, mix well to combine and dissolve salt and sugar
Submerge chops in brine, weight down to keep them completely submerged and soak for two days
Remove chops rinse under cool water, pat dry. On full sheet tray with baking grate, place chops and refrigerate uncovered for 12-24 hours
Hot smoke chops at 200 degrees for one hour and allow to cool completely
When cool, individually vacuum pack each chop with: 1 sprig of thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1/4 cup butter & 1 handfull of hay
Sous-vide at a constant temperature of 145 degrees for 3 hours
Leave the chops in the bags and stop cooking by running the chops under cool water for 10 minutes. Then submerge the chops into ice water
Reheat chops out of their bags on a grill or in an oven until warmed through

Bird Mill White Grits Preparation:

In dutch oven, combine milk, grits & season. Mix well to combine
Cover & cook for 1 hour stirring occasionally
Finish with lots of butter, season with Tabasco, salt & pepper

Grilled Ramp Salsa Verde Preparation:

Evenly season ramps with salt & pepper
On grill cook ramps on all sides for approximately 3-4 minutes
In blender combine all ingredients & blend on high to combine

Serving Suggestions

Place grits on plate. Top with chop and salsa verde and serve.

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Warm Thai Pork Salad With Asian Ginger Dressing

ingredients

Asian Ginger Dressing

2 TBL pickled ginger, julienned
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
6 fl oz sesame oil
4 each limes, large, zest and juice
1 TBL lemon grass
2 TBL hot chinese chili paste

Salad Preparation

1 1/2 pounds salad greens, such as arugula, watercress snow pea vines, snow pea shoots or Asian salad greens
2 cups celery, sliced long on bias
2 cups green onions, sliced long on bias
2 cups carrots, cut in julienne 3-inch lengths on mandoline

Pork Preparation

4 1/2 POUNDS BONELESS PORK LOIN
2 cups mushroom soy sauce
to taste kosher salt & ground black pepper

Preparation

Cooking Directions

For Dressing:

Mix all ingredients well to combine

Pork Preparation:

In skillet on medium high heat, add oil
Dip pork strips in soy sauce & evenly season with salt & pepper
Sear on both sides for approximately 3-4 minutes & an internal temperature of 145 degrees
Let strips rest 4-5 minutes before placing on top of salads

For Salad:

Place greens, celery, onions and carrots on salad plates
Toss with dressing

To Finish Salad

Lime juice to taste. 3 Tbsp each: grated lime zest, black sesame seeds and roasted parboiled long-grain rice. Roast in saute pan on high heat 3-5 minutes. Squeeze lime juice on salads and sprinkle with lime zest, black sesame seeds and roasted rice. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

To Finish Salad

Lime juice to taste. 3 Tbsp each: grated lime zest, black sesame seeds and roasted parboiled long-grain rice. Roast in saute pan on high heat 3-5 minutes. Squeeze lime juice on salads and sprinkle with lime zest, black sesame seeds and roasted rice. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

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Chili Grilled Rib Chops

ingredients

Pork Seasoning

2 TBL chili powder
To Taste kosher salt
8 EACH 3-4 OZ WT EACH PORK CHOPS, CENTER CUT, BONE-IN

Salsa Rajas

2 each poblano chiles
2 each anaheim chiles
4 each plum tomatoes
1/2 cup onion, fine dice
1 TBL cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano, fresh, chopped
1 each lime, juiced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 TBL extra virgin olive oil
to taste kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

Cooking Directions

Pork Preparation

Combine chili powder and kosher salt
Evenly season chops well on all sides & reserve chilled
Grill over a medium-hot fire, turning as needed
Cook to an internal temperature of 145 degrees
Allow to rest for 5 minutes in a warm place before service

For the Salsa Rajas:

On a preheated grill, roast the poblano & Anaheim peppers, turning frequently until the skins are dark in color
Place peppers in a bowl while still warm & cover to allow them to steam
Remove seeds & skins from chiles, cut into medium dice
Cut plum tomatoes in half & roast on the grill or in oven until the skins slide off; cut into medium
Combine roasted peppers, tomatoes, Spanish onion, cilantro, oregano, lime juice, garlic, extra virgin olive oil & season to taste with kosher salt & pepper. Reserve chilled

Serving Suggestions

Top rib chop with salsa rajas and serve.

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Shredded Pork and Wild Mushroom Salad

ingredients

Pork Preparation

2 TBL paprika
1 TBL salt
1 TBL sugar, granulated
1 TBL brown sugar, light
1 TBL chile powder
1 TBL black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 EACH 3 POUNDS PORK SHOULDER, TIED INTO A ROAST
1/4 cup peanut oil
2 cups onions, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vermouth
1/4 cup brown sugar, light
2 TB red pepper flakes

Mushrooms Preparation

1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup prosciutto, OR pancetta, very finely minced
4 cups wild mushrooms , such as cepes or morels or chanterelles
2 TBL shallots, very finely minced
2 TBL garlic, very finely minced
to taste salt and pepper

Salad Preparation

1 cup tomato, seeded, 1/2" pieces
1 cup red onion, julienned
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1 cup flat leaf parsley, tops
1 cup chervil, tops
1 cup chives, 1 1/2" long
4 cups baby lettuce
1 each belgian endive, 1" pieces
1 cup arugula
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
to taste coarse salt & fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Cooking Directions

For Pork Rub:

Rub pork with Spice Mix and wrap in plastic; refrigerate overnight. Remove pork from refrigerator unwrap
Let pork rest at room temperature for two hours

For Braised Pork:

In a heavy casserole, heat oil over high heat
Pat pork dry with towels, leaving on as much spice rub as possible
When oil is hot, add pork and brown well on all sides
Remove pork & in the same pot oil & onion and celery, Cook until they are lightly browned
Add stock, vinegar, vermouth, brown sugar & pepper flakes. Return pork to the casserole & bring to a simmer on stovetop
Cover casserole & bake at 275 F. After 30 minutes, check to see that the casserole is barely at the simmerBaste every 20 minutes with pan juices. After 3 hours, remove roast from casserole and allow to cool for 45 minutes
Meanwhile, strain cooking juices into a bowl, after 15 minutes, remove fat from the surface
When pork has rested, use a pair of forks to shred the pork into manageable pieces and moisten liberally with some of the strained cooking juices

For Mushrooms:

In a heavy skillet, heat walnut oil. When hot, add country ham, sauté for 2 minutes until crisp
Remove ham from skillet & leave the flavored oil in the skillet Add mushrooms & sauté for 3 minutes, then add shallots and garlic
Add salt & pepper to taste. Cook an additional 2 minutes

For Salad:

Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. When mushrooms are cooked through, add them along with their cooking oil and juices to salad mixture
Add salt & ground pepper to taste.

Serving Suggestions

To Serve: Combine pork, mushrooms and salad. Mound on plate. Enjoy.

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Chefs across the country love pork. It’s tender, juicy, flavorful and in consumer demand. And now, chefs and consumers are going green by thinking about how their food actually gets to the plate. Since the production of pork contributes to only 0.3% of all greenhouse gases, pork farms are sustainable and American pork is raised 100% hormone free, chefs can feel good about menuing this versatile protein and consumers can feel good about placing an order for pork. Check out who’s feeling green by menuing pork:

Hot LTOs and New Menu Editions

Carrabba’s Italian Grill rolled out several limited-edition dishes for the spring season. The springtime specials include Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Arugula, sauteed and topped with arugula, seasoned grape tomatoes and lemon vinaigrette, and Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin—wood-grilled and topped with an apple-and-fig-infused port-wine sauce. (223 units, HQ in Tampa, FL)
TacoTime rolled out a line of Street Tacos, including pork carnitas served on soft corn tortillas with diced onion and fresh cilantro. They are available for a limited time. (245 units, HQ in Scottsdale, AZ)
Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill rolled out new menu items for spring including ginger teriyaki pork tenderloin (67 units, HQ in Orlando, FL)
Qdoba Mexican Grill rolled out mini street tacos nationwide for a limited time. The street tacos are three small soft corn tortillas filled with a choice of slow-roasted pulled pork topped with a red onion and cilantro garnish. A full order comes with a side of ancho chili barbecue beans and costs $4.99. (525 units, HQ in Wheat Ridge, CO)
Arby’s introduced an Angus Three Cheese & Bacon sandwich (3,523 units, HQ in Atlanta, GA)

Dinner Entrées Go Green

Located in Chicago’s trendy West Loop neighborhood, The Publican is a beer-focused restaurant concept that offers an assorted menu of farmhouse-inspired fare made with seasonal and local ingredients. Created by Paul Kahan and Brian Huston, The Publican offers an eclectic menu that specializes in pork and beer.

Potée—Toulouse sausage, pork tenderloin and pork rib from Birkridge Berkshire Farm, North Carolina
Charcuterie Plate—pork pie, head cheese, pork liver terrine, Morteau sausage, pickles and mustard
Spicy Pork Rinds—Toulouse sausage, pork tenderloin and pork rib from Birkridge Berkshire Farm, North Carolina
Pork Belly—served with artichokes, potatoes, roasted tomato vinaigrette, and pistachios

Chipotle: Whenever possible they use meat from animals raised without the use of antibiotics or added hormones. (Chipotle, 1,084 US units, HQ in Denver, Colorado)
Chocolate restaurant: Spicy Chocolate Barbequed Pork Roast: Free-Range pork shoulder, slow roasted with spicy bittersweet chocolate barbeque sauce (Independent in Santa Cruz, CA)
Siena Restaurant: free range pork chop pan roasted with citrus apple sauce , maple glazed fennel and cider demi glace (Upscale independent in Snyder, NY)
Pauline’s Café: Naturally-raised pork medallions, breaded and sautéed with lemon caper reduction. (Independent in Burlington, Vermont)
Café Twenty-Eight: features a Fischer’s Farm Naturally Raised Pan Seared Pork Tenderloin with herbed infused polenta with sweet corn, green beans sautéed with butter and red bell peppers (One unit in Minneapolis, MN)
Bistro LeSteak: Naturally Raised Pork Chop w/ mango-cognac sauce (One unit in NY, NY)

Burgers and Sandwiches Go Upscale With Local Ingredients/Toppings

Pearly Bakers is an independent in Easton, PA, that “strives to be a better neighbor to our community and to the Earth.” They have designed their menu to include "locals only" items. All ingredients on the "locavore" menu feature products from within a 50 mile radius of the restaurant. Independent farmers are utilized & most products are hormone free, antibiotic free, grass fed & organic. On the local menu is a smokehouse burger made with smoked peppercorn bacon. (www.pearlybakers.net/index.php/lunch)
Coast Menu: Niman Ranch BLT: bacon, lettuce, and tomato on choice of bread. (One unit in Bolinas, CA)
Burger ME is a one-unit QSR that “always use the BEST, SEASONAL, LOCALLY SOURCED ingredients whenever possible”. They offer Niman Ranch bacon as an add-on to their burgers for an additional dollar. (One Unit in Truckee, CA)

Pizza with Pork Ingredients

Full Of Life Flatbread: At Full of Life Flatbread they believe in the quality and freshness of local, organic and sustainably grown, ingredients. Most of their ingredients originate from within 300 miles of their restaurant just a few hours drive. Where possible, they purchase their ingredients directly from growers and producers to ensure integrity. They offer a pizza called Central Coast Sausage: Naturally Raised Pork in a Housemade Maple and Fennel Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Onions, Mushrooms, Cheeses and Fresh Garden Herbs. (One pizza unit in Los Alamos, CA)
Howie’s Artisan Pizza: Features a fennel sausage that is made from scratch with a Berkshire breed of naturally raised pork. Several of their pizzas include this fennel sausage, including Sausage & Red Onion pizzas and The Works. (One location in Palo Alto, CA)

Ethnic Pork Dishes

Local Harvest Café & Catering offers Korean BBQ pork on sesame brioche made with Missouri free-range pork, smoked in house, served with special bbq sauce on locally made sesame brioche. (One unit in St. Louis, MO.)
Café Twenty Eight: Pork in Adobo with naturally-raised pork, three chile sauce guajillo, ancho & puya), pico de gallo, black bean and corn salsa, sour cream, queso fresco, rice, La Perla tortillas (One unit in Minneapolis, MN)
The Porterhouse Restaurant: Free Range Pork loin sautéed in a velvety Hungarian Paprika Sauce served with Spaetzle. (One casual dining restaurant in Lynchburg, VA)

On April 29 through May 1, The National Pork Board held the First Annual Pork Summit at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone Campus in St. Helena, CA. State and regional level Taste of Elegance winners won a trip to this exclusive educational weekend. They got to rub elbows with some of the National Pork Board’s Celebrated Chefs and met some of the foodservice industry’s best media editors.

With a focus on education, Saturday’s events kicked off with a Pork 101 class taught by the National Pork Board’s Director of Foodservice Marketing, Stephen Gerike. Stephen taught the attendees about the pork industry farm to fork, including breeds, production, animal care, meat quality, and both American and European butchery methods. CIA Chef-Instructor Bill Briwa taught a segment on brining and Herb Eckhouse of La Quercia discussed making artisanal cured meats in the United States and led the group in a prosciutto tasting.

Next came chef demos from pork Celebrated Chefs Robert Danhi, Jose Garces, Paul Kahan, Chris Lilly and Tom Pizzica that aimed to teach the winners an advanced cooking technique. Wine expert Rebecca Chapa and Chef Briwa taught a wine and pork pairing class at Cardinale Winery, imploring the class to get involved in the wines being served with their food. Saturday ended with a group dinner at Farmstead Restaurant In St. Helena. Chef Sheamus Feeley served a pork-centric menu prepared from a red wattle and a mulefoot pig.

Sunday’s market basket exhibition was a chance to test everything learned in Saturday’s classes. Chefs were divided into five teams, made up of a Celebrated Chef, a member of the foodservice media and several Taste of Elegance winners. Each team was given a half hog to break down and include in their dishes. With three hours to cook, each team had to produce three dishes: one breakfast item, one handheld dish, and one shareable plate. After cooking, all in attendance sat down for a feast of the impressive food cooked during the market basket exhibition.

On May 4, the National Pork Board’s Director of Foodservice Marketing, Stephen Gerike, taught the pork section of the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) Center of the Plate Training at Texas A&M’s Meat Science School.

Stephen taught the class with Dr. Davey Griffin, Associate Professor & Extension Meat Specialist at Texas A&M and Steve Olsen, NAMP’s Standards & Specifications Advisor. The men butchered one half hog in the American style and one in the European style, which greatly appealed to the international contingent attending the class.

After the training, the National Pork Board hosted an attendee dinner at the 7F lodge in Wellborn, TX. The dinner featured Pork Carnitas tacos, Grilled Country Chops and homemade Texas pork sausage cooked up by Old Brazos Biscuit Company.

Marketing Executives Group (MEG) at the NRA

Chicago, Illinois

May 18-20

National Restaurant Association Show

Chicago, Illinois

May 21-24

Texas Outlaw Party at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen

Aspen, Colorado

June 17

Food and Wine Classic June 17-19

Trends

Success Stories

Chef Feature

Recipes

The Publican Ham Chop In Hay with Bird Mill Grits & Grilled Ramp Salsa Verde

ingredients

Brine

Sous-Vide Prep

Bird Mill Grits

Salsa Verde

Preparation

Cooking Directions

Serving Suggestions

Warm Thai Pork Salad With Asian Ginger Dressing

ingredients

Asian Ginger Dressing

Salad Preparation

Pork Preparation

Preparation

Cooking Directions

Serving Suggestions

Chili Grilled Rib Chops

ingredients

Pork Seasoning

Salsa Rajas

Preparation

Cooking Directions

Serving Suggestions

Shredded Pork and Wild Mushroom Salad

ingredients

Pork Preparation

Mushrooms Preparation

Salad Preparation

Preparation

Cooking Directions

Serving Suggestions

Menuing Information

Hot LTOs and New Menu Editions

Dinner Entrées Go Green

Burgers and Sandwiches Go Upscale With Local Ingredients/Toppings

Pizza with Pork Ingredients

Ethnic Pork Dishes

What's Happening

Marketing Executives Group (MEG) at the NRA

National Restaurant Association Show

Texas Outlaw Party at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen