What's for dinner?

I've been off the boards for a while due to some creative flow. For dinner tonight I had leftover New Year's lentils with spinach. Yum.

rwj

[Jenise]

Jenise, I think you are picking out parts of my post to bring a criticism that is not deserved. I began all this talking about a pork roast, a loin roast. I introduced the idea of a bone on pork roast in my reply to Linda R. You replied broaching q'ing ribs to the extent that I am unconcerned about delicate flavor of pork. Ribs = apples to loin roast = oranges. not the same thing. I am not sure how I switched from flavor to texture though, I began talking about a bone in pork loin roast and still am. I agree that ribs are different, yet not dry due to the fat on them. Pork shoulder is much the same as ribs as it will stay moist up to the point where the collagen is dissolved through heat but the muscle remains juicy and tender due to the fat on the shoulder cut.

Oh Bob, that wasn't criticism, it was clarification. And more is needed. You didn't "begin all this". Rather, Linda asked for suggestions, and I gave one suggesting lots of garlic and herbs. After me, you said you didn't like to "overdress" the pork and only used salt and pepper because of the "delicate flavor". Since, by inference, I was an overdresser, I offered the opposing point of view that I find pork bland, not delicate, and that's why I prefer it fully loaded. I threw in a mention of ribs to call your attention to your generalization about pork being delicate. Then you started talking about "dryness" and overcooked meat--which I consider a textural issue--as if that were the source of my claims of blandness. It's not. I find pork bland. Which is actually an asset for people like me who love to use lots of herbs and garlic and bold sauces--like barbecue. Pork ribs are one of my favorite meats in the world. But there it benefits from lots of juicy fat and a low ratio of meat to sauce/exterior roasted flavors. Pork loin? I usually eat the edges and feed the middles to my cat Bruce, who can be found at every meal under my chair.

As this conversation continues, so does my pork . It is on the menu again tonight with roasted cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions and garlic. This was my first pork roast (I've been doing tenderloins), and it is something that will be added to my regular rotation. It's so versatile!

Oh Bob, that wasn't criticism, it was clarification. And more is needed. You didn't "begin all this". Rather, Linda asked for suggestions, and I gave one suggesting lots of garlic and herbs. After me, you said you didn't like to "overdress" the pork and only used salt and pepper because of the "delicate flavor". Since, by inference, I was an overdresser, I offered the opposing point of view that I find pork bland, not delicate, and that's why I prefer it fully loaded. I threw in a mention of ribs to call your attention to your generalization about pork being delicate. Then you started talking about "dryness" and overcooked meat--which I consider a textural issue--as if that were the source of my claims of blandness. It's not. I find pork bland. Which is actually an asset for people like me who love to use lots of herbs and garlic and bold sauces--like barbecue. Pork ribs are one of my favorite meats in the world. But there it benefits from lots of juicy fat and a low ratio of meat to sauce/exterior roasted flavors. Pork loin? I usually eat the edges and feed the middles to my cat Bruce, who can be found at every meal under my chair.

Somehow we seem to misread the others post and find what was not intended, and when explained is made clear. I certainly did not intend to imply that you were an overdressing pork. That thought never crossed my mind once, not in this thread nor in any other. so if I left that impression it was not intended. As for my beginning all this, I simply meant to say that when I got involved in the thread. Perhaps my writing would have been clearer had said I "began my participation in this thread", but I and everyone else knew that I didn't begin the thread. This almost seems that you thought I was picking a fight with you, and that is very much something I would never do. I might should be more careful of my word selection on the forum, but I don't think I want to have to be that careful each and every time I join a conversation.

[Jenise]

I might should be more careful of my word selection on the forum, but I don't think I want to have to be that careful each and every time I join a conversation.

Nah, neither of us do. It's all okay, believe me. And I want you to really understand that re the "overdressing" part, I did not take offense to that at all. I am completely fine with the idea that we all have different tastes and different styles of cooking. I was just explaining why my differences exist.

But, I'll add this: in Holland, regular supermarket pork was young, small, pale and tender. It tasted like veal, and no American pork but a piece I bought from a little stall at a farmers market down near Bucko's house has ever been close to that quality. THAT would be delicacy worth savoring. Which has me kind of wondering if, like the lamb situation we've discussed before, you routinely get better pork there in Kentucky than we do here.

[Robin Garr]

routinely get better pork there in Kentucky than we do here.

Can't speak for Bob, Jenise, but here in Louisville we get excellent natural "pastured" pork from local Kentucky and Southern Indiana producers, and you can get passable natural pork from Whole Foods and a couple of local high-end grocers. It's expensive, but worth it.

But the run-of-the-mill stuff you'll get from Kroger or Sam's or even, I suspect, Costco, particularly if you're concerned about price, is, alas, the same slimed, dumbed down pigmeat you get everywhere else. We don't even look at that stuff any more.

But, I'll add this: in Holland, regular supermarket pork was young, small, pale and tender. It tasted like veal, and no American pork but a piece I bought from a little stall at a farmers market down near Bucko's house has ever been close to that quality. THAT would be delicacy worth savoring. Which has me kind of wondering if, like the lamb situation we've discussed before, you routinely get better pork there in Kentucky than we do here.

I've never done it and probably would not, but I suspect a pig farmer would slaughter and dress a piglet for you if you wanted. It would be pricey, but maybe worth it. I won't get into organic, and free range meat, because I believe it to be basically a way to charge more, but Hey that is just me. Your dollars and Robin's dollars are yours and his, and It makes no difference to me. But when I buy the whole loin I do open it from the plastic and rinse it well before removing the tenderloin and then cutting the whole loin into about 4, or 5 bone in roasts. I then vacuum pack the entire array of meats. I have never had a tough one, nor a dry one nor a bland one (to my taste) maybe it is the ceramic cooker.