Pastured Pork Recipes Play Role in Search for Hormone-Free Pork

To get the full health benefits in pastured pork the meat must be cooked right. Pastured pork recipes specify lower cooking temperatures for lean grassfed pork.

My biggest mistake in cooking grassfed pork recipes has been cooking the meat too long and on too high a heat. 3 Simple Cooking Tips for grassfed meats ensure you a tasty and healthy meal. Overcooking can turn a perfectly wonderful pastured pork recipe into something tough and unpleasant.

"There are a lot of consumers looking for niche-raised pork," said Gary Huber of Practical Farmers of Iowa. The production of niche-raised pork is just not meeting the demand. We need more people doing this," claimed Huber, who co-ordinates a group that brings together producers, researchers and non-profit groups addressing the issues regarding pasture-raised pork.

Generally the specifications for healthy, pastured pork require hogs that are raised without antibiotics or growth promoters, have bedded pens and access to pasture, and can be traced back to the farm of origin. Some niche-raised pork programs also require hogs consume organic feed or require a certain breed of hog, such as Berkshire.

The cost to raise such healthy pastured pork is higher than confinement pork so consumers can expect to pay slightly higher prices.

A julienne (also called a 'matchstick') is a type of cut that makes a long thin strip.

Ingredients:

4 grassfed pork cutlets, 4 oz. each (1/2 inch thick)
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp seasoning
3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp butter (grassfed butter preferred)
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups julienne zucchini strips
1 cup julienne summer squash
1/2 cup red, yellow or green pepper strips
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper

Preparation:

Pound each cutlet to 1/4 inch thick. Combine flour and seasoning. Dredge cutlets in flour mixture. Braise cutlets in 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 4 minutes on each side.

Transfer to platter, keep warm.

Add wine and lemon juice to pan juices.

Heat until reduced to 1/4 cup.

Stir in 1 teaspoon butter.

Pour sauce over cutlets.

Keep warm.

Place vegetables and 1 tablespoon butter in skillet.

Add basil and pepper.

Cook and stir for 3 or 4 minutes over high heat.

Transfer to platter with pork.

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