With such past triumphs as Hot Links and Country Flavor, Real Beer and Good Eats and The Complete Meat Cookbook Bruce Aidells has established himself as a god-like carnivore among mere mortals. His taste buds know no bounds, his thirst for the next best recipe absolutely unquenchable. "I am a restless cook and adventurous eater," he says in the beginning of Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork, perhaps his greatest cookbook yet.
Maybe the dog has been hooked up with humankind longer than the pig, and has wandered into regions pigs knowingly eschew, like the Arctic. But pigs and people share a long, delicious history the dog can only sniff at, and longingly at that; an intimacy, if you will, unmatched in any other cross-species relationship. Aidells celebrates this connection. He gives the reader a brief history of the pig, then delivers definitive instructions on how to select great pork, and, in a general overview, how the flavor it and cook it to best advantage. He honors his subject and elevates his reader.
The recipes that follow have only one thing in common: Bruce Aidells loves them. They come from all corners of the world, from friends and from professionals, and from deep personal experience. They cover breakfasts treats, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, and salads (Chopped Grilled Vegetable Salad with Grilled Pork Medallions); chops and steaks, scallops and cutlets (Smoked Pork Chops with Sour Cherry Sauce); kebabs and ribs (North African Marinated Pork kebabs on Couscous with Apricot Sauce); roasts, ham, pot roasts, stews, baked pastas, and casseroles (Grill-Roasted Pork Shoulder Cuban Style).
In each shift among the pork primals Aidells discusses the fitting master recipe, the umbrella technique beneath which truth and beauty unfold. He's a champion of flavor brining and his instructions eliminate any possible confusion. But he saves his soul for the last section, which is given over to some of the best material in print on preserving pork, the making of sausages, pâtés and terrines, bacon and salamis. It's at this point in the book that poignancy kicks in. This final word has the feeling of last word as well. --Schuyler Ingle
From Publishers Weekly
Thanks to decades of breeding for less fatty animals—as well as an effective ad campaign—pork has shed its unhealthy stigma. Unfortunately, much of today's leaner supermarket cuts are often dry and bland. Aidells, founder of the Aidells Sausage Company, comes to the rescue with well over 100 flavorful recipes. Including Thai Seafood and Pork Dumplings, Albóndigas Soup and Quebec Pork Pie, his selections reflect the pig's popularity around the world and highlight the meat's versatility as both an appetizer and main course. Unsurprisingly (given his background), Aidells includes both master recipes and several variations for hearty links and patties. He uses a similarly in-depth technique to convey the range of possible approaches to hams and barbecued ribs and roasts. Though the writing is sometimes awkward, the recipes are refined and well balanced. Advanced cooks will appreciate some of the more exotic concoctions and the section on curing meats, but there are accessible recipes for all levels, and the introductions offer plenty of background information on choosing cuts, learning how to brine and much more. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Meat maven Aidells devotes his newest volume to the pig. Meat from the pig forms either a primary source for protein, as in the Chinese diet, or it is the ultimate taboo, as both Jews and Muslims agree. Aidells addresses pork cookery from every aspect, employing every cooking method, using virtually every part of the animal, and reflecting a host of ethnic traditions. His advice on brining pork roasts may change America's attitudes about marinating meats. Aidells' sidebars, covering issues such as trichinosis, the health benefits of lard, and grilling instructions, add to the book's reference value. He even gives instructions for making bacon, ham, lard, and pancetta at home, a real boon to the cook serious about producing superior, healthy meat products. French pates, Canadian pork pie, Mexican chorizo, Italian spaghetti sauce, and Chinese barbecued pork speak to the text's extensive range of recipes. About the only obvious omission is a recipe for suckling pig. This book figures to be a contender for this year's best cookbook awards. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
Long the world's favorite meat, pork has surged in popularity in American kitchens thanks in part to high-protein diets, but mostly because of its adaptability to just about every taste. Whether you like spicy Asian flavors, flavorful pan braises, or light and healthy grills, pork fills the bill. Now Bruce Aidells, America's leading meat expert, presents a guide to pork's endless versatility, with 160 international recipes and cooking and shopping tips.
This comprehensive collection contains everything cooks need to know about pork, including how to choose from the many cuts available, how to serve a crowd with ease, and how to ensure moist pork chops and succulent roasts every time. Aidells offers temperature charts for perfect grilling, roasting, and braising, as well as a landmark chapter with step-by-step instructions for home curing. With Bruce Aidells as your guide, you will be making your own bacon, salami, and breakfast sausages with ease. If you are looking to enhance everyday dining, there are recipes here for quick after-work meals, as well as dramatic centerpiece main courses that are sure to impress guests. Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork is a matchless all-in-one guide that will become a kitchen classic.
Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork: A Guide to Buying, Storing, and Cooking the World's Favorite Meat FROM THE PUBLISHER
Long the world's favorite meat, pork has surged in popularity in American kitchens thanks in part to high-protein diets, but mostly because of its adaptability to just about every taste. Whether you like spicy Asian flavors, flavorful pan braises, or light and healthy grills, pork fills the bill. Now Bruce Aidells, America's leading meat expert, presents a guide to pork's endless versatility, with 160 international recipes and cooking and shopping tips.
This comprehensive collection contains everything cooks need to know about pork, including how to choose from the many cuts available, how to serve a crowd with ease, and how to ensure moist pork chops and succulent roasts every time. Aidells offers temperature charts for perfect grilling, roasting, and braising, as well as a landmark chapter with step-by-step instructions for home curing. With Bruce Aidells as your guide, you will be making your own bacon, salami, and breakfast sausages with ease. If you are looking to enhance everyday dining, there are recipes here for quick after-work meals, as well as dramatic centerpiece main courses that are sure to impress guests. Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork is a matchless all-in-one guide that will become a kitchen classic.
About the Author:
Bruce Aidells is the founder of Aidells Sausage Company and author of nine cookbooks, including The Complete Meat Cookbook, The Complete Sausage Book, the "Meat" and "Poultry" chapters of the revised Joy of Cooking, and the key meat tips in The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook. He won the 1990 Julia Child Cookbook Award for Hot Links and Country Flavors. His articles appear innumerous publications, including Cooking Light, Bon AppÉtit, Gourmet,and Food & Wine.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Thanks to decades of breeding for less fatty animals as well as an effective ad campaign pork has shed its unhealthy stigma. Unfortunately, much of today's leaner supermarket cuts are often dry and bland. Aidells, founder of the Aidells Sausage Company, comes to the rescue with well over 100 flavorful recipes. Including Thai Seafood and Pork Dumplings, Alb ndigas Soup and Quebec Pork Pie, his selections reflect the pig's popularity around the world and highlight the meat's versatility as both an appetizer and main course. Unsurprisingly (given his background), Aidells includes both master recipes and several variations for hearty links and patties. He uses a similarly in-depth technique to convey the range of possible approaches to hams and barbecued ribs and roasts. Though the writing is sometimes awkward, the recipes are refined and well balanced. Advanced cooks will appreciate some of the more exotic concoctions and the section on curing meats, but there are accessible recipes for all levels, and the introductions offer plenty of background information on choosing cuts, learning how to brine and much more. Agent, Susan Grode. (On sale Nov. 2) Forecast: Author appearances, radio interviews and a national media campaign could get carbophobes interested in Aidells's paean to "the other white meat." Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
Americans may love steak, but they love their bacon, pork tenderloin, and roast ham, too. Founder of Aidells Sausage Company, the author fills his latest book (after The Complete Meat Cookbook) with delectable recipes and practical information on just about every part of the pig anyone would ever want to cook. The introductory section includes a brief history of the pig and "Pork Particulars": the different cuts, techniques such as brining, flavoring ingredients, and so forth. Then there are chapters on breakfast, appetizers, and soups, followed by main courses, organized by cut and/or cooking method. The more than 150 recipes, which come from the United States, the Mediterranean, Asia, South America, and beyond, range from Panko-Crusted Pork Cutlets with Japanese Dipping Sauce to Braised Pork Cheeks with Pappardelle. There is also, not surprisingly, a section devoted to preserving pork. An appendix lists both suppliers of hard-to-find cuts and farmers raising organic, heritage, and/or other special breeds. Highly recommended. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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