PASTURED / WOODLAND PORK
Pork is one of the most versatile meat animals out there. From lean chops and hams to succulent ribs and side pork, marbled shoulder roasts or steaks, or processed items like sausages or bacon: pigs provide cuts to satisfy all tastes and preferences!
As with all of our animals, Return to Earth’s woodland pork is raised without the use of antibiotics, steroids, or growth hormones.
TENDERLOIN is, in our opinion, the king of the porky cuts. Cut from the end of the loin, the tenderloin is easily the most tender cut of pork. Lean and easy to cook, tenderloin is equally comfortable as a casual weeknight dinner or as the centrepiece of an elaborate dinner party.
BACON, REAL bacon, is the posh cousin to pork belly elevated through its cured and smoked refinement. It is an incredibly versatile item that can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in a larger recipe to add a salty, smokey, umami boost to almost any meal.
SPARE / SIDE RIBS are meaty and best known for their full-bodied flavor. Ribs need plenty of time to cook down, but give them the time they demand and you’ll be treated to a tender, flavourful, and literal fall-off-the-bone meal.
PORK BELLY, cut from the underside of the pig, pork belly is succulent and richly flavoured. When not being made into homemade bacon, pork belly is at its best when slowly cooked which allows it to tenderize before searing to add crispness.
DINNER SAUSAGE is a staple in many homes and for good reason – they are delicious! Our sausages are a German-style Bratwurst. Cook them as they are or remove the casing and use the meat in sauces, stews, or as a pizza topping.
BREAKFAST SAUSAGE, like dinner sausage, is a staple in many households – including ours! A finer grind of meat, smaller links, and a lighter blend of seasonings make breakfast sausages the perfect accompaniment to a Sunday morning brekkie.
HAM HOCKS are a cut from the lower part of a pig’s leg. Hocks are rarely served as a stand-alone meat, but are an invaluable ingredient in ragu / red sauces, soups, stock, beans, etc.
BONE-IN HAM is available both smoked and fresh (uncured). This cut has a texture and taste similar to a loin roast, but with better marbling. We suggest a low and slow cook for fall-off the bone goodness! And be sure to retain that bone for an unbelievable stock or soup!
OSSO BUCCO literally means “bone with a hole”. This cut, while usually seen in beef, is a flavour-packed way to enjoy the lower portion of the rear leg. Like all “shanks”, this cut benefits from a longer cook time.
PORK CHOPS are very lean cuts with a lower fat / calorie count than most other cuts of pork. We suggest using a meat thermometer when cooking these lean cuts to avoid overcooking and serve with a warmed chutney of your choice. YUM!
GROUND meat of any kind is highly versatile and economical. Use ground pork in meatballs, wontons, cabbage rolls, tacos, stir-fry, etc.
BUTT / PICNIC ROASTS, despite their name, are cut from the shoulder of the pig and are a full-flavoured and well marbled cut. All shoulder roasts require a lengthy cook to be at their best, but the end results are oh-so-worthwhile.
COOKING YOUR PORK
RIB / LOIN
Tenderloin
Ribs
Chops
LEG
Bone-in Ham
Hocks
Osso Bucco (Shank)
SHOULDER
Shoulder Steaks
Butt / Picnic Roast
OTHER CUTS
Bacon
Belly
Sausage
Ground
BRAISE / STEW
FRY
GRILL
ROAST
RAISING OUR PASTURED / WOODLAND PIGS
Return to Earth’s woodland pigs join us in the early spring where they spend their first few weeks indoors in our light-filled greenhouse “barn” as we wire-train the piglets while the weather warms and the piglets to grow large enough to safely move into their outdoor paddocks.
Pigs are incredibly adept at digging (rooting) in order to find roots, nuts, fallen fruits, insects and other forage. However, this trait is also destructive when contained to a small(er) area for long, so we regularly move our pigs into new paddocks to avoid damage to the woodland floor. We also overseed the “used” paddocks with a native mix to take advantage of the disturbed soils and increase flora diversity across the paddocks.
In addition to what they can forage and their base silage, the pigs are also treated with cut-offs from our own organically grown vegetable garden. Brussels sprout foliage and tomatoes are favourites – especially as they are often paired with a good ear scritch!
We do not raise pigs during the winter as the cold months would require them to be kept in indoors which, in addition to sometimes resulting in aggressive animals, means a less flavourful pork. Notably, the best pork in the world comes from pastured pigs due to it’s distinctive and sought-after flavour.!
WHY PASTURED?
Compared to corn- and soy-fed hogs, the meat from pigs raised on pasture and in wooded areas offers significant benefits over conventionally-raised pork:
4x more omega-3 fats
8x more vitamin D
60% lower omega-6 : omega-3 ratio
2x more vitamin E
3x higher polyunsaturated : saturated fat ratio
Also, it tastes something awesome!