Whole Hog Cooking - Pork Food Service

Whole Hog Cooking
Trends Report: Going Whole Hog
Time to go all in – whole-hog cookery is one of the hottest menu trends. Chefs love the
creativity and versatility of pork; no other animal can be enjoyed so easily from nose
to tail. Whether menuing the entire pig or selecting unique parts to feature, every
muscle and cut provides so many delicious opportunities.
Using the whole pig celebrates pork. Here are a few reasons why chefs are going
whole hog.
Tradition
Whole-hog cooking has always been part of
celebrations across the globe. Cooking the entire
animal for large gatherings was a distinctive part of
farming culture, symbolizing life, vitality and
togetherness. Everyone took pride in the intimate
preparation of food. In Italy, whole-hog cooking dates
back to before the Roman Empire and were one of the
original foods sold by street vendors. The traditional
Italian dish porchetta is made from the whole hog. The
torso is deboned and stuffed with herbs, re-stitched
and slow-roasted rotisserie-style in a wood burning
stove or over open fire. The skin stays on and offers
crunch for the tender meat inside.
Kalua Pig is a traditional Polynesian whole-hog dish. The pig is steamed in the ground with
banana leaves making the whole animal including the skin tender. In Indonesia, whole-hog
cooking is called babi guling or babi bakar. In China, it’s known as siu yuk and is cooked at
special family occasions and as a tribute to emperors. Filipino cuisine requires not wasting
any part of the animal, so offal cuts are common. Isla in Chicago is a perfect example of the
diversity of pork usage in Filipino cooking. Their Lechon Kawali is an enormous portion of
deep-fried pork belly with a cracklin’ crust, served with a side of thick, sweet gravy. The
Crispy Pata is bone-in pork knuckle.
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Latin cultures are known for using the whole pig. Lechon Asado is Puerto Rico’s national
dish. In Cuba, whole hogs are roasted in a box made with concrete and mesh, a cooking
technique now available with the La Caja China roasting box. In South American countries
like Argentina, Lechon Asado is roasted using asadores, or crosses, over open flame.
Pig roasting is also popular in the United Kingdom, France and across Europe, and gained an
early following in the United States. Early “pig pickin’” celebrations in the Southeast, primarily
the Carolinas, used every part of the hog. This tradition formed the basis for American
barbecue, and quickly spread across the South and Midwest.
Creativity
Creativity is a major factor in whole-hog cooking. Chefs love the countless ways to use
different cuts and add unique dishes to menus. Exploring ways to use the whole hog helped
propel popular charcuterie plates where chefs can offer house-cured salumi, sausages,
guanciale, mortadella, speck, terrines and lardo.
One of the major whole-hog success stories is Smoke in
Dallas, TX. Chef Tim Byres was recently named “The
People’s Best New Chef 2012” by Food & Wine
Magazine, which also named his seasonal Smoked Jowl
with Pickles one of the Top 10 Dishes of the Year. They
write, “He goes beyond just barbecue, with an in-kitchen
wood grill and smoke pit for smoking or curing almost
every dish on the menu.” For dinner, Byres’ small plates
menu features Barbecue Pork Rinds served with hot
sauce and sour cream, Dry-Cured Ham with cheese and
green chili mustard, and Pork Andouille Sausage. For
entrées, Smoke offers dishes like Dry-Rubbed Pork Spare
Ribs with mac ‘n cheese and pickled green beans as well
as Pulled All-Natural Whole Hog, North Carolina-style with blue cheese slaw. For lunch, Chef
Byres offers a pork sampler called Pork & Beans featuring spare ribs, pulled pork and
Andouille sausage. With pork dishes like these, Chef Byres and Smoke have been featured in
Forbes for “revitalizing hotel restaurant food,” Southern Living for the “Best Breakfast in
Dallas,” and the Dallas Morning News as “one of the most interesting and important
restaurants in the city.”
Farm to Table
Whole-hog cookery is an extension of the growing farm-to-table movement. Sometimes
known as “heritage cooking,” whole-hog dinners are a communal event for chefs and are a
way to showcase where food comes from, what it looks like and what it offers. Around the
country, restaurants with large spaces and community tables serve dishes that feature underutilized cuts and muscles. Chef Kevin Hickey of Allium in the Four Seasons Chicago, IL notes
on the chef-written blog Soapbox that serving the entire hog has “brought the American diner
back to the reality of where their food comes from, back to the honesty of utilizing the entire
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animal… selecting only certain cuts and muscles… has deprived many Americans of the truly
great treats every animal has to offer.”
Restaurants like Smoke, Publican in Chicago, IL,
Momofuku in New York, NY and Country Cat in
Portland, OR are winning by menuing different parts
of the hog, and a number of operations offering pig
roasts and whole hog dining for guests are
skyrocketing as well. Maialino in Gramercy Park,
NY serves Pig Dinners for up to 18 in their private
dining room, and The Southern in Chicago, IL
provides large party home-style dining featuring a
whole pig.
Value
Buying and serving the whole hog has economic benefits. In Dallas, TX four chefs have
teamed up to create a “whole animal allocation” program. Chefs Brook Humphries, Brianna
Larson, Colleen O’Hara and Jeana Johnson buy whole hogs each week and divide cuts
among their restaurants – Acme F&B, Barcadia, Good Friend Beer Garden and Burgers, and
Good To Go Tacos. The better-known cuts are used at Acme, while the others are parceled
out to the various restaurants based on the ever-changing menus.
The chef and owners of Northeast Kingdom in Brooklyn, NY are
outspoken on the economic feasibility of snout-to-tail menuing.
Paris Smeraldo, Meg Lipke and Chef Kevin Adey buy whole
hogs for butchering and change menus daily to feature the entire
animal. They believe they save about 20 percent vs. buying cuts
singularly. In August, Northeast Kingdom offered a 23-course
whole-hog dinner, and the menu showcased the versatility of
pork and the creativity of the chef. Starters included Pork Rinds
with bacon mayo and lime salt, BBQ Heart Kabobs with pickled
jalapeno, Pork Rillettes with black bread and pickled beets, and
Piggy Popcorn. The entrée menu offered dishes like Mushroom
& Apple in pork broth, Pork Gyoza with black vinegar and soy dipping sauce, Bacon-Ginger
Puffed Rice, Fresh Ham with mustard and pickle, Garlic Sausage with ricotta tortellini, Pork
Wellington and Blood Sausage. They closed with Chocolate Pork Liver Truffle for dessert.
Whole Hog Events
Whole-hog cooking has inspired a host of educational and culinary celebrations where chefs
showcase proper butchering techniques, lead educational roundtables and compete against
other chefs. There are hundreds of local events around the country, but the most famous is
Cochon 555. The third annual Cochon 555 visited ten cities across the country and featured
more than 150 restaurants and 1,500 chefs cooking over 100,000 lbs. of pork from 125
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different farms. Regional winners competed in the Grand Cochon at the Aspen Food & Wine
Festival.
Many competitors advance their own education and
bring new techniques, ideas for special cuts and inhouse butchering, back to their restaurants. Chef
Howard Hanna of The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange in
Kansas City, KS created a soup stock using pork bones
and trotters during the competition. Now he serves a
French onion-style soup that uses shredded sous vide
pork shoulder in place of the onions and chicharrones
for the croutons. At Vie in Chicago, IL, Chef Nathan
Sears took advantage of his participation in Cochon by
offering classes for consumers on whole-animal
cookery, where he demonstrates butchering and cooking techniques. This past summer,
Sears paid homage to the hog by serving only family-style pork at his restaurant for a week.
Meatopia, is a whole-hog cooking event held in New York City. Chefs wowed consumers as
they demonstrated unique pork cuts and new techniques. New York chefs from Marea,
Breslin’s, Rub and 42 cooked dishes like Grilled Pork Cheeks with late summer vegetable
mostarda, Skin-On Barbecued Jamaican Jerk Pork Belly and Whole Hampshire Hog with
spicy pepper seasoning. LA’s Night Market cooked Moo Sadoong (Startled Pig) Pork Salad
with herbs and raw garlic. Shepard Mansion from Hanover, PA went regional with Scrapple
Sliders on potato rolls with chow-chow vinaigrette. The Fatback Collection – a group of chefs
from Herbsaint and Cochon in New Orleans, La, Skyline Inn in North Carolina, Scott’s BBQ
and McCrady’s in South Carolina, and Jim ‘n Nick’s BBQ in Alabama, cooked Barbecued
Whole Hog, Mangalista Pork Rack, Cochon Boudin & Pork Cracklin’.
In San Antonio, TX a group of chefs from Tapa
Tapa food truck, Bella on the Riverwalk, Rico
Caters, Sandbar Fish House, Las Ramblas,
Restaurant Sustenio, U.S. Army Culinary, the
Taco Cabana chain, and Vinously Speaking,
form the “Texas Cooks Co-Op” and throw dinner
parties benefiting local charities. Each dinner
features 12-15 courses and wine pairings. Chef
Diego Galicia from Taco Cabana said “pork is
incredibly versatile, and we even incorporate it
into desserts … that’s how easy it is to match the different flavors and textures of pork.” At
their recent Nose-to-Tail Dinner, chefs cooked items from virtually every part of the hog
including Pig Ears with sorrel, arugula and enoki, Head Torchon with cherry mustard, Ribs
cooked in hay with wild greens, Picnic Terrine with puffed skin and oysters, Chicharrones with
pozole and popcorn, Jerk Ham and Greens, Belly with smokehouse plum and applewood,
and Ham with cherry cobbler and bourbon for dessert.
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Huffington Post reported that non-traditional meat cuts like sisig – made of pig ears, cheek
and snout – used to be relegated to “foodies” and culinary cultists. Now, “it’s something that is
sought out…by regular people.” Whether chefs select interesting cuts and muscles to
introduce to consumers or menu the entire hog, pork lives up to its reputation as the most
versatile protein. It’s time to go whole hog and do more with your menu.
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Whole Hog Cooking
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Chef Feature
After 20 years working in some of the country’s finest kitchens, John Fink went whole hog
when he opened his own business in 2009. The Whole Beast, a catering and special events
company in San Francisco, specializes in cooking whole animals with special attention to
the relationship between farm and table. Fink’s history in engineering and commercial
fishing laid the foundation for his desire to change the dining experience. At The Whole
Beast, he sources every animal personally from local farmers and uses fresh, seasonal
ingredients to create side dishes that highlight the animal. He’s appeared at Cochon 555 and
SF Chefs, and critics and patrons agree – a feast from The Whole Beast is authentic and
delicious.
We caught up with John to talk about his business, his cooking philosophy, and how he
goes about cooking an entire hog.
NPB: Tell!us!about!your!company,!The!Whole!Beast,!and!your!
cooking!philosophy.
Chef: The!Whole!Beast!specializes!in!cooking!animals!whole,!
from!open=fire!cooking,!cooking!in!my!mobile!Southern!Pride!
rotisserie/smoker,!or!imu!cooking.!!
I!like!to!personally!source!the!animals!from!small=!to!medium=
size!farms!that!concentrate!on!growing!heritage!breed!
animals.!I!cook!with!the!seasons,!so!I!source!the!majority!of!
my!produce!from!local!farms!(most!animal=raising!farms!also!
produce!vegetables).!I!don’t!discriminate!and!will!cook!all!
varieties!of!animals!–!pig,!lamb,!cow,!goat,!poultry!and!fish.!
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I!draw!on!my!life!experiences,!from!cooking!for!the!past!20!years,!commercial!fishing,!to!my!
childhood!experience!with!farms!and!eating!out!of!the!garden.!My!philosophy!is!that!food!tastes!
better!when!shared!with!a!large!group!of!people,!outdoors,!with!your!hands!and!when!it!comes!
from!close!by.!The!sense!of!community!and!sharing!involved!is!life=altering.!
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I!enjoy!sharing!where!food!comes!from!with!people!and!shattering!preconceived!notions!about!
what!food!is!and!how!it!tastes!by!showcasing!animals!and!vegetables!in!the!most!primal!and!
best=tasting!forms.!
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NPB: You!have!a!background!in!fishing!and!an!engineering!degree,!how!did!you!become!a!chef?!
How!has!your!background!impacted!your!path!to!cooking!whole!animals?!
Chef: Some!say!I!have!a!maverick!spirit!that!led!me!to!commercial!fishing!and!starting!my!own!
company.!I!also!need!to!know!how!things!work,!so!my!engineering!background!came!in!handy.
My!first!tax=paying!job!was!as!a!dishwasher!at!The!William!Penn!Inn!in!a!northwest!suburb!of!
Philadelphia;!little!did!I!know!how!huge!an!impact!it!would!have!on!my!career.
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NPB: The!Whole!Beast!was!established!to!offer!unique!dining!
experiences!for!special!events!and!parties.!Tell!us!about!some!
of!the!venues!you!have!worked!in,!and!how!you!customize!each!
event.!
Chef: I’ve!worked!at!a!lot!of!amazing!venues.!Here!are!just!a!
few:!
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I!cooked!for!wine!club!members!at!Scribe!Winery!in!Sonoma,!
CA.!I!used!a!pig!they!had!raised!on!their!winery!plus!two!pigs!
from!the!neighboring!farm,!Hudson!Vineyards.!We!offered!a!
live!butchery!demo!on!their!pig!and!raffled!off!primal!parts!to!
the!guests.!!We!used!the!winery’s!garden!to!produce!the!side!
dishes.!I!mixed!Padrón!peppers!with!goat!cheese!for!an!
appetizer,!used!Tuscan!kale!in!a!great!salad,!and!made!gazpacho!from!their!tomatoes!and!
peppers!–!all!highlighting!the!pig.!We!brined!the!other!pigs!using!the!winery’s!Pinot!Noir!and!
then!turned!it!into!a!lush!glaze.!
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I!also!cooked!a!local!pig!at!the!Shasta!Mushroom!
festival.!!I!deboned!it,!rubbed!it!with!truffles,!porcini,!
sage,!lemon!and!herbs!and!layered!it!with!a!broccoli!
rabe!pesto.!Then!I!rolled!it!porchetta!style!and!cooked!
it!on!a!rotisserie.!We!used!the!herbs!from!the!farm!the!
pig!came!from!and!foraged!local!porcinis!that!we!
basted!in!the!pig!drippings!and!served!alongside.!
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I!cooked!for!a!gentleman’s!50th!birthday,!and!they!
wanted!to!do!the!pig!imu=style,!so!we!used!a!backhoe!
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and!dug!a!6!ft.!pit!on!their!property.!I!stuffed!the!pig!with!pork!belly!that!I!had!brined!with!soy!
and!honey,!and!we!served!it!with!a!local!green!salad!and!Rancho!Gordo!braised!beans.!
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NPB: A!lot!of!your!events!are!outside.!What!methods!and!equipment!do!you!use!to!cook!a!whole!
hog!outdoors?!
Chef: I!have!two!specialty!grills!–!one!large!and!one!
smaller!–!that!were!custom=made!by!my!brother=in=law’s!
father.!They!designed!these!grills!for!traditional!Cuban!pig!
roasts,!which!we!have!at!least!once!a!year!in!a!variety!of!
locations!across!the!country.!They’re!composed!of!two!grills!
and!when!the!pig!is!butterfly!cut,!you!can!sandwich!the!pig!
in!between!each!grill!and!clamp!them!together.!Then!they!
spin!on!a!360°!frame.!I!built!an!oven!with!cinder!blocks!to!
spec!for!the!grills!and!I!use!local!wood!to!cook!the!pigs.
!!
!I!also!have!a!Southern!Pride!mobile!cooker!that!can!rotisserie!up!to!6!animals!at!a!time.!This!
works!great!if!you!do!not!have!space!to!build!an!oven.!I!love!to!use!this!at!festivals.!
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Finally,!I!can!cook!the!pig!burial=style,!digging!a!hole!and!making!an!oven!using!river!rock,!
banana!leaves!and!wet!newspaper.!
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NPB: When!working!with!whole!hogs!and!custom!
equipment,!what!is!the!general!cooking!timeline!you!
follow,!from!setting!up!equipment!to!brining,!smoking,!
and!cooking!the!hog?!
Chef: We!have!a!saying!that!cooking!is!90%!prep!work!
and!10%!cooking.!In!the!Whole!Animal!cooking!world,!
it’s!closer!to!95%!prep!and!5%!cooking.!
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I!like!to!brine!my!pigs!for!2=3!days,!and!smoking!and!
cooking!the!hogs!on!an!open!fire!takes!4=5!hours.!In!the!smoker/rotisserie,!it!takes!7=10!hours!
and!underground,!about!18=24!hours.!I!need!a!day!to!prep!and!build!the!oven.!I!start!in!the!wee!
hours!of!the!morning!to!make!sure!the!pig!is!cooked!and!rested!and!I!usually!go!to!all!hours!of!
night!serving,!talking!and!cleaning!up.!
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NPB: Last!time!we!saw!you,!you!were!cooking!up!some!great!Vietnamese!Black!Pepper!Caramel!
Roasted!Pork!at!SF!Chefs!to!rave!reviews.!What!inspired!that!creation?!
Chef: In!the!late!90s,!I!worked!with!Mark!Miller!at!a!restaurant!called!Long!Bar!in!San!Francisco.!
We!did!a!version!of!this!with!baby!back!ribs!and!green!papaya!slaw.!It!was!one!of!my!favorite!
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dishes.!When!it!came!out!of!the!oven,!the!flavors!of!soy,!honey,!black!bean!and!fish!sauce!left!an!
unforgettable!mark!on!my!food!memory!–!hence!I!treated!the!whole!hog!just!like!a!baby!back!rib.
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NPB: What!are!other!serving!styles!or!flavor!profiles!you!use!when!cooking!whole!hog?!What!do!
you!serve!them!with?!
Chef: As!I!mentioned!previously,!I!like!to!cook!with!the!seasons.!So!for!example,!we!are!
approaching!fall!and!I!would!recommend!infusing!apples!into!the!pig!–!brining!with!apples!and!
cinnamon!cloves,!making!a!glaze!with!apples,!apple!cider!and!caraway,!maybe!adding!a!wine!if!I!
am!working!with!a!winery.!
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I!believe!my!sides!are!just!as!important!as!the!protein!itself.!When!working!with!pork!I!like!to!use!
beans!–!the!combination!of!pork!and!beans!is!classic!for!a!reason.!I!like!to!use!Napa!Valley’s!
Rancho!Gordo!–!they!carry!a!wide!variety!of!heirloom!beans!that!elevate!traditional!pork!and!
bean!notions.!I!like!to!serve!a!salad!as!well,!from!bitter!greens!and!kale!to!slaws!using!seasonal!
fruit,!to!highlight!the!richness!of!the!meat!with!the!brightness!of!the!salad.!
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NPB: We!know!you!put!a!lot!of!effort!into!sourcing!great!product.!Can!you!tell!us!about!the!
quality!level!you!look!for!and!how!it!helps!your!product?
Chef: Before!I!buy!any!animals!from!a!farm,!I!like!to!meet!and!visit!the!farm!to!walk!in!the!
farmer’s!footsteps.!I!want!to!see!how!the!animals!are!raised!and!I!speak!to!the!farmer!on!their!
philosophy!on!raising!animals!from!start!to!finish.!This!also!gives!me!a!platform!to!speak!about!
the!breed,!the!farmer,!and!how!the!animal!was!raised!to!the!customer!and!guests.!I!like!to!have!
no!question!go!unanswered!
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NPB: Your!website!states!that!you!sell!The!Whole!Beast!Sausages!at!a!
local!farmer’s!market.!How!important!is!the!role!of!sausage!in!terms!of!
whole!hog!utilization!and!your!business?!!
Chef: Sausage!is!tremendously!important!in!whole!hog!utilization.!
It’s!a!great!way!to!use!all!the!little!bits!and!pieces!of!the!hog;!it’s!a!
quick!turn!around,!and!all!nationalities!love!sausage.!This!is!also!an!
easy!entry!point!for!people!to!try!out!The!Whole!Beast!without!having!
to!commit!to!a!whole!animal!party.!
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NPB: Do!you!plan!to!expand!your!sausage!sales!beyond!farmer’s!
markets?!
Chef:!That’s!our!long=term!goal!but!I!need!to!get!a!larger!USDA=certified!kitchen!and!that!takes!a!
lot!of!capital!!
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NPB: Where!are!your!favorite!places!in!the!San!Francisco!area!to!eat!great!pork!dishes?!
Chef:
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Cotogna,!located!in!San!Francisco's!historic!Jackson!Square!–!I!love!their!whole!porchetta!
and!custom!Tuscan!grill.!
One!Market,!located!across!from!the!Ferry!Building!–!Mark!Dommen’s!weekly!Beast!
dinners!highlight!the!pig!wonderfully.!
The!“Boss!Hog”!is!not!to!be!missed!at!4505!Meats,!located!in!the!Ferry!Plaza!farmers’!
market!on!Thursdays!and!Saturdays.!
Located!in!the!Mission!District,!La!Taccoria’s!carnitas!burritos!are!the!most!delicious!I’ve!
ever!come!across.!
Bocalone!in!the!Ferry!Building!has!wonderful!charcuterie.!
TC!Pastry!is!my!local!dim!sum!place!in!the!Outer!Sunset!neighborhood;!it!has!great!BBQ!
pork!buns!that!I!enjoy!them!with!my!morning!coffee.
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NPB: Where!are!your!favorite!places!to!enjoy!whole!hog!dishes?
Chef: This!is!more!difficult,!as!whole=hog!restaurants!are!not!as!prevalent.!!
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Incanto!by!Chef!Chris!Cosentino!in!San!Francisco,!CA
Farmstead!by!Chef!Stephen!Barber!in!St!Helena,!CA
12!Bones!BBQ!by!Tom!Montgomery!and!Sabra!Kelley!in!Asheville,!NC
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Whole Hog Cooking
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Big!Bob!Gibson!Bar,B,Q!has!been!a!mainstay!of!Alabama!barbecue!
since!1925.!The!award,winning!white!sauce!and!delicious!food!
made!them!famous,!and!their!friendly!service!kept!people!coming!
back.!Executive!Chef!and!world!champion!pit!master!Chris!Lilly,!the!
great,grandson,in,law!of!Big!Bob!himself,!has!kept!the!fires!burning!
at!the!family,owned!restaurant!for!the!past!20!years,!and!offers!the!
seven!!time!World!Champion!pulled!pork.!Lilly!revealed!some!of!his!
tricks,!tips!and!family!secrets!in!“Big!Bob!Gibson’s!BBQ!Book”!in!
2009.!Take!a!look!at!his!Cowboy!Pig!recipe!for!a!pocket,cut!whole!
dressed!hog!cooked!on!a!spit.!It!can!take!12!hours,!but!it’s!well!
worth!it.!
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COWBOY!PIG!
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Cooking!Method:!Open!Spit!
Suggested!Wood:!Hickory,!Oak,!or!Pecan!
Suggested!Supplies:!1!Open!Spit!Cooker!(spit!and!hog!are!visible!during!cooking);!100!lb.!
charcoal;!wood!chunks!or!¼!cord!of!wood!for!seasoning!
Cook!time:!10!to!12!hrs.!
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Ingredients:!!
1!whole!dressed!pig,!pocket!cut,!about!120!lb.!
1!c.!olive!oil!!
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Dry,Rub:!
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1!c.!white!sugar!
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1!c.!paprika! !
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⅔"c.!garlic!salt!
½!c.!brown!sugar! !
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2!tbsp.!chili!powder!
4!tsp.!cayenne!pepper!
4!tsp.!black!pepper!
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2!tsp.!oregano!
2!tsp.!cumin!
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BASTE,(recipe!below),
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Check!your!hog!to!be!sure!the!pelvis!and!ribcage!are!not!split!entirely.!
With!a!meat!saw!or!sharp!knife,!cut!the!hooves!off!at!the!joint!in!the!
middle!of!the!leg.!Rub!the!skin!of!the!hog!all!over!with!olive!oil!to!
prevent!charring!and!promote!a!rich!mahogany!color.!In!a!small!bowl,!
combine!dry!rub!ingredients!and!apply!to!all!exposed!meat,!including!
under!the!ribcage.!Use!entire!amount.!
!
Run!the!spit!shaft!through!the!hog’s!mouth,!ribcage,!and!between!the!
hams!(thighs).!Fasten!hog!securely!to!the!shaft!so!it!rotates!when!the!
shaft!is!turned.!Truss!the!front!shanks!(the!area!above!hooves)!
together!with!wire!and!repeat!with!rear!shanks.!A!proper!spit!shaft!
should!have!perpendicular!spikes!that!pierce!and!hold!the!hams!
securely!when!the!shanks!are!wired.!The!alternative!is!a!shaft!with!U!bolts!securing!the!spine!of!
the!hog!above!the!shoulders!and!hams.!
!
!
Prior!to!placing!the!spit!shaft!on!the!cooker!base,!build!the!fire.!If!
working!with!an!all,wood!fire,!burn!five!logs!to!create!a!bed!of!hot!
wood!coals.!If!using!charcoal,!start!with!a!20,lb.!bag.!When!a!hot!bed!
of!coals!is!obtained,!place!spit!shaft!with!hog!attached!on!the!base!
directly!over!fire.!The!body!of!the!hog!should!be!about!16!to!18!in.!
above!coals.!Spread!coals!under!the!whole!hog!to!form!a!barbell,
shaped!charcoal!bed.!This!will!ensure!the!large!cuts!of!meat!
(shoulders!and!hams)!are!above!a!hotter!fire!than!the!less!meaty!rib!
section.!The!cooking!temperature!at!the!base!of!the!shoulders!and!
hams!should!be!around!350˚F!and!the!temperature!at!the!base!of!the!
chest!or!back!should!be!around!300˚F.!Turn!the!hog!continuously!–!if!
your!spit!is!not!equipped!with!a!motor,!rotate!the!hog!¼!turn!every!
15!minutes.!!
!
!When!the!hog!has!spit!roasted!for!about!2!hours,!start!a!separate!“burn!pit”!to!light!charcoal!or!
burn!wood!to!replenish!the!coals!in!your!primary!cooker.!Add!hot!coals!throughout!the!cooking!
process!to!maintain!a!steady!temperature!under!the!hog,!starting!a!new!batch!in!the!burn!pit!
every!hour.!!
!
When!grease!starts!dripping!from!the!hog,!the!hot!coals!will!flare!up.!Rake!coals!into!a!rectangle!
shape!underneath!hog.!Rake!coals!away!from!the!center!of!the!rectangle!and!fill!the!center!with!
sand.!The!sand!will!absorb!the!grease!during!the!cooking!process,!eliminating!flare,ups.!
!
After!4!hr.!of!cooking,!baste!the!hog!every!hour!with!Cowboy!Pig!Baste!(recipe!below).!
!
!
!
2!
Continue!to!add!hot!coals!around!the!sand,!with!the!biggest!piles!of!burning!coal!under!the!
shoulders!and!hams!of!the!hog.!When!the!internal!temperature!of!the!shoulders!and!hams!
reaches!185˚F,!remove!the!hog!from!the!spit.!Cooking!beyond!185˚F!will!result!in!the!hog!
breaking!apart!and!falling!into!the!fire.!Remove!hog!from!spit,!debone,!and!serve.!!
!
Serves!70!!
COWBOY!PIG!BASTE!
!
Cooking!Method:!Stove!
Cook!Time:!5!min.!
!
3!12,oz.!cans!dark!beer!
3¾!c.!cider!vinegar!
3¾!c.!distilled!white!vinegar!
3!c.!butter!
1½!c.!Worcestershire!sauce!
¾!c.!soy!sauce!
¼!c.!fresh!lemon!juice!
9!tbsp.!chili!powder!
6!tbsp.!salt!
3!tbsp.!sugar!
2!tbsp.!black!pepper!
2!tbsp.!dry!mustard!
2!tbsp.!paprika!
1!tbsp.!ground!cumin!
!
Combine!all!ingredients!in!large!saucepan!and!mix!well.!Place!over!medium,low!heat!and!simmer!
until!butter!melts.!Keep!baste!on!low!heat!until!ready!to!use.!Baste!can!be!made!ahead!of!time,!
refrigerated,!and!reheated!before!use.!Store!refrigerated!for!up!to!2!days.!!
!
Makes:!1!gallon!
!
!
Recipe"and"photographs"from"Big$Bob$Gibson’s$BBQ$Book:$Recipes$and$Secrets$from$a$
Legendary$Barbecue$Joint,"by"Chris"Lilly"
Clarkson"Potter/Publishers"
http://www.bigbobgibson.com/!
!
3!
Whole Hog Cooking
!
•
Vietnamese Black
Pepper Caramel
Roasted Pork With
Green Papaya, Mango
Slaw
Ingredients
Black Pepper Caramel Pork
1 PORK SHOULDER, BONE IN, APPROXIMATELY 20 POUNDS (YOU CAN USE THIS
FOR RIBS, BELLY OR SHOULDER)
2 cups honey, or palm sugar
2 cups fish sauce
1 cup black pepper, fresh ground
1 cup black beans, fermented
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup oyster sauce
1/2 cup ginger, chopped
1/2 cup garlic, chopped
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
!
1!
Green Papaya Slaw Dressing
3 TBL canola oil
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup lime juice, fresh
1/4 cup garlic
16 each Thai chiles
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBL Korean chili flakes, (for color)
Green Mango Papaya Slaw
2 each green mangos, hard & unripe
1 each green papaya, large, hard & unripe
3 each white peaches, hard
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch Thai basil
1 bunch mint
Preparation
Cooking Directions
Black Pepper Caramel Pork Preparation:
1. Use 1 cup of sugar to make a caramel
2. Bring it to a very dark stage and whisk together 1 cup fish sauce & ½ cup black pepper and
mix well to combine
3. Mix in remaining ingredients and allow to cool
4. Completely coat the shoulder fully and marinate covered for 36-48 hours
5. Cover shoulder with parchment and foil and cook for 6-7 hours at 270°F
6. Green Papaya Dressing Slaw Preparation:
7. In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well to combine
Green Mango Papaya Slaw Preparation:
1. On a mandolin or grater, shred the mango, papaya & peaches and place in mixing bowl
2. Toss with part of the dressing, taste and add additional if needed
3. Tear in fresh herbs let sit for 10 minutes to 2 hours before serving
!
2!
Whole Hog Cooking
!
•
Braised And Fried Pork
Shoulder With Warm
Hominy Salad, Toasted
Corn Nuts,And Pickled
Aji Chiles Fritada De
Chancho Con Mote
Ingredients
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 TBL black pepper, freshly ground
2 TBL ground cumin
2 TBL garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, boneless, cut into 2 oz wt chunks
1 POUND PORK BELLY, CUT INTO STRIPS
2 TBL plus 2 cups vegetable oil
1 each Spanish onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 recipe Warm Hominy Salad
1 recipe Ecuadorian Chile Sauce
as needed Corn nuts, toasted
as needed aji chiles, pickled
!
1!
Warm Hominy Salad
2 cups fresh English peas, shelled
1 gallon hominy, canned drained & rinsed
1 cup carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 cup red onion, finely diced
1 TBL cilantro, fresh, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 TBL extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
For water kosher salt
Ecuadorian Chile Sauce
1/4 cup Red Fresno chile, seeds & ribs removed, finely diced
1 plum tomato, finely diced
1/4 Spanish onion, finely diced
2 TBL scallions, white & green parts, finely chopped
2 TBL flat leaf parsley, fresh, minced
2 TBL cilantro, fresh, minced
2 TBL white vinegar
2 TBL lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 TBL extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon agave nectar
To taste kosher salt
Preparation
Cooking Directions
Pork Preparation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
In mixing bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, cumin, and garlic powder; mix well
Evenly coat and rub mixture all over pork shoulder & pork belly
In a large, straight-sided sauté pan, over medium-high heat add 2 TBL of vegetable oil
Sear pork until well caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove pork from, set aside
Add onions & garlic back to pan and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock & remaining 2 cups of vegetable oil
Return the pork to the pan and simmer until the stock has evaporated and pork is tender,
simmering only in oil, about 2 hours
8. Remove pork from oil & set aside
9. Strain oil into a clean sauté pan & heat over medium-high heat and fry the pork until crispy, 2
to 3 minutes per side.
10. Lift the pork out of the oil and chop it coarsely
Warm Hominy Salad Preparation:
!
2!
1. In a large pot, salt water generously, bring to a rolling boil. In a large bowl Prepare ice bath
with more ice on hand as needed to keep water cold
2. Blanch peas in boiling water until tender, approximately 2 to 3 minutes Immediately transfer
peas to ice bath, cool then drain. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine peas, hominy, carrots, onion and cilantro. Mix well to combine.
4. Stir in garlic, olive oil and lime juice. Season to taste with salt.
5. Cover & chill thoroughly before serving
Ecuadorian Chile Sauce
1. In mixing bowl, combine chile, tomato, onion, scallion, parsley, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice,
olive oil and agave nectar. Mix well to combine
2. Remove half of the vegetables & reserve in separate bowl
3. Pulse the remaining half mixture in a food processor until all vegetables are finely chopped. It
should not be a smooth sauce.
4. Fold in the reserved chopped vegetables. Season to taste with salt & chill before serving
Serving Suggestions
1. Mix the chopped pork with the hominy salad and serve with the Ecuadorian chile sauce on the
side. Garnish with the toasted corn nuts and pickled aji chiles
Yield: 10 portions
!
3!
Whole Hog Cooking
!
•
Slow-Cooked Pork Trotters,
Spicy Peanut Curry,
Scallions, And Hominy
Patitas De Puerco En Salsa
De Maní
Ingredients
1/2 cup onion, small dice
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1/4 cup blended oil
1 recipe Pressure Cooked Pork Cheeks & Trotters
1/2 cup , Reserved braising liquid from cheeks & trotters
1 recipe , Spicy Peanut Curry
1 cup peanuts, toasted
3 TBL cilantro, fresh finely chopped
1/2 cup Yukon gold potatoes, medium dice, blanched
1/2 cup hominy, cooked
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
Pressure Cooked Pork Cheeks And Trotters
2 POUNDS PORK CHEEKS, CLEANED
2 POUNDS PORK TROTTERS, HOOVES REMOVED
!
1!
1 gallon , standard brine*
3 quarts pork stock
1/2 pound onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 cup adobo spice
Spicy Peanut Curry Salsa De Maní
3/4 cup peanut butter, freshly made, no sugar
1/2 cup onion, small dice
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1/4 cup Aji amarillo paste
1 teaspoon Achiote, ground
1 cup milk
2 TBL butter
Preparation
Cooking Directions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
In a large pot, over medium heat, add blended oil. Add onions & garlic, cook until soft
Add cooked pork trotters & cheeks and some reserved braising liquid.
Add spicy peanut curry and bring to a simmer
Add potatoes & hominy return to a simmer and stir in cilantro
Remove from heat and serve in bowls topped with the peanuts and sliced Scallions
Pressure Cooked Pork Cheeks And Trotters Preparation:
1. Place the trotters and cheeks in a container large enough to cover them with 1 inch with brine;
pour the brine over the top and cover tightly. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
2. http://porkfoodservice.com/MenuingPork/299/MarinadesRubsBrinesAndGlazes.aspx
3. Remove trotters & cheeks, from brine. Rinse under cold water and place in pressure cooker
with the remaining ingredients. Cook under pressure for approximately 45 to 60 minutes, or
until they are very tender
4. Release the pressure carefully from the cooker, remove top
5. Remove the trotters & cheeks, strain the cuisson through a chinois and reserve in refrigerator
6. Carefully remove bones from trotters and allow to cool in refrigerator with cheeks
Spicy Peanut Curry Preparation:
1. Mix peanut butter with half of the milk to help dissolve
2. In a small pot, over medium heat, add butter. Add onion, garlic, cumin, achiote and season
with salt.
3. Cook until onions are soft. Add aji paste and cook 1 minute.
4. Add peanut butter and remaining milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring. Cook for 15 minutes.
5. Puree with a hand blender until fairly smooth
6. Use immediately or chill until ready to use
Yield: 10 portions
!
2!
Whole Hog Cooking
Menu Report
Whole-hog cooking lets you do more with your menu. Delicious from nose to tail, the
pig offers creative chefs a plethora of cuts to play with, and its incredible flavor makes
it a customer favorite. From pig ear salad and fried pork tail to pork liver truffle pâté,
unique pork dishes are growing in popularity on menus across the country. Check out
our menuing report to see who’s going whole hog.
Tail
•
•
Night + Market features Fried Pigs Tail on the appetizer menu. (1 location in
Hollywood, CA)
The Spice Table menus Grilled Pigs Tail with lettuce, herbs and fish sauce. (1 location
in Los Angeles, CA)
Head and Jowl
• Back Forty West features Pork Jowl Nuggets with
tomatillo jam. (1 location in New York, NY)
• Momofuku Ssäm Bar features a seasonal Chilled
Pea Soup with snails, pork jowl, and jalapenos. (1 location
in New York, NY)
• The Pig DC features Braised Pork Cheek with
spanish sofrito, and stone grits. (1 location in Washington,
DC)
• Nojo offers two types of pork jowl on a stick: (1
location in San Francisco, CA)
o Pork Jowl, Sea Salt & Lemon
o Pork Jowl, Tare & Onion
Pork Butt
!
1!
•
•
•
•
•
The Bacon Food Truck features the Triple B Taco, made with pork butt, pork belly,
bacon, Lil peppers and goat cheese. (1 food truck in San Francisco, CA)
Momofuku ssäm bar features “Bo Ssäm” – whole pork butt, a dozen oysters, kimchi,
and rice. (1 location in New York, NY)
Buddy’s BBQ features whole pork butt. (14 units, HQ in Knoxville, TN)
Holy Smokes Catering & BBQ offers a “Big Pulled Pork Pile” - slow smoked pork butt
hand pulled and served on a big sesame seed bun with sweet barbecue sauce, cole
slaw, pickle and red onion. (1 location in Fallbrook, CA)
Old Smokey Boys menus a whole pork butt, slow smoked for eighteen hours in a real
wood barbecue pit. (1 location in Lexington, AL)
Pork Loin
•
•
• Kabuki Japanese Restaurant menus
Tonkatsu: lightly fried breaded pork loin served with
special Tonkatsu sauce. (16 units, HQ in Burbank,
CA)
• Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano offers a PanSeared Pork Loin stuffed with Italian cured meats
and cheeses and finished with a Sicilian tomato
sauce. (23 units, HQ in Bloomington, IL)
•
Old Country Buffet features a Carved Grilled Pork Loin. (280 units, HQ in Eagan, MN)
Ray’s Boathouse features Grilled Skagit River Ranch Pork Loin served with jasmine
rice, fennel, cilantro, arugula, and apricot ginger dressing. (1 location in Seattle, WA)
Pork Picnic
•
•
Moscow 57 offers a Spicy Roast Pork Picnic Shoulder with pomegranate sauce on
their brunch menu. (1 location in New York, NY)
Tipton’s Bar-B-Que prides themselves on using the “finest ingredients to cook our
award-winning barbecue” and only using the “finest pork picnic shoulders” raised in
North Carolina. (1 location in Wilkesboro, NC)
Pork Belly
•
•
!
Revolution Brewing offers a unique twist on pizza, with the Giardinera Pizza, topped
with pork belly, giadinera pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella, confit tomato and oregano. (1
location in Chicago, IL)
The Bacon Food Truck features the Spicy Belly Fries, made with pork belly trimmings,
Lil peppers and fries. (1 food truck in San Francisco, CA)
2!
•
•
•
Asia de Cuba features an appetizer of Honey-Rum Glazed Kurobuta Pork Belly with
plantain maduros, Shanghai bok choy and enoki mushrooms. (1 location in Miami
Beach, FL)
Big Bowl Asian Kitchen features Sichuan Pork Belly Noodles with house smoked
bacon, fresno chili, wok-tossed noodles, and sweet spicy Sichuan sauce. (8 units in
Chicago, IL, Minneapolis, MN, and Washington, DC)
Hog & Rocks, San Francisco’s first ham and oyster bar, offers Roast Pork Belly with
mustard greens, black mission fig and herb-pork jus. (1 location in San Francisco, CA)
Loin Back Ribs
•
•
•
Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse features barbecued choice pork loin back ribs, and
calls them their “World-famous Specialty!” (4 units, HQ in Montgomery, OH)
The Hammered Hog menus “True meaty St. Louis Loin Back Ribs”. (1 location in
Phoenix, AZ)
Peppercorn Restaurant & Lounge advertises their slow smoked barbecue loin back
ribs as their specialty. (1 location in Bemidji, MN)
Shanks and Trotters
• Frasca Food & Wine added a
“Maiale” as a second course on their tasting
menu: pork loin and shank, served with
polenta, cherry, pecan and brown butter. (1
location in Boulder, CO)
• The Pig DC features Crispy Pork
Shank with boar and mushroom spoon
bread, greens, and hog sauce. (1 location in
Washington, DC)
• Maloney and Porcelli feature a
Crackling Pork Shank with firecracker apple
sauce. (1 location in New York, NY)
• Maynard’s Market features pork
shank on their brunch menu with their Smoked Pork Shank Confit served with creamy
white cheddar grits, two sunny side-up eggs and fresh fruit. (1 location in Tuscan, AZ)
Spare Ribs
•
•
!
Lucille’s Smokehouse Barbecue features St. Louis spare ribs: select lean, juicy pork
ribs, seasoned with Lucille's special rub, slowly smoked, then grilled and basted with
homemade barbecue sauce. (15 units, HQ Signal Hill, CA)
Red, Hot & Blue features Pork Spare Ribs with several options: wet, dry, sweet or half
& half. (24 units, HQ in Winston-Salem, NC)
3!
•
•
Sirloin Stockade offers Chinese Boneless Spare Ribs and Chinese Spare Ribs as an
entrée. (28 units, HQ in Taylor, TX)
Zingerman’s menus Pit-Smoked Spare Ribs: Niman Ranch pork ribs, cooked for 9
hours, served with Alex’s Red Rage Tomato barbecue sauce, mashed local
potatoes and yellow mustard coleslaw. (1 location in Ann Arbor, MI)
Fresh Leg and Ham
•
•
•
•
Emeril’s New Orleans menus Peach Bruchetta on their appetizer menu, made with
burrrata mozzarella, Benton's Aged country ham, basil, and chili balsamico. (1 location
in New Orleans, LA)
Fame Diner offers a main course of Roast Fresh Ham with dressing. (1 location in
Maspeth, NY)
IHOP menus a Ham & Cheese Omelette made with fresh ham, a rich cheese sauce
with Jack and Cheddar cheeses. (1,514 units, HQ in Glendale, CA)
Patina Green Home & Market features a fresh ham sandwich made with fresh ham,
smoked cheddar cheese, jalapeno peach jelly on a
jalapeno cheddar loaf. (1 location in McKinney, TX)
• Momofuku Ssäm Bar features several types
of ham: (1 location in New York, NY)
o Finchville farms ham (Finchville, KY)
o Benton’s smoky mountain country ham
(Madisonville, TN)
o Broadbent ham (Kuttawa, KY)
o Edwards wigwam ham (Surry, VA)
Offal
• Yee’s features a Pork Kidney & Liver Porridge. (1 location in San Francisco, CA)
• Little Green Cyclo Food Truck offers Homemade Pâté with Niman Ranch pork liver
and truffle oil. (1 truck in San Francisco, CA)
• Eola has an “Offal Menu” that includes many items: (1 location in Washington, DC)
! Tomato Braised Pig Tail with cabbage & fennel
! Pig Ear Salad with fried egg, celery, carrot, onion & green beans
! Pork Jowl Confit with fingerling potato, green beans, corn & soy bean puree
Whole Hog
• Cochon hosts 14 culinary events nationwide with
the goal of supporting sustainable agriculture. The
journey begins every January when COCHON 555
embarks on a 10-city culinary competition and tasting
tour. Fifty chefs are selected to prepare a ‘snout -to-tail’
!
4!
•
•
•
menu created from heritage breed pigs. The ten local winners are flown to the Food &
Wine Classic in Aspen for the final competition, Grand Cochon. Three other national
events – Cochon All-Star, Cochon Heritage Fire and a BBQ competition – bring even
bigger voices to the cause of whole animal utilization. Now in its fourth year, the tour
continues to draw more outstanding culinary talent to join the quest for flavor. (www.
http://cochon555.com)
Table 10 menus an Iowa-Raised Whole Roasted Suckling Pig “Porchetta”. (1 location
in Las Vegas, NV)
Zingerman’s offers the BBQ Pork Entrée: traditional whole-hog barbeque made with
local hogs delivered direct from the farm. It's pit-roasted for 14 hours, hand-pulled,
chopped and blended with your choice of barbeque sauce. Served up with mashed
local potatoes and Southern-style braised greens with bacon and ham hock. (1
location in Ann Arbor, MI)
Incanto offers group dining in an elegant setting, and they offer a Whole Pig Dinner
with a whole-roasted suckling pig for the entrée, that is carved tableside. (1 location in
San Francisco, CA)
New Menu Items At Chains:
• Burger King announced an impressive line-up of mouthwatering fall menu items that
are sure to satisfy, and includes several pork-friendly items: (7,231 units, HQ in Miami,
FL)
o Chicken BLT Salad Wrap: features seven premium lettuces, and is garnished
with thick cut hardwood smoked bacon, ripe tomatoes, zesty red onions,
KEN’S® Avocado Ranch Dressing and a three-cheese medley wrapped in a
wheat tortilla.
o Italian Breakfast Burrito: Made with scrambled eggs, savory sausage, crispy
hash browns, melted mozzarella cheese, diced onions and peppers, and tangy
marinara sauce all wrapped up in a soft whole-wheat tortilla.
• Ram Restaurant & Brewery rolled out its
Chef’s Summer Salute menu for a LTO. Several
of the featured menu items include pork (17
units, HQ in Lakewood, WA)
o Pulled Pork Potato Skins—potato
skins topped with cheddar Jack and pepper
Jack cheeses, pulled pork, Sweet Baby Ray’s
barbecue sauce and chopped red and green
onion, served with barbecue-garlic sour cream.
o Notorious P.I.G.—slow-roasted
pulled pork with bourbon barbecue sauce,
sautéed onion, Anaheim pepper, red bell pepper and pickled red onion on a
toasted baguette, served with choice of side.
• Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s added two new pork items to their menus (Carl’s Jr: 1,117
units, HQ in Carpinteria, CA and Hardee’s: 1,694 units, HQ in St. Louis, MO)
!
5!
•
•
•
•
•
•
!
o Bacon Bacon Biscuit breakfast sandwich. The morning offering consists
of bacon, Canadian bacon, American cheese and egg between halves of a
signature made from scratch biscuit.
o Memphis BBQ Burger, a new “meat-on-meat” burger. The limited-edition burger
features pulled pork, a charbroiled beef patty, crispy onion strings, American
cheese and Memphis-style Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce on a sesameseed bun.
Tim Horton’s has added Flatbread Breakfast Panini’s to its morning menu. Some 16
varieties are available and ingredients include: egg, egg-white omelet, bacon, hickorysmoked ham, sausage patty and cheese. (3,000 plus units in Canada and 600 plus
units in the United States, HQ in Ontario, Canada)
The Palm Restaurant has revamped its Prime Bites menu of small plates. Billed as
“bite-sized gourmet comfort food,” offerings on the refreshed menu include bacon and
chorizo: (28 units, HQ in Washington, DC)
o Barbecue Chicken Meatball Sliders—chicken meatballs prepared with chorizo,
jalapeno Jack cheese, bacon and cilantro, served with barbecue sauce, slaw
and pickle.
o Nova Scotia Lobster and Bacon Fondue—fondue of Samuel Adams Boston
Lager and aged cheddar cheese, served with warm pretzel rolls.
• Bakers Square is offering a LTO pie: the Salty
Hog Pie, made with layers of salted caramel and
roasted almonds, moist chocolate cake. Topped with
candied bacon and caramel sauce. (46 units, HQ in
Denver, CO)
• The Village Inn launched the Royal Mountie
Crush Burger—an egg, Canadian bacon, American
cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion on a toasted
English muffin, served with pickles and fries or
coleslaw. (215 units, HQ in Denver, CO)
Hot Dog on a Stick is testing a number of new menu items at select locations in the
San Francisco area as well as a unit in Utah. The restaurant in Utah, which is the
chain’s first-ever drive-thru unit, is testing a breakfast menu that includes
battered sausage on a stick. (99 units, HQ in Carlsbad, CA)
Caribou Coffee launched a variety of new menu items for the fall. New menu items
include several breakfast sandwiches: maple bacon, egg and Gruyere on a wheat
ciabatta and a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit. (465 units, HQ in Minneapolis, MN)
Mazzio’s Italian Eatery rolled out two new Master Pizzas: (163 units, HQ in Tulsa, OK)
o The Islander: Canadian bacon, roasted peppers, caramelized onions and
pineapple.
o Sweet & Spicy BBQ: Grilled chicken, barbecue sauce, bacon, pepperoncini,
caramelized onions and crispy onions.
Bennigan’s rolled out a gourmet hot dog called The Reuben Dog. The new offering
consists of a foot-long, beef-and-pork hot dog topped with corned beef, sauerkraut,
Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on a toasted bun. (33 units, HQ in Dallas,
TX)
6!
•
•
•
•
!
Chuy’s is celebrating green chile season with the return of its annual Green Chile Fest
and features Green Chile Pork Carnitas—slow-simmered pork stew with green chiles
and tomatillo sauce, served with cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, green-chile rice,
charro beans and corn tortillas. (29 units, HQ in Austin, TX)
Granite City Food & Brewery is featuring a number of beer-infused food selections on
its new Craft Cuisine menu promo. The menu, developed by the chain’s head chef and
its brewmaster, lists several preparations that feature one of Granite City’s beers as an
ingredient. Selections include Stout Pork with Au Jus and The Duke of Wellington BBQ
Pulled Pork, served with stout baked beans. (26 units, HQ in St. Louis Park, MN)
Port of Subs added a BBQ Hawaiian Pork Sandwich for a LTO. The sub sandwich
features ham, smoky cheddar cheese, pineapple and barbecue sauce. (141 units, HQ
in Reno, NV)
Denny’s introduced two new pork items to their menu: (1,593 units, HQ in
Spartanburg, SC)
o Moons Over My Hammyburger: a burger on potato bread with American and
Swiss cheese, shaved ham, and two scrambled eggs.
o Maple Bacon Milkshake, made with vanilla ice cream blended with diced bacon
and maple flavored syrup.
7!