Eat More Ham, Please!

pig chores American pork
Kevin and Jonathan during nightly pig chores

Last week, Jonathan and I had a Farmland ham. Even though it was a half ham, we were able to enjoy it in many forms throughout the week. We don’t buy our meat from the grocery store very often, because we raise pigs on our farm and have some of that meat in our freezer.

The pigs we raise on our farm are owned by our neighbor. We own the buildings, care for the pigs and use the manure to fertilize our crops. This is a contract finishing system that is popular in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. We have worked with our neighbor since 1992 when we first started raising livestock on our farm. This was about the time that animal scientists realized that keeping pig barns physically distanced from other pig barns kept the animals healthier. Many farmers chose to find other farmers who would be willing to build barns to raise the pigs from 40 pounds to their finished weight of 275.

When pigs come to our farm, they will be within 15 miles of where they were born. We care for them until they leave on the truck to be harvested.

Our farm is located about 100 miles from the Smithfield facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Smithfield is one of the places our pigs go to be harvested and turned into the different types of pork found in your grocery store. The pigs that are brought to that facility come from farms in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Each of those states is ideal locations to raise pigs as we do. We raise a lot of corn and soybeans here, which is the main part of a pig’s diet and in turn the manure produced from these pigs is a most valuable natural fertilizer for us.

Many are concerned that Smithfield is owned by a Chinese company and are worried that it may affect the quality of the meat. Or, that it won’t affect anyone here, because all the meat comes from China.  Some have even said the plant should be permanently closed because of the ownership.

Pork cannot be imported from China for animal health reasons and to protect the health of U.S. pigs. The meat processed at Smithfield is raised here in the Midwest by families like mine, who like caring for animals that will provide meals for so many. Even though the parent company that owns Smithfield is foreign, the economic impact of a permanent closure will be felt by our friends and neighbors and our rural communities. 550 Independent farms supply pigs to this plant, not including the contract growers who feed these pigs, such as Jonathan and myself. The closure would undoubtedly impact us.

The health of the 3,700 workers at the Smithfield plant is essential, and we cannot forget that many there are suffering from COVID-19. During this closure, physical barriers, wash stations, and other modifications are being put in place to improve worker safety further. Along with this and the stringent cleaning regiment of a food processing plant, the workforce should feel very safe. The closure will help to break the cycle of illness among the workers.

From the crop farmers who grow the corn and soybeans to feed the pigs, to the farmers who care for the pigs at each stage from birth to harvest, to the truck drivers who deliver the pigs to the facilities, to the workers who process the pigs into cuts of pork, to the truck drivers who transport the pork to the grocery stores, to the inspectors that inspect every step of this process and to the grocery store workers who stock the meat cases, the supply chain is long. It’s filled with family, friends, and neighbors who rely on each piece to work in sync to keep everyone working and shelves filled.

You also play an important role in this chain. When you purchase pork at the grocery store, you are supporting American farmers, truck drivers, meat processors and grocers. We need you to continue purchasing pork from large grocery stores, small community grocery stores and farmers who raise pigs to sell direct to the consumer. It is safe. It is healthy, and it is raised here at home. #StillFarming

For more information, check out these links:
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Minnesota Board of Animal Health: https://www.bah.state.mn.us/
Minnesota Department of Health: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html
USDA-APHIS: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/swine/usda-industry-prevention-points.pdf
FDA: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday – Good Communication…

Last night I had the chance to connect with Bret, from Bret’s Table; Taylor, from Greens & Chocolate; Anna, from Garnish with Lemon; and Dr Laura Dalquist from the Swine Vet Center. Our roundtable discussion was moderated by Leah Beyer, who I was excited to finally meet in real life. The conversation was so good, that I had no problems with my 2 1/2 hour drive home from Bloomington. I arrived home just before the stroke of midnight, yet couldn’t fall asleep for a couple more hours. As I was going through different parts of our conversation (which you’ll hear more about later), this quote kept running through my mind…

CarolynCares Good Communication

Meaty Monday – Pumpkin Chili

Need a fast, easy chili recipe? This pumpkin chili can be taken from the frozen meat, to the table in about 35 – 40 minutes.

I am horrible at making menus for the week. I tend to decide at the last minute what we should eat that meal. I know life would be easier if I could plan and shop ahead, but old habits are hard to break!

I love this recipe, because it is healthy, and fast. There is no shame in using canned or frozen ingredients! Keeping extra canned and frozen ingredients on hand works well when you live in areas where the winters make running to the grocery store impossible at times.

We are pig farmers, and have a lot of pork on hand, so I use ground pork for this recipe. Feel free to use whatever ground meat you have on hand. Since I am usually a last minute cook, I thaw my ground pork in the microwave. While I’m thawing the meat, I start to cook the onions in olive oil. My eyes run like a river when I cut onions, so I use Ore-Ida frozen chopped onions. I measure out the correct amount, and toss them in the pot frozen. No need to thaw before use! To make things easier, I measure out the spices and bouillon into a small ramekin or bowl while the onions are cooking.

After the onions are cooked down, add the ground meat, and brown it until it is cooked thoroughly. Add the diced tomatoes, pumpkin, black beans, and vegetable stock, stirring to combine. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, pepper and beef bouillon over the top, then stir in until the chili is mixed well. At this point, give the chili a taste and see if you need to add salt. I typically leave the salt out, and it is just fine.

Bring the chili to a simmer, and let it cook for 20 minutes. If you are thinking ahead, you can put this in a slow cooker on low for a few hours.  To serve, ladle the chili into bowls, and top with a bit of shredded cheese. If I have a mix on hand, I’ll whip up some honey cornbread to go with it.

Here’s the recipe:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic (I like to use garlic powder, adding it with the other spices)

1 pound ground pork

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 can pumpkin puree

1 ½ Tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon granulated beef bouillon

Salt to taste

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 cup vegetable stock (can use more if you like your chili more soupy)

Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, and sauté the onion and garlic until tender.

Stir in the pork, and cook until evenly brown.

Mix in tomatoes, pumpkin and black beans.

Stir in beef bouillon and vegetable stock.

Season with chili powder, cumin, pepper, and salt.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or put in slow cooker.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese over top if desired.

Serves 6

Carolyn Cares Pumpkin Chili

Going Old School – Boneless Pork Loin Supper

When I am having troubles with inspiration on what to make for supper, I’ll ask Jonathan to bring a random package of meat in from the freezer.  This time, he brought in a boneless pork loin roast. We put it in the fridge to thaw overnight, so I had a few hours to decide what I wanted to do with it.

The roast as it arrived in from the freezer.
The roast as it arrived in from the freezer.

 

Typically I like to use the Crock Pot, but since I wasn’t roasting any veggies with this one, I decided to use the oven.  I have a Corning French White baking dish that we received for a wedding gift 24 years ago. It is the perfect size for most roasts.

This Corning baking dish rocks!
This Corning baking dish rocks!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. It is a good idea to spray the baking dish with non-stick spray.  Unwrapping the roast is a little like unwrapping a Christmas present. You know that you are going to love what’s inside, you just don’t know exactly what it looks like.  This one did not disappoint!

Beautiful boneless roast with an excellent fat cap
Beautiful boneless roast with an excellent fat cap

The layer of fat on top of this roast was beautiful! It wasn’t too thick, yet it covered nearly the whole top.  When you are shopping for roasts, look for one with a layer of fat like this one. It helps keep the meat moist while it is roasting, yet isn’t so thick that your seasonings can’t flavor the meat.

Speaking of seasonings, I decided to go old school with a twist. I don’t know what is tradition in your area, but around this Scandinavian area, we don’t get too wild with the spice.

Hy-Vee dry onion soup mix, Vegetable Stock, and Red Wine - simple seasonings
Hy-Vee dry onion soup mix, Vegetable Stock, and Red Wine – simple seasonings

I love the Hy-Vee brand of dry onion soup mix. It is inexpensive, and has a great flavor. Emeril’s Vegetable Stock has a good flavor, and isn’t too salty.  The red wine may break some rules, but I really have no clue what wine is supposed to go with what meat. I just use what I like…as you should!  If you don’t like wine, use apple juice.

Wine and Vegetable Stock poured over roast
Wine and Vegetable Stock poured over roast

Pour the liquids over the roast to get the surface moist. I used just under a cup of liquid total.  After the liquid is in, sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over the top. It should look like this:

Dry onion soup mix sprinkled over the top
Dry onion soup mix sprinkled over the top

Cover the whole thing with aluminum foil, and place on the middle rack of the oven.

The middle rack is the best to make sure heat circulates evenly
The middle rack is the best to make sure heat circulates evenly

This roast was still slightly frozen when I put it in, so I set the timer for 2 hours.  I took it out about 5 minutes before the timer went off, and let it rest while still covered. If you are using a meat thermometer that you leave in while it is cooking, set your timer for 145 degrees.  This is what it looked like after the rest period:

Fresh from the oven. It smelled so good!
Fresh from the oven. It smelled so good!

I’m always a little nervous when I make the first cut into a roast. I don’t want to mess it up with a bad slicing job! I should mention – it is okay for the center to have a bit of pink in it if the meat reached 145 degrees. The first few slices revealed a slight pink, and lots of juice!

This roast was tender and juicy.
This roast was tender and juicy.

I sliced the roast into 3 ounce portions, or one slice per serving. If you are weight conscious – as I am – one serving of lean pork roast is an excellent source of protein.

Each slice is about 3 ounces, or one serving.
Each slice is about 3 ounces, or one serving.

I went traditional with our sides. We love Bird’s Eye Baby Sweet Peas, mashed potatoes, and homemade gravy. One final photo before Jonathan and I devoured our supper. The meat was moist, and tender…sooo good!

Supper is served!
Supper is served!

I hope you are able to try a similar recipe soon!