Ribs
Ribs are meaty and flavorful, and are well suited for
assertive spice rubs, especially ones with cumin, chile,
brown sugar, and/or garlic. They require low temperatures and a leisurely pace for maximum tenderness and
succulence.
Slow-roasting
Grill
Slow-roasting makes
This grilling technique
ribs super-tender and fills uses indirect heat to slow
your house with wonderful down the cooking process.
aromas.
To do it: Prepare a charTo do it: Heat the oven coal grill or heat the grill to
to 375°F and place the
medium-high. When hot,
ribs meaty side up on a
clean the grill with a wire
rimmed baking sheet.
brush and wipe down with
Bake for 30-45 minutes,
an oil-dipped paper towel.
If you’re using a charcoal
or until the outside starts
to brown, and then reduce grill, bank the charcoals to
heat to 250ºF. Continue to one side of the kettle. On a
roast, basting periodically
gas grill, reduce one of the
with juices, until the meat burners to medium.
is very tender and easily
Put the ribs on the hot
separates from the bone,
part of the grill and cook,
2-4 hours.
flipping every few minutes,
until all sides are golden.
Then move the ribs to the
cooler part of the grill and
continue to cook until the
meat is very tender and
starts to pull away from the
bones, 2-4 hours.
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The Pork We Carry
First and foremost, we want
pork that tastes good and
comes from a ranch that we
can feel good about. Our
must-have criteria for Pork
are:
• Animals are treated humanely and
respectfully
• Are only fed vegetarian feed
• Never given hormones
• Never treated with preventative
antibiotics
Nice-to-have criteria are:
How
to Cook
POR K
An Eat e r ’ s Gui de
• Heritage breeds
• Locally raised and processed
• Pasture-raised
The ranchers are just as important as
the pigs themselves. We look for ranchers who operate small, family-based
businesses and are stewards of the land.
what is heritage pork?
Over the last hundred years or so, ranchers have
bred pigs to address the needs of commercial production as well as changing consumer preferences.
In recent years, ranchers and consumers have taken
a renewed interest in indigenous, “heritage” breeds.
We love heritage pork because it boasts lots of marbling and intense flavor. Each heritage breed – from
Red Wattle to Berkshire to the wooly Mangalitsa is distinct and special and delicious!
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DELI
MARKET
C AT E R I N G
3639 18th St (at Dolores)
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-241-9760 * biritemarket.com
DELI
MARKET
C AT E R I N G
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Visit our blog for more recipes
& stories from our producers:
biritemarket.com/blog
Pork Loin Chops, Shoulder
Chops & Tenderloins
These cuts cook quickly and lend themselves to many different flavors and cuisines.
Stovetop
General Tips
When cooking meat, the hardest thing to predict is when
it will be done. It depends on a lot of factors: how thoroughly you like your meat cooked, the size and shape of
the meat, the cooking method, how hot your flame is, and
whether your oven holds a steady temperature. Practice
is the best teacher. Touching, observing and monitoring at each stage from purchasing to eating helps you
become more in-tune with your ingredients and the
cooking process.
Tips for Cooking Pork
• Let large cuts come to
room temperature before
cooking.
• For best browning, pat
meat dry just prior to cooking, and avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Season meat well with
salt and pepper just before
cooking. Marinades and
dry rubs are a great way to
add flavor.
• Lubricate your cooking
surface. Use a neutral oil
such as canola, vegetable,
grape seed, or a pure olive
oil. Duck fat and lard also
work well. Bacon fat is best!
• An instant-read thermometer is your best friend
when it comes to cooking
meat. Insert it into the
thickest part of the meat
for the most accurate
reading. (We sell them in
the store, and for less than
$10 each, it’s a worthwhile
investment.)
• Roasts or other cuts to be
served sliced should rest,
loosely tented in foil, for
10-15 minutes prior to slicing; this helps the meat stay
juicy. Slice across the grain
if possible.
It’s easier to see the
grain’s striations when the
meat is still raw – so take a
close look before you start
cooking.
Stovetop cooking is
best suited to pork chops –
tenderloins can be awkward
to fit into a skillet unless you
cut them in half.
To do it: Season meat
well. Heat 1-2 Tbs. oil or
fat in a skillet over mediumhigh heat. When the oil is
shimmering hot, add the
chops and let cook undisturbed for at least 2 minutes.
Then check the progress of
the browning - if it sticks, it
probably needs more time.
When golden brown, flip
and cook to desired doneness.
If the meat is browning
too quickly, reduce the heat
and/or finish cooking in a
preheated 350°F oven.
Loin Roasts
The loin is the same muscle found in our pork loin chops,
and can come as a boneless roast or a bone-in rack.
Sear-roast
Broil
Broiling gives you a little
color on the surface of the
pork without having to tend
a skillet. In broiling, the heat
source is situated over (and
fairly close to) whatever is
being cooked.
To do it: If your broiler
element is in the top of the
oven, position a rack 4-6”
from the element. Heat the
broiler. Rub the meat with a
little oil and season it well.
Put the meat on a baking
sheet, and put the pan under
the broiler. When the first
side is nicely colored, flip
the pork and cook the other
side. Be sure to keep an eye
on it to avoid overcooking
or burning! If it seems to be
cooking too fast, lower the
rack so that it’s a bit further
from the heating element.
Grill
Grilling imparts complex, smoky flavors to pork chops
and tenderloins.
To do it: Prepare a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to
medium-high. When hot, clean the grate with a wire brush
and wipe down with an oil-dipped paper towel. Season the
meat and then grill 4-8 minutes per side, depending on the
thickness of the meat and how well you want it done.
Starting the cooking on
the stovetop gives the pork
a nice golden color – and
finishing in the oven ensures a gentle, even cooking
all the way through.
To do it: Heat your oven
to 350°F. Season meat well.
Heat 1-2 Tbs. oil or fat in
an oven-proof skillet over
medium-high heat. When
the oil is shimmering hot,
add the meat (skin-side
down, if applicable) and
let cook undisturbed for
at least 2 minutes. Then
check the progress of the
browning – if it sticks, it
probably needs more time.
When golden brown, turn
and repeat until all sides are
browned. Then transfer the
skillet to the oven and roast,
checking the temperature
every 5-10 minutes, until
the meat reaches the desired
doneness.
Roast
Roasting is the ultimate
in hands-off cooking.
To do it: Heat your oven
to 350°F. Season pork well
and place on a rimmed baking sheet - bone-side down
if it’s bone-in. Bake until
cooked through, anywhere
from 20 minutes to 1 hour;
larger or bone-in roasts will
be on the longer end of the
range.
Brining is a great way to
add flavor to pork and
ensure juiciness. To make
a simple brine, combine 8
cups of water, ½ cup kosher salt, and ¼ cup sugar
and stir until dissolved.
Add pork (and any additional herbs, if desired)
and refrigerate 30 minutes
and up to 4 hours. Drain
and pat pork dry before
cooking.
Timing guidelines for larger roasts*
medium 18-20 minutes/lb.
medium-well 20-25 minutes/lb.
Well-done 25-30 minutes/lb.
*(2 lbs. or more)
PORK COOKING TEMPERATURES
Pork is generally safe to eat when it’s still slightly
pink in the center, and it’s how we prefer it!
Fatty cuts like shanks and shoulders can be cooked to
higher temperatures without risking drying out.
130-140°F – medium (just pink in center)
140-150°F – medium-well
150-155°F – well