PorkRibs
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Pork back Ribs are also called baby back ribs because the rib bones are smaller than spareribs. They're cut from the blade and center section of the loin and are favorites of rib aficionados because they're meatier than spareribs and easy to handle.
Spareribs, cut from the underbelly or side of the hog, are the least meaty of all pork ribs, but they "spare" nothing in taste.

Country-Style, the meatiest variety, are cut from the rib end of the loin. Country ribs do not come in "slabs" but are sold in individual pieces.

Grilling Tip - Cook ribs over medium-low, indirect heat by banking the charcoal around the edges of a covered grill or in a 300 to 350 degree F. gas grill. Grill the ribs for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Ribs are done when you can "wiggle" the bone away from the meat.

Flavor Tip - Rubs are an easy, low-fat way to add flavor to ribs…or any other pork cut! A rub is a blend of your favorite seasonings that acts as a dry
marinade when rubbed onto the raw meat. You can keep your favorite rubs for several weeks in a jar with tight-fitting lid.

Leftover Tip - For next-day ribs with same-day taste, wrap leftover ribs in foil and reheat in a 350 degree F. oven for 20-25 minutes; unwrap and let crisp in oven 5-10
more minutes.

Safety Tip - Never chop vegetables or salad ingredients on the same cutting board used to prepare raw meats, fish or poultry, unless the board is sanitized between uses. Scrub with a 10:1 water/bleach solution.

Has pork quality changed in recent years?

A. Modern pork is 25 percent leaner and has retained its desirable texture, flavor and juiciness.

What is fresh ham?

A.    Fresh ham is the hind leg of a hog that has been neither cured nor smoked.  It may be sold with a bone or boneless.

If the ham is labeled "cook-before-eating," how much more cooking is recommended?

A.    "Cook-before-eating" hams have been partially cooked in the meat processor's oven and need to be heated to an internal temperature of 160'F before serving.

How should a ham that has no label be cooked?

A Assume that an unlabeled ham is the "cook before-eating" type and heat it to an internal temperature of 160F before serving.

Can ham labeled "fully cooked" really be eaten safely without more cooking?

A.    Yes.  The term "fully cooked' means that the ham has been cooked in the meat processor's oven and may be eaten as it comes from the package.  To serve warm, "fully cooked" hams need only be heated to an internal temperature of 140F.

What is the difference between calf and beef liver

  A.    Calf liver comes from the very young beef animal, which makes it more mild in flavor.

What does the term "water added" on the ham label mean?

  Hams that return to their original weight are labeled "ham." However, when ham returns to within 10 percent over the original weight, it is labeled "ham, water added".  The added moisture cannot exceed 10 percent of the weight of the fresh uncured ham.  The same labeling regulation applies to picnic shoulders.

Which is the best buy, the shank or butt portion of ham?
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A.      Much depends on the meat's use.  The rump (butt) may yield more attractive slices, but the shank will yield some good slices.  The shank bo ne is preferred by many for making baked beans and split pea soup.

Why doesn't a 5-pound canned ham have five pounds of ham in it when it is opened?  Why should one pay for all the gelatin?

A.      All meat shrinks during cooking whether it is cooked at home or in a processing plant.  The cured but still uncooked hams are placed in cans by weight; i.e., three pounds go into 3-pound cans, five pounds into 5-pound cans, etc.  The meat is weighed as it goes into each can.  About one ounce of gelatin, depending upon the size of the ham, is added to the can with the ham before it is vacuum sealed.  The hams then move through a hot water cooking chamber.  As the ham'cooks, some juices cook out of the meat just as they do when meat is cooked at home.  The juices remain in the sealed can and are reabsorbed or are set with the gelatin when chilled.  A canned ham labeled five pounds will contain five pounds of cooked ham, juices and gelatin.

NOTE. Because ham is cooked in the can, only a small amount of shrinkage takes place, approximately 7 to 15 percent. A pork roast in an open pan in the kitchen range will shrink about 20 to 25 percent.

What is a picnic ham?

A.      Technically, there is no such thing as a picnic ham.  Ham is the hind leg of a hog and the picnic, often incorrectly called ham, comes from the pork shoulder.  Both may be sold as fresh pork roasts or cured and smoked.

What is the difference between a half ham and a portion such as butt or shank portion?

A.      A half ham has had no center slices removed.

Why does the picnic shoulder usually cost less per pound than ham?

A.      The picnic shoulder is not as popular as ham because it has more bone and is -less tender.

What is a Boston butt?

A.      Boston butt is the name sometimes used for part of the shoulder of pork.  It may be sold as bone-in or boneless roast or steak.  The boneless Boston shoulder is also cured and smoked by meat processors who use their brand name for identification (Sweet Morsels, Daisy, etc.)

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What is the meaning of the term, spring lamb?

A.      The term identifies the meat of a lamb under a year old.

How can I recognize high quality lamb?

A.      Look for meat that is fine textured, firm and lean.  In color, the meat should be pink and the cross section of bone red, moist and porous.  The fat should be firm, white and not too thick.

What is the difference between American and New Zealand lamb?

A.      New Zealand lamb is generally smaller than that grown in the United States.  It is always marketed frozen in this country.

What is rack of lamb?

A.      The rack is the un split primal rib (called the hotel rack) of the carcass which includes ribs 6 through 12.  The rack is split to make two lamb rib roasts.

 Are chemicals used to tenderize meat?  

A.      Yes, but meat that has an added tenderizer must be so labeled.

        Natural foods are the source of most meat tenderizers.  The more widely used is papain from the papaya although derivatives from pineapple (bromelin) and figs (ficin) may also be used.  In addition, proteolytic enzymes from the molds aspergillus oryzae and aspergillus flavus oryzae group may be used to soften the tissue.

Is meat tenderized in other ways?

A.    Yes.  Mechanical tenderizing is widely used to insure the tenderness and overall eating satisfaction of some meats.  Mechanically tendered meat is also known as pinned or needled meat.  Electrical stimulation is one of the newer technologies currently being explored by the industry.  It may improve the tenderness and color brightness of selected meats.

Is the addition of tenderizers used to upgrade beef?
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A.    The use of tenderizers increases the tenderness but does not change the grade of the beef.

Are the steaks in the moderately priced steak houses tenderized?  What grade of beef is used?

A.    Some steak houses use steaks that have been dipped in a tenderizer and mechanically tenderized.  The grade of meat may be designated by the restaurant; it is generally a grade lower than USDA Good.

Does tenderization affect the keeping quality of beef?

    No. It will keep in the refrigerator or freezer for the same length of time as other fresh beef.

    What effect does meat containing the tenderizer papain have on the person who eats it?

  None.  Papain, the tenderizer most used commercially and at home, is a natural food substance.  Papain is taken from the papaya, a nutritious fruit
.
Can tenderized beef be included in a special diet?

 Yes.  It can be included in any special diet that allows beef.      

Is there a difference In nutritive value among the various grades of beef?

A.    There is relatively little difference if the beef is well-trimmed of fat before eating.  The grading system is not based on nutritive value, but on quality and curability.

     What does the date on a package of fresh meat mean?

A.    The date on a package of fresh meat may be the date the meat was wrapped, or it may be the last date freshness is guaranteed.  Ask the meat manager the meaning of the date used in your market.

        What does the date on a package of franks, bologna or other processed meat mean? -
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A.    There may be a "sell by" date.  This is the date by which the meat should be sold so that the consumer will have a reasonable time to use it after purchase.  A "pull date" tells the retailer when the product should be removed from the store display.  The "best if used by" date tells the consumer the date by which it should be used for the best taste and texture.  The package must carry an explanation of the term and date used.

     What does net weight mean?

A.    The net weight is the weight of the food without the packaging materials.  Federal regulations allow some variations in weights of meats since varying amounts of moisture are lost during processing and shipping.

      What is meant by the term processed meat?

A.    Processed meat is a broad term used to identify meat that has been changed by cooking, curing, canning, drying or freezing or a combination of these processes.  Meats that are commonly described as processed are sausages, luncheon meats, hams, bacon and franks/wieners.  Some are fully cooked and can be served as they come from the store, and some require heating according to label directions.

What is meant by the term dry sausage?

  Dry sausage is a term which originated in Europe.  It is used to describe sausages that are traditionally cured and air dried.  The most familiar Germanic types are hard salami, thuringer, summer sausage and cervelat.  Italian inspired sausages include pepperoni, Genoa salami and party salami.

What is meant by vacuum packaging or vacuum sealing, and how does this affect the storage time of meat?

A.    Vacuum packaging and sealing are ways to eliminate most of the air from a package in order to make it airtight.  The process provides two major benefits by increasing the length of time the meat can be kept and reducing shrinkage of the meat caused by moisture loss.

How should canned meats and meats in vacuum sealed pouches that do not require refrigeration or freezer storage be stored?  How long can they be stored unopened?

A.    These canned meats have been completely cooked during processing and can be stored safely for long periods of time.  To maintain the best quality, store these shelf-stable meats in a cool place away from damp or hot areas.  Rotate the supply and use within one year after purchase.
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How long may canned meats be kept after opening?

A.    Leftover portions of canned meats may be transferred from the can, covered and refrigerated.  Use within 5 to 7 days.

How long can meats cooked at home be kept?

A.    Meats cooked at home, wrapped tightly and refrigerated soon after cooking, will have maximum flavor quality if used within 3 to 4 days.

How can you judge whether uncooked meat is spoiled?

A.    There is usually a general change in the quality of the meat.  This includes loss of freshness and a color change to dull gray from a bright red for beef and from pink for pork and veal.  An off-odor will develop; and if the meat has been kept in an unopened package, a slippery surface may develop.  If an off-odor has developed, the best rule to apply is, "When in doubt, throw it out-" Note: Fresh meat in vacuum sealed packages is dark in color until the surface is exposed to air.  There may also be an unusual odor which will disappear after the meat is removed from the package.

Is mold on cured meats harmful?

A.      Mold on the outside surface of a cured and smoked ham or picnic does not necessarily mean that the meat is spoiled.  Usually the mold can be trimmed off without affecting the flavor or the quality of the meat.  However, if an off-odor has developed as well, then the meat should be discarded.

Must canned hams be refrigerated?

A.      Check instructions on the can label to determine if it is necessary to refrigerate the canned ham.  Canned hams labeled "Perishable - Keep Under Refrigeration" have been pasteurized during processing and like pasteurized milk must be kept at refrigerator temperature before and after opening.  Some small cans of ham have been brought to a higher temperature (sterilized) during processing and so may be stored without refrigeration, the same as other canned foods.

How long will canned hams keep, both unopened and opened?

A.      Unopened canned hams may be kept in the home refrigerator six months to one year if properly stored.  When a can is opened, the ham can be kept up to one week in the refrigerator.

       If canned meats stored in a cold place are accidentally frozen are they safe to eat?

A.      Yes, if there is no bulging or leaking.  However, if the can is in satisfactory between market and "in-home" refrigeration, temperature of home refrigerator and packaging are several factors affecting storage time.

Should fresh meat pre-packaged by the meat retailer (self-service) or meats wrapped at the service meat case be unwrapped before placing in the home refrigerator?

A.      Pre-packaged and store wrapped meat may be placed in the refrigerator in the original wrapper if the meat is to be used within the recommended storage time (see storage chart).  By leaving meat in the original wrapper, bacteria growth can be limited by avoiding rehandling of the meat's surface.

What is the preferred way to store processed meats such as franks, sausage, sliced cold cuts, ham and bacon that are vacuum packaged by the meat processor?

A.      Vacuum packaged meats keep best in their packages  before and after opening.

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