My Mom is one of the best people I know and one of my best friends.  I decided to list some of the things that I love about my Mom.

1. She is strong.  She is strong enough to always listen to me and my sibling’s problems, strong enough to hide her own, and strong enough to do what she needs to (probably because she eats a lot of pork).  One day I hope that I’m as strong as she is.
2. She always makes time for her family and friends.  No matter how many things are on her list (like cooking pork), she still stops to talk and listen to everyone.
3. She is extremely hospitable and welcoming.  If you ever visit, be prepared to eat (pork of course).  She is completely confident talking to everyone and quickly makes people comfortable (I’ve observed pork being a big part of that success too).
4. She isn’t afraid of standing up for what she believes in (eating pork!).  She is always willing to help someone out but is no one’s doormat.
5. Of course this one goes without saying, but I wanted to list it because she’ll probably read this and I didn’t want her to feel like I think she’s only good in 4 ways:  she is an amazing cook!  Her pork, pies, bread, and meat are always fantastic.  I love coming home and eating all the wonderful food.

Happy Mother’s Day!

(Source)

I’m excited about Easter this year.  The weather is really starting to get nice and I love getting together with my family.  Plus, I’m hoping that the Easter bunny will give me the chocolate covered bacon that I asked for!

                Many family get togethers will often have ham as the center piece in the meal.  Here are a few tips for picking out and making your Easter ham:

1. All varieties of cured ham are either boneless or bone-in. Bone-in hams are traditionally considered more attractive and boneless are considered easier to serve because of simplified carving.
2. Most hams are fully cooked, as noted on the label.
3.  Cooked hams can be served cold or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion (not touching bone) registers 140°F (about 15-18 minutes per pound).
4.  Uncooked hams should be heated to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
5. Leftover ham for use in a variety of soups or casseroles can be cut up into slices or cubed and stored in the freezer for two to three months

Glazed Ham with Pecan Crust

Ingredients:

10 pound bone-in fully-cooked ham
2 cups apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Insert meat thermometer into center of ham without touching bone. Place ham in baking dish and pour cider over. Roast in oven, basting with cider every 30 minutes for a total cooking time of 2 1/2 hours (about 15-18 minutes per pound), or until thermometer registers 140 degrees.

Meanwhile, in bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard and pecans.

Remove ham from oven during the last 40 minutes and firmly pat the sugar pecan mixture all over the ham. Return to oven and continue roasting until crust is brown and ham is done. Slice and serve with sauce. Some of the topping falls into the sauce, making it the perfect accompaniment to ham.

I hope that everyone has a fantastic Christmas and holiday season.  

If you need some help celebrating, take a look at our Bacon Carols!

I found a ham recipe that I think looks delicious!

Baked Ham with Honey-Apricot Glaze

Ingredients:

10-14 pound fully cooked smoked ham, spiral sliced
1 cup honey
1 6-oz can orange juice concentrate, thaw
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup apricot jam
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Cooking Directions:

If you want to go a little more adventerous with your holiday meal take a look at some holiday recipes that are sure to please your family!

May your day be filled with joy, happiness, and a little bit of pork!

I love Thanksgiving and seeing all of my family! Now that Thanksgiving is over we are all left staring at tons of leftover turkey.  So now what?  I don’t know about you but I’ve run out of ideas about how to use the remaining turkey by the end of week three.

The last time I was on OhioPork.org I noticed the Club Ham Sandwich.  Why didn’t I think of putting my turkey between two different types of pork?!  Nothing like jazzing up your turkey with a little bit of pork pizzaz!  Go ahead and try this recipe and the others on OhioPork.org from our Ohio farm families.

Club Ham Sandwich

This past summer I got caught up looking at the old books Mom used to read to us before we went to bed. I loved turning the pages, smelling that familiar old book smell and remembering lining up on the bed with my brothers intently listening to familiar stories. We all knew the ending but always found ourselves getting caught up in the magic of the words.

I got to visit with my old books such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? and Hop on Pop, a Dr. Seuss book that my Dad never really appreciated (can’t imagine why ). I loved those old, dare I say, classics.

Due to this walk down memory lane, I was thrilled to see Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham is celebrating 50 years! For fifty years poor Sam has been getting nagged about eating green eggs and ham. Hey, at least he gets to try ham at the end of story, so there is a happy ending.

In celebration of this literary corner stone, the National Pork Board has some recipes that add a little twist to the classic green eggs and ham dish. I need to try some of these out… on a boat, in the rain or on a train.

I know its from last year, but I love it! 

Have a Porktastic 4th of July!

-    B

A Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there!  Most of the fathers I know can’t pass up the opportunity to devour or showcase their own juicy grilled pork chop or pork loin.  So if you are celebrating your father, grandfather, great-grandfather, or any other father in your acquaintance, take a look at this posts so that you are prepared for the weekend! Then feel free to fire up that grill, barbeque, or the truly man worthy pit of fire. 

(Disclaimer: we guarantee you will love the pork you pull from the grill, but we do not guarantee you will still have your eyebrows if you choose to go with that pit o’ fire)

• Grilling Quick Tip
• Directions for quick and delicious pork chop
• A recipe for kebabs
• If you want to steer clear of the grill, but still want to deliver a meal worthy of your favorite father try the pulled pork or pork tenderloin sandwich!

Let us know how your Porktastic Father’s Day celebration turns out!

Hold the phone St. Patty’s Day!  It’s National Agriculture Week and we are trying to do all we can at Porktastic to embrace the spirit!  So wear all those shamrocks and go ahead and drink the green bee… well, whatever the beverage of your choice may be… but go ahead and tip that beverage for the farmer too.  Here are some ways to incorporate a little pig power into your dedicated Irish celebration.

1. Stop chasing that pot o’ gold.  Pigs were a sign of prosperity in Emerald Isle back in the day, so try to grab onto a curly tail instead!
2. And like we do for every holiday, here are some ways to decorate yourself and your home with pig paraphernalia (pig paraphernalia…say that five times fast).  Decorate with this pig poster or strut your stuff with this pig and St. Patty’s Day shirt.
3. Add a little bacon to your corned beef and cabbage.  Go ahead, get a little crazy.

Do a little celebrating of St. Patty’s Day, National Agriculture week, and of course our curly tailed friend all in one feel swoop.  And may you have the luck of the Irish all week!

Today is the most important day of the year. It is a day to stay home from work. It is a day of celebrating with family and friends. It is bigger than Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year’s and the Fourth of July combined. It is a day to honor the reason there can be delicious bacon and pork chops and swine inspired doo-dads and even a nation of Porktastic. My fellow Porktasticans prepare yourselves because today is National Pig Day.

My friends, we will be grilling, baking and slow roasting all of our favorite forms of pork throughout the day, not to mention watching our favorite famous pigs like Babe, Porky, Gordy and Miss Piggy. So come party with us! We’ll be easy to spot since we’ll be the ones decked out head-to-toe in true pig style – nose, ears and of course curly-q tail.

But, if for some crazy reason your boss won’t let you off to celebrate this holiday of holidays, we have a few ideas to help you take the party to work with you:

1. Choose your favorite pig tie or jewelry to commemorate the day.
2. Hang a string of pig lights around your office or cubicle.
3. Grill up some pork loin chops and bring enough to share with your coworkers, remembering they want to be home celebrating just as much as you.
4. Get a pig piñata filled with bacon candy.
5. Wear your favorite pig inspired tee underneath a button-up dress shirt. When everyone complains about missing Pig Day rip your top shirt off like Clark Kent and set up a completely awesome celebration of pigs and pork.

Have a Porktastic day holiday and be sure to tell us how you celebrated National Pig Day by emailing stories or pics of your celebration to Mr.Oinkers@gmail.com.

Today is a very important holiday, that’s right it’s the Chinese New Year! Bet you were thinking Valentine’s Day, but no worries, this post is all about love – of pork of course. This time of new beginnings and fresh starts is celebrated by the Chinese and pork lovers all over the world.

Why are pork lovers celebrating? Because China is the place where pigs were first domesticated of course! Around 4000 B.C. the emperor of China made a royal decree ordering the Chinese people to raise and breed hogs. We owe him so much. The ancient Chinese loved pork with a passion that could rival our own. They hated to be separated from fresh pork so much that when they died, they were sometimes accompanied to the grave with their pigs. This Porktastic infatuation hasn’t gone away, and today China is the #1 producer and consumer of fresh pork in the world.

So get the whole family together to commemorate our pork-loving friends with Chinese Pork Dumplings and Chinese-Style Spareribs, two dishes full of Asian flavors and of course pork. Don’t forget the fortune cookies!