Beyond Bacon: Paleo Recipes that Respect the Whole Hog is the brand new cookbook by husband and wife blogger team, Matthew McCarry and Stacy Toth of Paleo Parents.
This is a beautiful book with some pretty inspiring photos and recipes. I really could not believe what I was seeing.
Beyond Bacon features over 100 recipes highlighting cuts from the entire animal. This is what eating the traditional way is all about – respecting the whole animal and enjoying each and every cut. Beyond Bacon teaches you how to find sources for pastured pork, how to buy it (they recommend buying the whole animal from a local farmer for the best price and to enjoy each cut) and then how to cook every last morsel.
The book is so stunning you will want to feature it in your living room and not relegate it to the kitchen!
Why Pastured Pigs?
Why pastured pigs, you ask? Simply put, it’s better for the animals, and that is what makes it more nutritious for us! I personally do not indulge in pork that is not cured and even then I rarely eat it (being Jewish that I am!). I love that the book includes some comments and thoughts around this exact preference by many to eat cured pork only.
Pastured pork is rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and omega-3 fatty acids, and the pork fat (lard) is much higher in vitamins D & K2. Lard is usually seen as so unhealthy, but did you know that pork fat has higher monounsaturated fat content than butter at 45% compared to butter’s 23%!? Pastured pork liver is also much higher in vitamin A than non-pastured pork.
In this book you’ll learn:
- how to render lard at home
- how to make your own chorizo, Italian sausage, pancetta, and head cheese
- how to make pork stock (bone broth)
- how to prepare and cook spare ribs, smoked pork belly, pho with chitterling noodles, lengua carnitas (pork tongue), pork chops, meatloaf, Swedish meatballs
- how to prepare and cook sweetbreads, grain-free corn dogs, and pork cracklins (pork rinds)!
- And yes, you can even learn to make your own bacon!
- Not to outshine the pork, but I think the recipes in here for grain-free options for accompaniments to your pork are out of this world including: grain free pasta substitutes, vegetable sides of all varieties, and even amazing paleo desserts!
Thanks, Stacy and Matt for this brilliant book!
