Earlier this week, on a cross country flight, I immersed myself in Bruce Aidell’s ‘ode to the pig’ – the Complete Book of Pork. This book truly is the bible of all things pork. Aidell thoroughly explores the pig as an intelligent animal, a food source for many cultures over thousands of years, and even a pet and companion. Did you know pigs were amongst the first immigrants to the United States?
After an introduction and historical overview, the book dives right into the art of purchasing and preparing pork for consumption. Aidell starts with the very basics of cooking various cuts of pork and tells you how to adjust the recipes to your own taste.
He then goes into how to buy the best pork for your needs, including a detailed explanation of the various cuts that are commonly available (as well as some suggestions for where to find less common cuts).
The bulk of the rest of the book includes dozens of recipes and covers how to use just about every inch of a pig in the kitchen.
Of course, bacon is not ignored and is prominently featured throughout the book. There is even a section of the book dedicated to the art of preserving pork, including a few recipes for bacon.
Overall, the Complete Book of Pork is a great resource for people just beginning to explore the culinary world of pork, as well as the most knowledgeable porcine expert. Aidell explores the various methods of preparing pork and provides detailed instructions that can have the most novice chef making their own bacon in no time.