Spongy Pork Chops

J

judyw

Well-known member
Has anyone noticed that pork chops have a spongy texture after cooking? I bought some pork chops at Fry's and cooked them tonight only to notice they had a very spongy texture. They didn't have any grain to them. I bought a pork loin that I was going to bake for company next week but I hesitate to do so. I have read on the internet that some producers have injected the pork with sodium phosphate.

 
The idea is to both season the pork and prevent it from drying out with the SP

I do not buy enhanced pork.. We have a local pig farm here but their meat prices are outrageous. I do like the smaller pork chops however. They are so massive anymore, that one of my favorite pork chop dishes uses a 9 x 13 dish and I barely can fit four of those huge chops in there. Then there is not much space left for the rice.

 
They are not $20 a chop, Marilyn- LOL

The ones I talk about are about $7/chop but they are large. And delicious. I only have experience with Duroc chops from one butcher shop in California. Can't get them here- a friend brings them to me

Pat bought some Duroc chops but was not so impressed- she said they were good but not really better than others she is able to buy.

I have 4 in the freezer right now- the last ones I pulled out and grilled were heavenly. Beautiful marbling, not fatty, firm, very, very flavorful. Maybe it is the hog farm these come from that makes special chops. Duroc is a breed so I suppose like 10 cooks making the same recipe, that 10 different breeders would make 10 different piggies = 10 different results.

 
Sweet! I was quoting the Zingerman mail order price (4 chops for $80, but hey, FREE shipping!)

There are times that I just crave something and unfortunately, the Internet is there for me. I can actually see myself ordering 4 chops from Zingerman's.

Once I was DESPERATE for good fresh peaches and ALMOST...ALMOST paid $45 for FOUR OF THEM from Harry & David.

Luckily sanity rode back into town and saved the wallet.

 
Born and raised in Ann Arbor - I think Zingermans is a tad overrated (except for bread)

Their bread is divine. Their pies are good too but most of their other baked goods are dry.

Their deli sandwiches are also fantastic but seriously overpriced.

 
I've been doing some research.....

I have found that Sprout's Farmers Market does not add any enhancers to any of their meat and poultry products. Now I need to get rid of the pork chops and pork roast I have in my freezer. It just kills me to throw them out but I certainly can't serve them to anyone. That pork chop last night was REALLY terrible.

 
Whole Foods meat and seafood doesn't have additives, either. I think the packaging has to indicate

whether there are additives, no matter where it is sold.What I've seen is usually sold under a brand name such as Hormel. The Hormel is called Always Tender or something like. I've never heard anything good about it, don't understand why it is still sold, probably has a longer shelf life.

 
I agree--it has to be labelled. I hope Judy won't toss it all--how about making

chili or something by cubing it, etc.
OR it could have been a fluke.
Of course, the additives are very similar to what is done by brining.

 
Second thoughts on tossing it out...

I have a couple friends who volunteer once a week at a soup kitchen. I'm going to give it to them. They take it on themselves to buy bologna and hot dogs each week in case they run out of food. They make sandwiches and bring them in to the soup kitchen on the day they volunteer. I'm sure they can do something with the pork.

 
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