We "et" a Hormel Extra Lean Center Cut Marinated Pork Loin for dinner today. It wasn

M

mistral

Well-known member
Over brined, salty-tasting. Weird texture. The meat was full of little holes, probably from the needles inserted to help the brine/marinade "soak in". The slices looked like a corned beef brisket I pressure cooked once; all the fat had melted out of the brisket and left little holes.

The meat actually has a better texture now that it is cold.

I really can not recommend these. Even if you get one free if you buy one, like I did. If I had not gotten the "free" one I would have never purchased this as they are way too expensive for my budget.

The one we ate today was a garlic/lemon flavor, but mainly garlic which was just ok. I have another in the freezer, a mesquite/BBQ thing. Maybe I'll cook the second up and use in BBQ pork sammies, something to mask the texture and taste.

My kids thought todays loin was "weird".

 
I tried one of these a long time ago as they were on sale:horrid chemical

taste to it and no wonder if I'd read the ingredients of the "marinade" before purchasing. They're pretty trashy in my opinion. The grocery stores down here offer so many "pre-marinaded" meats and poultry cuts nowadays.

 
Something's inherently wrong with "extra lean" and "pork" in the same sentence. Give..

me a small portion of good old-fashioned roasted pork with crispy fat any day.

That is, if you can actually find pork that tastes like real pork anymore.

 
Hi Val, was thinking of you last night because I made the Tilapia with Lime from Epi. I was

fortunate enough to get the fish right off the truck and out of the box at Publix, I love that recipe and think you first pointed me toward it, thanks!

 
I've read a couple of articles that lead me to believe the pork industry

realizes it's made a mistake and is seeking to rectify it. However, I'm afraid the general public has become accustomed to spurning meat with visible fat at the meat counter, but are very indiscriminate in their choices when eating out, which is often. And of course, fast food with all it's fat grams is their usual option.

 
I am wit' ya on pork. Around here we usually cook pork shoulder (picnic) . . .

but even the skin-on shoulder picnic roast as well as the blade butt roasts are very lean, not what they used to be years ago.

As for the loin, I know they are very lean. So are fresh, uncured Hams (leg of pork). I figured the marinade would add some flavor; I guess I could have handled the lean but the texture. . .Maybe most people now don't even know the difference. It's sooooo sad!

I guess I shoulda knowed better, huh?

 
Glad you liked it! I think that fish and lime juice go pretty well together; the only "bad"

thing about that recipe is the butter, so I don't make it too often; the chili lime butter is great on corn on the cob, too, though, as other reviewers have suggested.

 
That's a great recipe and has become a staple for me. I didn't realize it...

was your recipe, Val...many thanks! And the chili lime butter is also excellent on corn on the cob! In fact I always use it when I make corn on the cob! Thanks again!

 
Are you talking about regular pork loins or just the pre-packaged ones?

I've got some great, juicy and yummy recipes for pork loin.

 
I can't imagine what would be in a MARINADE that tastes like mesquite BBQ. Scary. We love

pork shoulders and so far, I haven't noticed the loss of fat. I guess maybe that's because...if they don't have rippling fat throughout, I don't buy them. They are so versatile.

Interesting though that in general, I just don't trust the marinating that has been done in advance. If the woody flavoured marinade is thin enough to be injected into the meat, (I get the picture of Wright's Liquid Smoke) I wonder what it is composed of. I do use Wright's from time to time but it seems like a good candidate for a carcinogen.

On the other hip, I'm having great success with pork loins with various rubs, then sauce on the side, as long as my oven's thermometer stays accurate.

The other thing I find curious is the price of boneless loin (strips). I just bought a bunch for $2.50 each!! These poor little piggies, giving up their lives for these prices.

Oh dear, if I lived alone I would probably be a vegetarian.

This is a pork tenderloin that I like but now I use roasted pear chutney with it.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/1759

 
Hi Marg! Could you please post your recipe for Roasted Pear Chutney?

I have two pork tenderloins thawing in the fridge, and a 20 foot pear tree with pears screaming at me! Thanks so much!

 
Here's it:

ROASTED PEAR CHUTNEY
The most difficult part of this recipe, other than assembling the ingredients, is marshaling the patience to wait while the chutney rests in the refrigerator. The chutney will keep for 2 weeks, as long as it's covered and refrigerated.

2 ripe Bosc pears, peeled and cut in half
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons currants
3 tablespoons golden raisins
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup diced mango (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Toss the pears with the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the cinnamon, and cloves. Coat a sheet pan with half the vegetable oil. Set the pears cut side down on the pan. Brush the pears with the remaining oil. Roast until caramelized and tender, 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the degree of ripeness. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

3. While the pears are roasting, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil in a nonreactive saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

4. Using a small spoon or a melon baller, scoop out the cores of the cooked pears. Cut the pears into 1/2-inch slices.

5. Combine the pears and the onion mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving.

Makes 2 to 3 cups.
The Hands of a Chef
January 2002
By Jody Adams and Ken Rivard
William Morrow

From Epicurious

My comments:
I serve it with pork tenderloin with cracked coriander crust.
I found roasting to be unnecessary.
I used Bartlett pears as that's what my tree gives me. They're just fine. But like other commenters, I found that the pears needed more time stove-top to reduce the liquid. Could have been because the Bartletts are very juicy.
I reduced the pepper flakes.
Have never used the mango and have loved it every time.

I make a huge batch in 2004 and canned it. Works well.

 
I agree Marilyn, I still dream of the delicious pork chops in mushroom gravy..

with mashed potatoes I had as a child, and have all too often succumbed to the temptation to try "one more time" to make this simple dish. Every time - EVERY **Time I kick myself for buying pork again. Tough, tasteless, and better suited for drying to make shoe leather than eating. I keep telling myself not to ever buy pork again, and I haven't in a very long while.

 
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