# Ground pork



## gregdad (Jun 23, 2014)

So I got 3 pounds of ground pork, what do I do with it? I wanna smoke it somehow just not sure what to make. Any easy ideas?


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## noboundaries (Jun 23, 2014)

Sausage seasoned meat loaf!


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 23, 2014)

Make some Sausage. If you dont have a Stuffer, patties, meatballs or log shapes are fine. So is meatloaf as Noboundaries posted, although I prefer no more than 500g mini loaves. Before I got a stuffer I used rehydrated Corn Husks that are used to make Tamales and available in any area with people of Mexican decent or from the southwest US. They work really well, I saw the technique on DDD on the Foodnetwork...JJ


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## gregdad (Jun 23, 2014)

Well, I got 3 one pound little tubes, maybe I'll do a couple little loafs and use the last one patties. 
Thanks guys.


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## gregdad (Jun 23, 2014)

Well I decided to make two loafs. I added some spices, grated marble cheese, fresh cilantro and fresh chopped green onions. Got them on the charcoal grill now and later I'm using my Bradley to smoke 2 pounds of  maple bacon wrapped pork loin cubes.
I'll post pics later tonight.


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## gregdad (Jun 23, 2014)

Pork loafs were a flop but the bacon wrapped pork is like candy. 












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Are they done yet daddy?













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__ gregdad
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## venture (Jun 23, 2014)

Back when butts were $0.99/LB?  I ground up a lot of pork.  When not grinding for sausage, I would omit some of the fat.

Great for many Mexican dishes.  Cheap and effective substitute for ground beef in many applications.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 24, 2014)

The Loaves were a Flop? What was wrong and what exactly did you put in? How long were they cooked and to what final IT? Pretty much any recipe can be fixed...JJ


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## dr k (Jun 24, 2014)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Make some Sausage. If you dont have a Stuffer, patties, meatballs or log shapes are fine. So is meatloaf as Noboundaries posted, although I prefer no more than 500g mini loaves. Before I got a stuffer I used rehydrated Corn Husks that are used to make Tamales and available in any area with people of Mexican decent or from the southwest US. They work really well, I saw the technique on DDD on the Foodnetwork...JJ


I'm going to try your one pound mini loaves with 50/50 pork and ground round at 225* to an IT of 160*.  I've never smoked meat loaf and will probably do 4 loaves without pans on a Qmat.  I don't know why I haven't tried this yet.

-Kurt


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 24, 2014)

Sounds like a plan. If you need a recipe, I can help...JJ


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## gregdad (Jun 25, 2014)

If ya don't mind, I'd love that recipe too.


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## dr k (Jun 25, 2014)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Sounds like a plan. If you need a recipe, I can help...JJ


Thanks.  Any ideas would help.  My sister has what she calls a fluffy meatloaf recipe:

1lb.  ground beef or veal

1/2lb.  ground pork

3 slices soft bread torn in pieces w/ 1c.  milk

or 1 c. dry bread crumbs with 1 1/4c.  milk

1 egg beaten

1/4 c.  minced onion

1 1/4 tsp.  salt

1/4 tsp.  pepper

1/4 tsp.  dry mustard

1/4 tsp.  sage

1/4 tsp.  celery salt

1/4 tsp.  garlic salt

1T. Worcestershire sauce

Oven method of cooking is shaping into a loaf on a shallow baking pan.  1 1/2 hrs. @ 350*.

I have made this in the oven the way described above and also changing the pork to 1lb and the 1/4 tsp. ingredients to 1/2tsp.

I think I'll try the regular recipe first divided into 4 mini loaves on a Qmat smoked @ 225* or a little higher till IT is 160*.

I'm not sure if liquids need to be reduced when smoking low and slow.

-Kurt


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## bluewhisper (Jun 25, 2014)

Venture said:


> Back when butts were $0.99/LB?  I ground up a lot of pork.  When not grinding for sausage, I would omit some of the fat.
> 
> Great for many Mexican dishes.  Cheap and effective substitute for ground beef in many applications.
> 
> Good luck and good smoking.


That's what I like to do, though that $.99 price is history. I usually split the batch between breakfast sausage, and "Italian" sausage, perfect for meatballs.


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 26, 2014)

That is a lot of Milk. The mix will be pretty loose and may not hold it's shape well. For comparison, below is my Recipe for Meatloaf. If you wish to try it you can mix Pork in for some of the beef and add any Herbs and Spices you may like...JJ

*Classic Meatloaf*

2Lbs Ground Beef

1 1/2C Italian Breadcrumbs

1 Envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix*

1ea Roasted Red Pepper, about 4oz, fine diced.**

2ea Eggs

1/3C Ketchup

3oz. Milk

1tsp Black Pepper

1 1/2tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all in a bowl and mix well. Place a sheet of Wax Paper or Parchment on the counter. Remove the meat from the bowl, ball it up and slam on the paper covered counter 2-3 times to remove air bubbles and compress out any cracks. Place the meat in a greased baking pan and form into long loaf shape about 6" across. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 160°F. Remove from oven an rest 15-20 minutes for juices to redistribute in the meat. Serve.

* Substitute 1T Dry Onion Flakes, 1T Beef Base or Granules and 1T Soy Sauce, if you don't have Onion Soup Mix.

** Substitute Roasted Green Chiles, (Hatch, Anaheim or Pablano) for Red Pepper. 1 4oz Can Chopped Green Chiles (Old El Paso or other) works too.


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## venture (Jun 27, 2014)

Wow?

Could two recipes be more different?

Then again can anyone agree on what meatloaf should be?

I like a tight meatloaf. Heavier on binders like the eggs and crumbs. Closer to Chef JJ's but way simpler.  Free form and not in a loaf pan.

Don't like a loose meatloaf on my plate.

Especially because the best part of meatloaf is a cold meatloaf sandwich the next day or for days after.  If it lasts that long? And crumbly meatloaf makes a crumbly sandwich, even the next day.

Just because that is how my mom made it?  How my mom made it is the only "real" meatloaf"?  Got it?

When mom died, I thought I would finally get her recipe.  I was devastated to learn she had several recipes with notes for changes written all over them.  Seems she was never satisfied with her meatloaf like she was never satisfied with my job on any task she gave me?

What a disappointment. Gotta love her tho!

There will never be an end to this kind of controversy.

Good luck and good smoking.


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