Pure Pork Awesomeness

I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley!

So I have been on a cookbook request binge ever since I was able to review Chowderland. If awesome books like that can show up on Netgalley, there must be more, right? Time will tell, I have a few others to take a look at. This one is keeping me hopeful and happy. Everything in here looks amazing!

Pure Pork Awesomeness caught my eye right off the bat. I’m all for veggies and well-rounded meals, but how can you possibly not like PORK?!! Look and this…I’m about to lick the screen.

Anyway, the chef’s name sounded familiar to me as well, but I couldn’t place it. It wasn’t until I read his name to my cousin and I started flipping through the book and talking about all the cute piggly wigglies in the front that she reminded me that he was the guy obsessed with pigs on Top Chef. I read her this in particular. I only half keep up with the show anymore.

Ok, back to the book. The book starts with a lot of interesting info on pigs: pig farming, hog breeding, hog breeds (aww, so cute, why must you taste so good?!), pastured pork vs. commodity pork, processing, labeling, parts and cuts, etc. Usually I find this stuff boring but it had a lot of useful info.

OK, OK, I know, what about the food you ask, well here you go...

Someone hand me a napkin *drool*

Mmm, so many different flavors...and bulgogi...need I say more

And sammies of all kinds: Cubans, BLT’s...so many slices of bread with yummy ham smashed in between them...

And look, there’s even pasta!

…and desserts (although I am not much of a maple bacon dessert fan), and homemade brats, and even side recipes of slaw or aioli’s. I want it ALL. And I could show you too, but I was told I was taking to many pictures. Ha! Here are a few more to wet your whistle...

The release date isn’t until March and from what I can tell, it’s in Kindle format only, which is highly disappointing. It is well worth the cost for hard copy so if you are interested, I would save your $9.99 until it comes out in that format.

As for me, I will be trying out a recipe THIS weekend. We ordered (not so easily), an uncooked, uncured, raw ham so we can do all of the brining and salt curing ourselves without all of the nasty preservatives. It should be here today or tomorrow. Cannot wait.

I think I better go find myself some lunch now....

Pure Pork Awesomeness – the title says it all really. A great recipe book and also an interesting read. Gives a convincing case for just why pork is the best meat, but also helps to explain why so many of us have eaten really bad, dry, overly chewy pork chops etc over the years. Unsurprisingly it is all about the quality of your meat. Kevin Gillespie's love of this meat comes through and his enthusiasm for cooking with it infectious. As he says, the joy is the variety you get from a pig: bacon, pulled pork, roasted loin etc. All tasting different. So far I have yet to get past salivating at the recipes but I fully except to try at least 50% of them – a high ratio for any cookbook. If you like pork, and cooking, this is a must for your kitchen bookshelf.

I must have a hard copy of this book. Kevin Gillespie can frigging cook. I wonder if he needs me to follow him around and taste test his recipes?
He was a favorite contestant on Top Chef and honestly I didn't even like that show anymore but watched it for him.
When you see a chef carrying wood to cook with, you know something good is about to happen. This book does focus on pork, not that grocery store pork though. Kevin does an astounding job on describing the difference in grocery store pork vs the good stuff. Local, humanly grown pork. Good grief, I'm starving. I don't even eat a whole lot of meat and I'm drooling. Just look..
and Bacon Jam. YES!! Jam made of bacon. (I've made this and it's unbelievable)

(these are not pics from this cookbook-Look at my friend Kristin's review for lovely pictures of this book.
Plus, Kevin was a character on Archer..I mean come on. How can you not love this guy?

I was able to preview this book thanks to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A few days ago mu husband and I were talking about our favorite meats. Mine is pork, hands down. So is Gillespie's and he's brought his knowledge and his love to this collection of recipes that draws on all kinds of traditions.

Unlike most cookbooks, this book is arranged by parts of the pig, instead of by course or cooking technique.Instead of having to go to the index to look for pork chop recipes, you just go to the pork loin chapter.

The recipes come from all over. You'll find recipes from his childhood, from his restaurants, and from different cultures. Even when I knew I couldn't make or wouldn't like the recipes, they made my mouth water.

At the beginning of each chapter you'll find a section describing that portion of the pork and how it can be used. Combined with an introductory chapter about pigs and pig farming and shorter essays on aspects of sustainably-raised and heritage pork vs. commercial pork, this book is also areal education.

This is not the book to buy if you are looking for a comprehensive guide to cooking this versitile meat. But it's a great additionto a cookbook shelf with recipes you won't find everywhere else.

A pork lover's dream! A great collection of information and recipes. Nicely laid out and visually captivating.

Oh my goodness, it really is a very comprehensive book on ways to cook Pork.
We are in heaven in our house and every recipe I have tried so far is spot on.
I love the way it is organised by the cut of the meat and it's just well written and simple to follow.
We will be having many more meals from this book in our house.

This book will satisfy the "foodie" within you. I love it and MUST buy a copy when it hits my independent bookstore.

As a girl who lives in Iowa, I thought I knew my pork, but Kevin goes into detail about the different cuts and I learned so much.

I loved the graphics, the photos and obviously, the recipes.

This amazing edition will be on my gift idea list for some of my cooking friends.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGallery in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Pork is a meat I’ve only really eaten as sausages and bacon. Maybe the odd chop with apple sauce on the side. Growing up, beef, lamb and chicken were always the main joints on the Sunday dinner menu. So when I saw a copy of this available for review, I just had to take a peak, and I wasn’t disappointed. Awesomeness is an understatement. This book had my mouth watering with every new recipe.

As the authors are based stateside, all of the ingredients are listed giving the U.S. weights and measures, which isn’t too problematic as it’s easy to find a metric conversion chart online. If you’re UK based, then you may not be able to source one or two of the additional ingredients in some of the recipes, but you might be able to source them online or find a close alternative. Some of the joints used in the recipes may require a trip to your local butcher, rather than the supermarket.

The book is divided up into sections, each part covering a different cut of meat. Not only do the authors take the time to familiarise the reader with each cut; where it’s located, it’s flavour and uses. They have also chosen recipes that are appropriate for each cut and many of the recipes have an international feel to them. In short, it’s a pork recipe bible.

Some of the recipes are more complicated than other, as they require a certain degree of advance preparation, but the instructions are clear and methodical. It’s fair to say that there are more recipes you will want to try than not. The thing I liked most about the book was the fact that it taught me about a meat I’ve never tried properly and gave me ideas for a fairly fuss free menu of food that would be perfect to serve on a Saturday afternoon watching the rugby or an informal dinner party.

Watch this space to see which recipes I decided to give a whirl…

What an excellent book. I love my meat and I don't think I can ever become a vegetarian. My top favorite meats are chicken and Pork so this book was idea.

I got more than I expected from this gem of a recipe book though, its sectioned in each part of the pig, really an amazing idea!

I like in the UK and there are some amazing recipes from other countries that I would love to try, and I WILL try, so tasty looking. I think they can stay within my calorie budget!

When you purchase this recipe book you won't be disappointed all the graphics are superb. Easy to follow recipes.

Yum

I would like to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing via Net galley for my copy.

In my house, a great cookbook can be recognized by the bristling collection of tags marking dishes to be cooked. Pure Pork Awesomeness is just such a great cookbook. Besides being filled with delicious pork (what else?) recipes, its also a wonderful primer for recognizing and buying pork cuts.

I've currently got a pork tenderloin brining in the fridge for Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Green Peppercorns, Slow Cooked Pork Barbacoa baking away, and I'm craving some Zigeunerschnitzel. Too much pork? Never!

I really enjoyed this book. The recipes, the beautiful photos, the tips and tricks. There's not an option for the half star but there were a coupld of, if I were to be critical, issues for me.

Swearing is one - and while not a deal breaker, I prefer to not read through it. Yes it's how some folks talk. An author or guest in the home probably wouldn't get a pass in real life, and it's objectionable in the book. Beyond that, one of the photos of hogs was mis-identified as a Hampshire by a photo of an all white pig. Hampshire hogs are black with a white distinctive band around the middle.

Neither of these really take away from a deserved five star review. I love how the recipes are grouped by section of the hog. I like the 'whole hog' concept within. Love the variety and new twists on favorites and new dishes that are not too tough for those just learning. Great book for those buying a whole hog or wanting to learn more about pork. I got my copy from NetGalley, but easily earns a place on the bookshelf.

My family defaults to pork more than anything else when we are looking for variety. Oh, ok, so we eat a lot of chicken breasts (so healthy!) and tacos (because tacos!) and this book was a welcome addition. I only wish that I had spent more time with it before my .pdf expired. I will certainly be on the lookout for it the next time I am in an actual bookstore. I think this is one cookbook I'd actually come back to use.

This would be a great book for a public library. I don't think I'll be buying it for my library. There is far too much information, and too few pictures. However, if you look for cookbooks to use as cookbooks, this would be an excellent choice. I would think that anyone who loves cookbooks would want this one.

This cookbook is a great read, even if you don't get around to making the recipes!

This was an excellent cook book full of east to read recipes and photos of the finished product. The main thing is that this is all about pork. The quality, how to select the cut you want and how to select the pork just in general. I think that was just one of the better parts of the book was to make sure that you have quality pork and how to make sure that way what you are making will turn out the best. First I was surprised by this book not thinking I would enjoy it, but he goes through most ethnic dishes I believe and of course there were some that I have never seen or heard before. That just makes it more entertaining. Overall an outstanding cook book.