Glance into the meat cases at any grocery store and you'll see a whole slew of cured meat products, some of which look raw and some of which look like they could survive a cross-country back packing trip. What does "cured" mean for these different products? Let's take a look. More

Brines work by breaking down some of the muscle tissue and helping the meat to draw in moisture. On large cuts like Faith's corned beef, this process can take several hours or days. But on small cuts, even a short brine while you prepare the rest of the meal will improve the flavor and tenderness of the meat! Take a look... More

Here's a quick and easy recipe for grilled pork chops, in time for our second week of Meat/Un-Meat coverage.

Now and then when I'm too tired to cook anything too labor-intensive, I'll pick up some pork chops, mix together this simple rosemary-based spice rub, and slather it across my chops. A few minutes later we're having beautifully grilled pork for dinner. No grill or grill-pan? No worries, just use a skillet. More

These three pork products look alike, taste somewhat similar, and even get regularly substituted for each other. It's no wonder we get them confused! In actuality, they have very distinctive characteristics that make each ideal for different kinds of preparations. Here's the scoop... More

Salt pork has always seemed a very old-fashioned American ingredient; we think of Little House on the Prairie and other stories of pioneers with only long-lasting salt pork to give a little meaty flavor to their meals. Well, salt pork is still around, and it's very cheap, very easy to use, and a little goes a long, long way. More

A good appetizer can be hard to find. We get tired of dips. And creating tiny, individual, stuffed somethings is time-consuming. We're always looking for a dish that's easy and crowd-pleasing, and we usually turn to this combination... More

A friend came over one day last week with a frozen pork shank from Flying Pigs Farm and dropped it on the butcher block with a thud.

"What do I do with this?" she asked, "it's been in the freezer for months." I had never cooked a pork shank before but knew it was definitely the kind of cut that begged for a braise. More

One of our favorite vendors at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market is Marin Sun Farms. Marin Sun is a local family farm in Marin County, California that raises organic, grass-fed cattle, pigs, goat, lamb, and chicken. More

We love CSA's because we believe in supporting our local farmers and we love getting fresh produce delivered to us direct from the farmer. Now, those of us in most Bay Area locations can have local meat delivered to us straight from the ranchers. More

With Easter coming up, we've started thinking about where to buy Easter ham from sustainable-raised pigs. We did some research and found several farms that raise their pigs without hormones or drugs, on an organic diet, and do not confine them to cages - the pigs are allowed to engage in natural behavior, such as rooting and foraging. More