Pork juice is the liquid that exudes from the pork while roasting or boiling. Pork is one of the highly preferred meats of Western Europe and each and every pork product is highly consumed in the Western European cuisine. However, pork products, including pork bones or pork juice are widely consumed in Italian, French and Spanish cuisines, as well.
The juice of pork is collected in the dripping pan of the grill or oven and used for cooking several dishes that require the pork flavor. The meat dripping is considered the most flavored product, as it contains all the flavors of the meat as well as the marinade.
Pork broth, also sometimes referred to as pork juice, forms the rich base for many dishes such as soups, curries and sauces.
Pork Juice: Preparation and Usage
Roasted pork drippings are considered best for the sauces and the curries requiring pork flavor. The drippings are collected from the oven/ grill dripping pan and included along with additional spices in pork, as well as, other meat dishes. White pork drippings are more flavorful than veal and chicken drippings.
For the pork broth, mainly the bones and scraps are used. The broth is an ideal ingredient for various Southern Italian as well as French soups including lentil soups, and even several vegetable soups. Although raw pork is mainly used to prepare the broth, roasted pork produces a richer and versatile broth. Baby back pork ribs are especially incorporated to make the broth, as theyth contain extra connective tissues that impart flavor to the broth.
Pork broth is typically prepared by boiling the pork meat or bones with seasonings and few vegetables. In French cuisine, mirepoix is boiled with pork meat and all these ingredients produce an excellent flavorful pork juice. Garlic, onion, pepper, salt, clove, thyme and parsley are often added to enhance the flavor of the juice. Pork meat is roasted or stir-fried before adding to the stockpot.
In the stockpot, the combination of ingredients is cooked on slow-fire for at least 45-60 minutes until the pork is tender. Once the broth is ready, it is strained through a fine sieve. The solid meat pieces are kept for pork dishes whereas the strained liquid, the juice of pork, is used as a flavoring ingredient. The layer of fat that appears on top of the juice should be skimmed off and juice can be stored in a refrigerator until used.
Health Facts Related to Pork Juice
Pork is one of the leanest of all meats and the juice extracted from it also contains very less fats. However, pork sausages and salami contain excess saturated fats and cholesterol. Pork is also an excellent source of Vitamin B and protein. It has useful traces of zinc and iron as well.
Although pork juice is considered safe for consumption, improper grilling and cooking of pork may produce juice that can transmit parasites and tapeworm eggs to humans when they consume it