The Michael Symon Pork Rule You Need To Know
If you have ever tuned into an episode of Food Networks "Burgers, Brew & 'Que," then you know the show's host Michael Symon knows a thing or two when it comes to all things carnivores consume. In an exclusive interview with Mashed, Symon recently shared with his love for the process of cooking, saying, "I enjoy the process of food and the technique of food. So the reason that barbecue always pulls me in is because it's not like I put it on a grill, it's done. It's like, 'All right, I've got the wood going, I got the smoker going,' and now this is anywhere from a four to 14-hour process, which I enjoy."
Because Symon is such a scholar of the cooking process, over the years he has discovered (and maybe even invented) some culinary tricks of the trade to make the process easier and more efficient, with an absolutely delicious end result. Symon shared some of those expert tips for preparing cuts of pork during an appearance on Food Network's "BBQ Brawl." More specifically, the master of barbecue shared how he goes about trimming the fat off pork while keeping the meat juicy, succulent, and fans wanting to chow down on it.
Pork fat is 'beautiful'
Michael Symon acknowledges that people get "freaked out" by the amount of fat in pork, but he says they should not because it's really a "beautiful fat," and when it "renders and crisps," it's everything our mouths could ever want. Hard to argue with that point, right? Symon starts with a pork loin, which he says is really a pretty lean cut. In prepping the meat to cook, he shares that you want to leave some of the fat cap, which he dubs a "self-baster," but notes below the fat cap is some "silver skin," which he explains is a deep connective tissue that will make the meat kind of tough and chewy if it is not removed.
This is when Symon's knowledge of the process really shines. He explains that you should "take the tip of the knife and run it underneath that silver. Then you are going to aim it [the tip of the knife] up so you are not cutting through the meat just aiming up towards that silver skin and that excess fat, and then you come back the other way towards you to remove the silver skin." This will ensure your meat is free of anything that could make it chewy while preserving the fat cap. Symon also notes you can score the meat if you want and it will "almost turn the fat cap into crackling," creating a beautiful texture variation, while the fat keeps the pork meat moist. Bon appetit.