A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a
bit of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few
months later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and
it has that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I
didn't grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy
stuff we had the first time had a smell like this or not.

Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)

Serene
--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

On May 8, 12:06*pm, Serene Vannoy > wrote:
> A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
> beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
> it. *Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a
> bit of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
> either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. *Now, a few
> months later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and
> it has that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? *I
> didn't grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy
> stuff we had the first time had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
> Serene
> --http://www.momfoodproject.com

no, salt pork should never smell "rotten".....it smells more like
bacon than anything else. I don't know where
you are buying it from but I wouldn't buy there again.

On 05/08/2011 12:07 PM, ImStillMags wrote:

> no, salt pork should never smell "rotten".....it smells more like
> bacon than anything else. I don't know where
> you are buying it from but I wouldn't buy there again.

James says it smells like bacon and tastes like salty unsmoked bacon to
him, so I'm gonna just believe that my own sense of the smell of it is
off. If he thought it smelled weird, too, I'd just toss it without a
thought, but my taste and smell are off often enough (some days,
everything tastes salty, for example, even apples and rice) that I'm
gonna trust him on this one.

Serene

--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

On 5/8/2011 1:06 PM, Serene Vannoy wrote:
> A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
> beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
> it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a bit
> of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
> either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few months
> later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and it has
> that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I didn't
> grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy stuff we
> had the first time had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
> Serene



It sounds as though it is beginning to get rancid. Sniff before you
buy. I've never used salt pork but bacon sometimes spoils that way
so your questions sounded familiar. Ugh.

gloria p

On 05/08/2011 12:41 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 08 May 2011 13:28:34 -0600, gloria.p wrote:
>
>> It sounds as though it is beginning to get rancid. Sniff before you
>> buy. I've never used salt pork but bacon sometimes spoils that way
>> so your questions sounded familiar. Ugh.
>
> Salt pork comes in cryovaced packages nowadays, about 8-10 ounces
> each. I have never seen it sold loose for the last 15 years.

They used to sell it loose at the Bowl, might still, but yeah, we bought
this in a sealed package, no sniffing.

Serene

--
http://www.momfoodproject.com

On Sun, 08 May 2011 12:06:26 -0700, Serene Vannoy
> wrote:

>A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
>beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
>it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a
>bit of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
>either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few
>months later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and
>it has that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I
>didn't grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy
>stuff we had the first time had a smell like this or not.
>
>Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
>rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
>opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
>Serene

Salt pork should have no foul odor, should have a mild meaty smell
like a fresh pork chop. If stored improperly wrapped it will pick up
odors like how butter does. But from what you describe it sounds like
the salt pork you bought is so old it has gone rancid... probably not
a big seller at that store... shop somewhere else.

salt pork
So named because it is salt-cured, this is a layer of fat (usually
with some streaks of lean) that is cut from the pig's belly and sides.
Salt pork is often confused with FATBACK, which is unsalted. It varies
in degree of saltiness and often must be BLANCHED to extract excess
salt before being used. It's similar to bacon but much fattier and
unsmoked. Salt pork can be refrigerated tightly wrapped for up to a
month. It's used primarily as a flavoring and is an important
ingredient in many dishes throughout New England and the South.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

On Sun, 08 May 2011 12:06:26 -0700, Serene Vannoy
> wrote:

>A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
>beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
>it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a
>bit of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
>either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few
>months later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and
>it has that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I
>didn't grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy
>stuff we had the first time had a smell like this or not.
>
>Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
>rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
>opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
>Serene
I had the same experience with smoked ham hocks very recently. They
were beautiful to look at and smelled o.k. when the package was opened
but did not smell good when cooking and made the dish taste downright
nasty. I don't know how to avoid this in the future so I have decided
not to get smoked ham hocks any longer. Obviously they are being
handled wrong or the folks that smoke them are using the smoking to
disguise some bad meat.
Janet US

On 5/8/2011 9:06 AM, Serene Vannoy wrote:
> A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
> beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
> it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a bit
> of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
> either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few months
> later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and it has
> that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I didn't
> grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy stuff we
> had the first time had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
> Serene

I have a high tolerance for funky smelling meat. I'm happy to report
that it ain't killed me yet. I once ate a really funky steak that I had
sitting in the refrigerator for a while and that was a tasty and tender
piece of meat. I sure wish I knew how to age another steak just like
that one.

OTOH, Pork does tend to have a bad odor when you cook it. I asked my
auntie once how to make shoyu pork which is an Okinawan dish. She said
it's common practice to bring the pork to a boil, drain the water, add
fresh water and bring to a boil again. She said this is done because
"pork is a dirty meat." My guess is that you're smelling this because
pork is a dirty meat and you're sensitive to the odor of putrefaction.

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
> A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
> beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about it.
> Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a bit of an
> off smell when it was cooking.
(snippage)
>
> Serene
> --
Salt pork should not smell "off", either when freshly out of the package or
while cooking. You wouldn't eat/cook with bacon that smells "off", would
you?

Jill

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
>A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of beans.
>It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about it. Then a
>few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a bit of an off
>smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell, either, so I
>assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few months later, I have
>a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and it has that slightly
>off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I didn't grow up with the
>stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy stuff we had the first time
>had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)

I certainly don't use a lot of it but I have used it for beans. And I
accidentally fried it up and served it to my MIL once thinking it was bacon!
We were staying with them and her sister told me to try to use up all the
food in the fridge and the older things in the cupboard. When I asked her
about the bacon I had found, she laughed and said it was salt pork. Sliced
and fried, everybody ate it and nobody complained but I did have to cook it
a lot and it shrank quite a bit. Actually I think I served it in a salad as
bacon bits along with some croutons that I made from some stale bread.

I have never noticed an odd smell to it.

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
>A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of beans.
>It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about it. Then a
>few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a bit of an off
>smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell, either, so I
>assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few months later, I have
>a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and it has that slightly
>off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I didn't grow up with the
>stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy stuff we had the first time
>had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>

No, it has a clean smell. It's not "real" salt pork in that it was never
packed in salt and dehydrated like they did years ago. It does go bad. A
lot of stores save money by running their coolrs too warm.

Paul


> Serene
> --
> http://www.momfoodproject.com

"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
> ...
>>A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
>>beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about it.
>>Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a bit of an
>>off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell, either, so I
>>assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few months later, I have
>>a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and it has that slightly
>>off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I didn't grow up with
>>the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy stuff we had the first
>>time had a smell like this or not.
>>
>> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
>> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
>> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
> I certainly don't use a lot of it but I have used it for beans. And I
> accidentally fried it up and served it to my MIL once thinking it was
> bacon! We were staying with them and her sister told me to try to use up
> all the food in the fridge and the older things in the cupboard. When I
> asked her about the bacon I had found, she laughed and said it was salt
> pork. Sliced and fried, everybody ate it and nobody complained but I did
> have to cook it a lot and it shrank quite a bit. Actually I think I
> served it in a salad as bacon bits along with some croutons that I made
> from some stale bread.
>

That's a fine way to prepare salt pork. It really tastes good fried crisp
like cracklings. You an use it where you would use crumbled bacon. Just
omit any other salt in the recipe. When I make coq au vain I top the dish
with diced and fried salt pork.

Paul

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
>A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of beans.
>It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about it. Then a
>few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a bit of an off
>smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell, either, so I
>assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few months later, I have
>a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and it has that slightly
>off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I didn't grow up with the
>stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy stuff we had the first time
>had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
> Serene
> --
>
It shouldn't smell. We have salt pork as part of braised beef fairly often.
Was it vac-packed from Hormel or similar, or was it cut to order at a
butcher shop? In your area we used to buy it at the Pasta shop in Rockridge,
and at Ratto's downtown. I worry somewhat about the meat market at the
Berkeley Bowl and avoid it.

We always cut salt pork up into small bite size pieces, and blanch them in
simmering water for a few minutes to desalt. Then it goes into the saute pan
to brown, and and to render the fat and then into the stew.

It's really nicer than bacon. It doesn't dominate the dish as much.

Kent

On 08/05/2011 6:04 PM, dsi1 wrote:

> OTOH, Pork does tend to have a bad odor when you cook it. I asked my
> auntie once how to make shoyu pork which is an Okinawan dish. She said
> it's common practice to bring the pork to a boil, drain the water, add
> fresh water and bring to a boil again. She said this is done because
> "pork is a dirty meat." My guess is that you're smelling this because
> pork is a dirty meat and you're sensitive to the odor of putrefaction.
>

Pork tends to have a bad odor when cooked? Over the years I have had the
occasionally piece of pork that had an unpleasant aroma. Most of the
time it smells delicious. Most people love the smell of bacon frying,
and there are very more pleasant aromas than a roast of pork int he
oven. AAMOF, I am enjoying the smell of pork chops baking right now, and
they smell like they are almost ready.

On Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 3:06:26 PM UTC-4, Serene Vannoy wrote:
> A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
> beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
> it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a
> bit of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
> either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few
> months later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and
> it has that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I
> didn't grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy
> stuff we had the first time had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
>
> Serene
> --
> http://www.momfoodproject.com

In my opinion and experience, salt pork almost always has a slightly rancid smell when being fried. You don't notice it in beans but frying just seems to bring out that odor. I cook this stuff a lot and it always has that smell. I'm by no means squeamish about food but the smell is strong enough that I always question it in my head....okay, just how long ago did I buy this. But it never fails to smell, I always eat it anyways and it's always delish in the end.

Am Sonntag, 8. Mai 2011 21:06:26 UTC+2 schrieb Serene Vannoy:
> A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
> beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
> it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a
> bit of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
> either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few
> months later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and
> it has that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I
> didn't grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy
> stuff we had the first time had a smell like this or not.
>
> Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)

Another approach: Maybe they used boar (not neutered male pig).
And I fully agree with the other posters: salted pork shouldn't smell "off".

Bye, Sanne.

On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 1:46:21 PM UTC-5, sanne wrote:
>
> Am Sonntag, 8. Mai 2011 21:06:26 UTC+2 schrieb Serene Vannoy:
>
> Another approach: Maybe they used boar (not neutered male pig).
> And I fully agree with the other posters: salted pork shouldn't smell "off".
>
> Bye, Sanne.
>
>
SIX YEAR OLD post; look at the date. smh

Am Donnerstag, 18. Mai 2017 23:07:58 UTC+2 schrieb :
> On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 1:46:21 PM UTC-5, sanne wrote:
> >
> > Am Sonntag, 8. Mai 2011 21:06:26 UTC+2 schrieb Serene Vannoy:
> >
> > Another approach: Maybe they used boar (not neutered male pig).
> > And I fully agree with the other posters: salted pork shouldn't smell "off".
> >
> > Bye, Sanne.
> >
> >
> SIX YEAR OLD post; look at the date. smh

Right; sorry. I don't usually fall for that kind of thing - didn't sleep
well/much last night.
OTOH - at that age, anything is allowed to smell "off". ;-D

Bye, Sanne.

On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 4:22:50 PM UTC-5, sanne wrote:
>
> Right; sorry. I don't usually fall for that kind of thing - didn't sleep
> well/much last night.
> OTOH - at that age, anything is allowed to smell "off". ;-D
>
> Bye, Sanne.
>
>
:-))

On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 4:22:50 PM UTC-5, sanne wrote:
>
> Right; sorry. I don't usually fall for that kind of thing - didn't sleep
> well/much last night.
> OTOH - at that age, anything is allowed to smell "off". ;-D
>
> Bye, Sanne.
>
>
:-))

On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 3:02:28 AM UTC-10, wrote:
> On Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 3:06:26 PM UTC-4, Serene Vannoy wrote:
> > A while back, I bought salt pork instead of bacon to put in a pot of
> > beans. It was delicious, and I didn't notice anything too weird about
> > it. Then a few months ago, I bought salt pork again, and I noticed a
> > bit of an off smell when it was cooking. The kid didn't like the smell,
> > either, so I assumed the stuff was bad, and tossed it. Now, a few
> > months later, I have a new package of salt pork and I'm frying it up and
> > it has that slightly off odor: is that just the way salt pork smells? I
> > didn't grow up with the stuff, and I just don't remember if the yummy
> > stuff we had the first time had a smell like this or not.
> >
> > Anyone use a lot of store-bought salt pork? Does it smell just mildly
> > rotten? (I eat cheese and sourdough and fermented things, so I'm not
> > opposed to eating something that's SUPPOSED to smell that way. :-)
> >
> > Serene
> > --
> > http://www.momfoodproject.com
>
> In my opinion and experience, salt pork almost always has a slightly rancid smell when being fried. You don't notice it in beans but frying just seems to bring out that odor. I cook this stuff a lot and it always has that smell. I'm by no means squeamish about food but the smell is strong enough that I always question it in my head....okay, just how long ago did I buy this. But it never fails to smell, I always eat it anyways and it's always delish in the end.

I made some shoyu pork the other night. The smell of pork belly boiling is kind of nasty. My guess is that most meat has kind of an ugly smell to it but we don't mind it too much because we grew up eating meat.

The pork belly was gently boiled for about an hour. The water was then drained and the pork was rinsed and cut into pieces. The hard core stuff will have the pig skin still on but I like to trim it off. The pork was then boiled in sake, brown sugar, shoyu, and ginger for another hour. Pork done this way is very soft and the fat turns into a delicate jelly-like material. It's an Okinawan favorite!