The Next Pig thing

Anybody can cook a

steak. pork is the true

test of a grill master.

Here's the right way

go whole hog

e're in the middle of a pgirk- revolution, with air * things hog-related ruling restaurant menus and filling up the butcher case (likely lorded over by a butcher emblazoned with bacon tattoos). Rare heirloom breeds marbled with fat and packed with flavor are making a comeback, besting the chewy factory-produced varieties that go from raw to rubbery on the grill. But now that the other white meat has become the noble white meat, let lesser men strut i their grilling skills with burgers and steaks. That's mere child's • play compared with the challenges and attendant rewards of perfecting your pork-grilling prowess: Yotnieed the right meat, the right recipes and the right techniques. Our guide will elevate ¦ your next party from humble cookout to a pig-out for the ages^, -.*

DISH 1

BOURBON-ROSEMARY PORK CHOPS

Try tracking down Berkshire pork for this recipe. The heirloom breed has a higher fat content than most supermarket varieties (nimanranch.com and heritagefoodsusa.com are excellent sources). If you strike out, the bourbon-spiked brine will yieldflavorful results with any kind of pork. Recipe serves two.

DIRECTIONS

<• Combine brown sugar, salt and rosemary in a large bowl. Add hot water and whisk until brown sugar and salt are dissolved. Let steep five minutes. Stir in cold water, bourbon and oil. Pour this mixture over chops, turning the meat a couple of times to coat evenly. Refrig­erate for two hours, turning once after an hour. Pat dry before grilling.

? Build a two-zone fire on your grill. If using a charcoal grill, mound hot charcoal on one side, leaving other side cold. If using a gas grill, turn half the burners to medium-high. Cook chops on cool side, covered, about 15 min­utes. To finish cooking, move chops to hot side and cook until grill marks appeal- and an instant-read thermometer reaches 140 degrees—about five minutes per side. Let chops rest another five min­utes before serving to keep juices from spilling out.

Hot Tip

HOW TO GET THE HEAT JUST RIGHT

Beef can stand up to a blazing grill, but perk "equires a more moder­ate heat to coax out its flavors yet remain unctuous and tender. High

heat can dry out lean cuts of park or cause fatty cuts to t-lare up

and scorch. G9t the right temaeratune by letting the coals cool down

or setting your gas grill to medium. Place the palm of your hand ftue

inches aboue the grate.If you can count to seven before hauing to

pull it away, you're good to grill.

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp. brown sugar

tbsp. kosher salt

sprigs fresh rosemary

cup hot water

cups cold water

4 tbsp. bourbon

2 tbsp. canola oil

2 one-inch-thick bone-in

pork-rib chops

PORK-BELLY TACOS

Inspired by the Korean tacos served by L.A.'s Kogi food trucks, this dish has become a street-food clas­sic. Pork belly is essentially uncured bacon. Give it a bath in a spicy marinade, put it on a tortilla, top it ivith kimchi and you've tripled the deliciousness factor. Recipe serves four.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp. sesame oil

3 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

tbsp. sambal oelek or other chili paste

tbsp. brown sugar

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Ibsp. fresh ginger, chopped

1 Ib. thick-cut fresh pork belly, cut into

quarter-inch strips

12 corn tortillas

2 cups kimchi

1 cup scullions, chopped

'/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

? In a large mixing bowl add oil, soy sauce, sambal, sugar, garlic and ginger; stir until combined. Add pork belly and mix until all pieces are well coated. Refrigerate for two hours. Set up a two-zone fire to medium heat. (For a charcoal grill, rake coals Lo one side; for a gas grill, turn on half the burners.) Allow grill to reach correct heat—see our "Hot Tip" on the previous page. Grill pork-belly strips, uncovered, until cooked through and nicely browned, about five minutes per side. If flare-ups occur, move pork belly to the cool side of the grill until flames subside. Once cooked, chop pork belly into half-inch pieces. Warm tortillas on the grill, then top with pork, kimchi, scallions and cilantro.

r

Swine Wine

THE THREE BEST WINES TO SERVE WITH OUR MENU

PRIORfiT RED

Don't grab a cab. Opt for red wine from Spain's Driorat region, made primarily with gutsy

grenache grapes, to stand up to juicy pork chops.

Try: 2009 Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses, $40

DRV RIESLING

No, not all nesting is

sweet. Dry [trocken]

riesling From Austria

has intense aromas and

a tart backbone. Serue

with pork-belly tacos.

Try: 2011 Keller Estate Riesling Trocken, $20

ROSE

Real men drink pink. Rose is actually more badass than beer: It's sharper and has twice the alcohol. Serue with cured pork.

Try: 2010 Dumuine du Grus Nore Bandol Rose, $26

DISH 3 KILLER APP

Serve the king of cured meats while your guests watch you play Iron Chef at the grill.

' Jamon Iberico is Spain's rightfully revered ham. Until a few years ago it was illegal to import. While basic Iberico is amazing, the best of the best is spectacular. You want jamon Iberico pata negra bellota. Pata negra is the black-footed breed of pig considered the superior^'ajndn pig. Bellota means "acorn," which is what the pigs feast on. The combination of the two yields the sweetest, nuttiest, deepest-flavored results. Wham, bam, thank you, ham. {$48 for three ounces of jamon Iberico de bellota, tienda.com}

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BIG ON PIG

Three artisanal pork products that will blow your mind

PROSCIUTTO AMERICANO

Made in Iowa from organically raised pigs, this salty-sweet cured ham gives the Italians a ran for their money. {$16 for three ounces, zingermans.com}

FOOD STVLING: FRANCESCO TONELLI: PROP STYLINS: LYNN TONELLI: I

SEUKETV 1BKHIVO

In Spain, the secreto (or "secret") cut is what we call skirt

steak. When sourced from a Spanish pig that foraged for

acorns in the forests of Cordoba, this cut has a baconlike

richness that's perfect for a quick sear on the grill.

{$38 per pound, tienda.com}

OLYMPIC PROVISIONS SAUSAGE

Portland's Olympic Provisions takes dried sausage to an­other level with versions such as Italian finocchiona made with fennel and garlic and Greek loukanika made with

cumin and orange zest. {$10per sausage, olympicprovisions.com}