Do you Buy?

[chisoxjim]

I find the enhanced pork ends up tasting "hammy".

 

[pignit]

If I want enhanced.... I enhance it myself.

 

[hog warden]

By enhanced, I assume you mean the stuff that is cryopaced with liquid added. I'll buy butts and ribs like that at Sam's when the price is right. Those are for smoking whole. I don't mind too much for the extra moisture they add and they tend to run cheap at Sam's. Or did. I was buying them for 99 cents all summer. They seem to be running higher than that lately.

For sausage, I'm going with fresh butts only....for a couple reasons. Fresh looks and tastes better and the liquid added stuff always cuts and grinds "mushy" or "squishy" for lack of better terms.

 

[chisoxjim]

I dont think all cryo packed pork is "enhanced", I am talking about the stuff that is labeled "pork injected with x % soultion". I have seen some items not cryo packed with this label as well.

 

[raceyb]

Let's not confuse cryovac with enhanced products. Cryovacing is done to remove all oxygen from the meat and package, which preserves the meat for longer periods. While some cryovaced meats may have been frozen previously or enhanced, the packaging would need to say so in either case.

I have seen cryovaced meats that have been enhanced before, but that is not common. One quick way to tell is to look at the use by date. If the use by is a week or two away, chances are it's not enhanced, but always refer to packaging labels.

 

[smokin-jim]

I have used cryovac many times and had excellent results. I think how you prepare and smoke it is at least as important as how it comes packaged.

I usually get my ribs from Costco and the butts from Cash and Carry and have had excellent results.

 

[meateater]

I try for fresh but will use other in a pinch.

 

[erain]

exzactly

, that label should tell all... i like to purchase fresh, usually buy a half or whole every fall. but there are only 2 butts or 2 racks per whole so i buy these throughout the year and always in cyrovac. i have never seen any enhanced or prev frozen yet, but if they were either like Raceyb says the label would indicate...

 

[beer-b-q]

We are fortunate to have several great butcher shops in the area that kills and butchers their own meat so nothing is added...

 

[coyote-1]

Problem is that it doesn't do that.
But I can see where folk who strive for "fall off the bone" ribs might prefer the enhanced stuff. The enhanced pokr chops I'd gotten had a very lifeless quality about them. Where an ordinary chop, even if tender, will offer tiny bit of resistance to cutting and chewing, the enhanced stuff cuts/chews like yogurt. So some folk, particularly those whose teeth have fallen out over the decades, might prefer it.

 

[pignit]

Enhanced from my understanding is in a solution that is basically a cure. That gives whatever is enhanced a texture and taste similiar to ham. There is a very distinct difference between the two. I'm sure it varies as to the amount of salts etc. in the solution but it's basically creating a cure.... and your paying for that added weight. I like to cure my own pork for the ham texture and taste. I don't care for hammy ribs. One of those preference things.

 

[oneeye]

Fresh only here. We do not buy it though, I just grab the .22 and head out to the pasture on shoot a nice young one! I have 4 fresh picnics and 2 butts on the pit as I type this. Also CB and vennie bacon in the little smoker. life is good!

 

[byounghusband]

I guessI need to read the labels better.... I didn't realize that there was "Enhanced Pork" Brings many things to mind.....

I tend to smoke more Wild Boar Hams and Shoulders than Domestic, so I KNOW it ain't "Enhanced"

I will look for fresh and only use "enhanced" in a pinch if ever.... Kinda like this years Smoked Turkey. I go an "UnEnhanced" bird and it was the best I've ever done.....

 

[morkdach]

what he said^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.
price & avail.