Saveur Cooks Authentic American - Editors Of Cook's Illustrated Magazine [43]
In addition to the federal grading system, consumers have another option available to them: beef that has undergone certification. This program, overseen by the USDA, certifies that the beef bearing the designation is from a particular breed or variety. The most common breed certification is for beef from Angus steer and heifers, which have consistently demonstrated a predisposition for developing well-marbled meat.
Steak lovers on a budget should remember that they’ll get tastier results using lesser cuts (top round or flank steak, for example) graded prime or choice than they will with higher-end cuts (like rib eye or porterhouse) graded select. Note that most beef from grass-fed or “organic” animals is sold ungraded, as its quality can’t be judged by the same standards that apply to commercial beef.
Pineapple-Chipotle-Glazed Ham
New York chef Zarela Martinez gave us the idea for this glaze made from Coca-Cola, chipotle chiles, and honey—which caramelizes during roasting to produce a burnished, smoky-sweet exterior. Many home cooks in Martinez’s native Mexico use cola in this way, to bring sweetness and cinnamon notes to braised and roasted meats. If you’re using fresh pineapple slices, make perfect rings by using a 3-inch round cookie cutter to trim the outer edges and a 1-inch round one for the center.
1 12-15-lb. whole semiboneless ham
8 fresh or canned pineapple slices
64 whole cloves
2¾ cups Coca-Cola
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, drained and minced
1/3 cup honey
Serves 14-20
1. Put the ham into a 16-qt. stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Transfer the ham to a rack in a roasting pan. Using toothpicks, secure the pineapple slices to the ham and stud with the cloves. Pour 2 cups Coca-Cola over the ham and pour 1 cup water into the roasting pan. Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining Coca-Cola, chipotles, and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring the glaze, until syrupy, 12-15 minutes. Uncover the ham and brush with some of the glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 500°F. Bake the ham, brushing occasionally with the glaze, until browned and glossy, 15-20 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes before carving.
American Ham
Smithfield, Virginia, has been the epicenter of America’s ham business for four centuries. Jamestown, the site of the earliest English colony in North America, is just a few miles upriver; the settlers who brought pigs to the New World started confining hogs on a nearby island to raise them for ham, and in 1779 a sea captain named Mallory Todd started to ship hams from Smithfield to the British West Indies.
The Virginia trade eventually spread to England, where Queen Victoria placed a standing order for six Smithfield hams a week. By the 1900s there were dozens of local producers, but over time most were consolidated into a single company, called Smithfield Foods, which today is the largest pork processor in the world. But there are still many small producers in the area; our favorite is Sam Edwards (pictured), a fourth-generation producer who cures his smoky hams just a few miles outside the Smithfield city limits.
Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
Maiale in Agrodolce
These grilled pork chops with a glaze of honey and balsamic vinegar are typical of the sturdy, lusty food found in Roman neighborhood restaurants (such as the 51-year-old Sora Lella, pictured) and home kitchens alike. They pair well with stewed sweet peppers, roasted potatoes, or sautéed greens.
4 10-oz. bone-in pork chops, frenched
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup