Pork, Please!
Specialty gourmet butchery and grocer Ryan’s Grocery sells an array of organic and free-range meats, and gluten-free and preservative-free foods, sourced from small producers and farmers who are committed to ethical production. The Bukit Timah-based shop has become a go-to for those who want healthier alternatives to the average supermarket selections. Here are three reasons to try the shop’s new pork range, plus a delicious pork chop recipe to make at home.
#1 Free-range means more flavour, too
All the hogs from which Ryan’s Grocery sources its pork are raised unconfined and given plenty of room to roam around. This low-stress environment not only gives the animals a better quality of life but also allows them to live longer – which, in turn, means more time for the meat’s natural flavours to develop, resulting in juicier, more delicious pork.
#2 Organic Prairie’s additive-free, organic offerings
Organic Prairie’s USDA certification ensures that animals are given 100 percent organic, vegetarian feed that’s free from toxic pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic hormones or genetically modified organisms (GMOS) – something that brands labelled “natural” cannot guarantee. In fact, the family farms that form Organic Prairie were the first to volunteer for third-party organic meat certification back in 1996, banning animal by-products in their feeds. Organic Prairie’s pork collar steaks, boneless pork loin chops, pork fillets, minced pork, sliced pork and pork belly shabu shabu are now available at Ryan’s Grocery.
#3 Berkwood Farms’ Berkshire marbling
Us-based Berkwood Farms, which supplies 100 percent certified heirloom Berkshire pork – the oldest breed of pork in existence, known for its rich ruby colour and distinct marbling – is dedicated to responsible and humane animal farming. The pigs’ grain-based, fully vegetarian diet, coupled with the marbling that Berkshire pigs are genetically predisposed to, contributes to the savoury flavour and tenderness of the pork, which is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, essential vitamins and minerals. Berkwood Farms’ Kurobuta pork is now available at Ryan’s Grocery.