Pork wings - where do pigs fly?
A local diner is selling pork wings. It seems they are pork shanks covered with wing sauce that can be hand-held.
Is this common in a certain part of the country? Is it just the brainchild of KC Farmland which seems in the link at the end to take credit for this idea. It is a clever marketing name.
Anyone tried pork wings?
Here's a PDF file with a picture and some info:
http://www.farmlandfoodservice.com/pd...
rworange
Jun 22, 2007 08:34AM
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Curiously, they have just introduced them in my neighborhood franchises: "Whistling Shrimps", and "Fish Riding Bicycles".
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heh - never heard of them -- sounds interesting, though.
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I had 'em and (I hate to admit this) they aren't awful. This is the same company that also sells carnitas on a stick (bone really) and those are pretty good too. I think this more an indicaiton that processors and manufacturers are trying to use every scrap of the carcass no matter what.
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I'm not sure this is relevant but it is interesting. Anyone here encountered pork cake? I did a Google on those words in order to find recipes for Taiwanese meatballs... and found a lot of websites talking about this sweet dessert confection made with pork, and lots of it. Apparently, it has chopped pork, flour, sugar, molasses and various spices, such as nutmeg. Here's an egullet thread. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=54277 and here's one recipe http://search.yumyum.com/recipe.htm?I...
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That seems like a logical extension of bacon candy/brittle, doesn't it? Pork has a real affinity for sweet treatments.
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I'm trying to figure out how they get bones shaped like that from a shank. Do pigs have two bones in their lower forelegs (like humans and dogs)? It that what these are?
Agribusiness excesses notwithstanding, I applaud anyone who is trying to make use of parts of the animal not traditionally eaten. If we're going to kill animals for food (which I have nothing against), then we should do them the honor of not wasting them.
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You and Thomas Keller ... he said he tries not to waste any part of the animal to respect it ... due largely to his early-life experience doing in a rabbit.
Maybe they use little pigs ... like George Clooney's. Baby pigs ... like .. uh, Babe ... they went through alot of piglets filming that movie. I know, I know ... no pigs were harmed in the filming of the picture. Used pigs were sent to live happy lives on farms ... oh, wait ... hope that wasn't KC Farmland.
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I'm sure no piglets were harmed making that movie! (Border Collies are another issue entirely -- lots of people went out and got Border Collies for their kids after seeing Babe, and then found out they're not really suitable for most families and dumped them).
It was the flat shape of the bone as well as the size that made me curious. According to this, a pig's ulna is much larger than its radius, so maybe these are made from the radius bones.
http://137.222.110.150/calnet/LFbone/...
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Yeah, actually I was surprised to read shank. When I first saw the picture I thought they might be some sort of rib with the meat not being so trimmed. if that is possible.
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I can't off the bat think of any terrestrial mammal that doesn't have two bones in each lower leg, both fore and aft. Yeah, those ARE kinda small shanks, so they'd have to be front ones, I suppose. What I'm interested in is finding a source for raw ones, as I have a veal-shank recipe I've been wanting to try, and I'd rather use pork than veal. I know they're available because of all the pork-shank dishes in Chinese restaurants, not to mention Enrique's awesome version down in Long Beach, but I just keep seeing boneless ones.
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If you go to a Chinese butcher, they'll have them (or get them for you).
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My butcher has them. Called long pigs feet but he'll cut off the trotters. He's a Southern Maryland good old boy with a stall at Washington's Eastern Market, currently not open because the Market burned this Spring. He'll be back in business next month in a new temporary building that will house the vendors until the historic old Market is restored.
Find an old-style butcher who sells pigs feet. He can order the long version. Pork shanks are a dream!
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Long pig is human.
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These pork wings are marketed as Wild Wings and they are from the achilles tendon.
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Funny- I recently saw them as an appetizer special at a local Massachusetts chain ( Piccadilly Pub). Thought at first it was a play on the saying " When Pigs Fly." Had never heard of them before. Asked the bartender what they were, and he did say they were pork shanks in a sweet sauce. Didn't order them, though. Maybe I will try them if I see tham again.
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We have Pork Wings in Alaska at a couple restaurant/sports bars. I have enjoyed them for about three years. You can get them at the Peanut Farm Restaurant & Bar in Anchorage and at the Breeze Inn Restaurant, Bar & Hotel in Seward.
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I just had "Pig Wings" at Jose Pistola's (an unassuming bar) in Philly. Really good -- slathered with a vaguely curry-like "wing" sauce and served with a blue cheese yogurt dipping sauce. Just as described above, almost like mini-pork shanks.
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