How to marinate ground pork in a manner consistent with healthy ancestral societies for the safest and most digestible pork-based dishes.
Some people are surprised to learn that pork is a healthy food. Anthropological evidence documented by Dr. Weston A. Price early in the last century identifies it as a staple for number of long-lived ancestral societies.
Examples include the people of Okinawa, Japan and the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
Interestingly, the book “Blue Zones” which covers the Okinawan diet, ignores that pork was an important staple with the author erroneously claiming that this healthy society only enjoyed it during festivals. The fact is that pork consumption per person averaged about a quarter pound per day!
These traditional cultures took great care to prepare all forms of pork properly before eating in order to:
- Preserve the meat from spoilage
- Elimination of parasite risk
- Enhanced digestibility
Ancestral methods for preparing pork for safe consumption include curing, pickling or marinating.
Certainly, choosing to eat meat from pigs is a personal decision that some may forgo for religious reasons.
If you do choose to consume pork, it is very important to prepare the meat in a traditional manner and cook thoroughly to protect against parasites.
Below is an easy recipe for a ground pork marinade to prepare it for inclusion in dishes such as ground beef and pork meatloaf or homemade breakfast sausage.
Marinated Ground Pork Recipe
Preparation of ground pork in a simple, properly acidic marinade to ensure safety and optimal digestibility.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork preferably pastured
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup liquid whey
Instructions
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Mix ground pork with lemon juice and liquid whey in a glass bowl.
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Leave uncovered in the refrigerator for at least one hour and up to 8 hours.
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Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and pat the ground pork dry with a clean cotton dishtowel. No need to rinse before drying, but you can if you like.
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Finish preparation of the desired dish by adding herbs, sea salt, and/or pepper. Cook as desired in the oven, on the grill, or a frypan on the stovetop.
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Refrigerate leftovers of marinated and cooked ground pork in a glass dish with a secure lid for up to four days.
Can I use just whey? No lemons?
Thanks for your help with this Sarah! I’ve read all WAPF articles on this and your previous articles on it. I had already marinated the ground pork in apple cider vinegar before I reached out to you. I did drain it very well and then added my spices and many from your older article’s recipes. I then froze the patties for my husband to be able to make his breakfast (he enjoys cooking). He was quite happy with them. Today I’m marinating pork chops in lemon juice as you have suggested. My whey is not yet ready, but I will try adding it next time. Great video on making whey. Thanks so much for all of your help on this!
Yay! I’m so glad this approach worked for you!
Hi Sarah, Wondering what your thoughts are on this article from Weston A Price foundation. https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/food-features/how-does-pork-prepared-in-various-ways-affect-the-blood/
This WAPF article is referenced in this column I wrote awhile back. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/pork-healthy-or-unhealthy/
I have a sensitivity to whey. Could I just marinate in lemon juice and get the same benefit? Thank you for your wonderful content through the years!
Yes you can use all lemon juice if you prefer.
Pork/beef meatloaf!!! ? yum!
So much more healthy to eat food like this at home. I plan on doing this marinating to the pork. A big salad goes great with this. Great article! God is ? good. Copy is recipe for sure.