The Primal Bookshelf: Review of BEYOND BACON by Paleo Parents

I was tickled pink to receive an advanced copy of BEYOND BACON by my friends Stacy & Matt, known as the Paleo Parents. The cover with its chalkboard graphics and picture teases of the recipes inside would make anyone crack it open. The beauty of this book is outstanding. The book is dedicated to Stacy’s grandmother, and I can’t help but think of my own Nanny who would tell me stories of life back in a time of the one-room schoolhouses and working in the kitchen. Even going out to catch a chicken, and wringing its neck to prepare dinner.

 

In Beyond Bacon, Stacy and Matt explore nose-to-tail cooking of our beloved swine. While many people enjoy ham, prosciutto, pork chops & ribs – and of course, bacon – this book shows you how to use every part of the piggy.  From recipes for making head cheese (talk about using a lot of parts!) to lard fudge, there should never be a reason for you to stick to the standard cuts.  I’ve made a few recipes out of the book, along with my partner-in-cooking, The FreeRange Human. He tried out some of the more adventurous recipes, including Huntsman Stew and Scrapple, while I opted for the Swedish Meatballs with Liver Gravy as well as the Prosciutto & Roasted Peach Ice Cream. Those meatballs fed us for DAYS! So delicious. And the ice cream? Made it during non-stone fruit season so used frozen peaches. Still came out delicious 🙂

Organ meats are vital to our, well, vital organs! If you find eating heart, liver, kidney or any other offal, Stacy & Matt have many recipes that are VERY accessible for even the most turned up noses. Once you taste the sweet fruits of your labor in the kitchen, you’ll change your mind! Sure, some people might have a tough time with strong tasting liver, but give it some time. Your body will be thanking you! Their scrapple recipe alone has so much good-for-you gelatin from so many pig parts that you’ll be fighting like a champ! And aiding in minimizing cellulite, ladies! BOOM.

Flipping through the pages will leave your stomach growling – not to mention a heavy urge to go our and grab any pig you see :D. What I really do love about Beyond Bacon is the dedication to WHY nose-to-tail cooking is so important. Utilizing every part of the pastured animal that you can is, in my opinion, more of an humane animal rights action than forgoing meat all together. I was a vegetarian for about a decade, folks.  We’ve become too far removed from the “where our food comes from” chain.  Enough tallow-soap box talk, that’s a whole other post in and of itself 🙂

Beyond Bacon will be released on July 2nd, 2013 – just in time for 4th of July grilling! Pre-order this book now and prepare to go hog wild!

 
 

 

 

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