Pork and bean stew

The EU’s main producer countries are Germany, Spain and France and between them they represent half of the EU’s total production. Pork is covered by the common market organisation and has never been subject to linked payments or production quotas. Only in pork and bean stew limited cases have private storage schemes been used to stabilise pig markets during times of crisis.

At the monthly committee for the common organisation of the agricultural markets the European Commission presents the market situation in the pig sector. The trends on how the market for pork is expected to develop can be found in the Commission’s short-term and mid-term reports. The agri-food data portal gives market data on national and EU agriculture such as process, production, trade, tariff rate quotas. Common customs tariff duties ensure that EU pork is able to compete on the internal market with non-EU countries. Within the framework of international and bilateral trade agreements, the EU operates a system of import quotas with specific country allocations or open for all.

This measure is aimed at ensuring the value added of quality products benefiting from a PDO or a PGI. The Civil Dialogue Group and Working Group on Animal Products maintains the role of assisting the Commission in maintaining a regular dialogue on all matters related to pigmeat. Donal’s pulled pork recipe is perfect for a crowd and easy to make. The pork shoulder braises on the hob and transforms to tender shreds that can be piled into a soft roll. With sweet potato fries and spicy coleslaw, this American classic is complete. Look for cuts that are moist and a healthy deep-pink colour, not grey or red.

Choose neat cuts with a fine-grained texture. Avoid any meat that looks damp or clammy, or that has oily- or chalky-looking fat. Free-range, organic and rare-breed pork will generally be a deeper pink colour than commercial pork. It is not only considered more flavoursome than intensively reared pork, but will also come from older animals that have had a better quality of life. Rare-breed pigs take longer to mature than the breeds selected for modern farming methods and are generally very well cared for in a natural environment.

Although this means the end product is more expensive, the pork and bacon from traditional breeds of pig such as Saddlebacks, Gloucestershire Old Spots and Tamworths is considered especially flavourful because the extra fat these pigs carry helps keep the the meat moist and succulent during cooking. Store meat in the coldest part of the fridge. Cover and store raw and cooked foods separately and store raw foods below cooked foods in the fridge. If it’s already packaged in a cling-filmed tray, leave it like that until you’re ready to use it.