Salt pork

[charby]

I'm not worried about getting flavor from the salt pork, its purpose is texture.

I broke down and contacted Hormel (the brand of packaged salt pork my supermarket sells). Their advice was to simmer it for 30 minutes, then add to the beans. I also read that freezing salt pork for 20 days at 5 degrees F. kills trichina larvae, so I'll combine both. The package I have is going to get tossed. I'll grab a new package, freeze it for three weeks, then follow Hormel's advice.

The salt will also kill any larvae. More than likely the grocery store received the salt pork packages frozen and thawed them out in the refrigerated case. Like Mike said tricanosis is extremely rare in the US. I buy a pastured hog almost evety year and i eat much of the uncured meat medium rare.

[grislyatoms]

My Grandma used salt pork to make Mid-Atlantic (no milk/cream, no tomato) clam chowder. I have always just used bacon. Have to wonder if that's the reason her clam chowder was *always* better than mine.