Pork loin

Pork loin is a cut of meat from a pig, created from the tissue along the top of the rib cage.

Chops and steaks

Pork loin may be cut into individual servings, as chops (bone in) or steaks (boneless) which are grilled, baked or fried.

Joints or roasts

A pork loin joint or pork loin roast is a larger section of the loin which is roasted. It can take two forms: 'bone in', which still has the loin ribs attached, or 'boneless', which is often tied with butchers string to prevent the roast from falling apart. Pork rind may be added to the fat side of the joint to give a desirable crackling which the loin otherwise lacks.

Back bacon

Loin can also be cured to make back bacon, which is particularly popular in the United Kingdom and Canada; in the U.S., this is called "Canadian bacon" to distinguish it from the usual U.S.-style streaky bacon.

See also

Pork

Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig (Sus domesticus). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved. Curing extends the shelf life of the pork products. Ham, smoked pork, gammon, bacon and sausage are examples of preserved pork. Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, many from pork.

Pork is the most popular meat in East and Southeast Asia, and is also very common in the Western world. It is highly prized in Asian cuisines for its fat content and pleasant texture. The religions of Judaism and Islam, as well as some Christian denominations, forbid pork consumption; the sale of pork is illegal in many Muslim countries, particularly in those with sharia law as part of the constitution, and is severely restricted in Israel (the only country with a Jewish majority).

History

The pig is one of the oldest forms of livestock, having been domesticated as early as 5000 BC. It is believed to have been domesticated either in the Near East or in China from the wild boar. The adaptable nature and omnivorous diet of this creature allowed early humans to domesticate it much earlier than many other forms of livestock, such as cattle. Pigs were mostly used for food, but people also used their hides for shields and shoes, their bones for tools and weapons, and their bristles for brushes. Pigs have other roles within the human economy: their feeding behaviour in searching for roots churns up the ground and makes it easier to plough; their sensitive noses lead them to truffles, an underground fungus highly valued by humans; and their omnivorous nature enables them to eat human rubbish, keeping settlements cleaner.

Pork barrel

Pork barrel is a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district. The usage originated in American English. In election campaigns, the term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents. However, scholars use it as a technical term regarding legislative control of local appropriations.

History

The term pork barrel politics usually refers to spending which is intended to benefit constituents of a politician in return for their political support, either in the form of campaign contributions or votes. In the popular 1863 story "The Children of the Public", Edward Everett Hale used the term pork barrel as a homely metaphor for any form of public spending to the citizenry. However, after the American Civil War, the term came to be used in a derogatory sense. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the modern sense of the term from 1873. By the 1870s, references to "pork" were common in Congress, and the term was further popularized by a 1919 article by Chester Collins Maxey in the National Municipal Review, which reported on certain legislative acts known to members of Congress as "pork barrel bills". He claimed that the phrase originated in a pre-Civil War practice of giving slaves a barrel of salt pork as a reward and requiring them to compete among themselves to get their share of the handout. More generally, a barrel of salt pork was a common larder item in 19th century households, and could be used as a measure of the family's financial well-being. For example, in his 1845 novel The Chainbearer, James Fenimore Cooper wrote: "I hold a family to be in a desperate way, when the mother can see the bottom of the pork barrel."

Pork (band)

Pork is an Argentine post-grunge band founded in 2002 by the Bar Rabia twins. The band members are the Bar Rabia twins (Czar and Gaston), Nino Conde and the recent new member Max Mateo.

History

In August 2006, Pork supported American band Fear Factory at the Pepsi Stadium in Buenos Aires, drawing the attention of Alejandro Taranto, an executive producer for bands such as A.N.I.M.A.L. and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. He later had Pork signed onto TommyGun Entertainment and Universal Music Argentina to record their debut album.

The recording sessions took place between April and June 2007 at "Del Cielito Studio", which is now owned by local band Bersuit Vergarabat. The post-production and mastering was done by Eduardo Bergallo. The album, titled "Multiple Choice", was released in May 2008. The song "Akira" was the first single, and a video involving an anime character and the band can be seen on MTV and Much Music.

In July 2008, Pork played at the Adolescent Fest sponsored by MTV. In October 2008, Pork was selected to support American band Nine Inch Nails, playing right before the main act.

Loin

The loins (or: lumbus) are the sides between the lower ribs and pelvis, and the lower part of the back. It is often used when describing the anatomy of humans and quadrupeds (such as horses,pigs or cattle). The anatomical reference also carries over into the description of cuts of meat from some such animals, e.g. tenderloin or sirloin steak.

Human anatomy

In human anatomy the term "loin" or "loins" refers to the side of the human body below the rib cage to just above the pelvis. It is frequently used to reference the general area below the ribs. While the term "loin" is generally not used in medical science, some names of disorders do contain it.

The lumbar region of the spinal column is located in the loin area of the body.

Society and culture

The term also has become euphemistic for human genitals because of their prominence in that anatomical region. Because of this euphemistic use of the term, the article of clothing that is worn around the genital area has been named a loincloth.

Loin (film)

Loin (English: Far) is a 2001 French-Spanish drama film directed by André Téchiné, starring Stephane Rideau, Lubna Azabal and Mohamed Hamaidi. The film, set in Tangier in a three-day period, tells the story of three young friends taking critical decisions about their uncertain future.

Plot

For the past few years, Serge, a young French man, has been working as a long distance truck driver, employed by a company that ships goods from Morocco to Europe. It is a demanding job that gives him plenty of time for reflection and boredom. In Algeciras, ready to make his next trip to Africa, Serge succumbs to the criminal subculture, dangerously agreeing to smuggle hashish from Morocco to Europe hiding the illegal drugs in his truck.

This time, the Moroccan stopover between transports of cargoes will last three days. In Tangier, while he waits for his truck to be loaded and pass customs, Serge is reunited with his friend Saïd. Saïd, a young Moroccan whose only possession is his bicycle, desperately seeks to escape his restricted background and avidly longs for the possibility and intrigue of life beyond Africa, but he has attempted his illegal immigration many times before with dire consequences. Serge who is eager to see his on and off girlfriend Sarah, Saïd’s friend and employer, strikes a deal with Saïd. If Saïd can convince Sarah to see him again, Serge promises to smuggle Saïd to Europe.