Fast Food - pork the answer for many cooks

22 July 2004

Fast Food - pork the answer for many cooks

Pork is fast becoming an easy and nutritious meal option for increasing numbers of New Zealanders who, according to statistics, are now eating more pork than ever before.

With the growing trend towards meals that are healthy, simple and fast to prepare, the New Zealand Pork Industry Board took steps to reposition pork as a nutritious and easy meal option, designing a range of recipes using cuts that can be successfully cooked in 10 to 15 minutes and no more than 30 minutes.

Pork mince has become the latest time-saving ingredient that the Board is promoting through comedian Mike King on the range of recipe hints currently screening on television.

Compared to its beef counterpart, pork mince is extremely versatile and has some huge advantages healthwise.

For one it does not need flour or eggs to make it bind, not only making it simpler, but also suitable for people with various food allergies. Pork mince is also lighter in flavour and is therefore ideal to pick up fruit and Asian food flavours.

The Board's Marketing Manager, John Quigley, says the latest Mike King spot basically shows four different dishes that can be made from the same recipe - by just adding carrot, chopped fruit, herbs and chilli garlic sauce, pork mince can be turned into patties, baked in a loaf tin, rolled into meatballs for simmering in sauce, or baking in the oven.

"We don't think we can get it much more simple or versatile than that," he says, and consumers seem to be agreeing. The latest figures available show that consumers are now eating a record 19 kg of pork per capita annually, up more than 6% on last year.

"Our programme aimed at showing people quick, easy and healthy ways of cooking 100% New Zealand Pork is obviously making it an increasingly exciting meal option for many people," John Quigley says.

ENDS

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