I used to make the best pork brown gravy

[lillypaddle]

using cheap, bone-in, fatty porkchops. Now with everyone's health concerns, I can't find anything but super lean, i.e., tough, pork chops. Anyone have a solution for this?

[hippywife]

1. Is there a butcher shop in your area...

where you might be able to get the cuts you want?

[lillypaddle]

2. Other than the one in Kroger, I don't know.

I'll have to check into that, thanks for the suggestion. I really do need to find one, Kroger doesn't carry pork belly or kidneys, or fresh liver, or anything other than the "basics." Maybe it's because I'm in Kentucky.

Funny, once they got some pork belly in, treated it like fatback, didn't know what to do with it, and sold it for under $1 for a good sized package. Man, it was so good, and I bought up as much as my freezer would hold. But then that was it.

[hippywife]

3. True the stores don't carry more than the basics.

I wouldn't think there should be much problem finding an independent butcher in KY.

The funny thing I notice about pork belly and other special cuts that there once wasn't much demand for, is that they've become popular with more people who cook "gourmet". What were once inexpensive items are now in demand and more expensive.

[PJMcK]

5. Another thought

Aren't there a lot of pork farms in southern Ohio? Is that too far away?

Pork is such an excellent meat, I hope you find what you're looking for.

[lillypaddle]

7. The thing is ...

I'm looking for fatty, cheapo chops that make a good gravy. I appreciate your ideas, though.

[PJMcK]

4. Two ideas

First, you could order the chops from one of the beef distributors like Allen Bros. or Omaha Steaks. The downside is they're expensive.

The second is a little more complicated. Where do you live? Are there farm lands anywhere near you? Our house is in the Lower Catskills in NE Pennsylvania. It's very rural and there are many different farms in the area. As a result, the butcher at our local supermarket has an incredibly wide range of fresh meats to provide to us customers. Just the other day, my wife bought a couple of thick-cut, pork chops with the bone-in. They were only $1.99/pound!

If you can find a good butcher, hang onto them! Good luck.

[lillypaddle]

6. Thanks, PJ

[pansypoo53219]

8. i made mine using fatty pork loin roasts. for pork roast i go to a BUTCHER. i think mine gets ag

school meat. the ground round looks like round. great chicken too. xmas selection + other holidays is quite diverse + they make good sausage. people come from far away + buy loads for the freezer. box store meat is from factory farm low fat shit. ptui!

[Kali]

12. pork loin may have a layer of fat on the outside, but is a very lean cut over all

[pansypoo53219]

16. i get the fattiest + has to have a good amount of dark meat. if only pork shouler made more gravy.

ooh, pork chop plus pork shoulder. i wanna do pork w/ sauer kraut. i used to use bavarian. now plain w/ br sugar. ooh, fry to reheat + cook that sauer kraut.

[comradebillyboy]

9. Chops cut from the pork shoulder might be a

solution. I find them to be much more flavorful than regular chops.

[lillypaddle]

10. I will look into that. Thanks. nt

[Kali]

11. this

[Kali]

13. the main problem is the breed of pigs

not the cuts. consumer demand for lean meats has driven the move. shoulder cuts may work for you or look at farmer markets or independent butcher for heirloom pork.

[lillypaddle]

14. Thanks, Kali.

[Retrograde]

15. True - if you can find an old breed of pig

you have a better chance of finding chops with fat on them. I had pork from an old breed in London, and the fat permeated the meat giving it an unctuous feel. But that was over ten years ago, and they're not easy to find even there.

[Demsrule86]

17. Buy a pork Shoulder and chop it up... or I buy fatty pork chops from BJ's or Sams.