“Being selected as an instructor at Pigstock TC is an amazing opportunity,” said Dirigo Quality Meats founder, Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel during a recent interview. Pfannenstiel, a certified HACCP instructor, will advise on food safety skills throughout the three day event in Traverse City, Michigan which starts on October 20th.
Pigstock TC, the only event of its kind, is in its fifth year. It offers three days of teaching whole animal use and charcuterie practices with a focus on the Mangalitsa hog, a heritage breed known as ‘the hairy pig that’s the Kobe beef of pork.’
Culinary experts teach participants how to break down and seam butcher a pig, how to make dry-cure hams, sausages and organ cooking. Attendees range from professional chefs, butchers and farmers to the advanced home cook.
The addition of Pfannenstiel to this year’s course offerings will allow participants to take what she teaches back home and make whole animal production profitable.
John Hoagland, managing partner for Cherry Capital Foods and Pigstock organizer, has said in the past, “You cut the pig on how you’re going to utilize it. I just always did my own butchery because I could make more money that way. You can save one to two percent on your food costs.”
Participants will walk away knowing the ins and outs of food safety considerations.
“I get to help chefs and entrepreneurs bring critical food safety knowledge back to their businesses,” explained Pfannenstiel. “What I teach them will help drive the process of making their delicious food safe for their customers. I will be teaching about food safety at each step of the process of creating delicious charcuterie.”
Chef Christopher Meynell agrees with the delicious factor of the Mangalitsa breed. “They have a rich buttery flavor due to the fact they are around fifty percent fat, and have darker meat than typical pork. We all know that fat equals flavor so this pig has a deliciousness profile that is off the charts. I’d love to see some raised locally and on my menu,” he stated.
Pigstock TC is an annual event hosted by Cherry Capital Foods and Earthy Delights. “I met Cherry Capital Foods (the organizers) at the Wallace Center Food Hub Conversation in Raleigh, North Carolina,” explained Pfannenstiel when asked how she connected with Pigstock TC. “We discussed the importance of food safety and how having a certified HACCP Instructor at Pigstock would add to the value of their course.”
In a past interview with noted food writer Michael Ruhlman, he called Pigstock one of the most inspiring days of his life. “It’s a big thing to be present at the killing of an animal that weighs more than you do. I love meat, and I love cooking, but rarely do I come in contact with the source. This put me right at the source of food, and of life. To watch a hog being slaughtered felt like part of my obligation as a human being who eats meat to know what it means to kill a big animal like that. To do this in a beautiful place with people who care similarly about where food comes from was a validation of my love of cooking and of the importance of knowing the source of my food.”
To get more information about Pigstock TC, go here: http://pigstocktc.com
Or contact Dr. Michele Pfannenstiel at http://dirigoqualitymeats.com
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Creator of The PRO-FOUND Process, Stephanie Miller teaches the art of promotion, discovery and recovery. A three-time best selling author, she interviews entrepreneurs on how they solve problems with their expertise.