Can Ground Pork Replace Pork Shoulder in Gorton

Question

Hi,
A couple of questions on the gorton recipe.
1. Can ground pork (if not too lean) be used in place of the pork shoulder/butt? My grocery store usually doesn't have them as small as 2lbs.
2. In the TV episode, what was the type/brand of lard Christopher mentioned as being the better choice for this recipe?

Elizabeth Mindreau · Accepted Answer

Hello John,
1) Ground pork, as well as tenderloin or pork loin, would be too lean. This dish really requires the fat from the pork shoulder to make it rich and spreadable. Perhaps you could ask a butcher to cut you a 2-pound pork shoulder. Or if you can't get a small enough shoulder, you could use the amount you need for this recipe and then freeze the remaining pork shoulder and use it for something else.
2) Chris suggests getting leaf lard from a butcher rather than using the lard you usually can find at a grocery store. I've attached a link from the Spruce Eats website with information about leaf lard.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-leaf-lard-2216904

Can Ground Pork Replace Pork Shoulder in Gorton

Have a question for Milk Street experts?

Join the conversation