Discover The Secret To Easy Entertaining -- With Pork

Tips from Chef Stephanie Izard and pork-inspired recipes make party planning simple

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Aug 06, 2013, 10:48 ET

DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- One-third of Americans plan to host a backyard BBQ or gathering in the next three months – and two out of three hosts want their menu to feature food that's both a crowd pleaser and easy to prepare.¹ Fortunately, pork is coming to the rescue. Together with Stephanie Izard, James Beard award-winning co-owner and executive chef of Chicago's Girl & the Goat and Little Goat restaurants, the National Pork Board is arming people across the country with the tips, recipes and inspiration they need to host any gathering with ease.

"It's always tough to decide what to serve at a get-together that won't require hours of prep work in the kitchen and time spent away from the party," said Izard. "I love showing people that hosting a unique evening with unbelievably good food can actually be quite simple – especially when it centers on pork, which is versatile, so easy to prepare and pairs perfectly with any flavor."

Pork: Izard's Perfect Party Go-Tos
The key to throwing a simple event starts with the perfect meal – like Izard's deliciously tangy Pork Tenderloin Spring Rolls, which are easy to prepare, can be served as appetizers or as an entire roll for an entree and can be made with leftover pork. Check out her tips to master the art of easy entertaining:

Leave it for the day before – Make bite-sized apps like pork meatballs in advance and freeze them until party time.
A potluck gets everyone involved – Season and grill a main meat dish, like pork tenderloin, ahead of time to pair with guest-prepared side dishes for a potluck.
Signature drink saves the day – Decide on a signature punch that you can make ahead and serve in pitchers so guests can help themselves.

The Best-Tasting Secret to Entertaining
Whether it's a premiere party with girlfriends for one of fall's new TV shows, a tailgate before the game or a final outdoor neighborhood soiree, these tempting new recipes from the National Pork Board will turn any gathering into a fabulous fete:

Double Pork Party Sliders – Pork loin chops, bacon, steak sauce and a soft hamburger bun make this tiny but hearty sandwich impossible to resist.
Cuban Pork Adobo Salad – A refreshing, lighter dish, mixed greens are topped with cubed New York pork chops, delicious pineapple and a zesty dressing.
Make-It-Mine Pork Kabobs – Tangy pork loin skewers are filled with grilled bell peppers, zucchini and mushrooms.

For best results, the National Pork Board recommends cooking pork chops, roasts and tenderloins to an internal temperature between 145 degrees F (medium rare) and 160 degrees F (medium), followed by a three-minute rest.

Find even more recipes to inspire festive, flavorful get-togethers featuring juicy, tender pork at Porkbeinspired.com.

About the National Pork Board
The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. Importers of pork products contribute a like amount, based on a formula. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, technology, swine health, pork safety and environmental management. For information on Checkoff-funded programs, pork producers can call the Pork Checkoff Service Center at (800) 456-7675 or check the Internet at www.pork.org.

About Stephanie Izard
Celebrated chef and author Stephanie Izard is the chef and partner of Chicago restaurants Girl & the Goat and Little Goat. Stephanie's accolades include 2013 James Beard Best Chef: Great Lakes, 2011 Food & Wine Best New Chef, and winner of Bravo's "Top Chef" Season 4. For more information on Stephanie, visit www.stephanieizard.com or follow her on Twitter @StephAndTheGoat.

¹ Impulse Research Corp. "Easy Entertaining with Pork." Survey. 22 July 2013.

SOURCE National Pork Board