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RECIPE: Sizzling Side Pork

written by

Eileen Napier

posted on

October 5, 2021

Want minimally processed bacon on your plate? Side pork is pristine, no-ingredients-added pork belly, sliced up and ready to fry. We like to call it naked bacon because it comes from the same cut as bacon, but no ingredients or processing has been added to the meat. To get that great crispy, savory flavor that bacon provides, you’ll want to add a few steps before you fry up your side pork. Here are a few flavor varieties to try. Cook them up in a skillet or try them on your grill/smoker. It’s delish!

Basic Ingredients:

1lb Ramstead Ranch side pork

Brine:

  • ¼ c Kosher salt
  • 2 c water

Brine Instructions:

  1. Combine water and salt and heat on stove. Stir until salt dissolves.
  2. Allow brine to cool before adding to side pork.
  3. In a glass container, place raw side pork and add brine. Add water to mixture until meat is fully submerged.
  4. Store mixture in refrigerator and allow side pork to soak 4-24 hrs.

When you are ready to cook, choose your ingredients below, or make up your own amazing blend.

Sweet Heat Pepper Side Pork Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp D&B Sweet Heat Peppers (or other spicy canned pepper brand, but these locally-produced peppers are favorites) plus splash as much juice from the jar as you want to add flavor to your side pork.
  • Allow to marinade up to 1 hr.


We used D&B Sweet Heat Peppers to add some spice to the breakfast table.


Savory Garlic & Herb Side Pork Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
  • 1 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs. Rosemary is a great choice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Stir and let marinade for up to 1 hr


Garlic and rosemary are two flavors that go really well with pasture raised pork.


Brown Sugar Side Pork Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • Stir and let marinade for up to 1 hr


We cooked our Brown Sugar Side Pork on the Traeger....a really good idea...!


Grill/smoker cooking instructions:

  1. Heat your grill/smoker to 375°F
  2. Place side pork in even, flat strips directly on grill racks.
  3. Cook about 10 min per side, or until golden brown and slightly crispy.
  4. Enjoy pork divinity!


Slightly smoked and seriously delicious!

Skillet Cooking Instructions:

  1. Using two separate skillets, add oil and heat: One very hot skillet to cook your side pork. One med-high to put the final sear on your side pork.
  2. Add side pork to first skillet. It is normal for a lot of juice to come out of the meat. Fully cook, about 3 min.
  3. Transfer meat to your second skillet and allow the side pork to get a crisp sear on both sides, being careful not to scotch sugar if you are using sweet ingredients. About 2 min per side or until desired crispyness. 
  4. Serve and enjoy!


When cooking your side pork in the skillet, be prepared for a lot of excess juice. We recommend having 2 pans heated and ready--one to cook your side pork, then transfer into a second pan to add a final crispy sear to the meat. Perfection!

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If you've ever tried shopping for a quarter beef or half hog and wondered, "How much is that and how long will it feed my family?"...you’re not alone! For many households, especially those with growing kids, buying meat in bulk from a local rancher sounds great… until the logistics get fuzzy. At Ramstead, we’re here to make bulk buying make sense. This is your go-to guide for understanding portions, freezer space, and how to plan for your family’s real-life needs without overbuying or overthinking it. Scroll down to find the family size that most closely matches yours, and read the details to find your best fit bulk order size. 🥓 Family of 2: 2 Adults or 1 Adult + 1 Teen Let’s assume: You each eat ~0.6 lbs of meat per meal You cook meat 4–5 times per week That’s 1.2 lbs per meal, and here are your planning needs: Weekly total: 5–6 lbs Monthly total: 20–25 lbs What Should You Order? For smaller households, we offer bulk portions that allow you to save while you stock up without overrunning your freezer space: 1/8 Beef (36 lbs): 2 months 1/4 Pig (26 lbs): 1.5 months Whole chicken (~4.5 lbs each): Plan for two meals per bird plus leftovers 🧠 Smart 3-month bulk combo for 2: 1/8 Beef (36 lbs) 1/4 Pig (26 lbs) 2–4 Whole chickens or as needed for extras ✅ Total Meat: 70 - 80 lbs 🧊 Freezer Space: 4–5 cu. ft. 💡 Great for smaller families who cook 4–5 nights a week and want variety across ground beef, steaks, roasts, chops, bacon, and sausage. 👉 Visit Our Bulk Menu Page 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family of 4: 2 Adults + 2 Young Kids Let’s say your family eats pasture-raised meat 4–5 times per week. Adults eat about 0.6 lbs of meat per meal Young kids eat about 0.3 lbs per meal That’s about 1.8 lbs per meal for the whole family: Weekly total: 8 lbs Monthly total: 24–35 lbs What Should You Order? You have options depending on how often you want to restock: 1/4 Beef (72 lbs): 2–3 months 1/2 Pig (55 lbs): 3–5 months 20 Whole chickens (at 4.5 lbs each): 2.5–4 months 🧠 Smart 3-month combo for your family: 1/4 Beef (72 lbs) 1/4 Pig (26 lbs) 2–4 Whole chickens, or as needed to fill in ✅ Total Meat: 105 - 110 lbs 🧊 Freezer Space: 6–7 cu. ft. 💡 This combo covers three months easily, with cuts to please both picky eaters and weekend cooks. Think burgers, meatballs, bacon breakfast, and slow-cooked roasts.👉 Visit Our Bulk Menu Page 🍔 Family of 4: 2 Adults + 2 Teenagers Teenagers can easily match or surpass adult appetites. Each person (adult or teen) eats ~0.6 lbs That’s 2.4 lbs per meal for the family: Weekly total: 10–11 lbs Monthly total: 40–46 lbs What Should You Order? Here are some popular portions and how long they’ll last your family: 1/4 Beef (72 lbs): 1.5 months 1/2 Beef (145 lbs): 3 months Whole Pig (109 lbs): 2.5 months 30 Whole chickens (at 4.5 lbs each): 3 months 🧠 Smart 3-month bulk combo for you: 1/4 Beef (72 lbs) 1/2 Pig (55 lbs) 3–8 Whole chickens or as needed for fill in ✅ Total Meat: ~140 - 155 lbs 🧊 Freezer Space: ~8–9 cu. ft. 💡 This is a robust combo for hearty teen appetites. You’ll have plenty of ground beef for weeknights, roasts for Sunday dinner, bacon for big breakfasts, and sausage for quick protein boosts. Pro-tip: Add whole chickens as needed for sports seasons when appetites are at their peak!👉 Visit Our Bulk Menu Page A Final Note As you can likely guess, the amount of time these portions last your family will vary based on demand. This guide is a great starting point to help you understand what it takes to feed our most common family combos with a typical meat-eating schedule. We hope this helps with your planning, and if you have specific questions or want to know more, as always, please contact us.  We are real humans here 😆, and we’re happy to help!

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