Posts by Xavier Berkness

The history of the Duroc pig, dated from Oklahoma State University’s breed page and the National Swine Registry: the Jersey Red strain of New Jersey (before 1850), the Duroc strain of New York (Isaac Frink, 1823, named for Harry Kelsey’s Thoroughbred stallion Duroc), the 1877 scale of points, the Duroc-Jersey name, and what “Heritage Duroc” means as Vande Rose Farms product language.

The pork loin roast cooking method printed on the Vande Rose Farms product page, in its order: olive oil, salt, pepper, optional herbs, optional 3 to 4 minute sear, 375°F at 20 to 25 minutes per pound to 145°F, rest 10 to 15 minutes. A weight chart worked from the per pound rule, plus USDA’s 145°F rule. Published as a Blog method post, no Recipe schema, because the page gives no weight, amounts, or servings.

Can you heat a spiral ham in a slow cooker? USDA’s slow cooker page says reheating cooked food in a slow cooker is not recommended, so the answer for a fully cooked spiral sliced ham is: heat it in the oven by the package (325°F, covered, 10 minutes per pound, to about 135°F), then hold it in a preheated slow cooker at 140°F or above. Two cases kept apart: the whole packaged ham (package, USDA hams page) and carved leftovers (USDA, 165°F). Blog explainer, no Recipe node.

Our spiral ham for Easter (Sunday, April 5, 2026): the fully cooked, uncured, applewood smoked Heritage Duroc half ham from the product page, how to heat it covered at 325°F by the package, how much to buy, and what the shipping page says about ordering. No organic status is stated; no order deadline is given.

What crate free pork means (no gestation crates or farrowing crates, defined from Virginia Tech and UC Davis pages), what No Antibiotics Ever, vegetarian fed, natural, organic, pasture raised, and heritage mean, and which of those claims the Vande Rose Farms pages make. No organic status is stated.

How long bacon lasts by USDA’s storage table: bacon, bacon cured without nitrites, dry cured sliced and slab, and cooked bacon, in the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. Freezing and thawing methods, what shelf stable means, and when to throw bacon away.

Is uncured bacon healthier? USDA does not say. This guide, scoped to American pork belly bacon, translates the label words under USDA rules (uncured, cured, nitrates, natural, organic, dry cured), explains how to read the panel, reports what USDA says about cooking, and lists what Vande Rose Farms labels say, with no health claims.