So what exactly do they do with pork brains? I’ve heard that question over and over since I started covering this fascinating medical mystery story about the neurological illness among some pork plant workers in Austin, Minn.

The short answer is — they get eaten. Pork brains are a delicacy in Asia, and they are a breakfast item in the south. Skeptical? Here’s a picture.

What you can’t see, unfortunately, is the nutritional profile on the back of the can. As a health care reporter I really can’t recommend them as a regular part of your diet because each serving contains more than 1,000 milligrams of cholesterol. (That’s about three times what you’re supposed to eat in a day.)

But if you want to try them, here’s a recipe. (I’m not certain, but I think this recipe wants fresh pork brains, not the canned variety.)

SCRAMBLED BRAINS

1/4 lb. pork brains

1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
4 beaten eggs
1 tbsp. milk

Cover brains with cold water, add vinegar, and soak for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove loose fatty membrane. Cover brains with water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and chill in cold water. Finely chop brains. Brown in butter. Combine eggs, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add to brains. Turn heat low. Don’t disturb mixture until it starts to set on bottom and sides, then lift and fold over with wide spatula so uncooked part goes to bottom. Avoid breaking up eggs any more than necessary. Continue cooking for 5 to 8 minutes, until eggs are cooked throughout, but still glossy and moist. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Bon appetit!

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 17th, 2008 at 5:59 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.