Trader Joe's blog and cooking.
The pros: Trader Joe’s Uncured Salame di Parma Mild Salami is a nice and unusual shaped Salami. If you are concerned about the humane raising of animals, then you’ll want to read on.
The cons: Nothing really stood out to distinguish this from any other salami I’ve tried. This is also a bit more expensive as well at nearly $20 per pound.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Uncured Bacon Wrapped Porchetta Pork Roast is a great seasonal find that makes for a presentable roast.
The cons: This is a seasonal item so if you want to try it, grab one as soon as possible because when they are gone they are gone.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sliced Prosciutto is salty and full of ham flavor.
The cons: This product seems fattier than other brands of prosciutto.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pork Buns Cha Siu Bao have pork filling that is very flavorful. These heat quickly and seem on par with what I’ve purchased in many Asian grocery stores in their freezer sections.
The cons: These were a bit on the doughy side.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pork Shu Mai is a tasty freezer item.
The cons: Trader Joe’s Chicken Shu Mai has a packet of sauce, but for these you’ll have to supply your own dipping sauce.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Carnitas with Salsa Verde Burrito is one of the more recent additions to an otherwise lackluster section of Trader Joe’s.
The cons: Calorie count. I’m not sure why one burrito is considered two servings. I’m pretty sure this meant as a meal for one.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Bacon Ends and Pieces is absolutely worth a try as it’s very tasty.
The cons: Some pieces are very fatty and uneven pieces and that means uneven cooking time. Unfortunately, some people might not reach for this because it isn’t as “pretty” as regular bacon.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Baby Back Ribs are tasty, tender and ready in under 20 minutes.
The cons: If you are hoping for championship level BBQ, this isn’t it. Doesn’t mean that it’s bad either. It’s just not the best BBQ I’ve ever had. You’ll also want a very sharp knife in order to separate the ribs. Some were no problem, some were a bit of a challenge with a very sharp knife….
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pork Gyoza Potstickers comes in a large bag that has lots of suggestion on how to prepare this product.
The cons: While the directions say this can be prepared in the microwave, you really shouldn’t. Ever. Even with a wet paper towel the pasta partially dried out and was rubbery. The filling does not have a lot of flavor or salt, so you may want to consider dipping this in something salty like a soy sauce.
The verdict: …
The pros: Trader Joe’s Pork Belly was tender, flavorful fully cooked piece of meat ready in about 15 minutes. Subtle seasoning and nothing overpowering other than a nice pork flavor.
The cons: You should take this out for about half and hour before you want to prepare this to make sure its closer to room temperature before browning it.
The verdict: …
The traditional Cubano is swiss, ham, pork, mustard and dill pickles on a buttered roll that has been pressed for your culinary senses. Trader Joe’s Cubano Seasoned Wrap takes the same concept and throws in on a tortilla and called it a wrap. While it’s in the refrigerated case, it should be heated up somehow to get the cheese a bit melted (either with a panini grill or microwave). It’s awesome as long as you don’t look at the calorie count. It is among some of the most caloric of the wraps. For $3.99 you’ll be hard pressed to find a sanwich this cheap at your local deli.
The Pros: So many porky levels of delicious.
The Cons: The calorie count. If you are dieting this could wipe out a third to half of your calories a day. If you are not counting calories, the con would be they are frequently sold out. It is on the salty side.
Verdict: …
