From the outside, the sleek appearance of Wild Fork Foods, located at 1180 S. Dixie Hwy. In Coral Gables, definitely makes it clear that this is not your typical grocery store; it’s a specialty market. Once you step inside, however, you realize the many differences that set Wild Fork Foods apart.
First off, it is a simple, neat, stress-free shopping experience. No hunting down endless rows of items like hemp-infused lip balm and helium-balloons-on-request that have nothing to do with food. Wild Fork Foods only stocks quality meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, fruits, sauces, spices, select desserts and breads, and an essentials-only selection of grilling necessities like charcoal and wood chips.
Also refreshingly absent are large bins of self-serve items and long lines to speak to the butcher. Everything at Wild Fork Foods is sensibly packaged to serve three to four adults or easily meet the needs of a family of two adults and two children. No more worrying about waste or asking staff to break packages, the Wild Fork way is purely focused on getting great quality food in your hands (and to your table) quickly, without a lot of hassle.
One of the other aspects that makes Wild Fork Foods unique is the vast amount of choices they’re able to provide when it comes to their main course offerings.
A Wild Fork Foods Spokesperson explains: “Because we’re not wasting shelf space for 30 different kinds of cereal, laundry detergent, and paper towels, we’re able to expand on what we make available in the center of the plate — the good stuff.”
It’s not just good stuff, although Wild Fork Foods certainly comes through with preferred grades like wagyu beef, Berkshire pork, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed lamb. The market also offers one of the widest arrays in South Florida when it comes to specialty meats and cuts — bison, goat, goose, quail, and duck are on the menu year-round, not just seasonally.
Hard-to-find selections like sweetbreads, oxtails, tripe, and beef marrow bones, also are ready and waiting at Wild Fork. The secret is the company’s state-of-the-art freezing process which preserves all items at the absolute peak of freshness, while also minimizing waste.
“A lot of stores don’t stock offal and specialty cuts because they worry about throwing them out if something isn’t purchased. The same thing happens with chicken and more popular meats, it just gets talked about less,” the representative said. “Because our items are blast frozen, we can maintain a delicious fresh inventory of a wide variety of items without throwing out perfectly good product ‘just because’ at the end of the week.”
In many ways, Wild Fork’s frozen fare is ‘fresher’ than fresh-product displayed in open refrigerated shelves in other stores.
Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the Wild Fork Foods experience is the fact that for all its top-quality product and upscale atmosphere, it is the value offered that makes customers decide to make Wild Fork their go-to destination for their meat, poultry, and seafood needs.
As it turns out, quality and simplicity cost a lot less than you would expect. Wild Fork’s secret is its direct relationships with farmers, ranchers, and growers across the country that ensure quality, responsible sourcing, and farm-to-table freshness made possible through an advanced freezing process.
“We pass those savings along to the customer instead of through a network of middle men,” the spokesperson continued.
“Quality, variety, convenience, value — that’s what Wild Fork Foods stands for and that’s how we’re changing grocery shopping for the better.”
Recipe: Tacos Al Pastor
Zesty and satisfying, this classic Mexican pork dish is a crowd-pleasing favorite perfect for family gatherings.
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
For the pork: 3 lbs. Wild Fork Foods Pork Shoulder Boneless, thawed
8 Fresh Pineapple Slices
12-16 Corn Tortillas for Tacos
Pickled Onions:
1/2 Red Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
Garnishes:
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, leaves
Fresh Limes, cut in quarters
12 fl. oz. Salsa Verde, favorite brand
Pickled Jalapenos, optional
Adobo Marinade:
Canola Oil
3 Guajillo Chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp. Wild Fork Foods Oregano Leaves
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 1/2 tsp. Wild Fork Foods Fresh Black Peppercorns, cracked
1 Tbsp. Wild Fork Foods Coarse Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
2 Tbsp. Achiote Paste or 1 Tbsp. Ground Annatto
1 Canned Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce, plus 1 Tbsp. Sauce
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1/3 Cup Pineapple Juice
Directions:
1. Prepare the marinade. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, roast the chiles for 2-3 minutes. Remove and place in a small bowl. Cover with ½ cup hot water and set aside.
2. Add 1 Tbsp. of oil to skillet and add garlic, oregano, cumin. Cook for 30 seconds over medium heat then add the rest of the ingredients for the marinade. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Remove sauce from heat and place in the container of blender. Add soaked Guajillo Chiles and soaking water. Cover and blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides if needed. Set aside to cool.
3. Using a large sharp knife, thinly slice pork to 1/4 inch thickness. Place pork in a bowl and toss with marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
4. Remove the pork from the marinade and grill until lightly charred and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.* Transfer meat to cutting board, cover with foil for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, grill pineapple slices until slightly charred. Coarsely chop the pork and the pineapple and mix together. Taste and season with salt.
6. Prepare the pickled red onions. In a small bowl, combine the onions and vinegar and set aside.
7. Heat tortillas on the grill, about 30 seconds on each side and wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Fill tortillas with pork and pineapple, some pickled red onions and cilantro leaves. Serve salsa verde and limes on the side.
*USDA recommends cooking pork to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F.
