Selecting pork cuts and properly cooking them can be confusing for the average cook at home. So here's some information to help you out in the kitchen.
Pork flesh is pale pink or nearly colorless. It should never be red or bloody.
All pork cuts and bacon can be roasted, fried or broiled. If the meat is really fatty then it's usually reserved for grinding, stewing or braising.
When you bring pork home eat it right away or freeze it. Small cuts like chops will develop a slimy covering under the shrink-wrap in a day or two. This is not nice. BUT, bacon on the other hand will keep longer because it's been cured with salt or it's been smoked.
Hams are flavored, or I should say, cured and smoked in various ways depending on where they come from. I have learned that what makes Virginia ham so gosh darned good is that the hogs are fed a diet of peanuts and peaches. That's what gives the ham such a lovely sweet flavor!
PORK NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 85g or 3oz, cooked
Calories: 127
Fat: 3g
Carbohydrate: 0
Protein: 24g
Like any other meat, pork needs to be cooked to a safe temperature. This link will take you to a chart for MINIMAL INTERNAL COOKING TEMPERATURE.
And of course you must try our low carb pork curry recipe!
Below is a simple diagram showing where the various cuts come from.
The pork collar / neck and shoulder areas provide the following cuts:
Blade Bottom Roast
Neck Bones
Boneless Blade Steak
Fresh Arm Picnic
Boneless Blade Bottom Roast
Arm Steak
Arm Roast
The pork loin area provides the following cuts:
Country Style Ribs
Fat Back (for larding and barding)
Blade Chop
Center Loin
Blade Loin
Sirloin Chop
Sirloin
Rib Chop
Sirloin Cutlet
Butterfly Chop
Boneless Double Top Loin
Tenderloin
Canadian Style Bacon (Pea Meal Bacon)
The pork hock area provides the following cuts:
Fresh Hock
The pork ribs and belly areas provide the following cuts:
Salt Pork
Spare Ribs
Sliced Bacon
Slab Bacon
The pork leg area provides the following cuts:
Smoked Ham Rump
Smoked Ham Shank
Boneless Leg / Ham
Pig’s Feet
In some countries, the head of the pig is considered a delicacy. I don't have any experience with cooking a pig's head and I have no plans to cook one. Ever. But that's just me!
Let's go back HOME from Pork Cuts.
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