Cooking With Pork

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service announced new cooking guidelines for pork in May 2011. Pork can now be safely cooked to medium rare at a final internal cooked temperature of 145 degrees F. as measured by a food thermometer, followed by a three-minute rest time. Ground pork, like all ground meats, should still be cooked to 160 degrees F.

There are two basic methods for cooking meats: dry heat and moist heat. Generally, dry-heat methods are best applied to naturally tender cuts of meat. Moist-heat methods tenderize less-tender cuts. Click images below to learn more about each preparation method.

Dry-Heat Methods

  • Grilling for both small cuts cooked over direct heat and large pork cuts cooked with indirect heat
  • Broiling for small cuts such as chops, kabobs and pork patties
  • Sautéing for small pork cuts such as chops, cutlets and strips
  • Panbroiling for chops, tenderloin medallions, ham slices, bacon and ground pork patties
  • Roasting for large pork cuts – loin roasts, shoulder roasts, ham, leg roasts

Moist-Heat Methods

  • Stewing for smaller pieces of less-tender cuts, such as shoulder cubes
  • Braising for large or small cuts, but traditionally less-tender cuts”

Braise
Braise

Broil
Broil

Grill / Barbecue
Grill / Barbecue

Roast
Roast

Saute
Saute

Stew
Stew