From tenderloin to chops, here’s your guide to cooking pork

Photo by Ben Willis

PRO TIPS FOR PORK CUTS

Use this guide as a reference for key benefits, simple recipes and culinary pro tips for the most popular pork cuts.

Pork Cut Cooking Guide

CUT	PLANTS & FLAVORS	METHOD	TEMPERATURE	SHORTCUT
Ground Pork	Cabbage, bell pepper, carrots + soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger	Sauté	160° F	Pair with Convenience: Utilize pre-cut vegetables, canned fruit, frozen vegetables and microwavable whole grains.
Pork Chop	Green beans, pineapple and juice + maple syrup	Air Fry	145° F (3 min rest)	Buy More, Save More: Purchase a whole pork loin and cut into your own chops to save money.
Pork Loin Roast	Jalapenos, pickled red onion, pineapple + salsa	Pressure Cook	145° F (3 min rest)	Freeze for Later: Freeze half or the leftover pork loin roast for up to 3-6 months to thaw and reheat for a quick and easy meal.
Pork Tenderloin	Corn, onions, sweet potatoes + BBQ sauce	Slow Cook	145° F (3 min rest)	Cook Once, Eat Twice: Slow cook pork in broth, once fully cooked, split in half to use for two separate meals. Examples: pulled pork sandwiches with BBQ sauce one night, pulled pork tacos the next day.

PLANNING FOR PORK

Meal Planning Strategies

Take inventory of the foods you already have at home before you plan out meals.
Lean on sheet pan and one pot meals for less clean-up.
Utilize convenient options such as pre-cut produce, frozen steamer vegetables and microwavable grains as a quick side or ingredient.
Purchase 1-2 fruits and vegetables each to utilize in snacks and meals throughout the week.
Cook once, eat twice—when preparing pork, make enough to last several meals.
Purchase a whole pork loin and cut into several sets of pork chops and loin roasts to save money.

Did You Know?

Pork tenderloin is just as lean as boneless skinless chicken breast.
Meeting Potassium Needs: 2.5 million children and 5.7 million adults meet potassium recommendations daily when pork is on the plate. Pork helps consumers consume more plants!
Safe Cooking: 145° F with 3 min rest is the safe internal cooking temperature for whole muscle cuts of pork such as chops, roasts and loins.
A 3 oz serving of pork is:
- Rich in: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc.
- Good source of: choline, pantothenic acid, phosphorus.
The “Kokumi” Effect: Both lean and high fat pork fat can be described as kokumi, a Japanese word to describe “rich taste” or “deliciousness” across 110 flavor nuances.

Learn more about pork nutrition at: pork.org/nutrition, and check out a new cookbook serving up pork dishes from popular Columbus eateries here.

Want to read more? Check out our print publications, (614) Magazine and Stock & Barrel. Learn where you can find free copies of our newest issues here!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY