It’s one of the most difficult meats to cook. If you cook it too little – it is not good for you. Too much – it’s too tough.
So how do you cook pork to be perfect? How do you make sure it’s safe to eat while also making sure it’s enjoyable?
In this guide, we’ll walk you through all the cooking tips for cooking pork!
Buy the Best Slice
This tip is pretty much self-explanatory but is important when you cook meat.
If you buy a mediocre piece of meat, the best you are going to get is mediocre. That’s why it is important to buy the best meat you can find.
This means you should look for outdoor, free-range, and organic meat when you choose to buy it. This is the healthiest option as it does not have additives or any harsh chemicals in it.
Cook to the Target Temperature
When cooking pork, it’s hard to tell if it is done if you don’t check the temperature. The best temperature to cook pork is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything less, it’s not cooked properly.
However, with pork, you have to heed this cooking advice: Take the pork off of the grill or out of the oven (or whatever cooking medium you are using) when it is 5 to 10 degrees cooler than the optimal temperature. This is because the internal part of the pork will continue to cook even after you stop the heat.
Another quick note: This 145 degrees applies to pork chops and other whole pieces of pork like pork shank. Any type of ground pork needs to be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit to be at the optimal temperature and safe to eat.
Let Your Pork Cool to Room Temperature Before Cooking
Another pro tip to make sure you cook the perfect pork is to let it get to room temperature before you throw it on the Barbie.
If you have a few portions of the pork that are room temperature and others that are cold and still semi-frozen in the middle, you are going to have an unevenly cooked piece of pork. This means the middle will be perfect once it reaches the right temperature, but the outsides will be tough and chewy – the last thing you want when you cook meat!
Once your pork has thawed in the fridge (or if it’s just been sitting there anyway), let it sit out at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking.
Pork Cooking Tips
Are you tired of overcooking pork? Us, too.
But with these cooking tips, you’ll find that cooking pork doesn’t have to be that difficult! You just need to find a quality piece of meat, let it get to an even temperature, and cook it until just before it reaches its optimal temperature.
Then, you’ll have the perfect piece of meat to enjoy!
If you enjoyed these tips, we have many more on our blog for you to enjoy!