HEALTHY RECIPES COLLECTIONS

Mastering Pork: Cook succulent pork every time with these sensational recipes.

Recipes | Tips | Articles

Pork is so popular now that it occupies nearly as much space as chicken in grocery stores. Unlike the pork of yore, today’s pigs have been bred to be lean, which makes pork a healthy choice—and also makes it trickier to cook. It dries out when overcooked, so make sure to use an instant-read thermometer to cook it just to the right temperature, and always let the meat rest before serving it (more tips on getting juicy results with pork below). Cuts like tenderloin, loin and sirloin from the middle section of the pig rival skinless chicken breast in percentage of fat, but have a richer, more delicious flavor. Plus you can now buy natural pork raised without hormones and antibiotics (see Pork Buyer's Guide).

Because of its pleasant, mild flavor, pork is versatile enough to go with everything from sweet fruits to stronger flavors like vinegar, chiles, garlic, soy and ginger. On a global scale, it is the most-often-eaten meat and is the preferred meat in German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and many other cuisines.

Pork can find a home on your family’s weekday menus but also act as the centerpiece for special occasions. When you are in a hurry—turn to cuts that cook up quickly, such as rib chops, tenderloins and cutlets. When you have company—go with loin roasts, chops and tenderloins garnished with special ingredients like porcini mushrooms or Parma ham. For more informal entertaining, you can choose an ethnic theme and make pork dishes and accompaniments that stay within that cuisine. You'll find a bit of everything below: two different stuffed tenderloins for fancier entertaining, two ethnic dishes packed with flavor (one Cuban and one Moroccan) and two quicker recipes, one for chops paired with apples and another for thin medallions of tenderloin with a quick fig sauce.

Healthy Pork Recipes

• Adobo Pork & Potato Packets
• Cider-Brined Pork Chops
• Cuban-Style Pork & Rice
• Easy Pork Chop Saute with Cranberries
• Moroccan-Flavored Pork Ragu
• Mustard-Maple Pork Tenderloin
• Pork Chops with Apricot-Tomato Chutney
• Pork Chops with Pear & Ginger Sauce
• Pork Medallions with Fig & Port Wine Sauce
• Pork Tenderloin “Rosa di Parma”
• Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Porcini Mushrooms
• Quick Pork Saute with Blackberries

For more great pork recipes, use our Advanced Recipe Search

Pork Cooking Tips

Tricks For Keeping Lean Pork Juicy

Brining: The immersion of meat in a solution of salt and water is an ancient technique that makes lean meats, such as pork or turkey, juicy and tender. It is best used with lean cuts: pork chops, pork loin, tenderloin, sirloin. Very little sodium is actually absorbed by the meat.

Temperature: Pay attention to the internal temperature of what you're cooking. The best way to monitor this is with an accurate instant-read thermometer and to follow the temperatures for doneness given in each recipe. Unlike the fattier pork of Grandma's day, today's pork is unforgiving if overcooked. To keep lean cuts tender and juicy, cook them to an internal temperature of 145°F (medium with a touch of pink left in the meat).

Resting: Always let meat rest before serving or carving. This allows for juices to be reabsorbed into the center of the meat and for cooking to be completed.

Related Articles

• Pork Buyer's Guide
• Shopping for Natural Meats
• Eating in the Safe Zone
• back to top

Explore the EatingWell Diet Channel
Explore the EatingWell Health Channel

More Healthy Recipes Collections