Pork Perfect!

Nothing ruins a meal like a dried-out piece of meat. Pork is an incredible source of protein, but if you don’t know how to cook it, you definitely won’t want to try it again. Here are our top five tips to guarantee perfectly cooked Alberta pork, every time!

Rub ‘em down.

Sweet and savoury? Check! Herb and garlic? Check! One of the reasons pork is so versatile is it can take on the flavour of whatever herbs and spices you want to use when you cook it! Don’t be shy…rub dry spices right onto the meat, and amp up the flavour with juices or vinegars without adding calories or fat.

Use a meat thermometer.

We’d argue that a meat thermometer is one of the most underrated appliances that you should have in your kitchen! No one wants to get sick from undercooked pork, and no one wants to eat chewy overcooked pork! Use your meat thermometer to cook your pork to 140 F before removing from the heat to rest, and the residual heat should cook it to 145 F. Perfect texture, every time!

Don’t trim (all) the fat.

You might want to think twice before trimming the fat off the edge of your next pork chop! An excessive amount of fat could use a little trim, but a bit of fat along the edge usually makes for a tastier chop. Instead of a trim, sear the fat edge to make it brown and crispy…and delicious!

Room temp is the right temp.

If your pork is too cold, the outside will overcook before the inside is at the right temperature. Run on the 15 minute rule: take the pork out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you cook it for perfect crust and tender meat.

Let it rest.

Don’t cut into it just yet! No matter how tempting, don’t slice cooked pork before it’s had a chance to rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes. Resting allows the fibres in the meat to relax and soak up all the flavourful juices that will make your dish tender and perfect.

Follow the link for the Pork and Black Bean Taco recipe.

Content and Photo Credit: Erin Walker