Some great advice from the “Put Pork on your Fork” webpage on why you should ad more pork to your diet.  This is the best informative site you will find on how to buy,  cook, prepare, freeze and serve pork.

Here are some quick facts for you guys.

Pork is done at 71!

Pork need not be overcooked. In the past, it was recommended that pork be cooked to “well-done” to be safe, because of the risk of trichinosis. This, unfortunately, often resulted in dry, tough meat, and some people still associate pork with this negative experience. Fortunately, with improved food safety knowledge and better production methods in Canada, trichinosis is no longer a risk in Canadian pork. We now know pork can be cooked safely to “medium” (160°F/71°C), which produces a juicy and tender product. When cooked to “medium”, pork may still have just a hint of pink in the middle, for instance inside a cooked roast or very thick chop. The exception is ground pork and sausage, which like all ground meats, should be cooked thoroughly.

Pork, Part of a Healthy Diet

Following a healthy and well-balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to achieve and maintain overall health. Luckily, many cuts of pork are lean and can be part of your healthy diet, even if you are trying to eat “heart smart”, manage diabetes, lose weight or just generally eat well.

Research has shown the benefits of eating adequate amounts of lean protein in your diet include stabilizing blood sugar, increasing satiety (the feeling of fullness after eating), and maintaining lean muscle mass even if losing body weight. The fat in pork is tran-fat free and mostly mono-and poly-unsaturated, so trimmed pork is suitable for even cholesterol-lowering or “heart-healthy” diets.

Lean pork, when trimmed of visible fat, is nutrient-dense, satisfying, and good for you.

Freezing Pork

With a little care, pork freezes well and will be just as tasty and juicy as fresh pork when cooked. When freezing pork, use sealable freezer bags, and remove as much air as possible from freezer bags before sealing to prevent “freezer burn”. Freezer burn is caused by loss of moisture on the surface of food. Meat that has freezer burn will have a dry discolored surface and when cooked, it will be tough and taste bland.

When freezing pork steaks, chops and patties, place a layer of waxed paper in-between each one to make it easy to separate them when defrosting.

If freezing leftover cooked pork or dishes made with pork, cool the dish (uncovered) at room temperature, then cover tightly and place in freezer within an hour after cooking.

Use frozen pork within the recommended time for best flavour and texture:

Pork Storing Guide

N/R – not recommended
* If vacuum packaged, check manufacturer’s date.

Pork Defrosting Guide

• Meat defrosted in a microwave oven should be cooked immediately. Follow microwave oven manufacturer’s directions.
• If you’re not using a microwave to defrost your meat, defrost it in your refrigerator.

Broiling/Pan-frying “Fast Fry”(thin, boneless) Pork Chops

Thin, boneless pork chops are usually very lean and can easily be overcooked. Broiling or pan-frying is a quick way to cook them without drying them out.

(1) Pat pork chops dry with paper towel and season as desired.
(2) Turn oven to “HIGH” broiler setting or place pan over medium high heat. Lightly spray or oil frying pan.
(3) Place pork on broiler pan 5 to 6 inches (13-15 cm) from heat or place pork in frying pan
(4) Broil or panfry until the pork is golden brown on one side (about 3 – 4 minutes); turn and broil or panfry the other side until golden brown (another 3 – 4 minutes).
Thin, boneless pork chops are also great for cutting into strips for stir-fry or noodle dishes or into small cubes for soups.

Grilling Pork Chops

Thicker pork chops, either boneless or bone-in, are fantastic on the BBQ with a rub.

(1) Pat pork chops dry with paper towel & rub with seasonings.
(2) Clean grill with BBQ brush and Preheat BBQ on HIGH.
(3) Place chops on grill & sear on each side (about 1 min/side)
(4) Reduce heat to MEDIUM. Brush chops with BBQ sauce, if desired, and close lid. Continue cooking for approximately 3 – 4 minutes per side (cooking time depends on thickness of chops).
(5) Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness without overcooking: cook to an internal temperature of 155°F – 160°F (68°C – 71°C).
(6) Thicker pork chops, either boneless or bone-in, are fantastic on the BBQ with a rub.

Click here to visit the Put Pork on your Fork website