Pork

Pork belly cut, shows layers of muscle and fats

Slow-roasting pig on a rotisserie

Pork is meat that comes from the domestic pig or swine.

It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC.

Pork is the meat from hogs, or domestic swine.

History

The domestication of "pigs" (immature hogs) for food dates back to about 7000 B.C. in the Middle East. However, evidence shows that Stone Age man ate wild boar, the hog's ancestor, and the earliest surviving pork recipe is Chinese, at least 2000 years old.

Hogs were brought to Florida by Hernando de Soto in 1525, and soon was America's most popular meat. In the 19th century — as America urbanized and people began living away from the farm, "salt pork" — pork that is prepared with a high level of salt to preserve it — became the staple food. Pork has continued to be an important part of our diet since that time.

Roast pork

Young hogs

Pork is generally produced from young animals (6 to 7 months old) that weigh from 175 to 240 pounds. Much of a hog is cured and made into ham, bacon and sausage. Uncured meat is called "fresh pork."

American pork cuts

Type of red meat

The amount of myoglobin in animal muscles determines the color of meat. Pork is classified a "red" meat because it contains more myoglobin than chicken or fish. When fresh pork is cooked, it becomes lighter in color, but it is still a red meat. Pork is classed as "livestock" along with veal, lamb and beef. All livestock are considered "red meat."

Italian pork sausage

Natural pork

All fresh meat qualifies as "natural." Products labeled "natural" cannot contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, chemical preservative or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient; and the product and its ingredients are not more than minimally processed (ground, for example).

Pork Loin

Retail Cuts of Fresh Pork

There are four basic (primal) cuts into which pork is separated: shoulder, loin, side and leg. Shoulder

1. Shoulder butt, roast or steak
2. Blade steak
3. Boneless blade Boston roast
4. Smoked arm picnic
5. Smoked hock
6. Ground pork for sausage

Side

1. Spare ribs/Back ribs
2. Bacon

Loin

1. Boneless whole loin (Butterfly chop)
2. Loin roast
3. Tenderloin
4. Sirloin roast
5. Country style ribs
6. Pork chops

Leg

1. Ham/Fresh or Smoked and Cured

Simple pork based meal

A simple meal to make which contains pork is afelia. Sausages, bacon and ham are the most common uses of pork in the United Kingdom, the United States, and other parts of the Western world.

Taboo in certain diets

Pork is forbidden by the food taboos of kosher and halal.

Safe pork cooking chart

Fresh Pork: Safe Cooking Chart
Cut	Thickness or Weight	Cooking Time	Minimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time
ROASTING: Set oven at 350 °F. Roast in a shallow pan, uncovered.
Loin Roast, Bone-in or Boneless	2 to 5 pounds	20 min. per pound	145 °F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
Crown Roast	10 pounds	12 min. per pound
Leg, (Fresh Ham) Whole, Bone-in	18 to 20 pounds	15 min. per pound
Leg, (Fresh Ham) Half, Bone-in	5 to 8 pounds	22-25 min. per pound
Boston Butt	3 to 6 pounds	45 min. per pound
Tenderloin (Roast at 425-450 °F)	½ to 1½ pounds	Total time: 20 to 27 min.
Ribs (Back, Country-style or Spareribs)	2 to 4 pounds	1½ to 2 hours (or until fork tender)
BROILING (4 inches from heat; turn once) or GRILLING (over direct, medium heat; turn once halfway through grilling)
Loin Chops, Bone-in or Boneless	¾-inch or 1½ inches	Total time: 8-9 or 12-16 min.	145 °F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
Loin Kabobs	1-inch cubes	Total time: 10-15 min.
Tenderloin	½ to 1½ pounds	Total time: 20 min.
Ribs (indirect heat), all types	2 to 4 pounds	1½ to 2 hours
Ground Pork Patties (direct heat)	½ inch	Total time: 8-10 min.	160 °F
IN SKILLET ON STOVE
Loin Chops or Cutlets	¼-inch or ¾-inch	Total time: 3-4 or 7-8 min.	145 °F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
Tenderloin Medallions	¼ to ½-inch	Total time: 4 to 8 min.
Ground Pork Patties	½ inch	Total time: 8 to 10 min.	160 °F
BRAISING: Cover and simmer with a liquid.
Loin Chops, Bone-in or Boneless	¼ to ¾-inch	Total time: 6-8 min.	145 °F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
Loin Cubes and Tenderloin Medallions	½ to 1 inch	Total time: 8-10 min.
Shoulder Butt, Boneless	3 to 6 pounds	2 to 2½ hours
Ribs, all types	2 to 4 pounds	1½ to 2 hours
STEWING: Cover pan; simmer, covered with liquid.
Loin or Shoulder Cubes	1 inch	45 to 60 min. or until tender	145 °F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes
NOTE: Approximate cooking times were compiled from various resources.

Pork on Wikipedia

• Wikipedia's article on Pork