Lean loin cuts to cook quickly, fatty shoulder and belly to cook slowly, and why pork can be a little pink.
Pink pork is fine
Today's pork is much leaner and safer than it was a generation ago, and the USDA lowered its safe temperature for whole cuts (chops, tenderloin, loin roasts) to 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest. At that point the middle is juicy and may still be blushing pink. Cooking chops to 160°F (71°C), as people used to, is why so many remember pork as dry.
The cuts
Tenderloin
- Tenderness:
- Very tender, very lean
- Best cooked:
- Sear, then roast at 425°F (220°C)
- Notes:
- Small and quick, about 20 minutes. Don't confuse it with loin.
Loin roast
- Tenderness:
- Tender, lean
- Best cooked:
- Roast
- Notes:
- Brining keeps it juicy. Take it off at 145°F (63°C).
Chops (loin, rib, center-cut)
- Tenderness:
- Tender
- Notes:
- Buy thick (1 inch (2.5 cm) or more), bone-in if you can; thin chops overcook in a minute.
Shoulder (Boston butt, picnic)
- Tenderness:
- Tough, fatty
- Best cooked:
- Braise, slow-roast or smoke
- Notes:
- Pulled pork and carnitas, cooked until fall-apart tender.
Belly
- Tenderness:
- Fatty
- Best cooked:
- Slow-roast, braise; cured and smoked it's bacon
- Notes:
- Score the skin and roast hot at the end for crackling.
Spare ribs & St. Louis ribs
- Tenderness:
- Tough, fatty
- Best cooked:
- Low and slow: oven, grill on indirect heat, or smoker
- Notes:
- From the belly side; more meat and fat than baby backs.
Baby back ribs
- Tenderness:
- More tender
- Best cooked:
- Low and slow, a bit faster than spare ribs
- Notes:
- From the loin; leaner and smaller.
Ham
- Tenderness:
- Varies
- Best cooked:
- Most are sold cooked: just reheat
- Notes:
- Reheat a store-bought cooked ham to 140°F (60°C) (165°F (74°C) for leftover ham or one cooked elsewhere); a fresh, uncooked ham is roasted like a big roast.
| Cut | Tenderness | Best cooked | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenderloin | Very tender, very lean | Sear, then roast at 425°F (220°C) | Small and quick, about 20 minutes. Don't confuse it with loin. |
| Loin roast | Tender, lean | Roast | Brining keeps it juicy. Take it off at 145°F (63°C). |
| Chops (loin, rib, center-cut) | Tender | Sear or grill | Buy thick (1 inch (2.5 cm) or more), bone-in if you can; thin chops overcook in a minute. |
| Shoulder (Boston butt, picnic) | Tough, fatty | Braise, slow-roast or smoke | Pulled pork and carnitas, cooked until fall-apart tender. |
| Belly | Fatty | Slow-roast, braise; cured and smoked it's bacon | Score the skin and roast hot at the end for crackling. |
| Spare ribs & St. Louis ribs | Tough, fatty | Low and slow: oven, grill on indirect heat, or smoker | From the belly side; more meat and fat than baby backs. |
| Baby back ribs | More tender | Low and slow, a bit faster than spare ribs | From the loin; leaner and smaller. |
| Ham | Varies | Most are sold cooked: just reheat | Reheat a store-bought cooked ham to 140°F (60°C) (165°F (74°C) for leftover ham or one cooked elsewhere); a fresh, uncooked ham is roasted like a big roast. |
Brining lean pork
Lean cuts (chops, loin) stay juicier after a brine. Dissolve 50 g of salt (3 Tbsp table salt, ¼ cup Morton kosher or ⅓ cup Diamond Crystal kosher) and a tablespoon of sugar in 4 cups (1 liter) of water, submerge the pork, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (chops) to 4 hours (a loin roast). Rinse, pat very dry, and season without extra salt.