Did you know what pork is the world’s most popular type of meat? It contains important minerals and vitamins, promoting muscle growth and maintenance.
The best cooking methods when it comes to Pork are frying, grilling or roasting. You can go from the simple grilled pork chops, or try an indulgent escalope cut from the pork fillet. And if you are looking for some great meals, then you need to try out the dishes created by the culinary team at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa.
The team has provided some tips on how to best cook the different cuts of meat.
1. Pork Belly
Pork belly is not, as you may think, the stomach. It is the flesh that runs on the underside (the belly) of the pig and surrounds the stomach. It is one long cut of meat with plenty of fat worked into the meat, which is why it is prized for curing and turning into bacon or pancetta. It can also be cooked fresh and is often seen on menus as “roasted pork belly.
Several different cuts can be called pork chops. All are great grilled, or pan-fried. Note that thicker cut pork chops, with the bone still attached, cook up the juiciest and most flavourful.
Pork shoulder chops are from the blade roast and are fattier and a bit tougher than other “chops.” They can still be grilled, roasted, or pan-fried to great effect, especially if marinated or tenderized beforehand, but they can also stand up to longer, slower cooking methods like roasting.
4. Pork Cutlets
Pork cutlets are usually lean steaks similar to sirloin chops, but meatier and boneless. They are best used for making a schnitzel, which is a pork cutlet coated with breadcrumbs and pan fried.
5. Ham
Ham is from the top of the pork leg (the bottom is the shank). It can be sold fresh, boiled, smoked or cured.
6. Pork Loin
Cuts from the pork loin are the leanest and most tender parts of the pig. The most traditional way of preparing this cut of meat is to roast it. But be careful to avoid overcooking any cut of pork from the loin (they usually have the word “loin” in their name, i.e., tenderloin, loin chop, etc). It’s best to slow cook the meat, on a low heat.
7. Pork Back Ribs and Spare Ribs
Pork back ribs are often called baby back ribs, and are lovely when smoked and marinated. They are not as meaty or fatty as Spare Ribs, but they cook faster and are super tender. Pork spare ribs are thicker, meatier and juicier than the back rib.
8. Pork Roasts
Like pork chops, many cuts get sold as “pork roasts.” They can be sold either bone-in or deboned, but any meat with the bone in tend to be juicier and have more flavour.
Many sausages are traditionally made with pork. Some are fresh and need cooking; others are already cooked, smoked or cured when sold and need heating up.
There are so many more cuts of pork, from shanks to shoulder, butts and tenderloin, and of course lard for cooking. For those who are more adventurous, there are also the cheap cuts from trotters, knuckles or the organs. But when next at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, you will be sure to taste some of the best pork dishes around.