How to Cook Pork

You may have noticed that pork is the new “it” item on menus everywhere. Creating chef-worthy dishes at home is economical and easy when you know how to cook pork. Let’s start with our best pork recipes. For the time-crunched cook, the 1 bag, 5 dinners concept is a revelation: a grocery list and five recipes to simplify weeknight cooking. There are five chicken and pork menus for you to choose from. To make learning how to cook pork a bit easier, we have how-to videos. BBQ Ribs and an awesome Perfect Stuffed Pork Loin Roast are great, and for pure flavor and entertainment value, check out how to make the best bacon sandwich: Jeff teaches you how to actually weave bacon so it never falls out of your BLT. For holidays, there’s nothing like a ham recipe: Balsamic-Maple Glazed Ham is it. If there’s one tip that’s the take-away here it’s this: A thermometer is your best friend when you’re cooking pork. Take a roast’s temp, and then let it rest after cooking, before slicing. You’ll be sitting down to juicy deliciousness every time.

How to Cook Pork safely

• For food safety, always cook ground pork to an internal temperature of at least 160°F. Whole cuts, including roasts and chops can be cooked to 145°F. Don’t just guess: use an instant-read thermometer to make sure it is done.
• Marinate pork chops, roasts or tenderloins in your favorite KRAFT Dressing. Pour dressing over meat in a shallow pan and refrigerate up to 24 hours; discard remaining marinade before cooking. It’s an easy way to add flavor with very little effort.

How to Cook Pork Perfectly

• Certain flavors complement pork extremely well. So if you want to pair pork chops or a roast with the perfect ingredients, try these suggestions: thyme, sage, bay leaves, garlic, mustard, apples, prunes, pineapple and sauerkraut.
• When cooking pork chops, ribs or ground pork patties, use a grill or broiler for best results. Choose chops that are at least 1 inch thick so the meat cooks to juicy perfection without drying out.
• To freeze uncooked pork chops, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-weight resealable plastic bag with a label and date. Thaw in refrigerator.
• Watch our easy-to-follow video for tips on how to make our Maple-Glazed Stuffed Roast Pork.
• If you don’t have a roasting pan, you can use a 13x9-inch pan instead, but make sure there’s enough room in the pan so that the heat can circulate around the roast.

How to Cook Pork for Dinnertime

• Try substituting 3/4 cup chopped leftover roast pork for the chopped ham in our Shrimp Fried Rice recipe.
• Give SHAKE ‘N BAKE and OVEN FRY Seasoned Coating Mixes a new twist by mixing 1 or 2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese with the crumbs.
• Check out our Holiday Side Dish collection for some ideas to complete your meal. (These are good any time of the year, not just on holidays!)
• For a quick dinner, try Mexican Shells and Pork Chops. This dish serves 4 people and can be ready in just 35 minutes!
• Pork spareribs and baby back ribs are perfect on the grill. Check out our Ribs Tips for plenty of great ideas.
• Our Pork Crown Roast with Roast Apple-Pecan Stuffing is a real showstopper for your holiday party or special family dinner.
• This Healthy Living recipe for Roast Pork Tenderloin Supper is a delicious dinner for the whole family. Check out our Healthy Living section for more ideas.