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Pork is the meat from the carcass of a pig. The carcass is generally split into two sides of pork, each consisting of four primal cuts. Each primal consists of subprimal cuts that are divided into several specific market ready cuts.

When pork is grilled or broiled at the proper cooking times and temperature, the meat will have a crisp flavorful outside coating with a moist center. Grilling and broiling are basically the same type of cooking method, using dry heat that quickly cooks the surface of the pork and then slowly moves to the middle.

Shopping Tips | Thawing Tips | Refrigerating Tips | Freezing TipsHandling and Safety Tips | Marinating Tips | Stuffing Tips | Trimming & Slicing TipsChecking Doneness | Roasting Tips | Frying Tips | Grilling & Broiling TipsSteaming Tips | Stir-fry Tips | Tenderness Tips | Light Tips | Cooking Tips Shopping Tips: Decide how much time and effort you want to use in preparing and cooking the cut you select.

Contamination Prevention | Cooking Safety | Proper Storage When working with pork it is essential that the meat is handled and stored properly to ensure safety. You cannot see the harmful bacteria on the meat so you must handle it as if it is present.

Grilling is a cooking method that uses a dry heat that quickly cooks the surface and then slowly moves to the middle of the meat. When grilled properly, the meat will have a crisp flavorful outside coating with a moist center. Grilling infuses the pork with a smoky flavor from the meat juices that drip during the grilling process.

Miscellaneous Products Pork Cutlets (Scallops) Cutlets are thin boneless pieces of meat that weigh 4 ounces or less and are taken from tender cuts, such as the tenderloin and loin.

Stir-frying, like sautéing, is a dry heat cooking method that quickly cooks the pork in a small amount of oil, using high heat. The difference between the two methods is that sautéing cooks pieces of meat that are about the size of a serving portion and stir-frying involves cooking smaller pieces of food that have been cut into small strips or cubes all similar in size.

Pork cooking times and temperatures are extremely important when cooking pork. The optimum flavor and tenderness of various cuts of pork can be consistently achieved when care is taken to follow the recommended pork cooking time and temperature guidelines.

Tips on Selecting Cuts | Terms | Description of Cuts | Inspection and GradingRead the Label | Look and Feel | Quantity to Buy | Purchasing in Quantity When shopping for pork there are several things that you need to consider so that you will be assured of purchasing the correct quantity, quality and type of pork to satisfy your needs.

Frying is a dry heat cooking method, which is a quick and simple way of cooking pork. It can be accomplished by the use of two different methods, pan-frying and deep frying.

Tenderness Tips Avoid freezing whenever possible to eliminate moisture loss that occurs during thawing. The moisture loss in thawing results in less tender meat. Keep pork from drying out in the refrigerator by keeping it tightly wrapped.

Sautéing | Pan-Frying | Stir-Frying | Deep-Frying | Grilling and BroilingBaking with Olive Oil | Smoke Point | Cooking Guidelines Sautéing Sautéing is a cooking process using high heat that browns and sears food quickly in a small quantity of oil or fat in a skillet.

Microwaving is a quick and convenient method of cooking pork. When cooked properly in the microwave, the results will be a juicy, tender cut of pork. Although the flavor of the meat will not be enhanced as it is with other cooking methods, such as frying, grilling, sautéing, stir-frying and roasting, pork has the ability to absorb flavors, so its taste can be enhanced by the use of many herbs, spices and other flavorings.

Pork today is leaner than ever before, decreasing the amount of fat in diets and resulting in health benefits for all ages. But, leaner pork also affects the way pork should be cooked.

Pork producers today have significantly changed production methods to produce much leaner meat than 25 years ago. Better breeding and feeding of the hogs and a grading system that stimulates the meat packers to trim more of the external fat than they did in the past has resulted in leaner meat.

Preparing Fried Rice with Uncooked Rice | Preparing Fried Rice with Previously Cooked Rice There are many methods used for preparing fried rice recipes, but two methods that combine the moist heat methods of boiling/absorption/steaming and the dry heat methods of frying/stir-frying are among the most popular.

Direct Indirect Understanding the two most popular grilling styles, Direct and Indirect, is essential for creating a perfect grilled entrée. There are instances when both Direct and Indirect methods are appropriate.

Steaming is a moist heat method of cooking. It results in tender and moist meat through the use of steam. When steaming meat, minimum shrinkage occurs, and it is one of the most healthy methods of cooking because no additional fat is used.

There are several methods that can be used for thawing fresh frozen pork. Pork should never be thawed out on the kitchen counter because the outside of the meat will reach a temperature above 40°F while the inside is still frozen.

Checking doneness is accomplished in basically the same manner regardless of the cooking method you are using. While some methods are more accurate than others, there are certain cuts for which some methods will not be suitable.