Are you Overcooking your Pork?

By Katie Barreira

On May 24, 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new food safety guidelines for cooking pork and a 15-degree amendment to the recommended internal temperature made it officially acceptable to enjoy perfectly pink pork. For those of us who had been surreptitiously enjoying medium-rare chops for years, it was a red-letter day. Finally, we could shout our message of tender, juicy, trichinosis-free pork from the rooftops!

But it’s been over a year now, and people still blanch at the slightest blush. So, here’s my plea -- the next time you’re cooking a whole muscle cut, like a chop, loin or roast (ground pork should still be cooked to 160 degrees), keep a meat thermometer handy and pull that pork off the heat when it reaches 145 degrees. The new white meat’s gone pink and it’s good.

To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.

Pork Chops with Cherry and Feta Salad
Serves 4

4 bone-in pork chops
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 cups pitted cherries, halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Salt and pepper

1. Brush the pork chops on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook chops on a grill or grill pan, over medium-high heat, until a thermometer inserted near, but not against, the bone registers 145 degrees, about 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chops. Transfer pork chops to a plate and tent with foil; let rest for 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toss the cherries with the feta, rosemary and grated lemon peel; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the cherry mixture over the chops and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Special Fork is a recipe website for your smartphone and PC that solves the daily dinnertime dilemma: what to cook now! Our bloggers blog Monday through Friday to give you cooking inspiration. Check out our recipe database for quick ideas that take no more than 30 minutes of prep time. Join the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Put Some Pop in Your Pork!

Comments

[Cess Padilla]

Having a standard temperature in cooking pork will definitely be useful in regular household kitchens and even in restaurants and hotels. Most of the people in the US suffers foodborne illnesses cause by poor food safety and handling. Foodborne Illnesses like Salmonella, E.coli, Listeria, Campylobacter and other cause lots of news and reports. With this knowledge, people can now go on and eat without the lurking fear of having those foodborne illnesses.