What is it?

Pork is the name that refers to the meat from pigs. And what a lot of meat that is: just about every part of the animal is savored by cooks from the jowls, though the loin, to the feet. Pork products may be sold fresh (pork loin, pork ribs, pork chops) or cured (bacon, ham, and some sausages). With such a wide variety of cuts, a juicy, tender nature, and a relatively mild flavor, pork lends itself well to all manner of cooking styles and flavorings. For specific cooking and prepping methods, see pork ribs, bacon, ground pork, ham, pancetta, pork belly, pork butt, pork chops, pork country-style ribs, pork loin, pork rack, pork rind, pork sausage, pork shoulder, pork shoulder roast, pork tenderloin, rib crown roast of pork, salt pork, pork spareribs.

How to choose:

When buying fresh pork, look for meat that’s as fresh as possible, trimmed and packed well. Look for pork that is a light reddish pink; if there is fat, it should be white and smooth (though cuts like tenderloin, loin, and pork chops should have little fat). The meat should feel firm, and there should not be any excessive liquid in the package.

Recipes

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  Fire and Ice Chili

  Not for the faint of tongue. This chili packs heat and flavor.

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  Grilled BBQ Pork Pizza

  This pizza combines the tangy vinegar sauce of Carolina pulled pork and the tomato-based flavor of Memphis BBQ. Try this pizza with leftover pulled pork, or shake up your next…

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  Overstuffed Pulled-Pork Potato

  This recipe has been a house favorite at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, for two decades. Add pulled pork shoulder to a plate-size, overloaded potato and this is…

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  Lumpia Shanghai (Filipino Spring Rolls)

  These crispy, pork-filled spring rolls are popular Filipino party food—piled high on platters, they’re always the first thing to go. They make a wonderful snack, too.

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  Pork Crown Roast with Dried-Fruit-Sourdough Stuffing and Brandy Cream Sauce

  Move over, turkey. This may well be the new “it” roast for the holidays, especially if you’re cooking for a crowd. The center of this grand roast is filled with…

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  Tuscan Roast Pork with Yellow Potatoes, Fennel, and Parsnips

  For this slow roast, the potatoes and vegetables are precooked so they come out perfectly tender when the pork loin is done. The rosemary, coriander, fennel seeds, and other Tuscan…

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  Coriander-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

  To be fit and healthy, we need to shift our focus toward more fruits and vegetables and away from refined grains and high-fat meats. The meat in this dish is…

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  Pork Tamales with Double-Chile Sauce

  There are different styles of tamales throughout Latin America, but their essential components—masa, a filling, and a wrapper—are the same. Wrapped in corn husks and served with a smoky chile…

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  Tuscan-Style Roast Pork with Rosemary, Sage, and Garlic

  This juicy roast gets a flavorful, burnished crust from its time on a rotisserie grill. If you don’t have a rotisserie, you can grill the pork over indirect heat for…