Pork Recipes & Meal Ideas

As Emma said earlier today, making your own sausage isn’t as daunting as one might think. It allows you to control not only the flavor, but the fat and nutrient contents as well! Sausage makes even the most meager left overs or ingredients, into a meal fit for a king and we just happened to have a camera along when we ground our own last night. See the step by step process, learn some valuable tricks of the trade and see our recipe for pork-apple-raisin breakfast sausage below.

Q: We were served pork crown roast for Christmas Eve dinner and went home with the leftovers. The only problem is the pork is very, very dry and inappropriate for re-heating or even for sandwiches. My mother suggested 15-bean soup, but I’m not a fan of that concoction the way she is, plus we have enough pork for about 3 large batches of it. Are there any other good ideas for what I should do with about 3 pounds of dry, overcooked pork?

Q: Last week at the farmers’ market I bought a pound of pork jowls and figured I would do some research later to find out how to make them. I’ve done some looking and can’t find anything to help me out, not even in How to Cook Everything! Any ideas?

Q: I’ve saved up quite a bit of bacon grease that I use sparingly in different recipes. I’m beginning to prep for my first big scale family Thanksgiving (15 people as opposed to my typical 6 or so). I was thinking of using bacon grease in place of butter or oil as a way of making the turkey a bit smokier. And who doesn’t like bacon?! I was wondering if anyone has basted a turkey with bacon grease and to what degree of success. Thank you!

Q: Can you make stock with pork rib bones? I was thinking it could potentially make a good broth for hot and sour soup, or something that has a slight BBQ taste. It always seems a shame to just throw out a pile of rib bones. Sent by Robyn Editor: Bone broth (which is all the rage right now!) is traditionally made with beef bones, but you could also give it a try with pork bones. How To Make Bone Broth Readers, have you ever made stock out of pork rib bones? Do you have any advice for Robyn?

It’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time for bacon. If you’re craving a salty, crispy slice this morning, take a spin through our six essentials of bacon, from the weird tip for cooking it on the stovetop, to the best way to freeze it for later. Why? You can make a lot of it at once, and it’s hands-off — no flipping, no turning.

In my opinion, if you’ve decided to make a holiday ham for Easter, you’ve certainly made the right choice. It’s my favorite main dish for any large gathering! But even though there isn’t much cooking involved, there are a couple of things to avoid when buying and preparing the ham so that you can have the perfect centerpiece for your special meal. There are two kinds of cured whole hams: country hams and city hams.

Q: I have a not-so-secret secret: I hate bacon. I loathe it. When it comes to pork belly, chops, tenderloin, or ribs, I’m all in, but there’s just something about bacon I just can’t stand. I recently tried it again for the first time in 10 years to make sure I hadn’t grown out of my aversion, but sadly I haven’t. Is there anything else I can substitute when it’s called for in a recipe?

Are pork chops in your regular weeknight meal rotation? Or have you only just recently discovered how simple and satisfying they can be? Either way, let’s make sure you bring your A-game to dinner tonight. Grocery stores often only carry one or two cuts, which makes it tempting to just use whatever they have for your dinner. However, you should know which cuts are best for the dish you plan.

If you’ve ever wondered why your homemade burgers or bolognese sauce aren’t nearly as good as the recipe your friend makes or that you’ve enjoyed at your favorite restaurant, you might think it’s the seasoning that’s off or the cooking method. But in fact, it could simply be a matter of the lean-to-fat ratio in the ground meat.

Pork chops are a versatile cut of meat that can be cooked up for a quick weeknight dinner and just as easily be transformed into something a little more special for a date night in. Whatever the occasion, here are five things you’ll want to know to cook really great pork chops every time. Even if you only have 15 minutes, a quick brine still makes all the difference.

The addition of bacon in macaroni and cheese is one loved by many. Here’s a way to take that idea to the next level. Cubes of cooked pancetta give off a similarly meaty, salty flavor, but have a fast-and-fancy flair to them that make the whole thing feel upgraded. Pancetta is Italian unsmoked bacon. It has ample fatty richness to send your mac and cheese over the edge — and that’s a great thing.

Pork tenderloin is really a weeknight all-star. It’s food-budget-friendly, it’s always ready to feed a hungry crowd, and, most importantly, it’s super easy to make. The key is to remember this little two-step process — sear and roast — which results in a piece of meat that’s moist and juicy. Learn the technique and cooking pork tenderloin is suddenly surprisingly simple and always delicious.