Pork Recipes & Meal Ideas

“Dry” and “poaching” might sound like an oxymoron, but hear us out! This is a great technique to use with small cuts that don’t have a lot of internal fat to keep them moist. Here’s how… Also called oven poaching, dry poaching is like a cross between braising and roasting. We mostly use it for cooking boneless skinless chicken breast, but it also works well with fish, thin cuts of pork, or any meat that has a tendency to overcook.

With all the bacon craziness going on these days, you’d think the Canadian version would get a little more attention! It’s classic in eggs benedictHere in the United States, Canadian bacon is very similar to ham. It can either be a whole cut from the pork loin or it can be compressed from various different cuts. Check the labeling! If the only ingredient is “pork,” then it’s probably from the loin.

We agree with reader mschatelaine from our post on marbling: the push to make everything lean and fat free does tend to go overboard sometimes. Lucky, that won’t be a problem as long as pork fat is around!There are three factors that make pork fat more useful and versatile than just about any other fat: it has a mild flavor that doesn’t overwhelm, it has superior melting quality, and it’s incredibly smooth and creamy.

Does anyone know of a source? Sent by JeniferEditor: Readers, do you know of any reasonably-priced online or mailorder sources for British back bacon in the U.S.?

Q: How long is bacon good for after freezing? Once it’s thawed in the fridge, how long will it stay good unopened? Sent by Christina Editor: According to the USDA, fresh or thawed bacon should be used within 7 days. Technically, frozen food will stay safe to eat nearly indefinitely, but for the sake of quality and taste we tend to freeze bacon no more than a few months. Readers, what’s your experience with freezing bacon? Do you find it’s best within a certain period?

"Everything changes when you can take it outside."

Always be brining, friends.

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.

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.