Ham & Pork

There are quite a few ways to make a good ham, but what exactly is the best way? We set out to find out for sure.

A succulent ham is one of the reigning centerpieces of holiday feasts, and rightly so. It’s an easy main dish with virtually no cooking required, and it serves a crowd. But since there is nearly no cooking (depending on the type you buy), all the work of a ham lies in the choosing. How do you decide what kind of ham to get? Where do you buy it from, and what should you look for? Read on — we have the answers! Ham comes from the back leg of the animal.

I think we can all agree that bacon is pretty irresistible as is. That crispy, crunchy texture and smoky flavor can liven up breakfast plates and add an extra oomph to salads and sandwiches. Which is precisely why it’s time to up the ante on your next batch of bacon with the help of a few rich, sweet, spicy, and savory upgrades. Even though it doesn’t necessarily come with a mild flavor, bacon is a total blank canvas.

And the easy, foolproof way to make sure if never happens again.

My favorite part of a pie or tart, hands-down, is the crust. In fact, if there’s a double crust, I’m even happier. And while graham cracker pie crust is one of the easiest crusts to make, don’t forget that there is a whole world of other fun possibilities out there that are equally delicious. Pretty much any crunchy thing that’s cookie or cracker-like can work in as a pie crust. You just have to grind it up, mix it with some butter to hold it together, and press and bake.

Boneless country-style pork ribs are a bit strange — they’re rib-like strips of meat but are in fact boneless. If they don’t have any bones or ribs in them, why are they still called country-style pork ribs? Interestingly enough, boneless country-style ribs don’t actually come from the ribs, thus the confusing naming convention. Maybe the name stems from the fact that the meat has a texture and flavor similar to meat around the ribs?

If you actually hail from Canada, may just think of this meat as bacon. If you’re from other parts of the world, you may know it as Irish bacon, English bacon, or back bacon. No matter what you call it or where you’re from, I think we can all agree that thick slices of this bacon make a mighty fine addition to breakfast, especially in eggs Benedict, perhaps its most common use in the U.S. But what’s the difference between this good stuff and American bacon?

We love bacon as much as the next omnivore, and we love using it in our cooking even more. A slice or two of slowly-rendered bacon is a great way to start off a soup or a braise. Recently, we’ve started playing around with a new-to-us version of this beloved pork product: slab bacon. If you cook with a lot of bacon, definitely check this out!Slab bacon is really just regular bacon before it’s been sliced.

From lean and mean to lush and tasty with just two ingredients.

Because we want you to have nice, juicy pork chops for dinner.

These are the most common cuts, what they taste like, and the best ways to prepare them.

Ready to become a pro at cooking pork?

Calling all pulled pork fans.

Searing meat is 100% about building flavor. And oh, what flavor it is! When that meat hits a scorching hot pan, the surface instantly begins caramelizing. In your stew or braise or roast, this translates into the kind of deep, savory flavor that we crave on an almost a cellular level. This is the flavor that makes us want to lick our plates clean. No sear, no plate-licking good times. Here’s how to do it. Searing meat might seem like an unnecessary and time-consuming step in a recipe.

Bacon, pancetta, prosciutto: These three pork products look alike, taste somewhat similar, and even get regularly substituted for each other. It’s no wonder we get them confused! In actuality, each pork product has distinctive characteristics that make it ideal for different preparations. Here’s the scoop on each one and their differences. Bacon and pancetta have the most in common. They are both typically made from pork belly and both are cured for a certain length of time.

Not all meats last the same amount of time!

The one magic number to rule them all.

Yesterday, we mentioned how we’ve been cooking a big pork shoulder over the weekend and then using it in recipes all week long. This is a great way to make one meal (pulled pork sandwiches!) stretch into several different meals. Here are some ways we like to use the leftovers!Since we know we’ll be eating this in more than just pulled pork sandwiches, we keep the flavors relatively neutral.

With the arrival of summer tomatoes, we’ve been eating a lot of BLTs. We spread our bacon slices out in a very large pan and cook them on the stovetop, and we were reminded last night that it pays to turn the heat down…When we’re hungry and in a hurry, we’re always tempted to crank up the flame and sizzle the bacon fast and furious. But inevitably, we burn it.

In the words of Homer Simpson, the pig is a wonderful, magical animal. Anthony Bourdain agrees with this statement. I live in the Mission District of San Francisco, a working class neighborhood heavily populated by Latin Americans, and I can walk a few blocks down from my house and pick up a 6-inch long, 3-inch wide slab of hot, crispy, buttery, fatty, piggy crack goodness known as chicharrón. If you like pork rinds, you’ll love this. Are you salivating yet?

Salt pork has always seemed a very old-fashioned American ingredient; we think of Little House on the Prairie and other stories of pioneers with only long-lasting salt pork to give a little meaty flavor to their meals. Well, salt pork is still around, and it’s very cheap, very easy to use, and a little goes a long, long way.

Use them to add tons of flavor to soups, stews, collards, and more.

The winner was perfection.

Want pork chops that rival a steak? You've got to know the best method for cooking those chops!

Consider this your ham cheat sheet — what to buy, how to cook, and more — just in time for the holiday.

Plus: The ingenious hack to test if meat is done without a thermometer.

You might want to cook it up and eat it faster than you think!

Remember this tip and say goodbye to splattering bacon grease.

Tip one: There's no grill necessary.

No tough or chewy ribs with these simple steps.

Which one is your favorite?

Buying a whole ham for Easter, Christmas, or a special occasion is one of the easiest ways to serve an entree for a large crowd. Even though the ham is already pre-cooked, you can still brush it with a homemade glaze as you’re heating it up to add some sweetness and punch. Here are five easy glazes you can throw together from mostly store-bought condiments to make the ham your own! The glaze: Each recipe will make about two cups of glaze.

Everyone has an opinion on barbecue. (Don’t they?) There are three basic sauce options: mustard, tomato, and my favorite, vinegar. Each variation has its devotees, and many gatherings in this neck of the woods include impromptu debates of varying degrees of intensity about which one is the best. I don’t participate in the debate, because my mouth is full.Let’s get one thing out of the way.

Pork tenderloin is the all-star of weeknight dinners. From the affordable price tag to its impressive versatility and ease of cooking, this is one cut of pork that truly delivers. Before you step into the kitchen, arm yourself with the 10 most important things you need to know about cooking pork tenderloin. The next time you make it, it’ll be your best yet. Silver skin, named for its silver-white color, is a thin membrane of connective tissue found on pork tenderloin.

Our cooking lesson on preparing pork chops is consistently one of our most popular recipes, so it comes as no surprise that this weeknight favorite is the most popular cut of pork, according to the National Pork Board. Whether pork chops already have a regular spot in your weekly meal plan or you’re new to making them, we want to help you master this versatile cut of meat.

“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.

Continuing the Kitchn’s recent series of sushi posts, we spent some time in the kitchen with Rham Fenton, a very skilled, albeit unconventional sushi expert who gave us some techniques and inspiration for at-home sushi making.Rham started making sushi professionally some 20+ years ago when he was a surfer by day in Virginia Beach. Rham initially worked on fishing boats and then soon found a home at the various sushi bars along the boardwalk.

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 have been given a large piece of prosciutto, and as there is only two of us, it is too big for us to eat at one time. I would like to know if it can be frozen or how else to keep it, and for how long? Sent by Lucy Editor: Prosciutto is a cured meat and will actually keep quite well for a few weeks in the fridge. I also think it would freeze fairly well, if needed — wrap it well to protect it from exposure to air and freeze for up to 3 months. Readers, any other thoughts?

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.

Crisp graham crackers are the classic choice for sandwiching toasted marshmallows and chocolate together. It’s the way we learned to make s’mores, and the staple we unquestioningly continue to use. But are they really the best choice to get the job done? I’d argue no. One bite is all takes to send a tremor through the cracker, strong enough to make it crack and crumble, which causes your s’more to break into pieces.

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.

Pork tenderloin is easy to prepare on even the most hectic of weeknights. What’s even better is that leftovers can be stretched to last all week — tucked into sandwiches or reheated for a quick midweek dinner alongside roasted vegetables. Since pork tenderloin is quite lean, reheating it without drying it out in the process can be tricky. Overcooked pork tenderloin can easily happen, especially if it’s just zapped in the microwave or tossed in an extra-hot oven.

Pork tenderloin is already a weeknight dinner hero due to its ease of preparation and wallet-friendly status. You just need a few good sides to fill the plate to make it a meal. Luckily, if you’re already following the quick, two-step process of searing and then roasting to cook pork, you can simply toss something else into the skillet to round out the dish and make it a one-pan dinner. We’re making it easy on you with these five delicious additions.

If your house is anything like mine was growing up, Easter dinner is not complete without a sweet glazed ham at the center of the table. Not only are the tender slices of meat a hit with the whole family, but it’s also actually a pretty easy dish to cook for a crowd. From shopping at the grocery store to adding the finishing touch before it hits the dinner table, here are the most important things to know about cooking your Easter ham.