Just to clear the plate of any confusion: no, eating pork will not give you swine flu. What it will give you is a tasty, inexpensive meal packed with protein, iron, and B vitamins.
Pork consumption went out of vogue for a while, thanks to an American fear of animal fats spurred by Senator George McGovern, who started the crusade against saturated fat in the 1970s. Farmers responded to this meat witch hunt by breeding pigs with less fat on them, which is why today’s pork is a great source of lean protein.
Pigs get a bad rep for making us fat, but the truth is that no matter how chubby pigs might be themselves, most pork cuts are actually quite lean and healthful, especially if they come from the loin of the animal. These nine cuts are definitely worth trying.
Tenderloin
As with beef, the tenderloin is the leanest cut of meat on a pig (also the most expensive). It’s the boneless cut taken from the inside of the loin, and is a long, thin piece of meat with one round end and one tapered, flat end. It needs little or no preparation and stands up well to roasting, baking, braising, broiling, or grilling. Keep in mind, however, that because tenderloin is so lean—and because pork should be cooked all the way through—it can end up dry and tough unless you add a complement like a sauce or gravy to preserve the meat’s natural juices.
Top Loin Chop
After the tenderloin is removed from the top loin muscles and backbone, you’re left with a lean piece of meat that has a handy covering of fat for cooking. You can trim this fat a little bit, but keep most of it on for great flavor and juicy texture as you braise, broil, grill, panbroil, or panfry this cut.
Top Loin Roast
Top loin roast usually comes double from the butcher shop, where they tie two boneless loins together, fat side facing out. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and whatever other seasoning you prefer, and then set in a roasting pan fat side up. Bake for 1-1/2 hours and top with warm applesauce or sautéed apple rings for a sweet and savory treat.
Center Cut/Loin Rib Chop
These chops contain eye muscle and backbone, making them slightly tough, but they have the fat from the pig’s back on the outside edge to give them juiciness. Cutting a slit from the fat side to the bone creates little pockets for stuffing with whatever you have handy. (I like sautéed mushrooms.) Brown them in a pan, drain excess fat, and then cover with water and simmer for an hour until the chops are fully cooked and tender. This helps break down some of the sinews that give this cut its toughness.
Sirloin Roast
Sirloin roast crosses the hip and back bones. It contains the largest muscle in the pig’s body, the “eye” of loin, which is separated from the smaller tenderloin muscles by “finger bones,” so called because you can eat the meat in between them with your fingers. Place this cut in a shallow roasting pan with the liquid of your choice (apple juice concentrate, Dijon mustard, and soy sauce are a nice blend) at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, basting occasionally.
Spareribs
These are the long rib bones on the side of the animal. They have a thin covering of meat on the outside and between the ribs. Spareribs are classic barbecue fare; slow roast them over charcoal for about two hours, turning frequently, and smearing with barbecue sauce as you go. The meat should be falling off the bone when the ribs are done.
Shoulder
The shoulder, at the other end of the pig from the loin, has more intramuscular fat than other cuts. Arm roasts and steaks, and blade or Boston roasts and steaks, all come from the shoulder and benefit from a good roasting. The higher fat content makes the shoulder ideal for throwing in a slow cooker for stews or pulled pork.
