Pork is best when cooked to medium doneness - 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Correctly cooked pork is juicy and tender, with a slight blush of pink in the center.

WET OR DRY? - There are 2 basic methods for cooking meats; dry heat and moist heat. Generally, dry heat methods are best applied to naturally tender cuts of meat. Moist-heat methods tenderize less-tender cuts.

DRY-HEAT METHODS

GRILLING - For both small cuts cooked over direct heat and large pork cuts cooked with indirect heat.

BROILING - For small cuts such as chops, tenderloin, kabobs, and pork patties.

SAUTEING - For small pork cuts such as medallions, ground patties, chops, cutlets, and strips.

PANBROILING - For chops, tenderloin medallions, ham slices, bacon, and ground pork patties.

ROASTING - For large pork cuts - loin roasts, tenderloin, shoulder roasts, ham, leg roasts.

MOIST-HEAT METHODS

STEWING - For smaller pieces of less-tender cuts, such as ribs and pork cubes.

BRAISING - For large or small cuts, but traditionally less-tender cuts.

Arm & Blade Shoulder | Leg / Ham | Loin | Side | Other Cuts |

Select fresh, lean pork that is grayish-pink with a fine-grain texture.

Arm & Blade Shoulder	Retail Cuts Blade roast Blade steak Boneless arm picnic roast Boneless blade roast Smoked hocks Smoked picnic Smoked shoulder roll	Preparation braise, roast braise, broil, pan-broil, pan-fry braise, roast braise, roast braise, cook in liquid cook in liquid, roast cook in liquid, roast
Leg / Ham	Retail Cuts Boneless smoked ham Canned ham Leg cutlet Sliced ham Smoked ham Smoked ham center slice Smoked ham rump portion Smoked ham shank portion Top leg (inside) roast	Preparation roast roast braise, broil, pan-broil, pan-fry braise, pan-broil, pan-fry roast broil, pan-broil, pan-fry, roast roast roast braise, roast
Loin	Retail Cuts Back ribs Blade chop Blade roast Boneless blade roast Boneless sirloin roast Butterfly chop Canadian-style bacon Center loin roast Center rib roast Country-style ribs Crown roast Loin chop Rib chop Sirloin chop Sirloin cutlet Sirloin roast Smoked loin chop Tenderloin Top loin chop Top loin roast (double)	Preparation braise, broil, cook in liquid, roast braise, broil, pan-broil, pan-fry braise, roast braise, roast roast braise, broil, pan-broil, pan-fry broil, pan-broil, pan-fry, roast roast roast braise, broil, cook in liquid, roast roast braise, broil, pan-broil, pan-fry braise, broil, pan-broil, pan-fry braise braise, broil, pan-fry, pan-broil roast broil, pan-broil, pan-fry, roast braise (slices: pan-fry, braise), roast braise, broil, pan-broil, pan-fry roast
Side	Retail Cuts Sliced bacon Spareribs	Preparation broil, pan-fry, roast braise, broil, cook in liquid, roast
Other Cuts	Retail Cuts Cubed steak Cubes for kabobs Ground pork Pork pieces Sausage links	Preparation braise, pan-broil, pan-fry braise, broil broil, pan-broil, pan-fry, roast braise, cook in liquid braise, pan-fry, roast