I’ve often referred to Pork as the forgotten animal protein. We focus so tightly on beef and chicken these days that the un-cured forms of pork have been sadly neglected. It’s time to remind the world that Pork is just as healthy as Chicken!
But I have no trouble recalling the glori-ous pork roasts of my childhood. The weeknight chops, the meatballs, and the weekly meatloaves Mom always insisted had to be made from a 50-50 blend of pork and beef…
It’s versatile…
There was a pork producers’ promo campaign, many years ago, now, that featured the slogan: ‘It’s the other White Meat!’ Fact is, you can do almost every-thing with pork that you can do with chicken.
Among other things, that only goes to prove that the pig has lived in the shad-ow of the cow and chicken… Well, way too long. Pretty much forever.
What about the fat?
Lean pork is no more fatty than chicken. The same caveats go for pork as for the bird: Always place pork on a rack for oven roasting. That not only ensures all-over browning, but also lets excess fat drip harmlessly away. Let fried cuts rest on paper towels before serving to soak up surface fat. It’s true that many pork cuts often come with a thick fat cap. But you can – and should – trim that off before cooking.
What about nutrition?
Pork compares favourably with chicken in the nutrition arena. According to TODAY contributor Sara Jacoby, a ‘standard’ 3.5-ounce serving of grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast contains about:
- 165 calories
- 31 grams of protein
- 3.6 grams of fat, including 1 gram of saturated fat
The same serving of boneless pork sirloin chop, with the fat removed, contains:
- 163 calories
- 29 grams of protein
- 4.5 grams of fat, including 1.5 grams saturated fat
Surprised? I’m not surprised by that!
Pork prep tips…
Pork is also vulnerable to the thousand natural chocks that chicken is heir to… How appropriate that the original quote which I appropriated for that one comes from Shakespeare’s Hamlet!
Perhaps the greatest danger in cooking fresh pork is overcooking it. It’s easy to produce a dry, tough pork roast – even easier to ruin a lovely chop in the same way. I know… The experts always caution to cook pork to 165 F to ensure it’s safe to eat. But that rule goes back to the old days – even before my time – when Trichinosis and tapeworm infections were common. But the 165 F rule is still a good one to go by. Just don’t leave the roast in too long and turn it into a fire log.
Pork is a dense meat. But so is chicken. I apply the same rules to marinating pork that I use for chick-en. Works perfectly every time.
And there’s more than a grain of truth to that ‘other white meat’ claim. I often use the same flavour-ing combos for pork as I use on chicken.
My take
One final point about pork… It’s no costlier than chicken (which is usually significantly less expensive than beef, these days). And I’ve seen some ‘Family Pack’ specials that were absolutely cheap. There’s no reason (aside from any cultural or religious prohibitions you may be subject to, of course) not to give pork a more prominent place in your recipe repertiore!
Asian cuisine is a great vector on which to start your personal exploration of (or reunion with) pork. Asian cultures have used the pig much more extensively than they have the cow as meat for millen-nia. Just Google yourself silly using the search term: ‘Asian pork recipes’…
~ Maggie J.