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Home Life
Entertaining
Outdoor
Party Guide
Make
a Match at the Meat Case
A Helpful Guide to Pork Cuts for All Grilling Occasions
Look
under the lids of grills around the country and you'll find one
thing for certain - America's love affair with barbecue and grilling
is hotter than ever.
Home cooks are
hip to backyard barbecue and doing whatever it takes to create the
irresistible smoky taste made possible only through grilling. Whether
it's a weeknight craving for grilled sausage or the need to relax
on Sunday with a slow-cooked roast, grilling fits into every type
of schedule - from on-the-go to on-the-hammock. No matter what your
grilling occasion or time limitation, the following pointers can
ensure a perfect match with pork - an ideal meat choice for grilling
- every time.
Quick 'Que
Cuts
When there is no time for slow cooking over low heat, busy cooks
need simple solutions for satisfying family appetites. Grilling
is a great time-saver, especially when using the following pork
cuts, which require only 10-30 minutes on the grill.
- Tenderloin:
When prepared over direct heat, a 1-pound pork tenderloin typically
calls for only 15-25 minutes of grill time. For healthy kabobs
or lean appetizers, cut up your tenderloin into bite-sized cubes.
Need some recipe ideas for grilled Tenderloin? Smoke
& Fire Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Onion Slaw or Southwestern
Grilled Pork Tenderloin.
- Sausage:
Whether you call them bangers, sags, kielbasa, wieners, frankfurters,
dogs, brats or links, grilled sausages are a mainstay on the grill.
For perfectly grilled sausages every time, cook over medium heat
to prevent the casing from bursting and losing juices. Ready-to-eat
sausages come packaged fully cooked, so most only require warming
on the grill. However, fresh sausages need to be grilled for approximately
10-20 minutes. Try these recipes for Grilled
Italian Sausage and Potato Salad or Street
Fair Italian Sausage and Peppers.
- Chops:
When time is of the essence, rely on pork chops for a casual and
fast family meal. Available boneless or bone-in, pork chops come
in a variety of cuts, including center loin, rib chops and sirloin
chops. Even thick 1-inch chops are ready to serve in 10-12 minutes
when cooked over direct heat. When finished grilling, add flavor
with simple sauces, salsas or chutneys. Americas
Favorite Pork Chops are always a good choice or grill on the
wild side with these recipes for Chuletas
Adobado con salsa fresca de cebolla y cilantro, Calypso
Pork Chops or Cajun-Style
Spiced Pork Chops.
Time Is on
Your Side
For those with time on their side, large, less tender cuts like
ribs, roast or pork shoulder make for a delicious leisure pursuit.
Barbecuing - considered the "country cousin" of grilling
- is the practice of slow cooking pork for hours at low temperatures
using coals, smoldering logs or wood chips. Patience pays dividends
when cooking pork "low and slow" as the meat becomes infused
with an unforgettable, mouth-watering smoky flavor.
If barbecuing
is on your outdoor summer entertaining menu, try these slow-cook
pork cuts that will satisfy your cravings with tender, juicy roasts
and finger licking barbecued ribs.
- Ribs:
Ribs are the quintessential American staple for grilling. Of the
many Americans who barbecue pork at home, more than two-thirds
(67 percent) say ribs are their favorite cut to grill. Pork ribs
can vary in size and amount of meat, but all pork ribs offer great
barbecue possibilities. Kick back while ribs cook over medium-low,
indirect heat for 1½ to 2 hours or until the meat "wiggles"
away from the bone. Not only will you feel relaxed, but so will
the ribs.
- Back
Ribs: Also known as "baby back ribs" because
these ribs are cut from the blade and center section of the
loin, and thus are smaller than spareribs. They are known
for the "finger meat" between the bones. Back ribs
are a favorite rib choice because of the large amount of meat
they offer. All-
American Pork Baby Back Ribs or Kansas
City Style Pork Back Ribs are favorite recipes for finger
lickin' ribs. Try a spicy barbecue beat with Latin
Pork Back Ribs with Smoky Pineapple-Mango Sauce or cater
to the sweet lovers at your gathering with Five-Spice
Ribs with Molasses Glaze.
- Spareribs:
Cut from the underbelly or side of the hog, spareribs are
the least meaty variety of pork ribs, but are big on flavor.
St. Louis-style spareribs are spareribs with the breast
bone removed. Backyard barbecue spareribs are guaranteed to
bring rave reviews.
- Country-Style
Ribs:
The meatiest of pork ribs, country-style ribs are cut from
the rib end of the loin. Country-style ribs are often sold
in individual servings, rather than full racks. These ribs
are perfect for large appetites and contain enough meat to
warrant the use of knife and fork. Traditionalists will love
your Carolina
Country Style Ribs. For a more adventurous crowd pleaser
try this recipe for Country-Style
Ribs with Jalapeno-Peach Sauce or Curried
Country-Style Ribs.
-
Roast:
A grilled roast is a palate pleaser for a more formal grilling
experience. Roasts should be cooked over indirect heat, with
the pork placed on the portion of the grill not directly over
the heat source. A boneless loin roast will cook to tender perfection
in about 20 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature
measures 150 degrees F. Tent roast with aluminum foil and allow
it to "rest" 10 minutes to redistribute juices before
carving. You can go for a simple recipe like Grilled
Pork Rib Roast or try some new recipes like Hawaiian
No-Imu Slow-Roasted Pork, Grilled
Chimichurri Pork Roast or Grilled
Greek-Style Pork Roast with Yogurt Sauce.
-
Shoulder
or Butt: Shoulder, sometimes known as shoulder butt,
is an economical cut when needing to feed a crowd. Requiring
about an hour per pound of slow roasting for flavor infusion,
a shoulder roast offers the perfect opportunity to invite close
friends over while preparing an evening feast. With patience,
the shoulder roast will become tender and juicy, falling off
the bone. Allow the meat to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Carolina-Style
Pulled Pork Shoulder or Low
And Slow Pulled Pork are recipes for a successful barbecue.
About the
Author...
When it comes to grilling, experience is a great teacher, but you
don't need to spend years perfecting your technique. Visit otherwhitemeat.com
for hundreds of grilling recipes and instructional videos to perfect
your grilling skills: TheOtherWhiteMeat.com.
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