Americans’ love for pork knows no bounds! A survey shows that two-thirds of US adults eat pork daily, which is even more than they consume beef or chicken. As a major source of certain important vitamins and minerals, pork can easily turn into savoury classics or innovative creations as per your choice. If you’re ready to explore the irresistible array of pork dishes, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few examples of different ways pork can be cooked into something tasty to eat:
1. Pork ribs
Juicy, meaty pork ribs are a barbecue favourite. You can smoke or grill them, and then coat them in a tangy sauce and serve while the meat falls off the bone. Pork ribs, BBQ sauce, and dry rub (or marinade) are the only requirements to create this simple dish.
Prepare, rinse, and season these ribs properly. Use a combination of your favourite spices to enhance the taste of ribs. Cook them patiently and enjoy them at a backyard barbecue with your pals.
2. Crock pot pork roast
This tender, juicy, and flavorful dish involves slow-cooking pork loin or shoulder. This amazing pork dish only requires a few minutes of prep time and a few ingredients. You can also cook a pork roast in a crock pot for dinner this week to shorten the time needed to prepare this meal. Procure quality pork, get some seasoning, and prepare tasty gravy with butter and flour. Cook it with various seasonings, liquids, and sometimes vegetables for about 8 hours.
This method makes pork roast moist, tender, and easily shreddable. You may serve it to your family on a weeknight with a side of mashed potatoes.
3. Thai pork salad
Different variations of Thai pork salad exist based on how you decide to cook pork. For instance, Nam Sod uses cooked ground porn mixed with chilli, lime, and different herbs. However, Moo Nam Tok uses grilled pork slices with the same ingredients. “Nam Tok” means waterfall in Thai and refers to how the juice dripping from pork slices resembles a waterfall.
Making this salad is very simple. Pan-fry pork slices until they’re well-cooked. Then, you can toss a fine mixture of herbs and seasonings to enhance the flavour, such as sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. Throw in some vegetables and peanuts as well if you feel like it. Garnish it properly, and you have a sensational, tantalizing pork dish ready to serve with the main dinner course.
4. Pork sandwich
Sandwiches, along with pork dishes, are everyone’s favourites. Data shows that over 50% of Americans love eating sandwiches. Why not combine your two favourite foods and create a pork sandwich?!
If you want to be creative, try making a pressed sandwich like the way they do in Cuba. A pressed Cuban sandwich requires roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on bread. Do not forget to butter the bread’s outer sides and grill it in a panini press until all the cheese melts. Then it’s just slice and serve, and that’s how you make a sándwich cubano.
5. Pork schnitzel
If you’re a fan of German cuisine, this dish, consisting of breaded and fried pork cutlets, will bring you to tears of joy! This dish is easy to make; you need some quality pork loin chops, pound them thin, bread them, and pan-fry until they become golden and crispy. Don’t forget to season it nicely and dip it into beaten eggs for added flavour. If you serve pork schnitzel with lemon wedges on the side, it’ll be a true German delicacy. Try accompanying it with potato salad, fries, or a fresh salad.
6. BBQ pulled pork
This dish was introduced in the Americas by Spanish colonizers and soon became a beloved Southern classic. Slow-cooked pulled pork, covered with BBQ sauce, can be eaten on its own and spread on the face of sandwiches. Normally, cooks use shredded pork shoulder to prepare this delicacy. First, roast the meat in brine and then apply a dry rub on it. Then, use a crock pot or an instant pot to make tender; shreddable pulled pork. Serve on buns with coleslaw to make a classic pulled pork sandwich.
In some parts of the country, pulled pork has many variations, such as a whole hog (roasting an entire pig) and a Boston butt. However, these variations may require professional assistance. Surveys show that 27% of Americans consider pulled pork sandwiches their favourite barbecue menu item.
7. Jamaican pork chops
Preparing Jamaican jerk pork chops takes less than an hour, making it a tasty, spicy dish for the whole family. This delicious dish requires boneless pork chops, traditional Jamaican jerk seasoning, thyme, olive oil, lemon juice, and onion or garlic powder.
You can always use the store-bought Jamaican jerk seasoning, but you can also make your own at home. Use garlic, ginger, thyme, scallions, nutmeg, cinnamon, and Scotch bonnet peppers to create a perfect seasoning to give your Jamaican pork chops that exotic flavour. Then, you may pan-fry pork chops until they’re slightly charred. Serve this dish with peas, plantains, or coleslaw.
8. Crispy pork belly tacos
If you’re a corn tortilla fan, fill them with tender, juicy pork belly, add cilantro and cabbage, and create an amazing Mexican delicacy. Try rubbing salt, pepper, and other spices on pork belly. Make sure you season it properly and then roast it in the oven. Keep roasting the meat until it gets crispy on the outside but stays tender inside. Then, slice it up into thin strips to fill up the tortillas. Stuff these soft tortillas with pork, onion, and cilantro. Don’t forget to drizzle some salsa over it.
And you’re done! Now, serve it with lime wedges for an unforgettable taco experience.
Conclusion
This blog discusses different ways to prepare pork in your kitchen and explore new gastronomic horizons. It’s time you learn about the diversity of pork-infused cuisine and how different cultures have discovered an array of unique culinary tactics to cook pork. Pork can become salads, tacos, sandwiches, schnitzels, or even barbecue – all it requires is the right recipe and ingredients. From Crock Pot Pork Roast to Crispy Pork Belly Tacos – this blog will take every pork connoisseur on an adventure filled with yumminess!