Pork is a popular meat and can be cooked in such a variety of ways that it can be adapted to suit almost any occasion. If new to cooking it is a good meat to start with as it is simple to cook and incorporate into many different recipes. Pork cooking times will vary depending on the cut of the pork and the size of it.
Essentially, there are two fundamental methods you can use to cook pork. These are dry heat and moist heat. Different cuts will use either one of these methods. Dry methods basically use no oil and examples include grilling, roasting and stir frying. These dry methods are the quickest of all pork cooking times. The word dry does not mean that you don’t have to use any oil what so ever, for example, when stir frying pork you will usually need a small amount of oil to stop it sticking to the bottom of the frying pan and burning.
When stir frying keep the heat no higher than medium as any higher will dry out the meat and make it tough.
Should you be roasting pork you will not need to use any liquid as this is also a dry method. There is also no need to cover the pork during cooking as its fat covering leaves you with no necessity to do so. It will be cooked when it is golden brown, you can also use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature if you prefer.
The main moist method of cooking pork is stewing or casseroling. Pork cooking times for this method are significantly longer, the casserole can be left in the oven for a few hours, making it an ideal meal to prepare and put in the oven if you are busy and have other tasks to attend to. Because the pork will be in the oven for a longer period of time you can use cheaper cuts of pork that are more fatty, the longer cooking time allowing the meat to tenderise and for most of the fat to dissolve.
Pork cooking times are longer when you are using these fattier parts of the meat. It does not have to be a casserole. A belly of pork, in particular the thick end, provides a delicious meal in itself. Look for this cut in your supermarket or in your butchers and you will notice it is by far one of the cheaper cuts of meat you can buy. Many people are put off by the thick layer of fat on top but this is what gives it its flavour. This fat can be developed in to a crackling to complement the meat underneath. Score the layer of fat in a criss-cross pattern and rub some oil, salt and pepper into it in order to flavour it. Turn the oven up really high initially to crisp up the fat and turn it down to finish the cooking process. Although the meat underneath is a thin slab, the fat on top keeps it succulent. The combination of crispy crackling and succulent pork provides a delicious combination.
