![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() He doesn’t recommend cooking to this degree of doneness for lean pork unless it has been flavor-brined. Spareribs and Boston butts are two examples that are suitable for moist-heat cooking to higher than recommended internal temps. He says, “The meat will usually be almost uniformly gray, with a pinkish tint near the bone.”Īidells identifies other cuts that should be cooked to higher temps (165 to 170☏). Aidells suggests cooking these cuts medium-well (150 to 155☏). Well-marbled loin cuts from heirloom pork, such as blade end of the loin can be cooked to higher temps to help render fat. On the other hand, an inaccurate thermometer can have you believing you’ve reached a food safe temp to kill trichinosis (137☏), when in actuality you’re several degree below the target temp. If your thermometer is off by several degrees it’s very easy to cook right past medium on to medium-well and well done, inadvertently ruining an expensive piece of meat. This is where using a super-accurate thermometer, like the Thermapen ®, is of the utmost importance. If you’re concerned about the lower-than-recommended internal temperature, Aidells reminds us that, “…if you’re worried about trichinosis, fear not: The spores are killed when pork reaches 138☏ and is held there for just a few minutes.” The end result promises to be tender, juicy and most important – safe to eat. Regardless of what a recipes says however, Aidells cautions those who are immunologically compromised or pregnant to cook pork to 160☏, as recommended by the USDA.Īidells calls medium (140 to 145☏) the ideal range for lean pork tenderloin, loin cuts and leg roasts. Of course, Aidells says, “…carry-over heat will vary depending on the size of the piece of meat and the intensity of the heat source, consult the individual recipes to determine exactly what internal temperature the meat should be when removed from the heat source, and follow the resting times given in the recipes.” While a quick glance at Aidells’ chart may have readers wondering why his temps are slightly lower than what the USDA recommends, he assures us that when using dry-heat cooking methods, carry-over heat will put the internal temp right where it needs to be. In his book, The Great Meat Cookbook, Aidells provides pork doneness charts based on what he believes will give at-home cooks the best results. Aidells says, “This is a vast improvement over the old recommendation, and the results will be more palatable.” It should be noted however, that ground pork, like all ground meat, should be cooked to 160☏. The USDA now recommends cooking pork (whole muscle cuts such as loins, roast and chops) to a minimum internal temp of 145☏ – a full 15° lower than what was previously recommended. Aidells says, “It (USDA) has finally agreed with those of us who write recipes and tell our readers to cook pork to a much lower temperature.” There is, perhaps, no one more in agreement with the changes in pork guidelines than the world-renowned meat expert, Bruce Aidells. As pork producers improved feeding and breeding practices (in accordance with industry-wide efforts covering food safety), the Department of Agriculture decided it was time to make a change. In recent years, advances in both food safety and nutritional content of pork has prompted the USDA to revisit their recommended pork temperatures. ![]()
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