Pork 101: Everything you need to know!

Modern-day production has reduced pork’s fat content. In fact, pork is a major contender in the lean meat category, and many cuts of pork are as lean or leaner than chicken. For the leanest cuts of pork, look for the words “loin” on the label. For example, a 3-ounce serving of pork tenderloin contains only 2.98 grams of fat, whereas a 3-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast contains 3.03 grams of fat.

Pork tenderloin meets the governmental guidelines for “extra lean.” The “extra lean” pork tenderloin is joined by five other common cuts that meet label guidelines for “lean.” All of these cuts have less fat than a skinless chicken thigh: top loin chop and roast, center loin chop, rib chop, and sirloin chop.

• How To Cook It: If time is limited, you’ll want to select a smaller cut, like pork chops that cook quickly. If you’re entertaining and have several other dishes to prepare, you may want to choose a roast that can be put in the oven and requires very little attention.
• What part of the pig is this cut from? This is known as the “primal” or “wholesale” cut and specifies which part of the animal the meat comes from. This information is a good indicator of the relative tenderness of the cut and can help you as a shopper to decide which method of cookery to use when preparing the cut. This part of the label may read shoulder, loin, leg, etc.
• What is the retail cut? This part of the label gives the shopper the specific name of the smaller cut takes from the primal cut. This part of the label may read blade roast, rib chop, sirloin roast, etc.
• How much should I buy? The “average” serving size for pork is 3 ounces of cooked meat. Start with 4 ounces of boneless, raw pork to yield 3 ounces of cooked pork. A 3-ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards.
• Cost: To get the most for your money, take the time to figure out the cost per serving. Some boneless cuts may seem more expensive, but actually are a better buy because you are not paying for the bone. Calculating cost per serving is a better measure of value and can be calculated with the following formula: Cost per serving = Cost per pound / # of servings per pound.