A rack of pork is also known as loin of pork on the bone. With a good coating of fat and skin and the bones, this is a really flavoursome joint for roasting. The fat keeps it moist, bones always add flavour and you'll have perfect crackling, too. Try our rack of pork recipe for four, where the joint is rubbed with Chinese five spice powder and citrus zest, served with an orange gravy. Just add your favourite vegetables.
From the underside of the pig, this slab of boneless meat is always a favourite. For perfect results, it needs to be cooked on high to get the fat running and for the skin to begin to crisp up, then gentle, slow cooking will tenderise the meat and cause much of the fat to liquify into the tin. Our recipe has the belly roasted on a bed of apples, onions and sage, served with a cider gravy, meltingly tender with a crisp crackling.
Great value for money, a pork shoulder is perfect for a roast, pulled pork or casseroles. Coming from the shoulder, it needs gentle cooking to tenderise it, but it's definitely worth the wait. It has a good fat layer, too, for added flavour, and it can be roasted whole on the bone, or boned and stuffed. Try our recipe for a Sicilian pork casserole, with all the flavours of the Med.
Another cut which makes a perfectly tender roast with crunchy crackling. To make carving easier, buy it boned out from the butcher. It's underrated and under-used too. It can be slow cooked or roasted on a higher heat, as in our recipe where it's simply roasted and served with creamy stuffed onions.
Pork chops are cut from the loin, and can be on the bone or off. They are perfect for fast cooking, as too long in the pan or under the grill will cause them to dry out. Our 30-minute dinner pairs them with apples, leeks and a creamy wholegrain mustard sauce, perfect to serve with rice or mashed potato to mop up the tasty sauce.
Get the recipe for pork chops with crème fraîche and mustard sauce here
Everyone loves a pork rib, whether grilled, baked, sweet or spicy. If it hasn't been removed, take off the thin membrane which lies over the bones, or it will make them tough. The secret to perfect ribs is to cook them slowly to begin with, to ensure they are tender. Then they can be grilled or baked on a high heat for a crisp exterior. Our recipe for sticky ribs requires marinating first, but it's so easy with a bought barbecue sauce.
Pork tenderloin, or fillet, is a different cut to loin. It's very lean with little fat, so lends itself to quick cooking. It's a long, thin cut which can be quickly roasted whole, or used in fillets. It's perfect for a stir-fry, like in our char siu pork recipe. The traditional (and lengthy) char siu has been simplified, but still with those signature flavours of soy, ginger, garlic and hoisin to make the sticky sauce.
Minced pork is extremely versatile. It tends to be slightly more fatty than beef mince, often made from the shoulder, so it doesn't dry out and has plenty of flavour. Mix it with beef for your favourite meat loaf, or try our meatballs recipe, where it's combined with smoky, spicy chorizo sausage in a rich tomato sauce. Though the recipe uses fresh tomatoes, substitute with two cans of drained cherry tomatoes if you like.
Let's set the record straight here: Gammon is ham in its raw state, then once it's cooked, it's ham. Cut from the hind quarters, it can be brined, cured or smoked. Though we tend to cook a gammon for a festive feast, it's a great year-round cut which gives endless options with the leftovers. Try our recipe for orange-glazed smoked ham, served with a fresh orange and mango salsa.
Get the recipe for smoked ham with orange and mango salsa here
When roasting a joint of pork, whichever cut, always rub sea salt into the skin for flavour and to help the skin crackle. However, don't be tempted to add freshly ground black pepper, as it will burn and become bitter. Add it once the meat is cooked, if you like. Other spices to rub into the skin include fennel seeds, chilli flakes or five spice powder. Have a go at our roast pork belly with a spiced rub and garlic potatoes.
Get the recipe for roast pork belly with garlic potatoes here
A brine involves soaking meat in a salt and water solution. It doesn't make it salty, but tenderises it and helps to retain moisture, hence, no dry meat. It works brilliantly for pork, as it does a chicken or turkey. Try our ribs recipe, where the ribs are brined and left in the fridge for an hour, before being marinated in an Asian-style sauce. The result is sweet, sour, spicy and sticky ribs.
A marinade contains wet ingredients, as opposed to a rub, which is dry. So it not only adds flavour, but moisture as well, which will prevent meat from drying out, especially if you are grilling. You need at least two hours to marinate, but overnight is much better, if you can. Our recipe for four-spice pork kebabs is spicy, sweet, sticky and aromatic, with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. They can be cooked on the barbecue or under the grill.
Get the recipe for four-spice kebabs here
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A dry spice rub will add so much depth of flavour to your pork, especially if you can leave it overnight in the fridge. Really get the rub right into the meat – rubber gloves help. Based on salt, sometimes a little sugar and a blend of spices, with a little practice you can make your own blends. For starters, try our rub for pork shoulder, which would work on any cut of pork.
Does your pork chop or tenderloin often end up too dry? Chances are you've overcooked it and your pan wasn't hot enough. Because these cuts of pork are quick to cook, oil first and then salt the meat. The pan should be hot enough you feel the heat with your hand over it. Sear well on both sides so the meat caramelises slightly in the heat and is well browned. A few minutes a side for tenderloin, maybe three or four for chops should do it.
It's all too tempting to try to get everything into one pan all at once. Problem is, you'll reduce the heat immediately and your meat will steam and therefore won't brown sufficiently. It's easier, especially if your pan is small, to brown the meat in batches over a high heat, then pop it on a baking tray into a hot oven to finish cooking.
Stuffing a joint of pork will help it stay moist, and will also add flavour. As pork takes on so many flavours, there's no limit to your options. A traditional British roast is stuffed with sage, onion and sausagemeat. But do try our Italian version, where pork shoulder is stuffed with herbs, Parmesan, lemon and garlic. It's tricky to tie up a stuffed joint, but with an extra pair of hands to help and good butcher's string, the job is simple.
Pork makes a fabulous schnitzel, as good as veal, chicken or turkey. Use tenderloin, then flatten it out by putting the slices between two sheets of clingfilm, then bash it with a rolling pin. Now Japanese panko crumbs are widely available, these make the best coating, as they are lighter and more crisp than the traditional breadcrumb. Try our Japanese version, served with a dipping sauce.
Lard, or pork fat, isn't the devil's food it was once made out to be. It has the same calories as butter, and it comes after olive oil in high monounsaturated fats. It also has a high smoke point. Use half lard and half butter in your shortcrust pastry for a perfectly short, crumbly result. Or try a hot water crust pastry for a traditional British pork pie – it's easier than you think, and quite sublime in flavour.
Why not ditch the beef and try a pork burger for a change? Just ensure the pork mince is not too low in fat or the burgers will lack flavour and won't hold together so well. Our recipe has aromatic spices added – toasted fennel seeds, cumin and cayenne – and is served with a crunchy, mustardy slaw.
The best pulled pork takes time – it needs marinating overnight followed by long, gentle cooking. But there's hardly any effort involved and it's such a versatile recipe, too. Use leg or shoulder. Try in tacos as in our recipe, fill burger buns with it, add to stir-fries and noodle bowls, and it's wicked added to a macaroni cheese.
Most cuts of pork are perfect barbecue food. Large joints can be slow cooked; chops, burgers and tenderloin are speedy, and what better way to finish off ribs to get that charred, smoky result. Our recipe for porchetta-style kebabs uses chunks of tenderloin threaded on to rosemary branches for added flavour, with herby white beans also cooked on the grill. A whole meal over fire – so easy.
There's nothing better than slow-cooked pork ribs finished on the barbecue. The trick for maximum flavour is to continue basting them every couple of minutes with the sauce. This builds up layers of flavour and ensures the sauce sticks to the ribs. Our ribs are spicy, sticky and not too sweet, and for best results, marinate them overnight in the spice rub before cooking over apple juice.
It's always worth cooking a larger joint of pork than you need because there are so many meals to be made with the leftovers. With noodles, stir-fries, sandwiches, pasta dishes and more, there are plenty to choose from. One of our favourites is a Vietnamese baguette sandwich, with pickles, mayonnaise, chilli sauce and fresh coriander.
As pork is so loved across Southeast Asia, there are many recipes for it. It's the perfect meat for a stir-fry, as it absorbs all those lovely flavours of soy, ginger, chilli and garlic. Our quick Japanese fried noodles recipe uses cooked pork belly – another good leftover dish – though you could use thin strips of raw tenderloin and just cook them for a few minutes longer.
Pork cuts which need long, gentle cooking such as belly, leg and shoulder, are perfect candidates for your slow cooker. But even mince can make an appearance, and we love our recipe for pork lettuce wraps, where the pork is cooked with chillies, garlic, fish sauce and soy, then served in lettuce cups topped with coriander, peanuts and spring onion.
Get the recipe for pork lettuce wraps here
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As with any joint of meat (or whole chicken or turkey), a pork joint needs resting once out of the oven. The resting time causes the proteins in the meat and the juices to coagulate. If you carve immediately, the meat will be harder to slice and all those lovely juices will run on to the chopping board, rather than staying within the meat. Fifteen to 20 minutes is fine, loosely covered with kitchen foil.