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When buying pork, look for cuts with a relatively small amount of fat over the outside and with meat that is firm and a grayish pink color. Pork graded as Utility is mainly used in processed products and is not available in supermarkets for consumers to purchase. It should have a high proportion of lean meat to fat and bone. Pork sold as Acceptable quality pork is the only fresh pork sold in supermarkets. USDA grades for pork reflect only two levels: "Acceptable" grade and "Utility" grade. Is pork graded?Īlthough inspection is mandatory, its grading for quality is voluntary, and a plant pays to have its pork graded.
INTERNAL TEMP OF PORK CHOPS FREE
The "Passed and Inspected by USDA" seal insures the pork is wholesome and free from disease. Each animal and its internal organs are inspected for signs of disease. How is pork inspected?Īll pork found in retail stores is either USDA inspected for wholesomeness or inspected by state systems which have standards equal to the federal government. No hormones are used in the raising of hogs. Data from this monitoring program have shown a very low percentage of residue violations. This is so residues can exit the animal's system and won't be in the meat.įSIS randomly samples pork at slaughter and tests for residues. A "withdrawal" period is required from the time antibiotics are administered until it is legal to slaughter the animal. Uncured meat is called "fresh pork." Can antibiotics and hormones be used in pork raising?Īntibiotics may be given to prevent or treat disease in hogs. Much of a hog is cured and made into ham, bacon and sausage. Pork is generally produced from young animals (6 to 7 months old) that weigh from 175 to 240 pounds. Pork has continued to be an important part of our diet since that time. In the 19th century - as America urbanized and people began living away from the farm, "salt pork" - pork that is prepared with a high level of salt to preserve it - became the staple food. Hogs were brought to Florida by Hernando de Soto in 1525, and soon was America's most popular meat. However, evidence shows that Stone Age man ate wild boar, the hog's ancestor, and the earliest surviving pork recipe is Chinese, at least 2000 years old. The domestication of "pigs" (immature hogs) for food dates back to about 7000 B.C. Pork is the meat from hogs, or domestic swine. Read on for more information about this red meat. Today's hogs have much less fat due to improved genetics, breeding and feeding. consumption dropped during the 1970s, largely because pork's high fat content caused health-conscious Americans to choose leaner meats. If using a turkey-size oven bag for a pork cut smaller than 12 lbs., gather the oven bag loosely around the meat allowing room for heat circulation then close the bag with a nylon tie, and cut away any excess oven bag.Although pork is the number one meat consumed in the world, U.S. Remove the meat from the oven when the meat thermometer reaches the temperature listed or when the meat is fork tender ( see the note at the top of the Oven Bag Cooking Chart in regard to cooking times).
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Add 1 tablespoon flour to the oven bag and distribute evenly on the inside of the bag prior to inserting the cut of pork. Oven Bag Instructions: Preheat the oven to 325 ☏. Soak covered in water 24 hours before cooking drain.
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Smoked shank or rump half ham (spiral sliced, place cut side down) Be aware that the estimated cooking times below should be reduced to meet the new USDA standards for fresh or not fully cooked pork. Note: The cooking times below are for cooking pork to 160☏., the old USDA standard. Use these heat settings unless you have a recipe that states something different. When grilling with Direct Heat the coals (or burners on a gas grill) are heated to a medium heat. Note: When grilling with Indirect Heat generally the coals (or burners on a gas grill) are heated to a high heat. Loin (rib and shoulder) - Cook to 145° F. Remove the meat from the oven when it reachesĥ° to 10☏ below the desired doneness the temperature will continue to rise as the meat stands. Note: Start with meat at refrigerated temperature. See the article, " Pork Doneness" for additional information on determining the proper doneness of pork.
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Whether you are looking for a pork loin cooking time or a pork chop cooking time, use the following chart as a cooking time and temperature guide for pork cuts (including ham) that are cooked in the oven, grilled, or are inserted into an oven bag prior to cooking. Using an accurate meat thermometer is the best way to ensure the proper doneness of pork. Using the recommended time and temperature guidelines will ensure that the meat is cooked to the minimum safe internal temperature, which is critical in preventing food-borne illness that can be caused by undercooked pork.
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