50 Totally Easy Pork Recipes to Make Tonight (2024)

FAQs

What is the easiest cut of pork to cook? ›

Pork Loin. Pork loin is often thought of as the most tender, leanest, and easiest to cook pork cuts—coming from between the shoulders, all the way to the back legs.

Pulled pork is made with pork shoulder, also called pork butt for whatever reason, and has lots of collagen which when cooked low and slow melts into gelatin which makes for tons of flavor and moist meat. Best to cook at about 200–225°F and get the internal temperature up to 190°F.

Some of the best seasonings to pair with pork are salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Some other spices and herbs that pair well with pork are cumin, chili powder, rosemary, black pepper, sage, fennel, ginger and much more!

Pour 1/4 cup cooking liquid, or the liquid left from deglazing your pan, over the chops. If you sautéed any vegetables, tuck some of them below the chops and scatter the rest on top. Cook for 2 to 6 hours on LOW. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 2 to 6 hours.

Speaking of the loin region, the tenderloin cut also comes from this area. The tenderloin is the most tender meat found on the pig and is exceptionally versatile. Tenderloins are boneless, making them easy to cook whole or break down into pieces. Tenderloins can overcook easily, so ensure you have your thermometer.

The most desirable cuts of meat come from higher up on the animal. By contrast, the shank and shoulder muscles produce the toughest cuts. With ​proper cooking, even those tougher cuts can be luscious and tender.

Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.

Additionally, spray chicken broth or apple juice on the meat to prevent it from losing more moisture in the crockpot. To add a strong flavor during the process, white wine can also be sprayed. You can shred the pork during smoking or in the crockpot.

After you've pulled your pork butt, drizzle over the meat and combine. The vinegar adds contrast to the smoky flavor and cuts through the fat in the meat. It also helps mellow out the darker, gamier-tasting parts of the butt. This makes enough for a 8 pound pork butt/shoulder.

What adds flavor to the pork? ›

Some of my favorite herbs, spices, and seasonings to use as a pork chop seasoning are cumin, garlic, paprika, and chili powder. Some others that go well with pork are sage, rosemary, cayenne, thyme, and coriander. Brown sugar and clove are a great way to add in some sweetness.

Consider Brining

While a simple brine of water and salt will do the trick, you can also use the brining stage to impart extra flavor with sugar and seasonings. Just be careful not to brine too long (two to four hours should do the trick) and rinse the pork before cooking.

Brining pork chops is one of the best ways way to guarantee a juicy cooked pork chop. Even a quick 30-minute brine (or up to four hours) makes a big difference. It's not strictly necessary — you can still use this method to make great pork chops even without brining — but if you have some extra time, I recommend it.

Pretty much every slow cooker recipe book says that you need to seal and brown your meat before adding it to your slow cooker, as well as frying off your onions, garlic and other ingredients.

The kind of meat you're smoking will influence the texture of your shreds. Pork shoulder and butt contain tons of fat that keeps the meat juicy and soft when cooking. Your meat could not shred properly if you attempted to smoke a leaner cut, such as tenderloin.

So the meat that comes from the front shoulder or hind end of either a cow or pig will be a less tender cut as as those animals do a LOT of walking around. Pork chops and beef steaks generally come from the rib or mid section of the animal. That area gets much less exercise than a leg or neck.

The loin roast is a larger cut of the loin than the tenderloin (which usually weighs about a pound). Bone-in, it's at its juiciest and most flavorful, but cooking time will be longer, and the bone can make carving a bit challenging.