Pork is one of the most versatile meats available, going well with mild and sour ingredients, as well as with flavorful and complementary spices. However, it is different from chicken, which is naturally tender, and beef, which can be tenderized by cooking it medium or half raw., pork can be quite tough and, according to conventional wisdom, should be thoroughly cooked (although this has recently been questioned). Learning how to tenderize pork will allow you to prepare a delicious and tender dish with this versatile meat. See Step 1 to start cooking!
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Method 1 of 3: Tenderize Pork before Cooking
Step 1. Use a meat beater
Pork cuts are toughest when the veins that make up the meat are long and whole. To start tenderizing pork before it's seasoned or cooked, try crushing the tendons with a meat mallet (sometimes called a "tenderizer"). These are usually in the form of a hammer or heavy bat with a spiked surface used to pound meat or a sharp-toothed tool used to pierce meat. The goal is the same; simply punch or skewer the meat to crush the tendons.
If you don't have one of these specialized tools, don't worry. You can also use a regular fork or even your hands for the same effect if you don't have a bat. Skewer, beat, or mash the meat to crush the tendons and make a more tender dish
Step 2. Use the seasoning
Seasoning is a great way to add flavor to meat and make it more tender. However, not all seasonings are created equal, to tenderize pork, your seasoning must contain an acid or a tenderizing enzyme. Both types of chemicals destroy the tightly bound proteins in meat at the molecular level. However, using too much of either of these is a bad idea, too much acid can make meat tougher by changing the nature of the protein and too much tenderizing enzymes can make meat mushy.
- Acids such as citrus juice, vinegar, and wine are very common in most pork seasoning recipes. For example, it's not uncommon to see red wine mixed with soy sauce and other ingredients (such as brown sugar) as a seasoning for pork. To avoid the hardening effect that can occur with strong sour seasonings, you may want to use a sour dairy product; yogurt and buttermilk are only mildly acidic and make a great base for marinating juicy, juicy pork.
- Tenderizing enzymes can be found in some fruit juices. For example, pineapple, which contains the enzyme bromelain, and papaya, which contains the enzyme papain, are great tenderizers. However, it's important to remember that in high doses, this enzyme works "too" well, resulting in mushy meat.
Step 3. Marinate the pork
Marinating is a technique similar to seasoning that works best with lean cuts of pork (such as loin chops). Marinating means soaking your meat in brine to increase the tenderness and moisture of the final dish. Pickles always contain salt and water, but can also contain other ingredients for added flavor such as apple cider, brown sugar, rosemary, and thyme. Since salting can make pork taste salty, in general, you're better off avoiding adding too much salt when eating your pork or rubbing dry meat after salting.
- For a delicious pickling recipe, combine 3.7 liters of water, cup (177 ml) salt, cup (177 ml) sugar, and black pepper to taste in a large bowl and stir to dissolve (heating the water in a saucepan can speed up the dissolving process). Place your pork chops in a bowl, cover, refrigerate until you start cooking.
- Depending on what kind of pork you're cooking, the marinating time will vary. For example, a pork chop usually takes about 12 hours to a day, a grilled pork loin can take several days to marinate, and a tenderloin can be ready in as little as 6 hours.
Step 4. Use a commercial meat tenderizer
Another option for tenderizing your meat is to use an artificial meat tenderizer. This meat tenderizer is usually in the form of a powder but sometimes also a liquid. Usually, the active ingredient in this tenderizer is papain, a natural chemical found in papaya. Same with papaya, it's very important to remember not to overuse the meat tenderizer
- Always use meat tenderizers sparingly. Wet the surface of your pork lightly with water before cooking, then sprinkle evenly with about 1 teaspoon meat tenderizer per 1 pound (0.45 kg) of meat. Pierce the meat with a fork at 1-inch intervals and then start cooking.
- If your meat tenderizer is labeled “seasoned” or “seasoned”, it usually has salt already in it, in this case, don't season with added salt before cooking.
Method 2 of 3: Preparing the Tender Pork
Step 1. Fry the pork, then grill it
When it comes to cooking pork, a variety of cooking methods give it juicy and tender results, as long as it's done right. For example, for pork chops such as pork chop or sirloin, you should quickly cook the meat on a high temperature surface to give it a crunchy and savory exterior, then transfer the pork to a low dry heat to complete the cooking. For example, you might fry your pork in a hot pan on the stove (or grill), then transfer your pork to the oven (or move it to a cooler area of the grill and cover it) for the remaining cooking time.
- Indirect heat is essential in making your pork tender and juicy. While deep-frying is great for giving it a delicious exterior “fringe”, using direct heat to cook your pork chops can result in tough, overcooked meat. However, indirect heat from the oven or covered grill, cooks the meat slowly, resulting in a final product that is tender and evenly cooked.
- Because direct heat (such as a hot pot) cooks the outside of your meat faster than the inside, you generally only need to cook it for or 2 minutes per side to give your whole meat a nice frying pan. However, indirect heat (such as an oven) will take longer to cook your pork, usually about 20 minutes per pound (0.45 kg).
Step 2. Cook the pork slowly
One surefire way to get pork chops moist and tender is to cook them slowly. This cooking method means putting pork in a liquid (and sometimes solid) mixture and then letting it simmer in the mixture for hours. Slow cooking results in moist, tender, and delicious meat, so this is usually the method of choice for cooking tougher cuts of pork, such as shoulder cuts and country-style rib. Additionally, the liquid used for slow cooking can be used as a sauce or gravy, which is useful for pork dishes served with rice or a similar side dish.
- While the cooking time for different cuts of pork may vary, in general, you should cook the pork gently for 30 minutes or more per pound (0.45 kg) (longer for tough meats or meats with more connective tissue).
- Often, slow-cooking recipes call for the meat to be fried first before slow-cooking to give it a crispy exterior.
Step 3. Smoke the pork
Smoking is a very slow, low-temperature cooking method used to give many traditional barbecue dishes a distinct “smoked” taste. There are many ways to smoke meat, but, generally speaking, most smoking processes involve burning a special type of wood (such as mesquite) in a closed container to allow the meat to cook slowly from indirect heat. Over time, the wood transfers the smell and taste to the meat, resulting in pork that is not only moist and juicy, but also has a unique taste that is difficult to replicate with other cooking methods.
- Since smoking can be expensive and time-consuming, it is commonly used for large meats that require a long cooking time (such as brisket, pork shoulder roast, etc.) and social events such as barbeques and banquets.
- Smoking is a difficult art form where most professionals use specialized equipment which is sometimes expensive. However, this can also be done with a regular barbecue grill. Read Hot to Smoke Meat for a comprehensive guide to smoking meat.
Step 4. Boil the pork or use a slow-cooker
Using the gradual, moist heat of a simmering pot, pressure cooker, or slow-cooker can make pork so tender that you don't need a knife to eat it. Boiling slowly means cooking the meat for a long time at a low temperature while the meat is immersed in the liquid and solid mixture. Often, the meat in the stew is cut into small pieces so that each spoon contains the meat. Like slow cookers, this type of cooking is great for tenderizing tough pork cuts or cuts with a lot of connective tissue (such as shoulder cuts and country-style rib).
- The simmering time for pork varies but is generally the same as the slow cook time.
- Slow cookers (like crock pots, etc.) are great for boiling. Often, with this type of equipment, all you have to do is put your ingredients in the cooker, turn it on, then let it cook for a few hours without any additional work on your part. However, remember, if you are using vegetables in your stew, these should be included later in the cooking process, as vegetables cook faster than pork.
Step 5. Let the meat rest after cooking
If you're trying to make your pork tender and juicy, don't stop your job once it's done! One of the most important, yet often overlooked jobs in keeping meat moist and tender is rest time. No matter what method you use to cook your pork, after removing it from the heat, let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. You may want to cover it with foil to keep it warm. After the meat has rested, it is ready to be enjoyed!
Cutting the meat without letting it rest first makes the meat less tender and moist. When you cook cuts of meat such as pork, most of the meat's internal moisture is "squeezed" out of the proteins that make up the meat. Giving the meat a short rest gives it time to reabsorb this moisture. This is the reason why if you cut a piece of meat straight off the grill, you will see a lot of liquid coming out of the meat right away, but if you let it rest first, it won't come out as much
Step 6. Cut the meat against the grain
If you want very tender pork, you have to pay attention to how it is cut. For the most tender cuts possible, you should cut the pork into thin slices against the grain. You'll know if you're cutting against the grain if you see the cross-section of the tissue in the flesh when you look closely after cutting. Cutting in the opposite direction of the vein breaks the vein tissue into smaller pieces once more before the meat is eaten. You'll regret it if you don't do this!
With extra-tender cooking methods such as slow cooking and boiling. Your meat will be so tender that you won't have to cut against the grain. However, for large cuts of pork cooked on the grill or in the oven, you will need to cut against the grain to make your pork as tender as possible before serving; and this is why, at catering events where there is a large grill on the menu, the person serving it will always cut it into thin slices against the grain
Method 3 of 3: Choosing Soft Cuts
Step 1. Select the cut from the loin (waist)
In terms of pork, the word "loin" is not the same as with humans. Loin is a long piece of meat near the spine that extends down the back. Generally, loin cuts are lean, and tenderest than pork, so this is a great option not only for those looking for tender and juicy pork, but also for a nutritious source of lean protein. Some common loin pieces include:
- Butterfly chop
- Sirloin roast
- Sirloin cutlet
- Loin chop
- Loin roast
Step 2. Select the tenderloin pieces
Tenderloin (sometimes called “pork fillet”) is the small portion of pork loin that produces the most tender pork. A tendon is a long, thin piece of lean muscle that extends from the inside of an animal's rib cage. Because this meat is so juicy, tender, and lean, it is usually one of the most expensive cuts of pork. Tenderloin is usually sold:
- Alone
- In slices or "medallions"
- In a wrapped “grill”
Step 3. Select the rib pieces (ribs)
The pork ribs extend from the back to the tip of the belly and provide many delicious, fleshy cuts, which vary in texture and taste depending on where the ribs are taken. Rib strips off the top of the ribs (near the back of the pork) can look like loins because they are naturally lean, juicy, and tender. The strips from the bottom of the ribs (near the pork belly) can be quite tender if cooked properly but are usually more fatty and require longer cooking time to reach the perfect tenderness level. Rib cuts include:
- Baby back rib
- sparerib
- Country-style rib
- Rib chop
Step 4. Choose pork belly
As the name implies, pork belly is a very fatty and boneless piece of meat taken from the belly area of the pork. Most people are familiar with pork belly from eating bacon (smoked pork), which is a thin slice of pork belly meat. Because this meat is so fatty, pork belly usually takes a long time to cook in the oven or grill to be delicious to eat, but the result can be very tasty, juicy and tender.
Apart from bacon and related products such as pamcetta (Italian bacon), pork belly is not usually sold in standard grocery stores. You may need to visit a butcher or food specialist to get a pork belly cut suitable for your cooking project
Step 5. Choose tougher cuts if you want to cook slowly
Some of the most tender cuts of pork (especially the loin) are very expensive. If you're on a budget, you shouldn't have to spend a fortune to get some tender, tender pork. In fact, cheaper, tougher cuts (such as from the pork shoulder) can usually be made tender by the low-temperature slow-cooking method. Below are some inexpensive cuts of meat that can be made tender if cooked properly:
- Picnic shoulder
- Shoulder roast
- Butt steak
- Boston butt
Step 6. Choose a less common soft cut
If you're willing to experiment, some of the lesser known parts of the pork can make for a tender and juicy dish. This cut may be less common in common Western dishes, but is sometimes a staple in old recipes or traditional cooking styles. If you're feeling adventurous, talk to your butcher about this special cut. Some unconventional cuts of pork that can be tenderized (usually with a low-temperature slow-cooking method) are:
- Cheek
- Foot bone
- Foot
- Tongue
- Organs (liver, heart, etc.)
