| What's the best way to store pork before cooking? After cooking? |
| You can store uncooked fresh pork tightly wrapped in butcher paper in the refrigerator up to four or five days. Freeze uncooked pork for up to one month.
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| What steps can I take to assure food safety while preparing meat? |
- Keep your cooking area clean
- Wash hands with soapy water before and after handling any meat products
- Thoroughly wash all utensils, containers, cutting boards and work surfaces
- Use separate serving plates for carrying raw and cooked foods
- Discard leftover marinades - do not reuse
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| Can I microwave to defrost/reheat pork that has been frozen? |
| The microwave and fresh pork can work together to produce delicious dishes. Pork conveniently and successfully defrosts and cooks in the microwave oven. It's a great idea to cook cuts ahead of time, slice into convenient shapes and freeze to be reheated in the microwave later in the week. But as with many other foods, use traditional cooking methods for best flavor and texture results. |
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| To what temperature should I cook pork? |
| Pork is best when cooked to medium doneness or an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) also recommends 160 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer to judge doneness. When cooking a roast, remove from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F. and allow the roast to stand for 10 minutes before slicing. The roast's internal temperature will rise about five degrees after removing from the oven. A hint of pink blush in the center is ideal for tender, juicy pork. |
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| What about trichinosis? |
| Because of modern feeding practices, trichinosis is a no longer a concern. Although trichina is virtually nonexistent in pork, if it were present, it would be killed at 137 degrees F. That's well below the recommended end cooking temperature for pork, which is 160 degrees F. |
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Copyright 2001 -- National Pork Board
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