Pork Loin Recipes

Pork is a great food source, and most people don´t realize that pork loin is the best, healthiest red meat you can eat. In fact, it is one of the best options available, even when compared to chicken, turkey, and fish.

Here´s why:

• Pork loin is very lean. A 300g piece has only about 11g of fat, which is far less than any cut of beef, and less than other cuts of pork. Pork loin is one of the best meat options you can eat, if you are trying to lose wait or trying to maintain your weight.

• Pork loin is high in protein. That same 300g piece of loin will provide you with 87g of protein

• Pork loin is cheaper than it´s counterpart beef tenderloin.

• Pork loin is extremely versatile. Just like most cuts of pork, you can use all kinds of different spices and sauces to change the overall taste. It can also be cooked in many different ways. Cut up for stews, cooked on the barbeque, fried, or roasted. Just take a look at all the different pork loin recipes, and you will realize how many different way s you can prepare it.

• Pork loin can be paired with all kinds of different wine. The meat flavor is subtle, and therefore the wine pairing is usually determined by the sauce and spices used. Both white and red wines can be used with pork loin.

What is the difference between a pork loin and a pork tenderloin?
Both are muscles that run along the spine, and a part of the pork loin is actually adjacent to the pork tenderloin. The pork tenderloin is closer to the spine, and is a less shorter, less used muscle. It is therefore slightly more tender. Both cuts are very lean, containing very little fat and are high in protein.

Although pork loin is one of the more expensive cuts of pork, it is still a very economical piece of meat, and comes in at much cheaper than a filet mignon, and is often about the same as you would pay for a good quality skinless and boneless chicken breast.

For most people, what it all comes down to is flavor, and there are very few things that can beat out a tender, juicy pork loin recipe with a succulent sauce on top. So stop reading, find a recipe you like, and get cooking!

This recipe is a beauty. Pork loin and chili rarely exist in the same sentence, but this recipe brings them together in lip-smacking harmony. Not only is this recipe unique, hearty and incredibly tasty, it is also healthier than a typical chili that uses ground beef. If you are looking for a traditional chili, look elsewhere, because this is anything but. If you are looking for something different to wow your friends or family, you’ve got to give this a try!

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil – you can substitute other cooking oil if necessary)
1 lb pork loin (fat removed, and cut into ½ inch cubes)
2 spicy Italian sausages (optional)
1 large purple onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 small jalapeno peppers, seeded, rinsed, and minced
1 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp Worcester sauce
¼ cup honey
¼ cup black coffee
¼ cup bourbon or Irish whiskey
1 (15-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, with juice
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
2 tbsp flour
Fresh coarsely ground pepper

Toppings
Sour cream (1 dollop per serving)
1 cup grated cheddar

Directions
Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add pork and sausages, and cook until seared on all sides. Remove the pork from the saucepan, and set aside.

Add the onion into the pot that has the juice from the pork, and brown the onions and garlic on low heat. Once onions are clear, add bell peppers and chopped cilantro. If the pot starts to dry up, add a little more oil.

Add brown sugar, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin Worcester sauce and honey. Blend well and cook for a couple more minutes. Sprinkle flour and pepper over the pork that you set aside. Add it to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. Combine well, cover, and simmer for about one hour. The pork should be tender, and flavors should be well blended. The sauce should be slightly thick, and if it is not, you can add 1 tbsp flour mixed until smooth with a small amount of cold water. Let simmer for a few more minutes, and watch as the chili becomes thicker.

Serve chili with sour cream and grated cheese on top, accompanied by some hearty, whole grain or corn bread.

Wine Suggestion
A spicy food like this goes best with, suprisingly, a sweet white.   The best are generally sweet Rieslings and Gewurztraminer (be careful not to buy a dry one, because there are both types available).  It should be served nicely chilled, and you will be amazed at how well the sweetness cuts through and complements the spiciness.

A reduced balsamic and port sauce is a flavor to die for, and the flavor goes amazingly well with pork, once it is reduced and slightly sweetened. This recipe is always a hit, and is extremely easy to make.

Ingredients (for 4)

1.5 lb boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-3/4 inch thick chops
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup port
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
6 shallots, or 1 sweet onion

Heat olive oil in saucepan on medium heat. Add pork chops, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until each surface is cooked. Remove from frying pan, and let sit in a dish. Mince shalllots, add to saucepan sauté until clear. Add balsamic vinegar, port and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium heat, and simmer until sauce reduces to half its original volume. Add pork chops to saucepan, and cook on medium heat until cooked through. Serve with reduced balsamic port sauce on top.

Enjoy, and remember, it is not polite to lick the leftover sauce from your plate, not matter how good it is!

Wine suggestion:
The sauce for these chops is fairly sweet and rich. A sweet, full bodied shiraz makes a perfect accompaniment. It is strong enough that it will not be overpowered by the sauce, and the spice goes really nicely with the sweetness.