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Grilling pork can be tricky business, and it takes some practice to get it just right. Grandmothers used to cook pork to an internal temperature of 185 degrees, believing that to cook it less would subject us to trichinosis. But we now know that trichinae are killed at 135 degrees. So, cooking pork to 155 or 160 degrees is considered plenty safe and yields a much juicier piece of meat. One way to determine this, of course, is by using a meat thermometer.
Furthermore, today's pork is bred leaner than the pork of our grandparents' day, with far less fat. Overcooking pork to 185 degrees results in a tough, dry chop or roast. So hover over pork chops as they grill. Turn them over or move them to cooler spots on the grill if they are cooking too fast. Cover the grill to increase the heat if the meat is cooking too slowly or if the coals are losing heat too quickly. (It is not necessary to sear a chop or other piece of pork.)
Depending on the thickness of the pork cut and the amount of fat, muscle, bone, and grain of the meat, the cooking time for pork can vary considerably. Final cooking time depends on the thickness of the meat, the heat of the fire, and the distance the grill grid is placed from the heat.
- As you near the end of the estimated cooking time, cut into the meat near the bone to determine doneness before pulling the meat off the grill.
- A nice thick pork chop is cooked when its juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink near the bone.
- Brush glazes or sauces that contain any sweet ingredients like sugar or honey during the last few minutes of grilling to keep the meat from burning.
 | If you insist on grilling your pork until it's well done — we hope just because you like it that way! — you may still see some red areas in the meat, especially near the outer edges. Not to worry: In braising, this color comes from naturally occurring nitrites and nitrates (not additives); in grilling, the presence of exhaust gases from your grill may cause this red color. It's all perfectly natural. |
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