Pork
Sus scrofa domesticus · Meat
Top 10 pairings
Pale pink and mild when raw, the meat of the domestic pig cooks up savoury, juicy and faintly sweet. It also goes into smoke-cured bacon, ham and sausage, some of the world's most prized charcuterie.
Picking a good onedrag
Freshly cut, greyish-pink, firmOff: tacky or slimy, smelling sour
Counter freshEveryday bestRoast, grill or braise. Mince needs 160°F (71°C). Don't rinse; that splashes bacteria.
ColourPink, a shade duller under lights
Touch the surfaceFirm and moist, nowhere tacky
SmellMild and clean, nothing sharp