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Myth busting pork – 4 common misconceptions explained

For some people, pork doesn’t get much consideration past a roast or bacon which may be viewed as salty and fatty, while others might struggle to cook cuts like steak. However, fresh New Zealand pork is actually a powerhouse of goodness and cooked correctly is succulent and delicious.

Here we bust four of the most common myths surrounding pork, which will leave you salivating for your next New Zealand pork dinner.

Myth #1: All pork is fatty and unhealthy

When you think of pork, it’s quite common to immediately envisage a juicy pork belly or a roast with a thick layer of crackling. However, shift your focus and think chops, stir fries, skewers and steaks and you’ll understand that most cuts of pork are actually quite lean when the external fat (which is easy to remove) is cut off.

The leanest cuts of pork include the leg steak, fillet steak and schnitzel, (which have 3g, 3.5g and 4g of fat per 100g respectively). With summer just around the corner, it’s a great time to enjoy leg or filet steaks on the barbeque, and schnitzel is a family favourite any time of year.

After a spin on the Sunday Roast? We think you’ll love our Perfect Pork Steaks with Roast Veggies.

Myth #2: Pork does not contain key nutrients

A lot of Kiwis might not be aware of the many essential nutrients that are in New Zealand pork. Not only is it a great source of quality protein and zinc, it also provides iron and many B vitamins.

So, if you are hitting the gym (including the newly popular outdoor workouts!), New Zealand pork is a great protein option. You might also be interested to learn that a 100g pork fillet provides the same amount of protein as a 100g beef fillet (30g of protein)! Check out this yummy protein rich recipe to inspire your meal prep.

Iron is an important nutrient - being low in iron can result in feeling tired, lacking concentration, or having poor immunity. Pork is a good option to boost iron intakes as it contains haem iron that is easily absorbed in the body. Need some tasty iron? - we think you’ll love our Easy Pork Steak Tacos.

Similarly, it can be easier to absorb zinc from meats (as opposed to legumes, nuts, breads and cereals), and New Zealand pork is a good source of zinc – something we all need to assist with, healing wounds, supporting brain function, vision, and the immune system. All New Zealand pork provides zinc – and this Pork and Super Grain Salad Bowl hits the spot for a healthy lunch or dinner.

There are lots of different B Vitamins and together they look after your general health and keep your body functioning well. New Zealand pork boasts many of these B Vitamins, of which all tummies would benefit so we’ve put together this recipe with our littlies in mind!

Myth #3: Pork is salty

Sausages, bacon and ham, while very tasty, can often be quite salty. This is due to the processing they go through - i.e. salt is added as part of the processing or curing. In contrast to this, fresh cuts of pork are naturally low in sodium. You can even include fresh New Zealand pork as part of a low sodium diet! Click here to try out a new recipe for the barbie this summer.

Myth #4: Pork is dry and tasteless

Let’s face it, who hasn’t got a memory of their parents, or grandparents over cooking the pork chops and being left gnawing on a tough, dry piece of meat!?

But, it doesn’t need to be that way! Pork is a red meat and does not need to be cooked for as long as some might suspect. If you are cooking a lean cut of pork such as sirloin, leg/rump steak or a loin chop all you need is 10 minutes from start to finish – and that’s the 6+2+2 method!

1. Heat the pan to a medium / high temperature and season and oil your pork.

2. Fry the pork for 6 minutes on one side.

3. Flip the steak/chop over and fry for 2 minutes on the other side.

4. Rest the pork off the heat for at least 2 minutes

Now that you are in on the 6+2+2 secret, you never need to eat dry pork again!

Interested in finding out more about New Zealand pork and the nutrition benefits it provides? Click here to read more.

Source: All nutrient information is based on 100g of cooked meat and taken from the New Zealand Food Composition Database 2018.

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