If you know how to buy it and what to do with it, pork can be one of the most versatile, economic and delicious meats in the market.

Pork packs a protein punch and can be a healthy choice when eaten as fresh meat (preserved pork products such as salami are subject to more health concerns). Many pork cuts and preparations lend themselves to quick and easy meals, partly because pork loves to carry flavour and can work across various cuisines, whether it’s Italian-style roast pork, Thai larb or Japanese tonkatsu.

But pork still has come catching up to do. According to statistics from Meat and Livestock Australia, chicken is still Australia’s most popular protein (37 per cent of retail sales by volume), followed by beef (21 per cent), with pork (18 per cent) on par with seafood (20 per cent). Lamb lags behind at just 4 per cent.

Contributing to its ranking behind beef may be the fact that not all cultures eat pork. It’s haram (forbidden) for Muslims, most Hindus steer clear, and pig meat is not kosher (allowed) for observant Jews.

‘With all pork, you’ve got to make sure it’s a good animal, free-range and female.’

Ian Curley

Some pork cuts are peaking: 2025 sales are up 3.2 per cent compared with last year, and pork’s growth is outperforming chicken, which has increased just 0.4 per cent, according to industry advocacy body, Australian Pork.

So, how do we make sure we’re getting the tastiest pork on our forks? Expert pork chefs Ian Curley, owner-chef of Baix in Melbourne, and Narin “Jack” Kurasai, owner-chef of hatted restaurant Porkfat in Sydney, pull apart the secrets to cooking perfect pork, looking at the best cuts for which purpose and how to steer away from any pork pitfalls.

Pork loin

The loin is a lean cut running either side of the spine. If it’s butchered boneless, it becomes the pork version of eye fillet. Left on the bone, it’s a cutlet. Low in fat, it’s tender when cooked well but is susceptible to drying out. Cook this cut gently.

Why we love it
It’s versatile, lean and a quick cook for midweek meals.

When buying
“With all pork, you’ve got to make sure it’s a good animal, free-range and female,” says Curley. Look for firm-looking, pinkish-red meat that’s not too pale or slimy looking.

Best way to use it
Seared as steaks or pounded to make schnitzels. It’s also a prime cut for slicing into strips for stir-frying.

“Because it’s lean and tender, we love to cut it into strips and stir-fry it with banana peppers and sliced white onions to make moo pad prik yuak,” says Kurasai. “Otherwise, we blanch slices in simmering water for just 10 seconds then top it with chopped chilli and lime to make moo manao.”

Curley says: “Anything you can do with an eye fillet, you can do with pork loin.” Season it well and sear it gently without too much oil. “You can add chopped sage towards the end of the cooking time,” he says. Don’t be scared of a pink centre. “You don’t want it raw but pink is good.”

Test doneness by pressing a finger into the centre of the fillet: it should still have give but be somewhat resistant to the touch.

Good to know
Don’t overcook loin because it will turn dry and tough. If stir-frying, cook it hard and fast.

Recipes to try: Danielle Alvarez’s mustard-glazed pork loin pot roast (pictured above); Karen Martini’s pork loin fajitas with pineapple and corn salsa and guacamole; Neil Perry’s Thai-style stir-fry.

Pork belly

Pork belly is a large, flat boneless cut from the underside of the pig. Because it has interspersed layers of meat and fat, it can be one of the most succulent cuts of all.

Why we love it
It’s easy to roast, melts in the mouth and makes the best crackling. “You can’t stuff it up,” says Curley. “Belly has enough fat to stop it going dry.”

When buying
Look for a balance of fat and meat: you want the fat to cover the meat but not dominate. “Too much fat will be overly greasy but too little will be less moist and have less flavour,” says Kurasai.

“Also, look for creamy white fat rather than yellow, and the meat should be reddish-pink not grey.”

Best way to use it
Buy a rolled, seasoned porchetta from the butcher so all you need to do is turn on the oven and whack it in. Otherwise, it’s not too hard to do it yourself.

“Flatten it out, leave it in the fridge overnight so it dries out, skin-side up and uncovered,” says Curley. “Next day, score it, rub salt into it, roll it if you like, and put it in the oven at 180C. It will work.”

Roast potatoes are always a good accompaniment but Curley is also a fan of cauliflower, which can be served roasted or creamed.

“My favourite way of cooking this cut is to deep-fry pork belly pieces, then stir-fry them with morning glory (water spinach) or Chinese broccoli,” says Kurasai. “Fried pork belly pieces can also be added to Chiang Mai-style ‘hung lay’ pork curry with pickled baby garlic and ginger. The fat renders during cooking, creating a soft, succulent texture.”

Good to know
To make sure the skin is crisp, start with a slow cook to render the fat, then finish with high heat to ensure a good crackle. Because pork belly is rich, it’s good to balance it with something acidic or pickled, such as pickled garlic.

Recipes: Katrina Meynink’s stuffed porchetta with gremolata (pictured); Adam Liaw’s porchetta with fennel, sage and chilli; Liaw’s stir-fried pork belly and celery; Jill Dupleix’s sambal pork belly skewers; Meynink’s crisp pork belly with coriander peanut nam jim.

Pork mince

Australians are getting into pork mince, with sales up 16 per cent, partly because it’s the cheapest of all meat minces. Mince can be made from a variety of cuts: as belly, loin and shoulder are butchered to become neat and presentable, the trimmings are set aside for mince.

Why we love it
It’s relatively inexpensive, versatile and sweet-tasting.

When buying
“Mince with about 15 per cent fat will make your dish juicy and flavourful,” says Kurasai. “Make sure the colour is light pink and avoid grey-brown or watery mince as it may be old or poorly handled.”

Best way to use it

“My favourite way with mince is a Thai pork larb, a salad with coriander, mint, shallots, smoked chilli and lime,” says Kurasai. “I also love pad kra prow mu, which is stir-fried pork mince with holy basil and fried duck egg.”

Curley says: “I use 25 per cent pork mince in a beef bolognese. It’s a great carrier of flavour and is economical.” He’s also a fan of pork san choi bao lettuce cups. “It presents well because it stays nice and white, while beef mince can look a little unattractive.”

Cooking tip
If wok-cooking pork mince, toss it well with good quality fish sauce and a pinch of white sugar before cooking: this seasons it and brings out the sweetness. Make sure it’s browned before stirring in other ingredients.

Recipes: Tony Tan’s “Chinese bolognese” (pictured); Neil Perry’s sang choy bao; Adam Liaw’s wok-fried pork mince with green beans; RecipeTin Eats’ basil pork mince stir-fry; Danielle Alvarez’s pork mince katsu.

Pork chops

Also called pork cutlets, these are a premium cut from the loin with the rib bone and sometimes vertebrae attached.

Why we love it
An old favourite that can be done in new ways for quick, easy meals and barbecues. Cooking with the bone-in means more flavour and moisture.

When buying
Choose about 4cm thick to ensure juicy chops.

Best ways to use it
Pork chops are so easy. “They’re a midweek go-to,” says Curley. “A bit of seasoning, chuck in the air fryer and you’re there.”

Pounded thin and crumbed, chops become cotoletta. “Bread crumbs protect the meat,” says Curley. “I love cotoletta with mustard, coleslaw and lemon.”

For a Thai-style chop, marinate pork in fish sauce, then grill and serve with smoked chilli nahm jim to make moo yang nam pla (also great with pork neck).

Good to know
Dry-brine with salt and fish sauce 60 minutes before grilling for juicy chops. Even if working with European flavours, fish sauce will add extra dimension and umami. Sear on high heat to begin, then reduce to medium for cooking through (a bit pink is fine). Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipes: Andrew McConnell’s pork chops with lemon garlic sauce and pickled spring onions; Adam Liaw’s lemony pork chops; Neil Perry’s barbecued pork chops; Karen Martini’s five-spice pork chops.

Pork shoulder

A large cut taken from the front of the pig, this cut can be sold whole or broken down into small muscles.

Why we love it
A cheaper cut that can be trimmed for steaks, cubed for skewers, or rolled and slowly roasted to tenderness.

When buying
Choose pork butt (not what it sounds like) or the upper part of the shoulder because it’s well-marbled, making it great for skewers, grilling and smoking.

Best way to use it
Moo ping is a Thai skewered pork dish using pork pieces marinated in fish sauce, palm sugar and condensed milk. “I use shoulder a lot for this dish because it has the right ratio between meat, fat and tendon, creating multiple textures after cooking,” says Kurasai.

“At Baix, we bone out the shoulder, brine it, then roll it up and steam it,” says Curley. “When it’s time to serve it, we roast it to crisp the skin then carve it onto the plate.” It’s a gentle method that allows you to infuse a lot of flavour, especially if the brining mixture is spiced.

Good to know
Smoke or grill on a low heat to allow connective tissue to break down and turn to gelatine, resulting in tender, moist, fall-apart meat.

Recipes: Neil Perry’s pork shoulder with mustard cream (pictured); Darren Robertson and Mark Lebrooy’sslow-cooked pork shoulder; Karen Martini’s slow-cooked pulled pork shoulder; Adam Liaw’s cider pork stew.