I have never regretted serving pork.
Other decisions, absolutely. White linen shirt while eating marinara? A gym membership? That brief, mad period when I bought a $900 dough sheeter, because doesn't everyone make dozens of homemade croissants every Sunday morning?
But pork? As Edith Piaf warbled, “Non, je ne regrette rien.”
A good pork dinner knows how to be anything to everyone. It can be crisp-edged and garlicky, slow-roasted until the whole house smells like you made a deal with God (or you know who else 😈), or seared and sauced until everyone at the table starts dragging potatoes through the pan juices.
And the beauty of pork is its range and versatility. (That’s why I call it the Meryl Streep of Meat.) Tenderloin when you want something quick. Think Mamma Mia! Shoulder when you want something generous and encompassing. Totally, Out of Africa. Chops when you want to feel luxe. The Devil Wears Prada, the original, please. And in these times, ribs, when you want to gnaw on something other than your anxiety. Hello, The River Wild.
These are the pork recipes I trust—the ones that show up delicious, feed beautifully, and don’t require me to stand at the table explaining myself. Which, after a long day, is my favorite kind of dinner.
Chow,
My Pork Dinner Rules
Use a thermometer. Confidence is sexy. Know what’s even sexier? A correct internal temperature.
Season like you mean it. Garlic, herbs, spice, mustard, citrus, vinegar—pork welcomes boldness.
Choose the right cut. Tenderloin for speed, shoulder for slow cooking, chops for weeknights, ribs for happy chaos.
Don’t waste the juices. Spoon them over everything within reach.
Let it rest. Pork, like the rest of us, improves with a few minutes of peace.
The Recipes
🏆 The Undisputed Winner: Roast Pork Butt 🏆
I always feel a bit skeevy every time I post about this Oven-Roasted Pork Butt recipe. I’m worried that you’ll think I’m being obnoxious and pushing this on you. But... every time I mention it, there’s a whole new crop of home cooks who discover its marvelosity! In the past four years, it has been viewed more than 62 million times. And since it was published in 2015, more than 200 MILLION times!! (If I got just a penny for each of those views, I’d have $2,000,000!) If you could make just one pork recipe, opt for this.
Featured Review
OUTSTANDING! Juicy, flavorful, and soooo soft. Will be making another one this weekend.
Bifanas ~ Portuguese Pork Sandwiches
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.87 from 52 votes
Bifanas are traditional Portuguese sandwiches made with thin slices of pork that are marinated and simmered in a sauce of white wine, garlic, and paprika and served on soft rolls with plenty of mustard and piri-piri sauce.
Featured Review
David, I wish I could truly describe the nostalgia you have brought me through your Portuguese recipes. These bifanas are amazing, but even better on your Portuguese rolls! Thank you for all you do to share the traditions and goodness of our culture!
Kristy Daube
Carnitas ~ Mexican Braised Pork
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.88 from 71 votes
This old-school carnitas—pork shoulder simmered with onion, garlic, bay leaf, and orange until falling-apart tender and crispy—is excellent in burritos, tacos, or on its own. And it can be made in an Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Featured Review
I’ve been using this recipe for years… it’s wonderful. Once tender, I remove the meat and bake/fry in the oven in a disposable foil pan… This saves a horrible cleanup of the heavy… cast iron pot. The crispy bits coming out of the oven are pork heaven!“
Kellie Papish
Portuguese Pork & Clams | Porco À Alentejana
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.78 from 44 votes
This combination of Portuguese pork and clams, also known as porco a Alentejana, is a superbly comforting and oh-so-satisfying dish of marinated pork shoulder and briny clams in a white wine and red pepper sauce.
Featured Review
OMG so good. We cut the recipe in half because it’s just my husband and I. We retired to Portugal, and David was kind enough to translate the cut of beef we needed. Still learning Portuguese. The rest of the pork is in the freezer, and I think we will do the taco pastor recipe that you recently posted. Thanks, David. My husband kept saying OMG! I take that as a good meal. 💕
Pork Loin Roast
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.84 from 55 votes
This pork loin roast calls for boneless pork loin, olive oil, salt, and pepper to be slow roasted. Four ingredients. It’s incredibly easy to make. No fuss. And it makes the one of best roast pork I’ve ever had.
Wine-Braised Pork Shoulder
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.93 from 28 votes
This braised pork with red wine is an easy, set-it-and-forget-it one-pot meal. Made with meltingly tender shredded pork shoulder, red onions, and a rich red wine and herb sauce, it boasts French overtones but without any fussiness.
Panko Crusted Pork Tenderloin With Rosemary
This panko crusted pork tenderloin with rosemary is an easy entrée made by brushing pork tenderloin with Dijon mustard, then coating in a mixture of panko, garlic, and rosemary. Simple enough for a weeknight yet elegant enough for entertaining.
Creamy Pork & Egg Noodles
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.64 from 19 votes
For this easy meal, ground pork is browned with some mushrooms before stirring in broth and scraping up all the savory bits. Cooking the noodles in this saucy mix ensures that they are deeply flavorful from the inside out. Just at the end, Boursin cheese is added, delivering quintessential creaminess and complex herby flavor from one ingredient.
Pork Loin In The Style Of Porchetta
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.85 from 19 votes
This pork loin in the style of porchetta is an Italian classic that blends pork loin with a pork shoulder, fennel, and rosemary filling, to make an impressive, celebration-worthy entrée.
Featured Review
I made this for Christmas Day dinner. Definitely use a meat thermometer, check it after 60 minutes and if it’s close pull it! I left mine in a little too long but it was still great. It was fun to make, delicious and beautiful. I only used 1 lb of sausage and it was perfect. It served 4 for dinner plus I made sandwiches with the leftovers. Yummy!
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.79 from 14 votes
This slow cooker pulled pork is easy to make with pork shoulder, aka pork butt, onion, beer, sugar, and spices, and it capably feeds a crowd. (Just be certain to stash some in the back of the fridge so you have leftovers.)
Pickle Juice-Brined Pork Chops
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.85 from 13 votes
Did you know that the leftover juice in your pickle jar makes a fantastic brine for tender, juicy pork chops? Terrific, right? And to be honest, it’s even better than it sounds.
Featured Review
This brining method is simple and yields a delicious, moist pork chop. I marinated the chops overnight and noticed a little discoloration around the edges of the chops, however, it was not apparent after cooking. The fresh dill coating is a nice addition. ... I used the juice from bread and butter stackers pickles and it was perfect. … This will put pork chops back in rotation in our house.
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David, your work is wonderful - great, tried & true & tested recipes and a lovely sense of humor. I've never used a recipe that didn't work, and I want to eat every one of these pork recipes RIGHT NOW! This is a great post and I'll be working my way through every recipe. With gusto.
Wow! Which one to try first?? Great dilemma to have. Thank you for these delicious looking recipes and for pork’s new moniker. I’ll never think of it the same way again. 😆