How Andrew Rea Avoids Dry Pork With One Simple Step - Exclusive
Pork has always been a tricky protein to perfect in the kitchen; it's easily overcooked, not cooked enough, seasoned too much, or not seasoned enough. For those reasons, many home cooks tend to avoid that cut of meat altogether — but you don't have to! Andrew Rea, aka the mind behind Binging with Babish, is here to teach you how to make the perfect pork every time (hint: it just comes down to the basics).
The social media sensation just dropped his new cookbook, and there are a lot of pork recipes in it. During an exclusive interview, we asked Rea exactly how to avoid drying out this delicious but finicky protein, and he was happy to oblige. "For a long time, we've thought that you need to cook pork to 145 [degrees Fahrenheit internally], the leaner cuts," he explained. But cooking pork until it reaches that "pasty pale whiteness," as the cookbook author so graciously put it, probably shouldn't be the norm.
Be patient with your pork
Andrew Rea told us, "[Your meat] needs to be pink and rosy, and that's how you end up with nice, juicy pork." This advice refers to cuts like tenderloins or chops, as Rea advises to cook them "gently" versus to the point of something you could use as a hockey puck. But while you don't want to cook those cuts for too long, others shouldn't be rushed through the process. "When it comes to the tougher, longer cuts, it's patience and low temperature," he added. He recommends allowing the proper length of time to cook pork, without quickly scorching it on higher heat.
The YouTube star said, "With the fatty cuts full of connective tissue and everything, it's about giving it the time that it needs to break down and become tender." Not sure where to start? Tasting Table has the best slow-and-low method for juicy pork tenderloin. Make sure to monitor the internal temperature as it's cooking — as you would for any type of meat — and your pork will come out as tender and juicy as you could hope for.
Follow Andrew Rea on Instagram or subscribe on YouTube to keep up with his latest recipes. "Basics with Babish" is now available for order on his website.