Banish Tough Chops

Good news: pork no longer has to be dry to meet USDA recommended cooking temperatures!

This past spring, the U.S. Department of Agriculture changed its pork safety guidelines, shaving 15 degrees off its prior “done” temperature for chops and roasts to 145 degrees, and instructing cooks to allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes before eating. (The temperature of the chop will continue to rise slightly after it comes off the heat.) It’s about time. The test kitchen has long recommended that pork be cooked to 145 degrees to keep it tender and juicy. The U.S.D.A. standard was established to protect against trichinosis, a dangerous parasite that once tainted the U.S. pork supply. But improved farming practices have all but obliterated trichinosis. According to the U.S.D.A., ground pork should still be cooked to 160 degrees.