Cooking tips

True or False? We dispel four common meat myths

When is pork properly cooked? Which cut of beef has the better flavour? Find out now — and say to goodbye to these frustrating meat myths.

By Paul Lillakas Updated January 14, 2014

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Dispelling meat myths

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1. Should pork always be cooked well done?

Most of us remember reaching for the gravy ladle any time pork was on the Sunday table, because by the time it was “safe to eat” it was tough and as dry as the Sahara. The root of this misconception is the fear of trichinosis, a parasitic disease that’s spread through eating undercooked pork and wild game.

The fact is, through major improvements to modern pork-farming facilities, trichinosis has become an extremely rare occurrence, and because of this the US Food Safety Information Service reduced the temperature for whole pork roasts to 63C (145F).

By following this cooking temperature, you can achieve delicious, slightly pink, and juicy pork every time. (Just don’t forget to use your meat thermometer for perfect results!)