By: Jenna Anding, Associate Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist, The Texas A&M System
Ground pork is a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals.
A serving size is 3 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of playing cards. One pound of ground pork makes about four servings.
How to store it
Store frozen ground pork in the freezer in its original package until ready to use. For best taste, use it within 6 months of receiving it.
How to thaw it
Thaw frozen ground pork by placing it on a plate on the lowest shelf in the refrigerator (the plate will catch any juices that might spill on other foods). It may take about 24 hours for frozen ground pork to thaw in the refrigerator. Once the ground pork is thawed, use it within 1 day.
Note: Never leave frozen ground pork out on the counter to thaw. Even when cooked, pork that has been thawed at room temperature can make you sick.
Cooking ground pork safely
For dishes that contain ground pork, cook the pork before mixing it with other ingredients.
How to store cooked ground pork
Leftover dishes made with ground pork should be stored in a covered dish in the refrigerator right away to prevent spoilage. Use it within 3 days.
Reheat foods with ground pork until they are steaming hot, bubbling, or at 165 degrees.
Other uses
Use cooked ground pork as a pizza topping.
Add cooked ground pork to barbecue sauce; heat it and serve it on buns or sandwich bread.
Add dry taco seasoning mix to cooked ground pork to make pork tacos.
Spicy Tortilla Soup (makes 6 servings)
What you need
½ to 1 pound ground pork
½ cup chopped onion
2 15-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
2 cups or one 15-ounce can of chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin (if you like)
1 teaspoon chili powder (if you like)
½ teaspoon salt (if you like)
½ teaspoon garlic powder (if you like)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper (if you like)
4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
How to make it
- Wash your hands; make sure your cooking area is clean.
- In a large saucepan, brown the pork and onion over medium to high heat.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, salsa and spices to the pork and onion mixture; cover and simmer it for 20 minutes.
- Add the tortilla strips and simmer it for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the tortilla strips are soft; serve it hot.
Download a printer-friendly version of this publication: Cooking with Ground Pork
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