The best pork I ever schmecked was at the Copper Beach Bed and Breakfast in Masset on the Queen Charlotte Island. The chef/proprietor (who only does feasts other than breakfast on advance request) was adamant that the locally raised pig whose huge leg roast was the main dish, not be dishounoured by overcooking. Pink – not slightly pink and not red – lucious slices with crisp outer crackling – it was 12 years ago and I recall it yet!

Pork should be cooked to 140 degrees when an instant read thermometer is stuck in the middle – this leaves the meat pink but not red and very very juicy. I usually cook it to 135 then wrap it in foil for the carry over cooking – which usually brings it to 142-145. Yummy.

The "Outback" will do your porkchops as you desire. I ordered them medium and got them that way.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

A long, long time ago, my brother and I decide to grill some pork chops in our parent’s absence. This something never done before in our house. We weren’t experienced grillers, but we took a stab at it, and the chops came out a little pink. Hungry daredevils-we, trichinosis, or not, we ate them, declaring them the best pork chops we’d ever eaten. My mom flipped out when we told her.

IMHO there is nothing worse than overcooked pork. I loath the pre-marinated pork bits the grocery stores sell to people who can’t cook pork. Its ‘Moist and Tender (tm.)’ but it’ll keep you up all night guzzling water…(and of course eliminating said..).

Therefore when the gods are with me, my pork is…I guess you would call it medium rare.

Where do they hold the "bologna, beans, and beer" cookoff?? [:p]

The conditions that surround the raising of pork have all but eliminated trichinosis. I like mine as does Mr. Hoffman a perfect, juicy medium. These conditions do not apply to BBQ as we found out competing at Memphis in May one year. 2 out of 3 judges thought we had come from another planet when we cooked our whole hog a juicy medium. Elimination came early and it was back to bologna, beans and beer. Such is life

I just read somewhere that fully-cooked pork should be a little pink…that is not even considered "rare"

While there’s no longer any need to be concerned about trichinosis in pork, I prefer to cook it to just past medium rare. I want it pink to white, and juicy, but not red.