It's an easy hack: keeping thinly-sliced pork in the freezer makes for easy-to-make meals. It's perfect for quick meals because it cooks in no time and can be turned into a wide variety of dishes.
Here's a list of all the pork cuts you can buy and the recipes that go best with them. You can also ask your butcher to cut up a fresh slab of pork for you in these ways.
1 Bacon Slice
Make: liempo
Cut from pork belly, it's basically thinly-cut liempo which means faster cooking time. Because it has streaks of fat running through it, this pork cut is always flavorful whether made crispy or tender. It's also the same cut that is cured to make smoked bacon. The fat content is perfect for absorbing aromatics and spices.
Substitute your beef for gyudon with this slice for a tasty, flavor bomb that goes so well with rice. Another wonderful use for it is to make a quick substitute for chicharon if you find yourself with a bowl of creamy monggo.
2 Sukiyaki-Cut Pork
Make: Gyudon, Bulgogi, and Sukiyaki (use pork instead of beef)
Pork sukiyaki cut is taken from pork loin, so it's a leaner cut than bacon slice. They cook so quickly, it feels like a miracle every time. Marinate overnight or longer for easier breakfast prep. You can cook them in teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce, or better yet, use them for an easy sukiyaki recipe instead of beef. We also recommend Gyudon and Bulgogi which traditionally uses beef, but you can easily substitute with pork. If you're looking a for a fun idea, you can even organize your own mini Korean barbecue at home!
3 Pork Steak
Make: Pork Steaks
Already have pork steak in your freezer? Simply slice them thinly with your knife to get them cooking quickly. It's a versatile boneless cut that you can mix with a lot of vegetables and add in stews for a meaty addition and much-needed flavor. Another tip for quicker cooking? Pound the meat with a mallet.
4 Tenderloin
Make: Pork stir-fry, homemade tocino
Pork doesn't always have to be a fatty affair. Tenderloin is a quick-cooking and tender but is a lean cut of pork. You can use it to make homemade tocino, and a flurry of other delicious meaty dishes.
Here's a more detailed guide to all the pork cuts you need:
Here are more pork recipes:
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