Pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig. It is the second most commonly consumed type of meat worldwide, following poultry, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; curing extends the shelf life of pork products. Ham, gammon, bacon, and pork sausage are examples of preserved pork. Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, many from pork.
Pork is one of the most popular meat in the Western world, particularly in Central Europe. It is also very popular in East and Southeast Asia. The meat is highly prized in Asian cuisines, especially in China and Northeast India, for its fat content and texture.
Some religions and cultures prohibit pork consumption, notably Islam and Judaism.
History
Pigs were domesticated in Mesopotamia around 13,000 BC. The pig appears to have been among the earliest domesticated animals in ancient China, with evidence for pig domestication at Cishan from around 8000 BP.Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, pâtés and confit, primarily from pig. Originally intended as a way to preserve meats before the advent of refrigeration, these preparations are prepared today for the flavors that are derived from the preservation processes. In 15th-century France, local guilds regulated tradesmen in the food production industry in each city. The guilds that produced charcuterie were those of the charcutiers. The members of this guild produced a traditional range of cooked or salted and dried meats, which varied, sometimes distinctively, from region to region. The only "raw" meat the charcutiers were allowed to sell was unrendered lard. The charcutier prepared numerous items, including pâtés, rillettes, sausages, bacon, trotters, and head cheese.
Before the mass production and re-engineering of pigs in the 20th century, pork in Europe and North America was traditionally an autumn dish—pigs and other livestock coming to the slaughter in the autumn after growing in the spring and fattening during the summer. Due to the seasonal nature of the meat in Western culinary history, apples have been a staple pairing to fresh pork. The year-round availability of meat and fruits has not diminished the popularity of this combination on Western plates.
Consumption patterns
Pigs are the second most widely eaten animal in the world, accounting for about 34% of meat production worldwide. As a result, large numbers of pork recipes have been developed throughout the world. Jamón, made from the hind legs of a pig, is the most well-known Spanish dry-cured ham. Feijoada, the national dish of Brazil, is traditionally prepared with pork trimmings: ears, tail and feet.According to the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, nearly 100 million metric tons of pork were consumed worldwide in 2006. Increasing urbanization and disposable income has led to an uprising in pork consumption in China, where 2006 consumption was 20% higher than in 2002, and a further 5% increase projected in 2007. In 2015 recorded total 109.905 million metric tons of pork were consumed worldwide. By 2017, half the world's pork was consumed in China.
Worldwide pork consumption
Asian pork consumption
Pork is popular throughout eastern Asia and the Pacific, where whole roast pig is a popular item in Pacific Island cuisine. It is consumed in a great many ways and highly esteemed in Chinese cuisine. Currently China is the world's largest pork consumer, with pork consumption expected to total 53 million metric tons in 2012, which accounts for more than half of global pork consumption.In China, pork is preferred over beef for economic and aesthetic reasons; the pig is easy to feed and is not used for labour. The colours of the meat and the fat of pork are regarded as more appetizing, while the taste and smell are described as sweeter and cleaner. It is also considered easier to digest. In rural tradition, pork is shared to celebrate important occasions and to form bonding. In China, pork is so important that the nation maintains a "strategic pork reserve". Red braised pork, a delicacy from Hunan Province, was one of Mao Zedong's favorite dishes. Other popular Chinese pork dishes are sweet and sour pork, bakkwa, and charsiu.
In the Philippines, due to 300 years of Spanish colonization and influence, lechon, which is an entire roasted suckling pig, is a national delicacy.
Production by country
Per the FAS and the USDA, China was the largest producer of pork in the world in 2020, followed by the European Union and the United States. The three accounted for roughly 76% of the world's pork production.| Rank | Countries | Metric tonnes | % of world |
| 1 | China | 36,340,000 | 37.58% |
| 2 | European Union | 24,150,000 | 24.97% |
| 3 | United States | 12,843,000 | 13.28% |
| 4 | Brazil | 4,125,000 | 4.27% |
| 5 | Russia | 3,611,000 | 3.73% |
| 6 | Philippines | 2,467,000 | 2.55% |
| 7 | Canada | 2,130,000 | 2.20% |
| 8 | Mexico | 1,451,000 | 1.50% |
| 9 | South Korea | 1,403,000 | 1.45% |
| 10 | Japan | 1,298,000 | 1.34% |
Pork products
Pork may be cooked from fresh meat or cured over time. Cured meat products include ham and bacon. The carcass may be used in many different ways for fresh meat cuts, with the popularity of certain cuts varying worldwide.Fresh meat
Most of the pig can be used to produce fresh meat and, in the case of a suckling pig, the whole body of a young pig ranging in age from two to six weeks is roasted. Danish roast pork or flæskesteg, prepared with crispy crackling is a national favourite as the traditional Christmas dinner.Processed pork
Pork is particularly common as an ingredient in sausages. Many traditional European sausages are made with pork, including chorizo, fuet, Cumberland sausage and salami giving it a succulent finish. Many brands of American hot dogs and most breakfast sausages are made from pork. Processing of pork into sausages and other products in France is described as charcuterie.Ham and bacon are made from fresh pork by curing with salt or smoking. Shoulders and legs are most commonly cured in this manner for picnic shoulder and ham, whereas streaky and round bacon come from the side.
Ham and bacon are popular foods in the West, and their consumption has increased with industrialisation. Non-western cuisines also use preserved meat products. For example, salted preserved pork or red roasted pork is used in Chinese and Asian cuisine.
Bacon
Bacon is defined as any of certain cuts of meat taken from the sides, belly, or back that have been cured or smoked. In continental Europe, it is used primarily in cubes as a cooking ingredient valued both as a source of fat and for its flavour. In Italy, besides being used in cooking, bacon is also served uncooked and thinly sliced as part of an antipasto. Bacon is also used for barding roasts, especially game birds. Bacon is often smoked with various wood fuels for up to ten hours. Bacon is eaten fried, baked, or grilled.A side of unsliced bacon is a "flitch" or "slab bacon", while an individual slice of bacon is a "rasher" or simply a "slice" or "strip". Slices of bacon are also known as "collops". Traditionally, the skin is left on the cut and is known as "bacon rind". Rindless bacon, however, is quite common. In both Ireland and the United Kingdom, bacon comes in a wide variety of cuts and flavours, and is predominantly known as "streaky bacon", or "streaky rashers". Bacon made from the meat on the back of the pig is referred to as "back bacon" and is part of traditional full breakfasts commonly eaten in Britain and Ireland. In the United States, back bacon may also be referred to as "Canadian-style Bacon" or "Canadian Bacon".
The canned meat Spam is made of chopped pork shoulder meat and ham.
Industrial raw material
Due to the fact that pigs can eat unused food originally meant for humans, and due to the high availability of such food in many industrialized countries, pork and other products from pigs have become securely sourced and low-priced commodities. This makes pig products very popular as raw material in many industrially produced products.Cuts
Nutrition and health effects
Pork is a form of red meat. Red meat is a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2, B6, and B12. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, unprocessed red meat probably causes cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. Studies have also linked red meat with higher risks of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. If meat is processed, such as by salting, curing, or smoking, health risks further increase. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting red meat to no more than three servings per week.In 1987, the U.S. National Pork Board began an advertising campaign to position pork as "the other white meat"—due to a public perception of chicken and turkey as healthier than red meat. The campaign was highly successful and resulted in 87% of consumers identifying pork with the slogan. The board retired the slogan on 4 March 2011.
Pork is very high in thiamin. Pork with its fat trimmed is leaner than the meat of most domesticated animals, but is high in cholesterol and saturated fat.