The problem with pork is one of disparity. We coddle steaks, relishing the chance to tear into the interior when still rosy red. We send beef back at restaurants when a cook fails to precisely nail our desired temperature. But pork must be incinerated until no blush of life remains, as if a blank, dry, white interior is a good thing. It's discrimination, and like all discrimination, it's not fair.
Ah, but you say, "pork must be cooked this way, or we'll all get sick!"
To which I say, calm down and pick up some recent pork safety literature. While a ridiculously overcooked temperature of 160°F was the government standard until recently, in 2011 the USDA rightly approved the new target of 145°F with a three minute rest for certain cuts.
This is a far more forgiving temperature. Cook your chops this way and you'll notice a very slight pink hue to the interior, along with actual juiciness. For those raised on desiccated pork, this can feel like a small revelation. Instead of having to cover the meat in some sauce to help get it down, you can appreciate each bite like a steak—proudly bare.
Which isn't to say all pork benefits from this lower temperature. Ground pork and any hunks with a lot of fat—shoulder, belly—need that heat to melt fat and connective tissue. And medium-rare bacon is not a thing (at least it shouldn't be). So I'm really only talking about cuts from the loin.
But here's the thing. For me, 145°F is still pretty high. I wanted to see how low pork could go.
So I picked up a batch of loin chops to test a range of temperatures. I went as low as 130°F, which, for me, is too low. The texture becomes almost mushy, not juicy. (The reason: Most pork raised these days is very lean—much leaner than beef.) Going to 135°F is a significant improvement, and, if you laid down some serious cash for a gloriously fat-streaked pork chop from reputable farm, this is a fine option.
The real sweet spot for me, though, was 140°F. This leaves the meat extra juicy, with a nice band of pink, but it has a slightly firmer texture. And that makes for a pork chop that's not just delicious, but—finally—fair.
