Good news for carnivores that particularly enjoy pork: the United States Department of Agriculture recently reported that pork tenderloin is now a tad leaner than skinless chicken breasts. 

New breeding techniques result in pork that contains about 30 percent less saturated fat and is about 15 percent leaner overall than it was just 15 years ago. 

And the recommended safe-cooking temperature for whole cuts of pork has been reduced from 160°F to 145°F (plus a three-minute resting time) so pork that is just a little pink is safe to eat. So cooking pork to a “fare-thee-well” that results in a tough, dry product is no longer necessary. This is especially helpful when cooking very lean cuts of pork, like the tenderloin. It’s all good news!

Italian pork chops

• 6 center cut pork chops (about 3/4-inch thick)
• 4 Tbsp. all purpose flour seasoned with a bit of salt, pepper and garlic powder
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 cup Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs
• 1 can (16 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup marinara sauce (purchased or homemade)
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Garnish: freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

Trim fat from pork chops. Dip each pork chop into flour mixture, then milk and lastly, the seasoned bread crumbs. Refrigerate to help coating stick to chops.

Combine tomatoes, marinara sauce, onion, garlic, green pepper, salt, pepper, and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or just until hot. Pour into a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Place pork chops on top and cover tightly with foil. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for one hour. Remove foil and spoon some of sauce over top of chops and return to oven for another 10 minutes. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and serve. Yield: six servings.

Sauteed pork tenderloin with shallot-thyme sauce

• 1-1/4 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sliced shallots
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Cut the pork crosswise into 1-inch pieces; flatten each piece to 1/2-inch thickness using fingertips. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large zippy bag; add pork and seal tightly. Shake gently to coat pork.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove pork from pan; keep warm. Add shallots to pan and cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in wine, apple juice, Dijon, and thyme, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and add pork pieces to sauce. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes spooning sauce over pork a couple of times. Yield: four servings.

Slow cooker Chinese pork chops

• 4 boneless pork loin chops (about 4 oz. each)
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

Place pork chops in a three-quart slow cooker coated with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, combine onion, ketchup, brown sugar, water, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Spoon over chops making sure each gets some of the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender. Yield: four servings.

Home on the range chili

• 3-1/2 lb. boneless Boston butt roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into l-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 slices bacon, chopped fine
• 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided use
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 large jalapeño peppers (about 2-1/2 inches long), seeded and minced
• 3 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup V-8 Juice™ (or tomato juice)
• 2 (16-oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Tabasco™ sauce to taste

Season pork cubes with salt and pepper; set aside. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven set over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until crispy. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from pan and discard but do not wipe pan out.

Add 1 Tbsp. oil to pan and when hot, add half of pork cubes. Cook 4-5 minutes or until well browned on all sides. Transfer cooked meat to a bowl. Brown remaining meat, adding another 1 Tbsp. oil to pot if necessary. Transfer second batch of meat to the bowl.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to pan. Add onion, jalapeños, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are beginning to brown. Add garlic and brown sugar and cook 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and scrape bottom of pan to loosen browned bits. Add reserved bacon, browned pork, water and juice; bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered at a slow simmer for about 2 hours or until pork is tender and juices are dark and slightly thickened.

Add beans; reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with Tabasco™ and additional salt and pepper as desired. Yield: six servings. (Note: Recipe may be doubled.)

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Big Pine Key, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter and their kitty Mina. Correspondence can be addressed to her at the Boothbay Register, P.O. Box 357, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or the Wiscasset Newspaper, P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578. You can also write to her directly via email at pander@maine.rr.com.