HOME & GARDEN CONSUMER GUIDE

Cooking Red Meat With Vegetables And Fruit

The traditional American plate features a large piece of meat with small servings of vegetables and potatoes. Yet cancer experts believe that limiting consumption of red meat helps to reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. That doesn’t mean you have to give up favorite meats like beef or pork. Just limit the amount you eat during the course of each day. An easy way to cut back is to change the proportion of foods on your plate, as suggested by AICR’s New American Plate program: fill your plate with 2/3 (or more) vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans and 1/3 (or less) meat.

Despite its pale color, pork is a “red meat.” Fortunately, it lends itself particularly well to preparations that include vegetables and fruits. By choosing leaner cuts from the leg or loin, using moderate portions and serving the meat with fruit garnish, fruit sauce or in a salad, it is possible for pork to have a place in a healthful diet.

Pork is lower in moisture than other meats and tends to dry out quickly during cooking. Without the moisture from excess fat, lean pork is especially sensitive to overcooking. It must still be cooked thoroughly, of course, but food safety experts now say that slightly pink pork is safe to eat. (You can remove the guesswork completely by using a meat thermometer. According to the USDA, pork should always be cooked to a temperature of 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit. At 160 degrees, it will still be light pink inside.)

One solution is slower cooking. While it can be quickly browned over a high heat, pork should finish cooking at a lower temperature to keep it from getting too dry. Adding liquid to the pan or cooking the pork covered also helps. Covering the pan allows lower temperatures to transfer through the meat more efficiently.

The following recipe for pork and peach salad uses tenderloin, a lean pork cut. The peaches, pork and orange-soy dressing are all prepared on top of the stove.

Peachy Pork Salad

  • 1 can (28 ounces) sliced peaches, packed in their own juice
  • 8 ounces pork tenderloin
  • ½ Tbsp. canola oil
  • 2-3 drops sesame oil (optional)
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • Pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
  • 6 cups romaine lettuce or baby spinach leaves
  • 3 Tbsp. slivered almonds, toasted
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and drain peaches. Cut each slice in half across the middle. Cook over medium-high heat in non-stick skillet for 3 minutes. Set aside.

Trim the visible fat from the tenderloin. Cut pork into fine strips. Cook pork in non-stick skillet with canola oil (and sesame oil, if used) over medium-high heat, 3-5 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside, and let cool.

Combine orange juice, soy sauce, ginger (and hot pepper flakes, if used) in a small pot. Warm over low heat; do not boil. Set aside.

Combine peaches, celery and warmed orange juice mixture with leafy greens and toss. Place on four dinner plates, top with pork and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 296 calories, 8 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 38 g. carbohydrate, 15 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 272 mg. sodium.

Courtesy of AICR
AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, a free service that allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides a range of education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $65 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR’s Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.