⚡ Block 21–22 Quick Reference — Pork

Block 21 — Sessions 106–109: Pork Fundamentals

Session	Dish	Skill	Link
Session 106	⏰ Bone-In Pork Chop + Pan Sauce + Roasted Cauliflower + Apple-Celery-Walnut Salad	145°F target; dry brine; pan sauce	Pork Chop Technique · Cauliflower
Session 107	⏰ Chashu Pork Belly + Rice + Pickled Cucumbers + Soft Egg	Braise in soy-mirin; fat rendering; umami layering	Chashu Pork
Session 108	Pork Tenderloin + Herb Pan Sauce + Honey-Roasted Carrots + Pilaf-Style Rice	Lean cut precision; carry-over temp; butter-mounted sauce	Honey-Roasted Carrots · Rice
Session 109	⏰ Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chop + Jasmine Rice + Nuoc Cham + Cucumber + Herbs	Marinade caramelization; lemongrass; fish sauce balance	Vietnamese Pork Chop
Service 27	⏰ Ultra-Crispy Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder + Slaw + Pickled Jalapeños	Long low roast; blast finish; crackling	Slow-Roasted Shoulder

Block 22 — Sessions 110–113: Belly, Ribs & Curing

Session	Dish	Skill	Link
Session 110	Crispy Pork Belly Lardons + White Beans + Swiss Chard + Garlic-Rubbed Bread	Fat rendering; lardon technique; no brine needed	Bread
Session 111	⏰ Oven-and-Grill Ribs + Coleslaw + Cornbread	Collagen + caramelization hybrid method	Pork Ribs Method
Session 112	Porchetta + Braised White Beans + Arugula Salad	Roll + tie; fennel-rosemary-garlic; crispy skin	All-Belly Porchetta
Session 113	Pork Meatballs + Tomato Sugo + Pasta	Ground pork; milk-bread ratio; sear not bake	Tomato Sugo
Service 28	Carnitas Taco Dinner + Salsa Verde + Guacamole + Pickled Jalapeños + Onion-Cilantro + Tortillas	Fat-braise; water-fry finish; taco assembly	Carnitas · Salsa Verde

Key Pork Temperature Rules

Cut	Target Internal Temp	Notes
Pork chop	145°F	Rest 5 min; slight pink is correct and safe
Pork tenderloin	140°F (pull early)	Carryover to 145°F
Pork shoulder (slow)	195–205°F	For pulling; collagen fully converted
Pork belly	Internal temp matters less	Cook to visual — rendered fat and tender
Pork ribs	195–203°F	Probe should slide in with no resistance

Shopping Notes

Block 21: - Bone-in pork chops — 1 inch thick; rib chop preferred; 1 per person. Dry brine Sun night. - Pork belly — 2 lbs, skin-on; ask butcher if not at standard grocer (Chashu, Session 107) - Pork tenderloin — 1 lb; usually comes in a vacuum pack of 2 - Thin pork chops for grilling — ½ inch bone-in (Vietnamese, Session 109) — marinate overnight - Bone-in pork shoulder — 4–5 lbs, fat cap on (the project session; buy by Fri for dry brine overnight)

Block 22: - Pork belly slabs — 1.5 lbs (Session 106 lardon cook), skin off; ask butcher to skin - Spare ribs or baby back — 1 rack (Session 107) - Pork belly, skin-on — 2 lbs for porchetta (Session 108); buy early to dry in fridge - Ground pork — 1 lb, 80/20 (Session 109 meatballs) - Pork shoulder — 4 lbs (the project session carnitas); can use the same cut as Block 21 the project session