What color should cooked pork be?

Table of Contents:

1. What color should cooked pork be?
2. How do you know if cooked pork is bad?
3. What does perfectly cooked pork look like?
4. Why is my pork loin so tough?

What color should cooked pork be?

Table 1 – Internal Color of Cooked Pork Loin Chops

Pork Quality	Endpoint Temperature and Time at that Temperature
	145°F (63°C), 3min	160°F (71°C), 1sec
Normal	Pink	Very Slightly Pink
Normal-injected	Pink	Very Slightly Pink
PSE	Slightly Pink	Tan/White

How do you know if cooked pork is bad?

It may be moist, but it should not be at all slimy in texture. When pork begins to spoil, it will develop a sour odor that will deepen and intensify over time. Once the pork begins to smell sour, it is time to let it go. If you try to cook the pork, it will just make the unpleasant taste and odor even stronger.

What does perfectly cooked pork look like?

Color-wise, the slogan worked because pork cooked to 160 degrees is a pale, languid white-gray color. In contrast, pork cooked to 145 degrees remains decidedly pink. It's not "bloody" like rare-cooked beef but still, the pork's color can be described only as pink-pink-pink.

Why is my pork loin so tough?

Pork loin is infamously difficult to prepare because it dries out faster than other meat—keep it far, far away from your slow-cooker. ... She says you'll want to avoid cooking pork loin in a slow-cooker for this very reason. "The low heat for a long length of time renders a tough outcome," she explains.