Complementing the Pork: 12 Delicious Meats that Pair Perfectly

Pork is a versatile protein that can be paired with an array of complementary meats. Mixing pork with other meats allows you to add exciting new flavors and textures to your dishes. But with so many options, what other meats truly go well with pork? Let’s explore 12 delicious meats that pair perfectly with everyone’s favorite pig protein

Sensational Seafood and Pork Combos

Seafood offers light, bright flavors that contrast nicely with pork’s richness:

• Shrimp – Succulent shrimp skewers pair great with juicy pork tenderloin or chops.

• Scallops – Seared scallops lend elegance alongside pork medallions or roasts.

• Clams – Their briny taste complements smoky pork in pasta or risotto.

• Salmon – Grilled salmon fillets match nicely with spicy jerk pork skewers

• Tuna – Meaty tuna steaks stand up well to boldly flavored pork shoulder.

So seafood choices like shrimp, scallops, clams, salmon and tuna make excellent pork companions. Their lighter textures also provide balance.

Poultry for Perfect Pairings

Chicken and turkey each combine superbly with pork:

• Chicken – BBQ pork sandwiches love having coleslaw with shredded chicken.

• Turkey – Slice turkey and pork roast together for dynamic deli sandwiches.

• Duck – Savory duck confit amps up flavor next to pork medallions.

• Goose – Rich goose sausage complements milder pork breakfast links.

• Quail – Brief quail boneless thighs match nice pork kebabs on the grill.

Poultry may seem tame next to pork, but in fact they pair wonderfully, be it chicken, turkey, duck, goose or quail.

Fantastic Beef and Pork Marriages

Sure, beef and pork are both red meats, but great things happen when you combine them:

• Ground beef – Adding pork to burgers enhances juiciness and richness.

• Brisket – Chopped brisket amps up the smokiness in pulled pork for tacos.

• Short ribs – Braised short ribs give pork ragú deep, meaty flavor.

• Steak tips – Grilled steak tips accompany spice-rubbed pork chops perfectly.

• Meatloaf – Ground pork keeps beef or turkey meatloaf extra moist.

Beef pros like brisket, short ribs, steak tips, and ground beef all marry seamlessly with pork for enhanced taste.

Lamb Lends Lovely Flavor

Mild lamb meats perfectly suit the sweetness of pork:

• Chops – Quick grilled lamb loin chops match nicely with hoisin-glazed pork belly.

• Leg – Roasted lamb leg makes an elegant pairing for stuffed pork loin.

• Shoulder – Braised lamb shoulder offers a nice contrast to crispy pork carnitas.

• Sausage – Spiced lamb sausage livens up any pork sausage breakfast.

• Ground – Adding lamb to pork meatballs boosts the rich meatiness.

Lamb chops, leg, shoulder, sausage and ground lamb blend beautifully with nearly any pork dish.

Goat Goodness for Tasty Teams

Goat meat adds a unique edge to pork pairings:

• Chops – Quick-cooked goat chops harmonize with jerk-spiced pork.

• Leg – Braised goat shank boosts stew with pork shoulder.

• Loin – Goat loin skewers offer lighter contrast to bacon-wrapped pork.

• Sausage – Zesty goat merguez sausage complements mild pork links.

• Ground – Spicy goat Bolognese is fabulous with rich papardelle and pork.

Goat’s distinctive flavor dynamically balances the sweetness of pork chops, legs, loin, sausage or ground meat.

Veal Provides Velvety Richness

Veal indulgently enhances any pork dish:

• Cutlets – Breaded veal cutlets class up pork parmigiana.

• Shoulder – Braised veal shoulder makes pork osso buco divine.

• Shanks – Creamy veal shank risotto wants pork belly bits on top.

• Sausage – Mild veal sausage tames spicy Mexican chorizo pork patties.

• Ground – Adding veal to pork meatloaf or dumplings is a richness win.

From quick-cooked cutlets to braised shoulder or shanks, veal brings opulence to pork plates.

Wild Boar Boosts Boldness

Game meats like boar pump up pork’s flavor:

• Chops – Seared boar chops crank up chili verde with pork shoulder.

• Tenderloin – Red wine-braised boar tenderloin enhances pork osso buco.

• Sausage – Garlicky wild boar sausage livens up a pork sausage soup.

• Bacon – Smoked boar bacon takes BLTs with pork belly to the next level.

• Ground – Boar burger patties mixed with pork make literally game changing flavors.

Boar chops, tenderloin, sausage, bacon or ground balances pork’s fattiness with pleasant gaminess.

Rabbit Raises the Richness

Rabbit ratchets up the lushness factor with pork:

• Legs – Braised rabbit legs enrich posole, chili or stew with pork.

• Loin – Seared rabbit loins add delicate flavor to pork fried rice.

• Sausage – Mild rabbit sausage balances bold spiced pork chorizo.

• Confit – Shredded rabbit confit elevates almost any pork ragu, pâté or terrine.

• Ground – Added to pork sausage or burgers, ground rabbit boosts juiciness.

Rabbit legs, loin, sausage, confit and ground rabbit bring velvety richness and gentle flavor to pork plates.

Duck for Dashing Duos

Like chicken, duck diversifies pork dishes:

• Breast – Seared duck breast provides perfect pork medicine for congee.

• Legs – Braised duck legs add flair alongside pork carnitas tacos.

• Sausage – Spicy duck sausage packs a flavor punch with pork links.

• Confit – Shredded duck confit amps up a pizza with bacon, sausage and pork toppings.

• Ground – Ground duck keeps pork sausage, burgers or meatballs intriguing.

Duck breast, legs, sausage, confit or ground combines effortlessly with pork for depth and excitement.

At the end of the day, almost any meat pairs pleasingly with pork. Mixing complementary meats like seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, goat, veal and game creatively transforms ordinary pork into extraordinary dishes. With so many perfect pairings possible, the challenge lies not in finding matches for pork, but rather choosing which delightfully compatible meats to cook with it tonight!