Ground pork works as an alternative in any dish that calls for ground beef. You can use all ground pork or mix it with another ground meat for most recipes. No matter how you use the ground pork, cooking it thoroughly is necessary to prevent food-borne illnesses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends cooking ground pork to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit to make it safe to eat.
Meatballs
Meatballs work in pasta dishes, as a main course or as appetizers. You can serve them plain or with a sauce or glaze. Many meatball recipes call for at least some ground pork to contrast with the ground beef. Use a combination or use ground pork for the entire amount of ground meat in the recipe. The other ingredients vary from one meatball recipe to the next, but typically include breadcrumbs, dried spices, garlic and onion. The balls of ground meat are either fried in a skillet or baked in the oven.
Tacos
Ground beef, chicken and fish are common meat options in a taco. For variety on your next taco night, try ground pork instead. Season the ground pork as you would with your regular taco meat. Cooking the pork with chopped onions and adding a packet of taco seasoning is a simple flavoring method. Serve the ground pork tacos with your favorite taco toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, black olives, sour cream and salsa.
Pizza
Browned ground pork is an alternative option for topping a pizza. Canadian bacon, some sausages and pepperoni are popular pork-based pizza toppings, but ground pork is used less frequently. After cooking in a skillet, drain off the grease before placing it on top of the crust and sauce to avoid a greasy, soggy pizza. Add your other favorite toppings to complete the homemade pizza.
Casseroles
Any casserole recipe that calls for ground beef is also a cooking option for ground pork. Start by swapping out part of the ground beef with the ground pork to give your favorite casserole a new flavor without overwhelming yourself with the change. If you like the flavor with partial ground pork, substitute it for all of the ground beef the next time you cook the recipe. Follow the casserole directions for the preparation of the meat. The ground pork would typically be cooked ahead of time before you assemble the casserole.
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