In short: fresh pork grilled on the top plate is the hot cousin of cured meats. Pork tenderloin in thin medallions for lean-meat lovers, pork shoulder (collar) in slices for those who like it juicy: both end up beautifully under a spoonful of melted cheese. The rule to remember: pork is eaten cooked through (Health Canada gives 71 °C), and ANSES reminds us that raw or undercooked pork can transmit hepatitis E.
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Pork at a raclette: what is it?
Raclette is already a celebration of the pig: cured ham, cooked ham, dry sausage, bacon. Fresh pork adds a hot, grilled touch. You cut it into thin slices or medallions, sear it on the plate or stone of the machine, then slip it into a cheese pan or onto a potato. Two cuts are especially well suited to the job.
| ID card | Fresh pork for the grill plate |
|---|---|
| Cuts | Tenderloin (lean) in thin medallions; shoulder/collar (fattier) in thin slices |
| Origin label to look for | “Le Porc Français” logo: pork born, raised, slaughtered and processed in France |
| Flavor | Mild, slightly sweet once grilled |
| Cooking | Cooked through: 71 °C for pork according to Health Canada |
| Risks involved | Hepatitis E, toxoplasmosis, bacteria (ANSES, Santé publique France) |
Tenderloin or shoulder?
Pork tenderloin is lean and tender, and easy to cut into even medallions. Its only flaw, in our experience: it dries out if it stays on the plate too long. Pork shoulder (collar) is fattier, with fat marbled through the meat. It handles being cooked all the way through without drying out. Our advice: a bit of both, to keep everyone happy.
Why pork goes with raclette
Pork has that mild flavor that loves cheese. With a Raclette de Savoie IGP or a Morbier, you stay true to mountain tradition. A smoked raclette gives it a grilled-bacon aroma, and an Appenzeller raclette a spicy note. A dab of mustard or a few cornichons on the plate do the rest.
How to choose your pork
- Origin: the French pork industry’s “Le Porc Français” logo means pork born, raised, slaughtered and processed in France (Réussir, 2016).
- The look: pale pink, firm meat, with no liquid at the bottom of the tray.
- Slicing: ask your butcher for thin slices of shoulder, or cut the tenderloin into medallions about half a centimeter thick. That’s our practical benchmark for quick, thorough cooking.
- Products made with raw pork liver (figatelli, liver sausages) aren’t meant for a flash cook on the plate. ANSES reminds us they must never be eaten raw and must be cooked through.
How much to plan and how to cook it
As a rule of thumb from our team, plan on 100 to 150 g of pork per person if it’s the only hot meat, and about half that if it comes with a cured meat platter. Lay the slices on the very hot plate, flip them once, and wait until they’re cooked to the center.
Pork cooking rules
- Cooked through. Health Canada gives 71 °C internal temperature for pork pieces as well as ground pork. With thin slices, it goes fast: the flesh should be pale pinkish-white and opaque to the center, with no translucent parts.
- Why it matters: ANSES lists pork meat and offal eaten raw or undercooked among the sources of hepatitis E, and undercooked pork among the sources of campylobacteriosis. It recommends cooking it through.
- Vulnerable people: ANSES asks that these recommendations be followed especially for pregnant women, people with liver disease and people on immunosuppressive treatment. Santé publique France also advises against raw or undercooked meat during pregnancy (toxoplasmosis).
- Keep raw and cooked apart: one pair of tongs to put down the raw meat, one fork for eating, and never cooked meat put back on the raw meat dish. ANSES advises cleaning the cutting board, the dish and the utensils that touched raw meat.
Which wine to serve with pork and raclette
Pork gets along with a white just as well as with a light red. In our opinion, a Fendant from the Valais or a dry Riesling brings welcome freshness against the fat of the shoulder and the cheese. For red lovers, a Gamay from Savoie served cool does the job nicely.
In the pantry
Back to the pantry to round out the table. Pork has family on the platter: cooked ham, coppa, pancetta and speck, or Morteau and Montbéliard sausages.
Frequently asked questions
Which cut of pork for a raclette?
Tenderloin in thin medallions for lean, tender meat, or shoulder in thin slices, fattier and juicier. Both grill quickly on the plate.
Can pork be eaten pink?
Pork must be cooked through: Health Canada gives 71 °C. ANSES reminds us that raw or undercooked pork is one of the sources of hepatitis E.
What does the Le Porc Français logo guarantee?
It means pork born, raised, slaughtered and processed in France.
Which wine goes with pork and raclette?
In our opinion, a fresh white like a Fendant from the Valais or a dry Riesling, or a light red like Gamay from Savoie.
Sources
- ANSES: hepatitis E (pork, raw pork liver, vulnerable groups, in French)
- ANSES: campylobacteriosis (sources, hygiene, cooking, in French)
- Health Canada: safe internal cooking temperatures chart (in French)
- Santé publique France (Manger Bouger) via Santé.fr: foods to avoid during pregnancy (in French)
- Réussir Les Marchés: Le Porc Français campaign (April 2016, in French)
