Pork, ground, 84% lean / 16% fat, raw

Ground pork at this 84/16 ratio is looser and fattier than typical ground beef, and it shows up constantly in home cooking: meatballs, dumplings and wontons, stuffed cabbage rolls, sausage-style patties, and quick stir-fries with ginger, garlic and scallion. Because it is sold raw here, it needs to be cooked through fully before eating; the higher fat content means it browns fast and releases a good amount of rendered fat into the pan, which makes it a useful base for a simple ragu, a filling for dumplings, or a crumbled topping for fried rice. Its mild flavor takes on whatever spice blend or sauce it is cooked with, from Italian herbs to five-spice to a simple salt and pepper sear.

At the butcher case or in the package, look for pork that is pale pink without gray patches, and plan to cook or freeze it within a day or two of purchase since raw ground meat spoils faster than whole cuts. Frozen, it holds well for three to four months. Per 100 grams this cut runs 218 calories with 18 grams of protein, and it is flagged rich in protein at 36% DV for this serving, making it an easy way to build a meal around protein. Sodium is naturally low at 68 milligrams, so seasoning it yourself rather than buying pre-seasoned blends keeps sodium in your own hands.