Ribs are one of the great pleasures of carnivorousness, and simplicity itself to prepare, as long as you cook them slow enough to melt the hard-working meat that makes them so tasty, and don't try to get too fancy with the marinade: this is a cut that really doesn't need it.

Many barbecuers believe that the smoke flavours actually penetrate the meat during the process though a more practical cook might argue the point. There is certainly a limited penetration of the marinade and the rub (the legendary "smoke ring") but the beauty of pulled pork is that it bypasses all such controversy - before serving the meat is shredded so the moist interior, the gorgeous layer of lubricating fat and the charred, tarry exterior "bark" are thoroughly mixed so the flavours really can marry together. To my mind it's this effect, plus the acidic bite of the special vinegar-based sauce, that makes North Carolina pulled pork the uber-'cue.

If you ever fancied having a go at home curing, this recipe is a great place to start. The cure intensifies the flavour of the meat and preserves it enough to keep in the fridge for up to a week. Once you've given this a go, you might want to try your hand at bacon belly – take about 1kg of off-the-bone pork belly, cut it into 4cm strips, and cure it in the same way, but for 48 hours rather than overnight. Rinse off the cure and use it cut into chunks or diced, to add to sauces, stews or salads. Serves four.

Baking meat with spice-infused yogurt will fill the house – and your stomach – with its heady flavours

Carnitas may seem like a complex Mexican dish to pull off, but really it only takes a little patience to perfect. Just toss a few ingredients into a pot and slow-cook the pork in its own flavorful broth. In a couple of hours, the broth reduces and the pork fries in the fatty juices left behind, resulting in crispy yet tender meat perfect for stuffing into tacos or burritos, or serving atop tostadas.

Al pastor (or “shepherd’s style”) is pork that’s been marinated in chile and spit-grilled. The traditional Mexican method has slabs of pork marinated for one to two days in a chile sauce, then stacked on a spit and slowly cooked using a gas flame. A pineapple is placed on top of the spit, the juices of which drip down the pork, tenderizing and flavoring the meat. Since most home cooks don’t have access to a spit, we’ve adapted the technique for the home grill. The results come deliciously close to the real deal. The tacos are just small tortillas filled with the meat and topped with a warm slice of pineapple, fresh cilantro, and onion.

Succulent pork belly, sizzling slices of aubergine… Most things taste better cooked over coals – especially if they've been marinated in spices, soy sauce or lime

Vinegar: it's one of the most useful ingredients in the whole store cupboard

Rarely have I enjoyed making anything quite so much: the bubbling stock, with its grotesque peeping trotters; the soft, warm dough to mould into shape like the potter I always wanted to be; the proud moment of prizing the huge, heavy, porky thing from its tin. Secretly I probably just fancied the challenge of making one to see if I could do it. What I hadn't expected was to end up with something so stonkingly good.

Roasting root veg highlights their natural flavours – the swede’s slight bitterness a foil for the sweet carrots.

I sometimes think that if I could have only one piece of meat it would be a piece of pork belly. It has everything I look for – crisp skin, chewy fat, tender meat and masses of flavour. It also happens to be one of the cheapest cuts. I often just whack it in a very hot oven, leave it for 20 minutes or so, then turn the heat down and let it cook very slowly. Sometimes I leave the ribs in, other times I get the butcher to bone and skin it. A real carnivore's cut, this one – wonderful with masses of steamed greens at its side.

One pan is all you need to make this fast braise of juicy pork chops and tender fennel. Bonus: The braising liquid turns into a delicious sauce that you’ll want to sop up with a piece of crusty bread.

Aromatic pot roasts are the perfect dish for early autumn, their deep flavours bringing a warm counterpoint to the chilly evenings ahead

The differences between organic and conventionally farmed pork are about a whole lot more than just taste.