Know Your Cuts - A Guide to Pork Cuts

The mighty pig is divided into cuts, each with its own unique flavor and texture. While the butchering style may vary by region, there are a few key cuts everyone knows. These are split into primal cuts (the big, hearty sections) and sub-cuts (the tasty pieces that come from them). Ready for a tasty breakdown? Let’s dig in!

1. Shoulder (Front portion of the pig)
   • Picnic Shoulder: This is the lower part of the front shoulder. It’s often used for pulled pork, roasting, or braising.
   • Boston Butt (or Pork Butt): This comes from the upper part of the shoulder. It’s well-marbled with fat, making it ideal for slow-cooking, smoking, or making sausages.
2. Loin (The upper back area)
   • Pork Loin: A lean, tender cut. It can be sold as a whole loin, or as chops. These are often roasted or grilled.
   • Pork Chops: Cut from the loin, these can be bone-in or boneless and are popular for grilling or pan-searing.
   • Tenderloin: A small, very tender cut from the loin. It’s often roasted or grilled.
   • Back Ribs (Baby Back Ribs): A cut from the upper part of the ribcage, these ribs are shorter and more tender.
3. Belly (The underside of the pig)
   • Pork Belly: A rich, fatty cut used for Bacon (after curing and smoking) but can also be roasted or braised. It’s known for its balance of meat and fat.
   • Spareribs: These are larger, meatier ribs than baby back ribs and come from the lower part of the ribcage. They are often grilled or slow-cooked.
4. Ham (Back leg)
   • Fresh Ham: This is the whole back leg of the pig. It can be roasted or smoked.
   • Cured Ham: The fresh ham is often cured or smoked to make the familiar ham products (e.g., prosciutto, country ham, or spiral-cut ham).
   • Shank: The lower part of the ham. It can be braised or slow-cooked for tenderness.
5. Leg (Back of the pig, not to be confused with Ham)
   • Shank: The lower portion of the leg, typically used for soups, stews, or braising.
6. Side (Side of the pig, often from the belly area)
   • Pork Side: This is a primal cut that can be broken down into various sub-cuts like ribs and belly. In some cases, it is processed into bacon.

1. Neck: A tough, flavorful cut often used for stews or ground meat.
2. Offal (Variety meats): These include organ meats such as liver, heart, kidneys, and tongue, as well as the ears, feet (trotters), and cheeks.
   • Pork Liver: Used in pâté, sausage, or as a delicacy in some cultures.
   • Pork Kidneys, Heart, and Tongue: Used in certain regional dishes or charcuterie.
   • Pig Feet/Trotters: Popular in many cultures, used for braising, soups, and stews.
3. Jowl: This is the cheek meat of the pig, often used for making guanciale or cured like bacon.
4. Fatback: The fat layer on the back of the pig, often rendered for lard or used in sausages to add moisture and flavor.

Ground pork can be made from a variety of cuts, including shoulder, belly, or loin, depending on the desired fat content. Ground pork is often used in sausages, meatballs, and many other dishes.

Each cut brings something special—whether it's the texture, the right amount of fat, or how you cook it. And that’s what makes pork so great! There are so many different ways to enjoy it, with flavors and dishes from all over the world.

Fun Fact

 Each Pork Product has its own distinct flavor and texture due to the muscle structure and fat content!

• Pork Belly (used to make bacon) is prized for its rich, fatty layers, which give it a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Pork Shoulder (or Boston butt) is loaded with connective tissue and fat, making it ideal for slow-cooking methods like smoking or braising.
• Pork Tenderloin, one of the leanest cuts, is incredibly tender but requires careful cooking to avoid drying out.