TYPES OF RETAIL CUTS IN SWINE

• PORK RETAIL CUTS

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  Pork Cuts 101: A Diagram

  

  In general, the primal pork cuts from the top of the pig (like the loin) are leaner and more tender than those from the bottom. But cooking the tougher cuts (like the shoulder and the hocks) low and slow can make them tender and juicy. And it’s important to note that the cuts available at the grocery will change depending on geography – butchers from Argentina will sell slightly different cuts than, say, butchers from Italy.

  
  

  
  

  PORK SHOULDER, or PORK BUTT

  
  

    Starting from the front of the pig: Pork shoulder (also called pork butt or “Boston butt”) is generally sold as a 5 to 10 pound boneless roast at the grocery store. (Pork shoulder chops are sold with bones, but those are less common.)

  
  

  PICNIC HAM

  
  

  Immediately below the shoulder is the next cut you’re likely to find: the Picnic Ham (occasionally called the picnic shoulder). “Another total misnomer,” says Mylan. “When you hear “ham” you think of the rear leg. But the picnic ham is the lower part of shoulder.” This is another relatively tough and fatty cut, though it is often sold bone-in.

  
  

  COUNTRY STYLE SPARERIBS

  These come directly off the picnic ham. “Basically, it’s from the brisket area of the pig, if pigs had brisket – it’s basically a bone-in brisket,” says Mylan. “You get the front part of the spareribs with a lot of meat.” The country-style spareribs contain a combination of dark and light meat.

  FRONT HOCK

  This cut usually comes already brined and smoked and sold as a “ham hock” in the store.

  
  

  PORK LOIN

  The pork loin comes from the pig’s back and is large, lean and tender.

  PORK CHOPS

  Thick or thin, bone-in or bone-less pork chops are cut from meat perpendicular to the spine, often from the loin.

  BABY BACK RIBS

  When you debone a pork loin, the ribs that come off of that are the baby back ribs. They are a more tender rib option: The meat in between the ribs is a loin meat instead of a belly meat.

  PORK BELLY

  If you go up to rub a pig’s belly you’re, well, rubbing the belly meat. Bacon is pork belly cured, smoked, and sliced.

  SPARERIBS

  Spare ribs come off of the belly. “Spare ribs are available as regular or St. Louis style,” explains Mylan, “which are squared up – they cut off the cartilage to be recto-linear and cook more evenly.”

  SIRLOIN

  Continuing to move back, next up is sirloin, which is often cut up into chops. “I’ve never seen a sirloin roast,” says Mylan. They’re not as uniform as pork chops – “they look sort of strangely shaped, like Pangaea, a very strange oblong shape. Even though aren’t handsome, they are really delicious.”

  REAR LEG

  Most people eat the rear leg as ham ”“ cured, smoked and processed in some kind of way.

  HOCK

  The rear hock is just like the shank of the front leg. It usually comes cured and smoked.

  Common Cuts of Pork