Types of Pork Cuts

Located along the back of the pig, the pork loin is a long and narrow cut that runs from the shoulder to the hind leg. It's known for its minimal intramuscular fat content, resulting in a lean and tender meat texture that lends well to rapid cooking methods. With a fine grain and minimal marbling, it can quickly become dry if overcooked. Most subprimal cuts are best suited for quick, high-heat cooking methods that bring out the juicy consistency without overcooking it.

• Subprimal and retail cuts: Center-cut tenderloin, back ribs, sirloin chops, and blade-end roast
• Best uses: Grilling, roasting, pan searing, and stir-frying
• Popular dishes: Grilled or pan-seared pork chops, roasted pork loin with herbs and spices, and stuffed pork tenderloin.

Pork belly is a flavorful and richly marbled cut of meat located on the underside of the pig, running from the lower ribs to the belly area. When cooked properly, its high fat content imparts a deep, savory flavor and tender, succulent texture. Pork belly is thinly layered with fat and lean meat, giving it a distinctive, rich taste and a melt-in-your-mouth quality. Slow roasting or braising allows the fat to render and the meat to become tender, or you can grill or sear it to achieve a crispy and caramelized exterior while maintaining a juicy interior.

• Subprimal and retail cuts: Bacon, pancetta, pork belly strips, spare ribs, pork side
• Best uses: Slow roasting, braising, curing, smoking, grilled
• Popular dishes: Korean barbeque, Chinese roast pork, bacon, braised pork belly, pork belly tacos, bao buns

Located on the pig's hindquarters, pork leg is known for its lean and flavorful meat. Its large size makes it suitable for feeding a crowd, making it a cost-effective choice for commercial settings. The large, muscular cut has a relatively low fat content, a firm texture, and a mild flavor enhanced with different seasonings and cooking techniques.

• Subprimal or retail cuts: Ham, fresh leg
• Best uses: Roasting or curing
• Popular dishes: Roast pork, cured ham, country ham, prosciutto, schnitzel

Pork ribs are subprimal cuts of pork loin and pork belly located along the pig's ribcage extending from the spine to the belly. Their fat content increases their flavor and tenderness, causing the meat to fall off the bone. There are three types of rib cuts in pigs, each with specific cooking methods and flavors that create mouthwatering dishes.

• Baby back ribs: Cut from the upper part of the ribcage near the spine, baby back ribs are shorter, curved, and meatier than spare ribs. They're best when grilled or smoked with slow, indirect heat and paired with a tangy marinade.
• Spare ribs: Cut from the lower ribcage close to the belly, spare ribs are longer, flatter, and have more bone and connective tissue than baby back ribs. Spare ribs are flavorful but require longer cooking times to become tender, so most barbeque masters utilize smoking, braising, or slow-roasting.
• St. Louis ribs: Known for their consistency, St. Louis ribs are a sub-cut of spare ribs with the sternum bone, cartilage, and rib tips removed to create a more uniform, rectangular shape. Their even shape makes them easier to cook uniformly, ensuring tender, flavorful meat when smoked or braised.

Ham is a subprimal cut of the leg region extending from the hip to the knee. Known for its rich flavor and firm texture, ham can be prepared fresh or cured with various methods to enhance its taste and culinary applications. Though they contain some marbling and connective tissue, they are lean with a fine grain that accents the distinct pork flavor. Ham types are differentiated by curing methods, including wet and dry curing.

• Fresh ham: Best roasted or braised, fresh ham is the uncured leg of the pig with a mild flavor and a tender texture.
• City ham: Preserved through a wet-curing method, city ham is pre-cooked and often found in smoked or honey-glazed varieties. It has a moist texture and a slightly sweet, smoky flavor.
• Country ham: Dry-cured, aged, and often smoked, country ham is intensely salty and flavorful. It can be soaked to reduce saltiness, then baked, fried, or boiled.

The pork jowl is a flavorful and often overlooked cut located on the cheek of the pig, just below the eyes and above the neck. This cut is known for its rich marbling, high fat content, and distinctive, tender texture, making it a prized ingredient in many cuisines. Its generous layer of fat interspersed with lean meat imparts a deep, savory flavor when cooked. The marbling makes it incredibly tender and succulent, similar to prime beef, with a unique, porky taste that sets it apart from other cuts.

• Subprimal or retail cuts: Guanciale, jowl bacon
• Best uses: Curing, smoking, braising, frying
• Popular dishes: Spaghetti alla carbonara, bucatini all’amatriciana, stews, charcuterie

Though not as popular as other types of pork, these miscellaneous cuts are utilized in several recipes. Many establishments and cultures believe in consuming the entire animal to reduce food waste, making these cuts a welcome addition to their menu. Purchasing an uncommon pork cut saves money and helps you create a unique dish that differentiates your menu.

• Neck: Pork neck is well-marbled with fat and connective tissue, making it flavorful and tender when cooked slowly. Chefs prefer it in dishes like Italian porchetta, slow-cooked stews, and pulled pork.
• Hock: Located on the front foreleg and rear leg between the knee and the ankle, the hocks are known for their tough, sinewy texture. Several cultures feature them in distinct dishes, including German Schweinshaxe, Southern-style collard greens with ham hocks, and Chinese braised pork hocks.
• Snout: A flavorful and gelatinous cut, the pork snout is rich in collagen and has a distinctive texture. It's often found in traditional dishes such as Filipino sisig and European head cheese recipes.