A Guide to Pork Prime Cuts: A Cut Above the Rest
Pork – it’s so delicious that it should be taboo. Many of us know the parts we get our bacon and ribs from, but for those of you who don’t and want to avoid feeling like a ‘chop’, we’re here to guide you.
This is your pork bible — the ultimate guide on all the prime pork cuts, from head-to-trotters. Complete with quality suggestions on how to prepare your pork and ham it up. Read it, save it, savour it and then some…
First things first, make sure you have a ‘connect’ and by ‘connect’, we mean butcher. If you’re lucky and have a well-stocked abattoir at your local grocery store, then great. If not, we suggest you befriend your local butcher, so you can get your hands on some quality cuts.
HEAD-TO-TROTTERS
For the purpose of this guide, we’ll treat it like a massage — start with the head, then work our way down to those tasty trotters. Please note that by the end of this anatomy crash-course you probably have a hankering for pork. Don’t say we didn’t warn ya!
HEAD
There’s more than one way to cook a pig’s head — brine it, roast it, grill it, boil it. Pig’s head may look jarring to some, but prepared well, it’s simply delicious. You might need a pot big enough if you plan on boiling it in brine. Another use for pig’s head is to make headcheese, a gelatinous meatloaf of sorts (also known as brawn). Cooking pig’s head requires mindful preparation. For best results refrigerate it in brine and leave to soak, snout, ears and all.
If you’ve got the time, try this classic Pork & Venison Terrine with Onion Confit recipe.
JOWL
This one’s a little tongue-in-cheek. The jowl is exactly what it sounds like, it’s the pig’s jaw and is locked with rich flavour. Sometimes mistaken for the cheek portion, but the cheek actually rests above the jowl.
CHEEKS
Pig’s head is highly prized for those round cheeks and is often hard to come by (another reason to become besties with your local butcher). Pork cheek cuts consist of muscle tissue and contain less fat, making it great for stews and slow-roasted dishes.
Feeling a little cheeky? Give our Pork Cheeks Braised in Savanna recipe a go!
NECK
The neck portion of the pig is where it gets a little confusing — so, let’s get crackling!
The neck is sandwiched between the pig head and the midsection. Pork neck is everything you want out a prime cut, it’s mouth-watering and flavoursome. Whether braised or fried, pork necks work well with a range of flavours.
Pack a punch with our Pork Neck Vindaloo Curry . If you’re in the mood for a crunchier bite, have at and make these Pork Neck Sliders with Crispy Onions and a refreshing Herby Apple Salsa.
BUTT
Pork butt is found at the nape of the neck — not the derrière, as implied. It’s juicy and beautifully marbled with fat. If you’re a pulled-pork lover, pork butt is where it’s at! When slow-cooked, pork butt becomes tender and lends tremendous flavour from the fat.
Pulled pork is an instant pleaser, so next time you’re hosting try our Pulled Pork with Sticky Plum Sauce or impress your mates with some Pulled Pork Braai Broodjies.
SHOULDER
The shoulder is adjacent to the neck and is the top portion of the hog’s front legs. It contains that thick rind and a fat cap we all love gnawing on. Shoulder is the pork cut we get pork mince for sausages. The fat-to-meat ratio is what makes it perfect for the textural delight that is Crispy Pork Crackling. Slap on a good dry rub and massage those pork shoulders, gently working those spices in, before getting your roast on.
Looking for something with a bit of heart and a lot of Guinness? Our Irish Pork Stew with Colcannon never disappoints!
FILLET
Pork fillet comes from the top of the midsection of the hog and is a boneless cut. It’s leaner compared to other prime cuts and its byname “tenderloin”, says all you need to know about this cut. Pork fillet can be rather difficult to find, as it’s sought after for its tasty tenderness. SA Pork suggests you ask your butcher to reserve a piece of this gorgeous cut and to, “remove the thin silver membrane on the outside of the fillet with their razor-sharp knives. This will ensure that the fillet doesn’t curl up while being cooked.”
LOIN
Pork loin is very similar to tenderloin (pork fillet), both lean and tender. The major difference being, that while tenderloin is boneless, pork loin is not. Familiar loin cuts include, sirloin, baby back ribs and the beloved pork chop. Loin can be deboned, grilled, roasted, put in stews — whatever gets you ‘high on the hog’.
Pork loin is one of the quickest (depending on thickness) yet more difficult cuts to cook. Being a leaner cut, pork loin can go from succulent to sinewy in a matter of minutes. To avoid choking on your dinner, we suggest you invest in a digital meat thermometer, if you don’t already own one. The recommended temperature is 63 ºC, with a 3-minute post-cook rest (just to make sure).
Our classic recipe for Thick-Cut Pork Loin Chops with Monkey Gland Sauce will give any steakhouse a run for their money.
For a more traditional meal, get a load of our Deboned & Stuffed Rolled Pork Loin Roast with Roast Potatoes.
BABY BACK RIBS
Baby back ribs are different from spare ribs — they’re a smaller cut, from the loin area. Although these babies will need less time to cook, low-and-slow is still a good way to go!
Tuck into our Asian Ribs with Straight-Cut Chips and Coriander Yoghurt Dip for the perfect complement.
SPARE RIBS
Spare ribs need no introduction. This cut is taken from the ribs closer to the meatier belly portion. They require some good loving in the oven. Roast them for about 2 and a half hours on medium heat before devouring them.
Everyone enjoys a good barbeque baste, but if you want to add an extra kick, try smothering your ribs with this rich coffee basting sauce . This recipe for Pork Ribs With Charred Lemons is simple, but a winner too. You’ll be smacking your lips and licking your fingers by the time you’re through.
BELLY
If you’ve made it this far into this article — congratulations, you’ve just entered the belly of the beast. Pork belly is taken from the underside of the pig. It’s a lengthy cut, laden with fat and meat.
The best way to describe pork belly would be ‘umami’, which literally translates to ‘essence of deliciousness’. This cut is salty, juicy and belly-rubbing good. Bacon, pancetta, steaks and rashers are all sourced from pork belly. Needless to say, pork belly is a cardinal cut.
Try making our Pork Belly Porchetta with Roasted Pears, Fennel and Onion recipe, for an exceptional pairing.
BACON
When George Orwell said, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”, he was talking about the bearer of bacon. That’s not entirely true, but it would make sense…
Bacon is not exclusively cut from the belly, it can be taken from the back and sides too. Curing is a preservation process by means of salting, drying or smoking (before fridges existed). The curing process turns pork into bacon and ensures you end up with a healthy pork cut. If you’re really looking to ‘bring the bacon home’, learn all about making bacon here.
Bacon has unique transformative abilities — it could be used to seal in moisture by wrapping it around other pork cuts or add flavour to just about any dish. It’s sizzling perfection, the stuff dreams and bonafide breakfasts are made of.
Try our Proper Bacon Sandwich or this Potato and Bacon Tart.
We have endless great breakfast recipes to choose from in Our Best Bacon Roundup.
LEG HAM
Leg ham is from the hind legs of the pig. Much like bacon, leg ham is a cured cut. It doesn’t contain as much fat, so best use that meat thermometer to ensure a juicy bite. It’s perfect for roasting and is scrumptious with garlicky flavours.
Try our Pork Leg Roast and Green Beans for the ultimate Sunday roast.
This cut also adds phenomenal flavour to this Pork Ragù with Pappardelle recipe.
HOCK LEGS
At this point we suggest placing your butcher on speed-dial — unless you have an electrical carving knife. Hock legs are the lower part of the hog’s hind legs. Preparing hock legs means deskinning, deboning and portioning those piggies into chunks. To extract maximum flavour, this cut will need to be seared to the point of caramelisation, before being stewed in broth or sauce.
We have just the right Black Bean Smoky Pork Soup recipe for this cut. Smoked Ham Hock Terrine with Beetroot and Apple Chutney makes for a great spread too.
TROTTERS
Trotters are not as widely consumed as shoulder, neck or belly cuts, but are stinking good! They’re known as “pig’s feet” in some parts of the world and are a delicacy in South Africa. If you haven’t had a trotters potjie, you’re unlucky. Similar to the head, it takes some time to break down the connective tissue and cartilage. It has a gelatinous texture and has a bodied flavour.
*No hogs were harmed in the writing of this article.
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