Pork The Major Cuts



Ham
Pork Fresh Ham(Leg) Whole
Photo of Pork Fresh Ham (Leg) Whole


Common Names: Fresh Ham
Description: This is made up of the round hip bone, the aitch bone, and consists of fat covering about halfway up the leg. This has a large amount of muscling.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Fresh Ham Leg Whole
Pork Fresh Ham(Leg) Center Slice
Photo of Pork Fresh Ham(Leg) Center Slice


Common Names: Fresh Pork Leg Steak, Center Cut, Leg of Pork Steak
Description: This cut is sliced from the center area of the pork ham. The cut is seldom more than one inch thick. It contains the leg bone and top, bottom , and eye muscles.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Panfry

 
Pork Fresh Ham(Leg) Rump Portion
Photo of Pork Fresh Ham(Leg) Rump Portion
Common Names: Butt Portion, Pork Leg Butt, Fresh Ham Butt, Pork Leg Roast Sirloin Portion
Description: This is taken from the area next to the sirloin. It contains the round leg bone, muscle system characteristic of the leg and the aitch bone should be exposed.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Fresh Ham Leg Whole
Pork Fresh Ham Shank Portion
Photo of Pork Fresh Ham Shank Portion


Common Names: Shank Roast, Leg Roast
Description: This portion of the fresh ham is the lower leg (shank) portion of the pork ham wholesale cut.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Fresh Ham Shank Portion
Pork Smoked Boneless Ham
Photo of Pork Smoked Boneless Ham


Common Names: Fresh Ham
Description: This is made up of the round hip bone, the aitch bone, and consists of fat covering about halfway up the leg. This has a large amount of muscling.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Smoked Boneless Ham
Pork Smoked Whole Ham
Photo of Pork Smoked Whole Ham


Common Names:
Description: This comes from the fresh whole ham that has been cured and smoked. The aitch bone and hip bone are in this portion of the pork ham.
Cooking Recommendations
Roast

 
Pork Smoked Ham Rump(Butt) Portion
Photo of Pork Smoked Ham Rump(Butt) Portion


Common Names: Ham Sirloin End, Ham Butt End, Ham Butt Portion
Description: The small dark area near the top is the aitch bone. The aitch bone is the key to identifying this retail cut.
Cooking Recommendations
Roast

 
Pork Smoked Ham Shank Portion
Photo of Pork Smoked Ham Shank Portion


Common Names: Ham Shank End
Description: This cut is the lower leg (shank) portion of the cured and smoked pork ham wholesale cut.
Cooking Recommendations
Roast

 
Loin
Pork Loin Blade Chop
Photo of Pork Loin Blade Chop


Common Names: Pork Chop End Cuts, Blade Steaks
Description: This cut comes from the blade end of the loin. It contains several muscles and the blade bone as the roast.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Broil, Grill, Panbroil, or Panfry

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Loin Blade Chop
Pork Loin Blade Roast
Photo of Pork Loin Blade Roast


Common Names: Pork 7-Rib Roast, Pork 5-Rib Roast, Rib and Roast, Pork Loin Rib End
Description: This roast contains part of the blade bone, rib bones, and the backbone. The muscles are separated by seam fat.
Cooking Recommendations
Broil, Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Loin Blade Roast
Pork Loin Loin Chop
Photo of Pork Loin Loin Chop


Common Names: Loin End Chop, Center Loin Chop
Description: This cut has the same muscle and bone structure as the beef loin t-bone steak.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast, Broil, Grill, Panbroil, Panfry

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Loin Loin Chop
Pork Loin Center Loin Roast
Photo of Pork Loin Center Loin Roast


Common Names: Center Cut, Pork Roast, Loin Roast Center Cut
Description: Most desirable loin from the pork carcass which contains the characteristic T-bone with eye muscle and tenderloin.
Cooking Recommendations
Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Loin Center Loin Roast
Pork Loin Sirloin Chops
Photo of Pork Loin Sirloin Chops


Common Names:Sirloin Steaks
Description: The pork loin sirloin chop contains portions of the hipbone and backbone.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast, Broil

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Loin Sirloin Chops
Pork Loin Sirloin Roast
Photo of Pork Loin Sirloin Roast


Common Names: Hipbone Roast, Loin End Roast, Sirloin End Roast
Description: This comes from the sirloin end of the loin and contains the loin eye muscle, tenderloin, backbone, and hipbone
Cooking Recommendations
Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Loin Sirloin Roast
Pork Smoked Loin Chop
Photo of Pork Smoked Loin Chop


Common Names: Center Cut Chops, Smoked
Description: This is made by curing and smoking a fresh pork rib chop. The lean muscle will have a similar color to cured ham.
Cooking Recommendations
Broil, Roast, Panbroil, Panfry

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Smoked Loin Chop
Smoked Pork Loin Canadian Style Bacon
Photo of Smoked Pork Loin Canadian Style Bacon


Common Names: Canadian Bacon, Back Bacon
Description: Cured and smoked eye muscle of the pork tenderloin. It contains no bone and has little fat.
Cooking Recommendations
Roast, Grill
If sliced- Broil, Panfry, Panbroil

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Smoked Pork Loin Canadian Style Bacon
Boston Shoulder
Pork Shoulder Blade Steak
Photo of Pork Shoulder Blade Steak


Common Names: Pork 7-Rib Cut, Pork Steak
Description: This cut is from the Pork Shoulder Blade Boston Roast. It contains the blade bone and several muscles.
Cooking Recommendations
Broil, Grill, Panbroil, Panfry, or Braise

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Shoulder Blade Steak
Pork Shoulder Blade Boston Roast
Photo of Pork Shoulder Blade Boston Roast


Common Names: Fresh Pork Butt, Boston Shoulder, Pork Butt Roast, Boston-Style Butt
Description: Roast is square in shape from the top portion to the whole shoulder. It contains several muscles and the blade bone.
Cooking Recommendations
Broil, Braise,or Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Shoulder Blade Boston Roast
Picnic Shoulder
Pork Shoulder Arm Steak
Photo of Pork Shoulder Arm Steak


Common Names: Arm Chop, Picnic Steak
Description: This cut comes from the Pork Shoulder Arm Picnic Roast by slicing across the picnic. The round arm bone is located in the upper center.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Broil

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Shoulder Arm Steak
Pork Shoulder Arm Picnic Roast
Photo of Pork Shoulder Arm Picnic Roast


Common Names: None
Description: This roast contains the shank bone, the arm bone, and a portion of the blade bone. The arm bone will not be visible on the cut surface. This cut comes from the lower portion of the shoulder.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Shoulder Arm Picnic Roast
Smoked Pork Picnic Whole
Photo of Smoked Pork Picnic Whole


Common Names: None
Description: TThis is fresh pork shoulder picnic that is cured and smoked. The retail cut is usually roasted or sliced and fried.
Cooking Recommendations
Panfry, Roast

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Smoked Pork Picnic Whole
Belly
Pork Fresh Pork Side
Photo of Pork Fresh Pork Side


Common Names: Chunk Side of Pork, Fresh Belly, Streak of Lean
Description:
Cooking Recommendations
Cook in Liquid

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Fresh Pork Side
Pork Fresh Pork Side Sliced
Photo of Pork Fresh Pork Side Sliced


Common Names: Sliced Side Pork
Description: This is sliced from the pork fresh pork side. The picture shows one slice removed from the slab of bacon. "Bacon" usually refers to products smoked and cured, but not all smoked and cured products are called bacon.
Cooking Recommendations
Roast, Cook in Liquid

 
Pork Smoked Slab Bacon
Photo of Pork Smoked Slab Bacon


Common Names:
Description: The wholesale pork side is usually smoked and cured. It is usually sliced into strips referred to as bacon.
Cooking Recommendations
Broil, Roast, Panfry

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Smoked Slab Bacon
Sliced Bacon
Photo of Sliced Bacon


Common Names: None
Description: Sliced bacon is sliced from slab bacon. It generally consists of 18-20 slices per pound. In this picture the bacon is shingled to improve attractiveness and ease with which slices may be seperated.
Cooking Recommendations
Broil, Roast, Panfry

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Sliced Bacon
Spareribs
Pork Spare Ribs
Photo of Pork Spare Ribs


Common Names:
Description: Spareribs contain about 12 ribs and are intended to have a limited amount of meat. This cut is separated from the inside of the pork fresh belly. Pork spareribs are the highest-priced of the cuts.
Cooking Recommendations
Braise, Roast, Cook in Liquid, Barbeque

Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information on a Pork Spare Ribs
Jowl
Pork Smoked Jowl
Photo of Pork Smoked Jowl


Common Names:
Description: The jowl is a fat cut of meat along the side of the head. It is smoked and cured, often used as flavoring for other food.
Cooking Recommendations
Cook in Liquid

 
Various Cuts
Variety Cuts