Pork Cuts

Primal pork cuts

Shoulder: Cuts from the upper portion of the shoulder (called the blade shoulder) are well marbled with fat and contain a lot of connective tissue, making them ideal candidates for slow-cooking methods like braising, stewing, or barbecuing. Cuts from the arm, or picnic shoulder, are a bit more economical than those from the blade area but are otherwise quite similar.

Loin: The area between the shoulder and back legs is the leanest, most tender part of the animal. Rib and loin chops are cut from this area, as are pork loin roasts and tenderloin roasts. These cuts will be dry if overcooked.

Leg: The rear legs are often referred to as “ham.” This primal cut is sold as large roasts and is available fresh or cured.

Side/Belly: The underside is the fattiest part of the animal and is the source of bacon and spareribs.

Read more at pork cuts- visual guide

Pork cuts by charts 

Pork cuts:

PORK CUTS

Buckboard Bacon

Buckboar bacon is:

Buckboard bacon differs from traditional American style bacon in that its meat source is typically pork butt, also sometimes referred to as Boston Butt, despite its name does not come from the pig’s butt.  Polk butt is a section of the pig that comes from the top part of the shoulder from the front legs. 

Additionally, buckboard bacon can be sourced from pork loin as well, which is located just behind the shoulder along the back of the pig.  Other areas of the pig can be used to make buckboard bacon, but basically it means any area that is not pork belly, where it is cured and then smoked.

When the pork belly is not used, the buckboard bacon takes on several different characteristics:

• There is less fat on buckboard bacon

• Less fat, means more meat and more texture

• With more meat, the shape of the bacon is typically not in a strip shape, but defined by the location    of the mean, for example the pork loin sources buckboard bacon is shaped in thin round/oval shapes    like the loin

• Depending on the cut of meat and feed for the pig, there is less fat marbling and a “meatier” bite/consistency of buckboard bacon over regular bacon

• Leaner meat means more attractive to dieters who still enjoy lots of flavor without the high fat/protein ratio

• Being sourced from thicker and meatier cuts of meat, one has the option to be very versatile with shapes and cut nice, thick, juicy rounds as a main entrée highlight

• Also being a leaner meat, buckboard bacon is like ham and needs a little help in the fat department in terms of frying- use butter or oil if you want to make it crispy!

Buckboard bacon in the US has been around since the earliest settlers in the country, when simply because the ideal cut of meat was not available or too expensive did not mean that the settlers would waste any part of the pig

Read more at: buckboard bacon

Making buckboard bacon

This is buckboard bacon, it is made from a pork butt instead of belly. It tastes kind of like a mix of bacon and a light ham flavor. It was darn good is what it was.
I took a 6 lb pork butt, cut out the bone and cut it in half. I used this as a cure: 1 lb of pickling salt, 8 oz sugar and 2 oz of pink salt/prague powder. (Thank you David the Gastronomic Gardener. ). I mixed this up and then sprinkled slightly more than a quarter cup all over the two pieces of meat and made sure to rub it into and cracks or grooves in the meat. It was then put in a Ziplock bag and put in the refrigerator. Read more at Make your own buckboard bacon

BUCKBOARD BACON

 

 

Cuts Of Pork

Cuts Of pork, pigs being the source of many delicious cuts, including bacon. Since the animals are now bred to be lean, the meat is higher in protein and about 30 percent lower in calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol than the pork produced in the past.

Pork chops: The richest and meatiest chops are cut from the center of the loin: The two most common types are loin chops, which look like miniature T-bone steaks and have a bit of the tenderloin attached, and rib chops, without the tenderloin. Best for grilling, broiling, and pan-frying.

Pork Loin: Large cuts from the back of the pig, without bones. Pork loin has a dense texture and a robust flavor, with a large cap of fat from the back. Best for roasting.

Pork Tenderloin: Lean, very tender cut from the end of the loin. This cut is pale pink and has a fine grain. Long, narrow, and tapering at one end, it is much smaller than a pork loin roast. Best for pan-frying, roasting, and grilling.

CUTS OF PORK