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Buying and Cooking Pork
This article is designed to help you know which cuts of meat to buy for whatever you're cooking, be it chops, casseroles or stuffed joints. The diagram will help you understand where the meat comes from on the animal and which cuts are best for which type of cooking.
Basic Cuts of Pork
Belly Pork
A fairly fatty cut of meat that is either sold fresh or salted. It is a fairly cheap cut of meat that is good for roasting. It can be boned (the butcher will do this for you), stuffed and rolled. It can also be used for casseroles and stews, or sliced and then grilled. If belly pork is salted, it needs to be soaked before boiling.
Blade
A joint cut from the shoulder. It can be boned, stuffed and rolled before roasting. It’s a mid priced cut that weighs about 1kg each.
Chops
We all love a pork chop! These cuts are relatively expensive and come from either the loin or the spare rib joints. They are usually grilled or baked. Try out our Pork Chops in Calvados
Chump Chops
Very versatile cuts of meat from the hind loin. They are different to the normal chops as they have a central bone. Then can be boned and cut into steaks or can be beaten into thinner escalopes.
Loin Chops
Cut from either the hind or the fore loin. These chops have a T-bone, like T-bone steaks. Be careful with the fat on these chops though! If the chops are bought with the rind on, it is a good idea to snip through it with scissors to prevent the chop from curling during cooking.
Spare Rib Chops
Different from spare ribs as these chops come from the spare rib joint in the neck end rather than spare ribs that come from the belly part. They are smaller in comparison to other chops but have a sweeter taste.
Fillet or Tenderloin
This is the muscle that lies beneath the backbone in the hind loin. It is covered by a thin transparent covering that should be removed as part of its preparation. It is very often stuffed and rolled before roasting. Try out our
Fillet Half Leg
This is the top end of the hind leg that is either roasted whole on the bone or cut into steaks.
Hand
The lower part of the shoulder that is fantastic for crackling as it has a large surface area of rind. It is ideal for boning, stuffing and rolling before roasting.
Knuckle
This is the lower part of the leg. Although one of the more expensive cuts of meat it is very versatile as it can be roasted whole, boned and stuffed. It can be also be boiled or stewed.
Leg
The whole leg of pork will probably weigh about 4.5kg! Huge! We wouldn’t recommend this for a Romantic night in! However, it consists of 2 cuts really – the knuckle and the leg. Again, it can be boned, stuffed, rolled and roasted. Just ensure, though, if cooking a whole leg, that it will go in the oven, otherwise ask the butcher to cut the leg into smaller joints.
Loin
A pork loin is one of the choicest cuts of pork and by virtue of this, it is one of the most expensive. It is obtained from either the hind loin of the pig (see the simple diagram) where the kidney and fillet are attached or the fore loin that is less expensive. It is usually prepared by the butcher into a ‘crown’ roast, meaning that the ribs are cut, stuffed and tied. A very impressive operation and great to serve to guests! You may need to give the butcher a couple of days notice for this.
Neck End
A fairly inexpensive cut of meat that comprises the blade and spare rib. It is also known as a Chine or Shoulder. This is a large cut of meat – sometimes weighing up to 9kg but it is also very versatile. As with most cuts, it can be boned, stuffed, rolled and roasted. It is also excellent for cubing for making stews and casseroles.
Spare Rib
This comes from the neck end when the blade has been removed. Brilliant for stewing!
Spare Ribs
Very confusing! These are actually not from the spare rib at all, but from the rib part of the belly. These are the type of spare ribs that are ideal for barbecuing and for use in Asian cuisine.
COOKING PORK
It is very important to know that pork must be thoroughly cooked before eating.
COOKING TIMES
Quick Roasting is suitable for roasting meat ON THE BONE - set the oven at 425F/Gas7 and cook for 25 minutes per 45og/1lb PLUS and extra 25 minutes.
For meat OFF THE BONE, slow roasting is better so, set the oven at 375F/Gas5 and cook for 35 minutes per 450g/1lb PLUS an extra 35 minutes.
If you have a BONED AND STUFFED JOINT of meat add another 8 minutes per 450g/1lb to the times above, whether you’re slow roasting or quick roasting.
If you are SIMMERING your meat allow 20 minutes per 450g/1lb PLUS an extra 20 minutes.
Here's some more Pork Recipes for you to try out: