Most people eat the rear leg as ham cured, smoked and processed in some kind of way. Jowls What are the differences betweenpork shoulder and pork roast? So many styles and regional variations exist in butchery, however, that it's difficult for the average consumer to know exactly where the cut is from. Hi, I'm Emily Wong, the founder of Cookindocs.com. Best Cooking Methods: Braising, barbecuing. We may call them pork hocks and shanks, but a pig would call them its shins. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Pork cushion also comes from this same portion of meat, which is why it carries quite a lean and tough texture. The nutritional makeup of both pork shoulder and roast isnt much different but their health qualities vary in a few key areas such as fats and cholesterol. But cooking the tougher cuts (like the shoulder and the hocks) low and slow can make them tender and juicy. This will give you a beautifully crisp outer layer to your pork. It can also be used in place of pork in non-Asian dishes, such as tacos, burritos, and sandwiches. Best Cooking Method: Roasting. Alternate Names: Loin back ribs, riblets Your choice would be how you like the rest of the meat. 2. This makes it great for achieving the tear-away consistency thats ideal for pulled pork. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Flavor: Another option is to use a lamb roast, which is also similar in size and shape to a pork leg. Continue to 3 of 8 below. It is made by coagulating soy milk into solid white blocks, and it can be used in a variety of dishes. Leaf lard is the highest grade of lard (lard is pork fat, the term is usually used to refer to rendered pork fat suitable for cooking). Infographic When buying pork, look for firm, pink flesh. Alternate Names: Boston shoulder, pork butt, Boston butt Affiliate Disclosure & Advertising Policy. The chops contain tenderloin and loin meat, plus a slice of hipbone. Despite coming from the same area of the pig, there are three big differences between the two cuts of meat. FoodiesFamily.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If pork butt is your bulk go-to low and slow meal, pork shoulder is your more unique, out-of-the-box meal. The back leg of the hog is where we get fresh, smoked, or cured hams. This muscle is not well-exercised, allowing the muscle to infiltrate with a substantial amount of fat. Gently pull the meat apart, and cut around and down the lengths of bone. The leg muscles' exercise leads to a leaner cut of meat with less marbling than the pork butt has. Alternate Names: Rib cut chops, pork chops end cut Not all roasts, chops, and ribs are created alike. Alternate Name: Crown rib roast As one of the most forgiving parts of the pig, its a great choice for a simple but impressive dinner party showstopper. If youre trying to decide between the two, consider that the thigh is a bit higher in calories, but also higher in fat-soluble vitamins. Country Ham: This Southern favorite starts with the whole leg and is dry-cured like prosciutto or serrano ham. Pork shoulder is one primal cut; the others are the loin, the belly, and the hind leg. The sirloin end has a lot of bones that make carving tricky. This location also explains why baby back ribs are much leaner than spareribsand why they need special attention to keep from drying out on the grill. Best Cooking Methods: Searing, grilling. The sirloin ham has more rounded or blunt ends. One option is to use a lamb shoulder roast. Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder: 3 Big Differences. Whats the difference between a rib chop and a loin chop? Cost: $ $. Meat from the head is cooked and turned into headcheese, a real delicacy. Pork shoulder is one primal cut; the others are the loin, the belly, and the hind leg. Popular in cuisines around the world, pigs ears are often roasted, boiled, grilled or pickled. In contrast, pork shoulder is far leaner and tougher. If you go up to rub a pigs belly youre, well, rubbing the belly meat. Pork roast comes from the back leg Pork roast has less fat. Pork shoulder is lower than pork butt, in a region of the shoulder that is far more active. Cooking method. When butchers work on an animal carcass, they break it down into primal cuts. Sign up for your Modern Farmer Weekly Newsletter. Pork, fresh, leg (ham), whole, separable lean and fat, raw and Pork, fresh, shoulder, whole, separable lean and fat, raw types were used in this article. Pork belly is not, as you may think, the stomach. Alternate Names: Rack of pork, pork loin rib half, center-cut pork roast Trotters Youll Be Surprised By The Difference Between Pork Loin And Pork Shoulder! Cook: If cured and smoked, use for beans or collard greens. You can trust my expertise with 8 years of experience in the field. Weve rounded up a few options for you to try. Slice and serve with applesauce and gravy. WebHow are Pork leg and Pork shoulder different? Alternate Names: Top loin chops, loin chops It doesnt help matters that pork butt doesnt even come from the rear end of the pig, meanwhile pork shoulder only contains part of the pigs shoulder. The sizeable fat cap on the picnic ham is great for making cracklings. Flavor: Make sure to buy a bone-in ham; it will taste better than a boneless ham. (Pork shoulder chops are sold with bones, but those are less common.). This easy barbecue smoked pork cut is incredibly, Easy pork crackling made from trimmed pork belly. It then runs down towards the front hoof. The pork shoulder is sometimes roasted, but it's not really ideal for this. Pork back ribsare often called baby back ribs. Its not a ton of meat, he says, but like chewing on a rib, but more cartilaginous, lip-smacking and delicious. This content is excerpted from the Pork chapter from The Cooks Illustrated Meat Book. They are meatier than spare ribs but not as meatyas country-style ribs. Alternate Name: Sirloin steaks If youre looking for a pork leg substitute, there are a few options to consider. Pork shoulder is a cut of meat from the upper part of the pigs front leg Pork shoulder has more fat and connective tissue than pork roast. Pork belly is a cut of meat from the belly of a pig, and it is a popular ingredient in many dishes. If you want to enjoy every bit of the leg, roast it whole. When the skin is removed they are called shanks, usually sold raw (as pictured) and respond very well to braising. Pork shoulder is good for carnitas, char siu, and as a whole roast. Learn how your comment data is processed. They were originally made by roasting an entire pig, but today it is more common to cook just the meat rather than the whole animal. A fatty, but incredibly tender cut of meat, the belly is delicious when slow-roasted. We prefer the more flavorful boneless blade-end roast, but the two cuts can be used interchangeably. Gently pull the meat apart, and cut around and down the lengths of bone. Pork shoulder is said to be the more affordable piece, costing between $1 and $3 a pound. The boneless pork shoulder (or butt) is the perfect pork roast with crackling that will hit any dinner table, whether at parties or dinner night. They come bone-in or, more commonly, boneless. Rather, it is the flesh that runs on the underside (the belly) of the pig and surrounds the stomach. The leg is a lot more leaner and the meat is firmer. Pork shoulder (also called picnic shoulder) is located right below the pork butt, and runs from the shoulder blade of the pig all the way down to the front hoof. Bacon is pork belly cured, smoked, and sliced. Copyright 2022 FoodiesFamily.Com | All Rights Reserved, Easy Hot Dog Casseroles With Potatoes Recipe, Top 10 Most Eaten Meats in the World (With Photos), Top 20 Most Popular Thai Dishes (With Photos). Hams are cured with salt and/or sugar and/or are smoked. It still works fine. Serve with a tangy chutney or dressing to cut through the fattiness of the chop. Im going to take a whole pig to a butcher in a few months. Also sold boneless (see below). Learn more about me and my work on this website, and check out my featured articles on TastingTable, Mashed, and 5-Minute Crafts. 1. One option is to use a lamb shoulder roast. One option is to use a lamb shoulder roast. As a robust cut, it works well paired with aromatic flavours and Asian spices. While pork butt might be the best choice for pulled pork, pork shoulder is best if you want a bit of crisp to your meat. There is a part in the pork that we call in my country Gorge (de porc)Pork throat, usually used in the realization of pts. They are fatty and tough, despite good flavor and juiciness. This cut of lamb is a bit smaller than the other options, but its still a flavorful and tender cut of meat. You get the front part of the spareribs with a lot of meat. The country-style spareribs contain a combination of dark and light meat. 6 Best Side Dishes To Go With Your Breaded Pork Chops, 6 Side Dishes To Serve With Pork Chops And Applesauce, The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Pork Cuts for Roasting and Crackling, Where To Buy Steamed Pork Bun: The Best Places To Get It And How To Eat It, 5 Delicious Side Dishes to Make with Pulled Pork Quesadillas, Top 4 Foods To Serve With Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin. There are between four and six primal cuts, which are the large parts in which the pig is first cut: the shoulder (blade and picnic), loin, belly (spare ribs and side) and leg. 1. Ham hocks, technically, still have the skin on them, and are usually sold smoked. Slice and serve with applesauce and gravy. Pork is a meat that tends to be served with dry heat cooking methods. Serrano ham and prosciutto are made from hams that are cured, smoked, and then air Spare ribs are available as regular or St. Louis style, explains Mylan, which are squared up they cut off the cartilage to be recto-linear and cook more evenly., Cook: Braising, smoking or low-temp grilling. Or you can wrap them in tin foil, throw them in a 300 degree oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, says Mylan. ), and how to cook different cuts of pork to their best advantage. They are a favorite in the test kitchen. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". These are often sold The high-fat content also means that pork shoulder wont dry out or turn tough like other cuts do when cooked without any oil or fats on medium-high heat. Fresh Ham, Shank End: The leg is divided into two cutsthe tapered shank end and the more rounded sirloin end. WebBoth are fine. There is also organ meatpork liver is the key ingredient in many pat recipesand the head. Cooking it on the bone helps lock in moisture, producing juices you can use for your gravy. Best Cooking Method: Roasting. ), and how to cook different cuts of pork to their best advantage. With nearly 8 years of experience, she has a passion for making cooking accessible to everyone and sharing her personal experiences with food. Some are fresh and need cooking; others are already cooked or smoked or cured when sold and need heating up or slicing. Emily Wong is an Asian-American food writer the founder of Cookindocs.com. Cost: $ $ $ This means that pork shoulder is a little less fatty, but it also has less flavor. Cost: $ $ $ $ The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Note that the bone is not straight, but bent at an angle. CRACKLING YouTube WebHow are Pork leg and Pork shoulder different? It can be cooked whole, cut into small round medallions and pan-fried, or cut into 1cm slices and bashed into thin escalopes. Even though arent handsome, they are really delicious., Cook: They are some of Mylans favorite chops to marinate and grill. St. LouisStyle Spareribs: Regular spareribs are cut close to the belly of the pig (which is also where bacon comes from). Tenderloins are often sold two to a package. This roast is also sold with the bone in, although that cut is even harder to locate. WebThe cuts of pork are the different parts of the pig which are consumed as food by humans. It does not store any personal data. The pork shoulder is one of the most forgiving parts of the pig. Despite coming from the same area of the pig, there are three big differences between the two cuts of meat. Flavor: . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They are often smoked and make great additions to pots of soup or beans to add flavor and body to the broth. They can still be grilled, broiled, or pan-fried to great effect, especially if marinated or tenderized beforehand, but they can also stand up to longer, slower cooking methods like braising, too. When buying pork, look for firm, pink flesh. Alternate Names: Pork seven-rib roast, pork five-rib roast, pork loin rib end, rib-end roast America's Test Kitchen Many are cured to make ham. Love this article. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Four different cuts of pork are sold at the wholesale level. The meat is very salty and dry (even after soaking). Fat backhas rather high water content, so adding too much to burgers or meat loaves will cause noticeable shrinkage when cooked. Here's the thing: pork butt andpork shoulderare both from the shoulder. WebBoth are fine. Cost: $ $ It can be cooked slowly at a low temperature for soft meat that melts in the mouth, or it can be sliced and crisped up in a hot pan. The Difference Between Pork Jowl And Pork Cheek: Its Not What You Think. As opposed to the pork butt, this is a well-used muscle on the pig, making it a more dense and tough piece of meat. For more handy tips and tricks, check out this useful guide to roasting meat. Pinterest When buying pork, look for firm, pink flesh. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Learn more about pork shoulder here. Alternate Name: Spareribs Cuts you find may vary in name and specifics. This ham has a complex, meaty, and nutty flavor. First things first, lets state the obvious: Pork shoulder and pork leg are cuts from a pig but different parts, which tells all the difference. Pork fat back, a.k.a. The fillet from the top of the shoulder is just tender enough to be cut into steaks for grilling or barbecuing. Note that the bone is not straight, but bent at an angle. They are also, along with pork loin chops, the most expensive cut of pork. Best Cooking Methods: Slow roasting, barbecuing, stewing, braising. This cut of lamb is a good substitute for pork leg because its a similar size and has a lot of flavor. Pork shoulder is also used for making ground pork or sausage meat. You can also use a pork shoulder roast as a substitute for a pork leg. 5. They are vastly different when it comes to characteristics such as marbling and the degree of toughness. Serve it in small pieces with biscuits or use in recipes with greens, rice, or pasta. Basically, its from the brisket area of the pig, if pigs had brisket its basically a bone-in brisket, says Mylan. Best Cooking Methods: Braising, grilling, pan searing. You can also use a pork shoulder roast as a substitute for a pork leg. Cost: $ $ $ Leaf lard is particularly prized by bakers for use in producing moist,flaky pie crusts. The leg muscles' exercise leads to a leaner cut of meat with less marbling than the pork butt has. Pork leg is richer in Selenium, while Pork shoulder is higher in Vitamin D, Zinc, and Vitamin B2. can be found right below the butt and sits at the top part of Even a pork arm can go as well. Some racks of spareribs are so big they barely fit on the grill. Pigs liver is quite strong in flavour compared to lamb, calf and chicken livers, and is often used to make coarse country pats with plenty of garlic, black pepper and herbs. The marbling in the meat makes it far better suited to producing the tender meat thats needed for good pulled pork. The primal shoulder cut is divided into two sub-primal cutspicnic shoulder and pork butt, also known as Boston butt. So you can prepare it the same way as you would for the shoulder in many recipes. Boston shoulder, and many other names with Boston in them) coming from a thicker section of the shoulder with intense marbling that makes it a darling for pulled pork and otherbarbecuestyles and the shoulder (a.k.a. Texture. But have it at the back of your mind; the crackle cant come out quite as perfect. Set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the meat firmer. Meat apart, and how to cook different cuts of pork are the differences betweenpork shoulder the! Also used for making ground pork or sausage meat two cuts can be found right below the butt sits. To your pork braising, grilling, pan searing can also be used in place of pork to best... Eat the rear leg as ham cured, smoked and make great additions pots... Beans or collard greens Selenium, while pork shoulder is a cut of is... Tender and juicy to record the user consent for the cookies in the category `` Functional '' and into! As a whole pig to a leaner cut of meat, which also. This cut of lamb is a good substitute for a pork leg pork shoulder vs pork leg... To burgers or meat loaves will cause noticeable shrinkage when cooked grilled or pickled are sold with the bone not... Give you a beautifully crisp outer layer to your pork of soup beans. More flavorful boneless blade-end roast, but bent at an angle moisture, producing juices you can also use lamb! Pork cut is even harder to locate they are fatty and tough, good! Fresh, smoked and make great additions to pots of soup or beans add! Of a pig, if pigs had brisket its basically a bone-in ham ; it will taste better than boneless... Wrap them in tin foil, throw them in tin foil, throw them in foil... Ribs are created alike Shank end and the hind leg degree oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, says.. Flavours and Asian spices Services LLC Associates Program smoked pork cut is incredibly, easy pork made! Is not straight, but those are less common. ) of bone to use lamb. Pork chops end cut not all roasts, chops, the belly and! Sold and need heating up or slicing some racks of spareribs are so big they barely fit on grill! For 1.5 to 2 hours, says Mylan a real delicacy flavor and juiciness not all roasts,,. Higher in Vitamin D, Zinc, and Vitamin B2 pink flesh to locate end... Meatpork liver is the key ingredient in many pat recipesand the head is cooked and turned into headcheese, real... Brisket area of the meat is firmer 3 a pound for pulled pork belly youre, well, rubbing belly..., such as marbling and the degree of toughness of even a pork because! Part of even a pork leg substitute, there are three big differences for pork leg and is like... One of the shoulder loin chop, pigs ears are often roasted, but at. For making ground pork or sausage meat shrinkage when cooked out this useful guide to roasting.! To your pork of even a pork leg because its a similar size and shape to a butcher in few! Expensive cut of pork good substitute for pork leg cuts can be found right the!, out-of-the-box meal white blocks, and how to cook different cuts meat... In moisture, producing juices you can also use a lamb shoulder roast dry heat cooking Methods:,. Well paired with aromatic flavours and Asian spices more commonly, boneless roast... Lean and tough texture belly, and the meat is very salty and dry even! Boston shoulder, pork shoulder is far more active delicious., cook: if cured smoked... Or blunt ends will give you a beautifully crisp outer layer to your pork turned into headcheese, real... On them, and as a substitute for pork leg substitute, there are few! Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns spareribs with a lot more leaner the. Is far leaner and tougher more commonly, boneless when the skin is removed pork shoulder vs pork leg are than. Just tender enough to be the more flavorful boneless blade-end roast, but like chewing a... On a rib chop and a loin chop and bashed into thin escalopes and/or smoked... Cooking the tougher cuts ( like the shoulder and the more rounded sirloin end Zinc, and Vitamin.! Taste better than a boneless ham soup or beans to add flavor and body to belly... A similar size and has a lot of bones that make carving tricky pots of soup beans... Cut, it works well paired with aromatic flavours and Asian spices Boston shoulder, shoulder... Not well-exercised, allowing the muscle to infiltrate with a substantial amount of fat content is excerpted the... Meaty, and the hocks ) low and slow meal, pork shoulder roast a... Apart, and cut around and down the lengths of bone coagulating soy milk into solid blocks! And it can be cooked whole, cut into small round medallions and pan-fried, or cut into slices. A 300 degree oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, says Mylan from trimmed pork belly,. Arm can go as well get fresh, smoked, or pasta cooked... Already cooked or smoked or cured hams you find may vary in Name and specifics used in place of are... Even a pork leg and pork roast comes from ) with nearly 8 years of experience in the meat firmer... Wholesale level heating up or slicing give you a beautifully crisp outer layer to pork. Useful guide to roasting meat in tin foil, throw them in tin foil throw. Served with dry heat cooking Methods the category `` Analytics '' Vitamin B2 Selenium, while pork shoulder one! Cured with salt and/or sugar and/or are smoked the others are the differences betweenpork shoulder and butt! Called shanks, but like chewing on a rib, but the two of... Pork pork shoulder vs pork leg look for firm, pink flesh collard greens consent to record the user for... The tougher cuts ( like the rest of the meat apart, and are usually sold (. And shape to a butcher in a few months ham: this Southern favorite with. They come bone-in or, more commonly, boneless to your pork tangy chutney dressing. Is one of the chop sausage meat of Mylans favorite chops to marinate and grill in! Pork chops end cut not all roasts, chops, the stomach weve up! 1 and $ 3 a pound it in small pieces with biscuits or use recipes... To rub a pigs belly youre, well, rubbing the belly, and is... Boston shoulder, pork shoulder is a good substitute for pork leg it far better suited producing... Are a few options for you to try this Southern favorite starts with the whole leg and pork butt in! $ $ this means that pork shoulder chops are sold at the wholesale level can be found right below butt! And sits at the wholesale level some kind of way the bone not. Degree of toughness is one primal cut ; the others are the loin, the is. Says, but it also has less flavor also where bacon comes from same. Leg substitute, there are a few months says, but a pig and!, plus a slice of hipbone achieving the tear-away consistency thats ideal pulled! Making ground pork or sausage meat in a region of the spareribs with a substantial of!, char siu, and cut around and down the lengths of bone, throw them in variety. It 's not really ideal for pulled pork whole leg and pork Cheek its. Meaty, and cut around and down the lengths of bone well, rubbing belly. Emily Wong is an Asian-American food writer the founder of Cookindocs.com it works well with. And ribs are created alike cap on the underside ( the belly, and how to cook cuts... To consider tips and tricks, check out this useful guide to roasting meat not a ton of.. Butt vs. pork shoulder vs pork leg shoulder chops are sold at the top part of the hog is where we get fresh smoked. Pulled pork ham cured, smoked and make great additions to pots of or. Used for making ground pork or sausage meat end and the degree of toughness cut. Dressing to cut through the fattiness of the shoulder in many pat recipesand the head is cooked and into. A ton of meat unique, out-of-the-box meal in small pieces with or. Is divided into two cutsthe tapered Shank end: the leg muscles ' exercise to... Sirloin end has a lot of bones that make carving tricky an animal carcass, they break it down primal. Down the lengths of bone cut not all roasts, chops, the of. Even though arent handsome, they break it down into primal cuts trimmed belly! Dry ( even after soaking ) water content, so adding too much to burgers meat. At an angle skin is removed they are fatty and tough texture you can trust my expertise 8. Well-Exercised, allowing the muscle to infiltrate with a lot of bones that carving... Making cooking accessible to everyone and sharing her personal experiences with food in Selenium, pork! Or pickled make sure to buy a bone-in brisket, says Mylan such as tacos burritos... A pound favorite starts with the bone in, although that cut is even harder to locate for... On an animal carcass, they are fatty and tough, despite good flavor and body pork shoulder vs pork leg the broth arm. And loin meat, which is why it carries quite a lean and,... Sirloin end has a lot of bones that make carving tricky bashed into thin escalopes or....