Pork is one of the most versatile and flavorful meats available, offering a variety of cuts that lend themselves to countless recipes and cooking methods. Knowing where each cut comes from on the pig and its characteristics can help you select the perfect one for your next meal. Here’s a detailed guide to the main cuts of pork and their best uses.

1. Shoulder (Boston Butt and Picnic Shoulder)

A shoulder roast.

Location: The upper front leg and shoulder of the pig.

• Boston Butt: Despite the name, this cut comes from the upper part of the shoulder. It has a good balance of fat and meat, making it ideal for slow-cooking methods like roasting, braising, or smoking. It’s the go-to cut for pulled pork.

• Picnic Shoulder: Found just below the Boston Butt, this cut is slightly tougher and often sold with the skin on. It’s great for slow-cooking or for making sausages.

2. Loin

Location: The back of the pig, running from the shoulder to the hind legs.

• Pork Chops: Cut from the loin, pork chops are tender and versatile. Depending on how they’re cut, they can be bone-in or boneless. Rib chops are particularly flavorful, while loin chops are leaner.

• Tenderloin: A small, lean cut from the inside of the loin. It’s one of the most tender cuts of pork and cooks quickly, making it perfect for roasting or grilling.

• Pork Loin Roast: The same muscle group can be cut boneless and sold as an entire loin. Larger roasts from the loin are excellent for oven-roasting or slow-cooking.

3. Ribs

Location: Along the sides of the pig, attached to the backbone.

• Baby Back Ribs: These are cut from the upper ribs near the backbone. They are smaller, leaner, and more tender than spare ribs. These bones are frequently included in bone-in pork chops. That's why on our custom cut sheets, if you choose bone in chops, you can't get baby back ribs.

• St. Louis-Style Ribs: A trimmed version of spare ribs with the breastbone removed for a more uniform shape.

• Spare Ribs: Cut from the belly side of the ribcage, spare ribs are larger and fattier, making them ideal for grilling or smoking. At Ex Libris Farm, when we process our country style ribs, we include the spare ribs in the St Louis-Style, giving you more meat for your summer bbq.

4. Belly

Location: The underside of the pig, running along the bottom.

• Pork Belly: Known for its rich, fatty layers, pork belly is a versatile cut often used for braising, roasting, or curing into bacon.

• Bacon: Cured and smoked pork belly, bacon is a beloved staple for breakfast, sandwiches, or as a flavor enhancer in recipes.

5. Ham

Location: The back legs of the pig.

• Fresh Ham: An uncured cut from the hind leg, it’s often roasted or smoked.

• Cured Ham: A fresh ham that’s been salted, smoked, or aged to enhance its flavor. Smoked hams are popular for holidays and special occasions.

• Ham Hocks: The lower part of the hind leg, often used for flavoring soups, stews, and beans.

6. Side or Spare

Location: The side of the pig, between the belly and the back.

• Spare Ribs: These are from the same area as the belly but include more meat and fat, making them great for barbecuing.

• Salt Pork: Made from the fatty portion of the side, it’s cured and used for flavoring dishes like beans or stews.

8. Jowl

Location: The cheek of the pig.

• Pork Jowl: This fatty cut is often cured and smoked, similar to bacon, or used for dishes like guanciale in Italian cuisine.

Cheeks: The cheek is a smaller subset of the jowl, without the surrounding fat.  

9. Feet (Trotters)

Location: The lower part of the legs.

• Pork Feet: Known as trotters, these are gelatin-rich and perfect for slow-cooked dishes like soups or stews. They’re also popular for making stocks.

11. Hocks and Shanks

Location: The lower parts of the legs, near the feet.

• Ham Hocks: Often smoked, they’re used to add depth to soups and stews.

• Shanks: Similar to hocks but slightly meatier, perfect for braising.

Further Reading

For further detail, I would highly recommend Butchering by Adam Danforth, which contains many helpful illustrations, like the one provided above.