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Buying pork
Cooking pork
Chops
Belly
Loin
Tenderloin / Fillet
Shoulder
Leg
Diced pork
Minced pork
Only buy pork that has firm white fat and smooth, pink flesh with no obvious smell. Avoid yellowing fat and clammy or very dry flesh as this indicates that the meat has been poorly stored or isn’t fresh.
Cooking pork
As with all meats, cuts from the lower leg and shoulder - where the muscles have the most exercise - are likely to be tougher and are more suited to long, slow cooking, whereas cuts from the back tend to be lean and tender, making them ideal for quick cooking.
Chops
Pork chops cut from the loin of pork. Chump chops come from the rear of the loin and have more bone and fat, loin chops are from the middle and have lots of meat and a short bone. Rib loin chops are from the top of the loin – nearest the head – and have a longer, thiner bone. Rib chops are probably the most elegant to look at in terms of presentation, but chops from further down the animal will have more meat. All chops can be pan-fried or grilled – cut through the fat at regular intervals before cooking to prevent them curling. Try not to over-cook as they can become tough and dry. Pork loin steaks are simply boneless loin chops.
Belly of pork comes from the underside of the animal and has roughly the same amount of lean meat to fat. Because many people prefer leaner cuts of meat, pork belly tends to be undervalued. It is however, extremely delicious when cooked properly, with tender, richly flavoured meat and melt-in-the-mouth fat. Boneless belly can be stuffed, rolled and roasted or cooked on a rack until the skin, crackles and crisps. It is also suitable for braising and can be minced for sausages and stuffings. The rib bones (spare ribs) can be removed and used for roasting or barbecuing - for the best results, boil them first to make them tender enough to be cooked quickly in a marinade (Streaky bacon is taken from belly).
Loin
The loin runs across most of the back of the pig. If not divided into chops, it’s particularly useful for roasting. Although more expensive than shoulder or leg, the foreloin gives a lean, tender joint that’s simple cook and to carve. Roast either on the bone or ask your butcher to remove the bones, then add a stuffing and roll and tie (Back bacon is taken from pork loin).
Tenderloin / Fillet
Tenderloin comes from the loin of pork and is lean, tender and succulent, but often doesn’t have much flavour. The perfect size for serving two people, it can be cut into thick slices (medallions) and pan-fried or split almost all the way through the middle then stuffed and tied. Cut into strips, it’s also great for stir-fries. Try matching with strong or aromatic flavours for the best results.
