The thing about buying a complete pork shoulder is that it’s an educated guess. Do you know what cut of meat you have? Knowing where it came from will help prevent dry disaster or tender delights. Cooking isn’t simply applying heat. Cooking is about honoring anatomy. This infographic provides a breakdown of primal cuts into hams, bellies, shoulders, loins, etc., so you’ll know exactly how to handle each one. No more guessing, only cooking with intent.
Those muscles didn’t do much work, they’re from around the spine, which is the loin. These is delicate muscles; they’re also lean, meaning they’ll cook up fast and will get dry on you if handled like the tough stuff. According to the chart, the loin account for about twenty-two percent of carcass. That’s your tenderloin, and it’s center-cut chops. Roast or sear these things fast. Get ‘em to one hundred and forty-five degrees, no further, then call it good. Anything hotter squeeze moisture from meat, and there isn’t much of it in there.
Cooking Pork Cuts the Right Way
I see people doing this all the time: They think lean loin is going to withstand a prolonged braise. No way, Jose.
Which brings us back to the pig’s shoulder, a.k.a. It is called the Boston butt. It is fat-marbled and full of connective tissue. Shoulder butt is not something you can throw on a grill at the same pace and temp as a loin chop without ending up with something that tastes more different than shoe leather. You want to braise or smoke these guys, then wait until they’re nearly 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Sounds like an awfully high temperature for tender meat, but there you have it. The collagen melts down into gelatin, the fat turns liquid, and presto: Fork-tender goodness. It is slow-cooked, but it is the only way to get all that flavor out of those tightly wound fibers.
Layers of fat and lean are stacked like a lasagna. That’s where the bacon comes from. As infographic points out, it can be more than half fat. Belly isn’t cooked because it has any lean to cook; it’s cooked to render off the fat and crisp up the rest. Fat is what makes pancetta possible. Fat is what makes a slab of belly good slow roasted. And if you ignore the fat? You’ve should of screwed up the dish.
At the counter, look for solid white fat and pink, firm meat. Steer clear of anything that appears wet, soft and pale. Those are indicators of poor quality that won’t stand up to the demands of pan. Watch the trimming of the fat cap. You want about a quarter-inch layer. As the meat cooks, this bastes it while not dripping into fire and causing flare-ups. If the butcher’s left you with too much fat, score it in a diamond pattern. That will allow heat to penetrate and render the fat evenly.
For economy’s sake, as well as freshness, you can cut your own chops from a loin of pork, beginning with the sirloin end, which is more suitable for slow cooking because of its leanness; then very gently strip the tenderloin free (and also remove any silverskin at its side); this will get chewy in baking time if not removed. Trim all around to form the rest of the loin into even-sized chops, or simply roast whole. If you’re cutting, cool first for safety and cleaner slicing.
Pork is all about finding the right cooking method for the right muscle. Patience and time for the tough. Care and speed for lean. Cooking good food comes from respecting the animal’s structure. If you grab a hunk of pork and think about what that muscle once was, it’ll tell you exactly what to do with it.