A whole pig consists of various parts, and when you go to the market to buy pork, you will surely be amazed at the dazzling variety of pork and not know where to start. Below you can choose the most suitable parts according to your own needs:
1. Crispy Pork Shoulder
Crispy pork shoulder is the meat on the pig’s shoulder, which is the best part of the pig. On average, each pig weighs about five to six kilograms, so the price is relatively high.
Crispy pork shoulder is the meat with layers of fat interspersed inside the piece of meat, not separated into distinct meat-fat layers. Many people prefer to use this meat because when cooked, the meat will not be too dry or too greasy. It is often used to make braised dishes, fried dishes, or stir-fried dishes.
When buying meat, be upfront with the seller that you want crispy pork shoulder, and they will know that you understand this type of meat and naturally not deceive you with other types of meat.
Pork tenderloin is a single long piece of meat cut from the pork loin; it is located at the front, running along the spine and near the lower part of the pig’s hind legs. Pork tenderloin is tender because its main function is to maintain the pig’s straight shape.
Pork tenderloin is pure lean meat, with low fat content and small meat fibers; it is the softest part of pork and is suitable for processing dishes such as frying, searing, braising, or making shredded pork. It is easy to identify pork tenderloin because it is a strip of uniform lean meat, without bones, fat, and tendons.
3. Pork Belly
Pork belly is located in the belly of the pig, consisting of layers of meat and fat stacked on top of each other. Therefore, when processed, pork belly is rarely dry.
Pork belly is the easiest to recognize and distinguish among all types. The meat part is moderately fatty but can feel greasy if the fat ratio deviates too much from the lean part. You can use pork belly to braise, roast, grill, or stir-fry, and they all taste delicious.
4. Pork Hind Leg
Pork hind leg, also known as ham, is the meat on the pig’s thigh and excludes the hoof. The characteristic of pork hind leg is that it has many muscle fibers rolled together and is very popular for processing dishes such as smoked ham, salted ham, or stewed ham.
When buying pork hind leg, choose the meat from the front leg. The front leg is also known as the front flank, located in the upper part of the pig’s front legs. The front legs are more active, so the meat contains less fat, has muscle fibers, and is tender with a distinctive flavor.
5. Pork Spare Ribs
Pork spare ribs are also very popular during the Lunar New Year and can be used to make sweet and sour spare ribs, braised spare ribs, or stewed spare ribs that everyone loves.
Pork spare ribs have large bones and short size, with less meat and more bones, making them suitable for simmering soup. Pork loin, also known as spare ribs, has more meat and fewer bones, with crispy bones, making it perfect for making sweet and sour spare ribs, braised spare ribs. So make sure you choose the right one!