Food & Receipts

Choose These 5 Best Parts for Buying Lunar New Year Pork

When it comes to buying pork, if you want to get the best quality, remember to say three words: "pork front leg," "crispy shoulder meat"... This will let the owner know that you are knowledgeable about this type of meat and won't dare to cheat you anymore.

Administrator

7 February, 2024

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A single pig is made up of many parts, and when you go to the vegetable market to buy pork, you will definitely be overwhelmed by 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 shoulder meat

Crispy shoulder meat 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 expensive.

Crispy shoulder meat is meat with layers of fat interspersed inside the meat, not separated into clear meat-fat layers. Many people prefer to use this meat because when cooking, it will not be too dry or greasy. This meat is often used to make stewed dishes, fried dishes, or stir-fried dishes.

When buying meat, be clear with the seller that you want crispy shoulder meat. The seller will know that you understand this type of meat and naturally will not deceive you with other types of meat.

2. Pork buttock

Pork buttock is the only long piece of meat cut from the meatloaf. It is located at the front, running along the spine and near the lower part of the pig’s hind legs. Pork buttock is tender as this part of the meat’s main function is to keep the pig’s body straight.

Pork buttock is pure lean meat, with low fat content and small meat fibers. It is the softest part of pork and is suitable for preparing dishes such as frying, grilling, stewing, and making shredded pork. Pork buttock is easy to identify as it is a strip of lean meat with a uniform color, no bones, fat, or tendons.

3. Pork belly

Pork belly is located in the abdomen of the pig, consisting of layers of meat and fat stacked on top of each other. Therefore, when cooking, pork belly is rarely dry.

Pork belly is the easiest and most distinguishable among all types of pork. The fat is just right, but it can be quite greasy if the proportion is imbalanced compared to the lean meat. You can use pork belly to make stews, roasts, grills, and other delicious dishes.

4. Pork leg

Pork leg, also known as ham, is the meat from the pig’s thigh, with the hoof removed. The characteristic of pork leg is that it has multiple strands of meat rolled together and is very popular for making smoked ham, salted ham, and stewed ham.

When buying pork leg, choose the meat from the front leg. The front leg is also known as the foreleg, located at the upper part of the pig’s front leg. The front leg has less fat due to more movement, and the meat is soft with a distinctive flavor.

5. Pork ribs

Pork ribs are also a popular dish during Tet (Vietnamese New Year). You can make sweet and sour ribs, braised ribs, or stewed pork ribs, which are loved by many people.

Pork ribs have large bones and short size, with fewer meat parts and more bones, making them suitable for stewed soups. Pork loin, also known as back ribs, has more meat and fewer bones, with crispy bones, making it ideal for sweet and sour ribs, braised ribs. Please make sure to choose the right type!