Cuts Of Pork Chart Pdf

1. The cuts of pork are the different parts of the pig which are consumed as food by humans. The terminology and extent of each cut varies from country to country. There are between four and six primal cuts, which are the large parts in which the pig is first cut: the shoulder (blade and picnic), loin, belly (spare ribs and side) and leg.
2. Click on this link to see the Canadian Fresh Pork Cut Chart. This is the most lean and tender of the premium-priced pork cuts. It is divided in three sections: the rib (closest to the shoulder), the centre and the sirloin. Cuts from the loin are roasts, chops, cutlets.

The most tender cuts of pork are from the rib and loin. It's where the expression 'high on the hog' comes from. The most desirable cuts of meat come from higher up on the animal. By contrast, the shank and shoulder muscles produce the toughest cuts. With proper cooking, even those tougher cuts can be luscious and tender.

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When shopping for pork, consider
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Diagram of meat cuts
Skeletal diagram
Meat cut nomenclature and description

• 2. Dressed lamb carcass
• 3. Side
• 4. Front - Front, double
• 5. Leg - Leg, double
• 6. Whole loin - Whole loin, double

List of meat cut modifiers
Variety meats

Meat cut nomenclature and description

1. Lamb: means the meat derived from a dressed carcass of an ovine animal that meets the maturity characteristics set out in Schedule 1 – Maturity Characteristics for Lamb Carcasses of the Canadian Grade Compendium, Volume 1 – Ovine Carcasses and Poultry Carcasses.

Note: meat derived from a dressed carcass of an ovine animal which does not meet the specifications prescribed for lamb shall be referred to as mutton.

2. Dressed lamb carcass: means the carcass of a lamb from which the skin, head and feet at the carpal and tarsal joints have been removed and the carcass has been eviscerated.

2.1 Front half: means the anterior portion of the dressed lamb carcass which is separated from the hind half by a cut following the natural curvature between the eleventh (11th) and twelfth (12th) rib.

2.2 Hind half: means the posterior portion of the dressed lamb carcass which is separated from the front half, as described.

3. Side: means one (1) of the two (2) approximately equal portions of a dressed lamb carcass obtained by cutting from the tail to the neck along the median line.

3.1 Front quarter: means the anterior portion of the side which is separated from the hind quarter by a cut following the natural curvature between the eleventh (11th) and twelfth (12th) rib.

3.2 Hind quarter: means the posterior portion of the side which is separated from the front quarter, as described.

4. Front: means that portion of the side which is separated from the whole loin and flank, by a straight cut passing between the sixth (6th) and seventh (7th) rib.

Front, double: means the anterior portion of the front half which is separated from the rib and flank, double by a straight cut passing between the sixth (6th) and seventh (7th) rib.

4.1 Shank (fore shank): means that portion of the front which is separated from the breast by a straight cut passing through the base of the arm bone (distal extremity of the humerus) and follows the natural seam of the elbow.

4.2 Breast: means that portion of the front which is separated from the shank as described in item 4.1, and from the shoulder by a straight cut which passes through the base of the shaft of the arm bone (distal end of the humerus) approximately at right angles to the cut edge of the front.

4.3 Neck: means that portion of the front which is separated from the shoulder by a straight cut passing through the fifth (5th) neck bone (cervical vertebra).

4.4 Shoulder: means that portion of the front which is separated from the breast and neck as described in items 4.2 and 4.3, respectively.

Shoulder, double: means that portion of the front, double which is separated from the neck and breast, as described.

5. Leg: means the posterior portion of the side which is separated from the whole loin and flank by a straight cut passing immediately in front of (anterior to) the pin bone (ilium or tuber coxae).

Leg, double: means the posterior portion of the hind half which is separated from the whole loin, double and flanks by a straight cut passing immediately in front of (anterior to) the pin bone (ilium or tuber coxae).

5.1 Shank (hind shank): means that portion of the leg which is separated from the leg shank portion by cutting through the stifle joint (tibio-femoral joint).

5.2 Leg, shank portion (A): means that portion of the leg which is separated from the shank as described in item 5.1, and from the leg, butt portion by a straight cut passing through the middle of the shaft of the leg bone (femur) approximately at right angles.

5.3 Leg, shank portion (B): is an alternative portion of the leg which is separated from the shank as described and in item 5.1, from the sirloin by a straight cut passing in front of (anterior to) the rump knuckle bone (acetabulum/head of femur).

5.4 Leg, butt portion: means that portion of the leg which is separated from the leg, shank portion (A) by a straight cut passing through the middle of the shaft of the leg bone (femur) approximately at right angles.

Cuts Of Pork Chart Pdf File

5.5 Sirloin: is an alternative portion of the leg which is separated from the leg, shank portion (B) or leg, short cut (see 5.6) by a straight cut passing immediately in front of (anterior to) the rump knuckle bone (acetabulum/head of femur).

Sirloin, double: means the anterior portion of the leg, double which is separated from the leg, short cut, as described.

5.6 Leg, short cut: means the leg from which the sirloin has been removed.

6. Whole loin: means that portion of the side which is separated from the front and leg as described in items 4 and 5, respectively, and from the flank by a straight cut approximately parallel to the backbone (vertebral column) passing through the thirteenth (13th) rib, approximately at the beginning of the costal cartilage.

Whole loin, double: means that portion of the dressed lamb carcass which is separated from the flank, by a straight cut approximately parallel to the back bones (vertebral column) passing through the thirteenth (13th) rib, approximately at the beginning of the costal cartilage. It consists of the loin, double and rib (rack), double, attached.

6.1 Loin: means that posterior portion of the whole loin which is separated from the rib by a straight cut passing behind (posterior to) the last rib (13th rib).

Note: the loin shall contain no part of the rib.

Loin, double: means the posterior portion of the whole loin, double which is separated from the rib, (rack) double by a straight cut passing behind (posterior to) the last rib (13th rib).

6.2 Rib: means that anterior portion of the whole loin which is separated from the loin as described in item 6.1.

Note: the rib or part thereof prepared as a roast may be referred to as rack.

Wholesale Cuts Of Pork Diagram

Rib (rack), double: means the anterior portion of the whole loin, double which is separated from the loin, double, as described.

7. Flank: means that portion of the side which is separated from the front, leg and whole loin as described in items 4, 5 and 6, respectively.

8. Rib and flank, double: means the posterior portion of the front half which is separated from the front, double by a straight cut passing between the sixth (6th) and seventh (7th) rib. It consists of the rib (rack) and rib portion of the flank, attached.

List of meat cut modifiers

Cut Loose!

When shopping for pork, consider
these convenient options:

On this page

Diagram of meat cuts
Skeletal diagram
Meat cut nomenclature and description

• 2. Dressed lamb carcass
• 3. Side
• 4. Front - Front, double
• 5. Leg - Leg, double
• 6. Whole loin - Whole loin, double

List of meat cut modifiers
Variety meats

Meat cut nomenclature and description

1. Lamb: means the meat derived from a dressed carcass of an ovine animal that meets the maturity characteristics set out in Schedule 1 – Maturity Characteristics for Lamb Carcasses of the Canadian Grade Compendium, Volume 1 – Ovine Carcasses and Poultry Carcasses.

Note: meat derived from a dressed carcass of an ovine animal which does not meet the specifications prescribed for lamb shall be referred to as mutton.

2. Dressed lamb carcass: means the carcass of a lamb from which the skin, head and feet at the carpal and tarsal joints have been removed and the carcass has been eviscerated.

2.1 Front half: means the anterior portion of the dressed lamb carcass which is separated from the hind half by a cut following the natural curvature between the eleventh (11th) and twelfth (12th) rib.

2.2 Hind half: means the posterior portion of the dressed lamb carcass which is separated from the front half, as described.

3. Side: means one (1) of the two (2) approximately equal portions of a dressed lamb carcass obtained by cutting from the tail to the neck along the median line.

3.1 Front quarter: means the anterior portion of the side which is separated from the hind quarter by a cut following the natural curvature between the eleventh (11th) and twelfth (12th) rib.

3.2 Hind quarter: means the posterior portion of the side which is separated from the front quarter, as described.

4. Front: means that portion of the side which is separated from the whole loin and flank, by a straight cut passing between the sixth (6th) and seventh (7th) rib.

Front, double: means the anterior portion of the front half which is separated from the rib and flank, double by a straight cut passing between the sixth (6th) and seventh (7th) rib.

4.1 Shank (fore shank): means that portion of the front which is separated from the breast by a straight cut passing through the base of the arm bone (distal extremity of the humerus) and follows the natural seam of the elbow.

4.2 Breast: means that portion of the front which is separated from the shank as described in item 4.1, and from the shoulder by a straight cut which passes through the base of the shaft of the arm bone (distal end of the humerus) approximately at right angles to the cut edge of the front.

4.3 Neck: means that portion of the front which is separated from the shoulder by a straight cut passing through the fifth (5th) neck bone (cervical vertebra).

4.4 Shoulder: means that portion of the front which is separated from the breast and neck as described in items 4.2 and 4.3, respectively.

Shoulder, double: means that portion of the front, double which is separated from the neck and breast, as described.

5. Leg: means the posterior portion of the side which is separated from the whole loin and flank by a straight cut passing immediately in front of (anterior to) the pin bone (ilium or tuber coxae).

Leg, double: means the posterior portion of the hind half which is separated from the whole loin, double and flanks by a straight cut passing immediately in front of (anterior to) the pin bone (ilium or tuber coxae).

5.1 Shank (hind shank): means that portion of the leg which is separated from the leg shank portion by cutting through the stifle joint (tibio-femoral joint).

5.2 Leg, shank portion (A): means that portion of the leg which is separated from the shank as described in item 5.1, and from the leg, butt portion by a straight cut passing through the middle of the shaft of the leg bone (femur) approximately at right angles.

5.3 Leg, shank portion (B): is an alternative portion of the leg which is separated from the shank as described and in item 5.1, from the sirloin by a straight cut passing in front of (anterior to) the rump knuckle bone (acetabulum/head of femur).

5.4 Leg, butt portion: means that portion of the leg which is separated from the leg, shank portion (A) by a straight cut passing through the middle of the shaft of the leg bone (femur) approximately at right angles.

Cuts Of Pork Chart Pdf File

5.5 Sirloin: is an alternative portion of the leg which is separated from the leg, shank portion (B) or leg, short cut (see 5.6) by a straight cut passing immediately in front of (anterior to) the rump knuckle bone (acetabulum/head of femur).

Sirloin, double: means the anterior portion of the leg, double which is separated from the leg, short cut, as described.

5.6 Leg, short cut: means the leg from which the sirloin has been removed.

6. Whole loin: means that portion of the side which is separated from the front and leg as described in items 4 and 5, respectively, and from the flank by a straight cut approximately parallel to the backbone (vertebral column) passing through the thirteenth (13th) rib, approximately at the beginning of the costal cartilage.

Whole loin, double: means that portion of the dressed lamb carcass which is separated from the flank, by a straight cut approximately parallel to the back bones (vertebral column) passing through the thirteenth (13th) rib, approximately at the beginning of the costal cartilage. It consists of the loin, double and rib (rack), double, attached.

6.1 Loin: means that posterior portion of the whole loin which is separated from the rib by a straight cut passing behind (posterior to) the last rib (13th rib).

Note: the loin shall contain no part of the rib.

Loin, double: means the posterior portion of the whole loin, double which is separated from the rib, (rack) double by a straight cut passing behind (posterior to) the last rib (13th rib).

6.2 Rib: means that anterior portion of the whole loin which is separated from the loin as described in item 6.1.

Note: the rib or part thereof prepared as a roast may be referred to as rack.

Wholesale Cuts Of Pork Diagram

Rib (rack), double: means the anterior portion of the whole loin, double which is separated from the loin, double, as described.

7. Flank: means that portion of the side which is separated from the front, leg and whole loin as described in items 4, 5 and 6, respectively.

8. Rib and flank, double: means the posterior portion of the front half which is separated from the front, double by a straight cut passing between the sixth (6th) and seventh (7th) rib. It consists of the rib (rack) and rib portion of the flank, attached.

List of meat cut modifiers

• Boneless / Désossé(e)
• Chop / Côtelette
• Crown / Couronne
• Diced lamb/ Agneau en cubes
• Frenched (rib chop) / Côtelette à manche
• In basket / En panier
• Medallion / Médaillon
• Partially boneless / Semi-désossé(e)
• Rack / Carré
• Roast / Rôti
• Rolled / Roulé
• Semi-boneless / Semi-désossé(e)
• Steak / Tranche
• Stewing / À ragoût
• Stuffed / Farci(e)
• Tied / Ficelé
• Trimmed / Paré

Note: While not required, these modifiers may be used to describe lamb cuts provided they are informative and not misleading.

Variety meats

• fry / animelles
• heart / coeur
• kidney / rognon
• liver / foie
• tongue / langue