Pork may be unmatched within the realm of popular meats. Its easy to understand why, of course: The flavor profile and versatility of pork are almost too good to be true.
Quite frankly, unless youre a vegetarian or a strict adherent to the dietary guidelines of Judaism or Islam (all personal choices that we greatly respect), youve likely encountered many of the seemingly limitless options of products that contain pork.
There are countless ways of consuming this pig-derived protein, from juicy pan-seared chops to the thinly-sliced piles of the signature meats found on an Italian sub or plump-and-charred bratwurst on a fresh roll. Theres virtually no end to the mouth-watering possibilities provided by this meat. The wide variety of ways to serve and eat pork can be downright daunting at times.
Yet, if youre looking for a cooking method that works for just about every cut of pork imaginable and is guaranteed to produce a delicious meal that delights diners taste buds, you can always turn to oven-roasting. The ease and consistency offered by baking makes it a robustly popular choice for pork preparation.
Of course, while virtually any type of pork product will produce a quality meal in the oven, some cuts rise above the competition. If youre working up a pork-based meal, its essential to decide which cut of meat is best for your needs and preferences.
To be clear, theres no such thing as a bad piece of pork. Potentially spoiled? Sure. But unsafe-for-consumption aside, pork is so delicious that there isnt really a cut of this meat that is inedible or unworthy of ingestion. Yet, some cuts are better than others, and frankly, no piece of pork is more likely to put us to sleep than the oft-uninspiring spiral ham.
Apologies to Easter and Christmas meals and recipes throughout the nation; however, weve never really been especially excited by spiral ham: On any occasion. This smoked and cured pigs hind leg can certainly be delicious, like when its sliced paper-thin and served cold between pieces of bread. But a thick, warm slice of spiral ham just doesnt provide the same melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and feel when roasted as compared to other cuts of pork
While we clearly dont hold the same affection for spiral ham as some other people, we can appreciate it has its fans. Additionally, given the fact that the spiral ham comes pre-cooked, its hard to fault a busy chef who prioritizes the simplicity offered by the classic pork product during holiday meal preparations.
Still, we cant argue with our own tastebuds. And the fact that store-bought hams may contain some quantity of added water only bolsters our belief that spiral ham is extremely overrated among cuts of pork.
Shoulder (spare rib) It has a really excellent flavour, as meat from nearer the head of the pig is always more succulent, with a little more fat to keep it moist. The skin is dry with a reasonable layer of fat underneath, making this one of the best joints to get good crackling from. Search our pork shoulder recipes.
Ham hocks (pork knuckle)
Honestly, its a bit of a toss-up between trotters and ham hocks in terms of the less satisfying cuts of pork. But ham hocks or pork knuckles rank slightly ahead of trotters, and, of course, the worlds most boring product: Spiral ham. Similar to lamb shanks, ham hocks consist of the joint between a pigs leg and its foot (via Southern Living). Ham hocks contain a lot of bone and cartilage alongside any edible pork.
According to The Pioneer Woman, the average cut has far less meat than bone, fat, and gristle. Not only that, but it isnt generally used as the main protein in a meal: Its more likely to act as a flavorful component in soups or stews, as apparent in chef Steven Musolfs split pea and ham soup recipe
Were not saying ham hocks cant be the star of a dish when roasted low and slow (as you may have expected). However, like trotters, the amount of effort, the measly amount of meat, and the low bang-for-your-buck payoff make this cut one that you should probably steer clear of in favor of other parts of the pig.
Although bacon is often made from cuts of the pigs stomach, pork belly is a delightful cut of pork on all its own. Pork belly typically consists of a single piece of boneless meat that is, indeed, taken from a pigs stomach (via Pork Checkoff).
But therein lies the problem with pork belly: Frankly, the sheer fact you can find a better cut of pork to roast within the pork stomach (as in bacon), which, well cant help but take points away. Additionally, since the best method for preparing pork belly might be using a pressure cooker (not roasting), were inclined not to regard pork belly as one of the best cuts to roast.
Of course, pork belly is still an amazingly flavorful and luscious cut of pork when properly prepared. And, like every other cut of pork, its still worth enjoying when the opportunity arises. Its simply a matter of other parts of the pig being better to roast from our vantage point.
While it may not be quite as enjoyable as pork butt or picnic shoulder, pork shoulder isnt a hopeless piece of pork by any stretch. But, as the more-utilized and muscled half of the pigs shoulder cuts, it simply cant measure up to the superior tenderness offered by some other pork cuts, even when properly roasted.
Pork shoulder is often sold with the bone intact and skin still on, and offers far less intermuscular fat disbursement than its close cousin, pork butt, the other half of the pigs shoulder cut (via Cooks Illustrated). Naturally, like any other tough cut of meat, the best way to roast a pork shoulder is to (say it with us now) cook it low and slow.
The remaining skin can create an unmatched crisp and crackling exterior when roasted, which makes the pork shoulder a fairly decent option; that, and the fact that it typically yields far more actual meat than trotters or ham hocks.
When it comes to pork chops, the best path to a perfectly roasted outcome doesnt start in the oven: It starts with pan-searing on the stove. Frankly, the process of first utilizing the Maillard reaction to sear and brown a pork chop over direct heat and then oven-roasting it to finish can produce a fantastically juicy and flavorful piece of pork (via Coleman Natural Foods).
But this is also the reason why pork chops are not the optimal option for roasting: Only half of the culinary process of cooking pork chops entails roasting. Without the intense piquancy that is generated from the initial pan-searing process, a pork chop cooked in the oven is nothing more than a sullen, boring affair.
Pan-searing and then oven-roasting a pork chop is guaranteed to deliver, as long as it doesnt dry out during the cooking process. According to chef and author Sami Nosrat, you can easily ensure your pork chops prevent pork chops from becoming too dry by making a brine for the pork ahead of time (via Today). Additionally, according to Nosrat, you can “set yourself up for success” by buying the fattiest pork chop possible.
1 Trotters (pig’s feet)
One consistent theme youre likely to notice when it comes to roasting pork is that taking things low and slow is generally the key to success. If youre willing to be patient, then you can create an alluring product from any cut you desire. That being said, the ratio of edible meat obtained to the amount of work required makes it difficult to consider trotters or pigs feet as one of the superior cuts of meat.
While trotters are undeniably exotic, theyre also a lot of work. According to Campbells, it can take up to eight hours to properly slow roast trotters, though youll likely be satisfied with th results. However, six hours is a significant amount of time. Trotters simply arent ideal for a convenient meal. Additionally, according to Izzys Cooking, pigs feet require a significant amount of cleaning before they can be cooked.
Pigs feet can be braised in a light sauce or grilled and served with an accompanying condiment, although the meal is unlikely to be satisfying. Since pigs feet offer very little meat, youll probably find yourself craving a meal thats truly generous in its meat portions. Given the lack of ease and the overall disappointing results, trotters are certainly not one of the better cuts.
Sunday Pork Roast
FAQ
What is the most flavorful pork roast?
What is the best cut of pork for roast?
How do you pick a good pork roast?
What is your favorite way to cook a pork roast?
My favorite way to cook a pork roast is inspired by my favorite way to roast prime rib, which uses the reverse sear method from Serious Eats.com. To do the reverse sear, you cook the roast at a low temperature in the oven until it gets to the temperature you like. Then you let it rest for awhile.
Can one eat pork?
A cooked, medium pork cutlet or steak provides 239 calories, 34 grams protein, 10 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 697 milligrams sodium, and 0 grams carbohydrate, if you eat only the lean part of the steak. Pork contains many of the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) found in beef and it is high in protein, but can be lower in fat than beef—depending on cut and preparation. Meat from any kind of mammal, including pork, can cause an allergic reaction (and some people who are allergic to mammalian meat also react to poultry).
What is a pork loin roast?
Pork Loin Roast: A pork loin roast comes from the back of the pig. It’s typically a very lean piece of meat, so if you are slow roasting, you have to be careful you don’t overcook it. In this recipe, if you use a pork loin roast it will be more of a pork chop texture that requires slicing when eating.
Is pork tenderloin a good roast?
Though the ultra-lean make-up of pork tenderloin makes it highly susceptible to overcooking, if you take the time and care to ensure it remains succulent when served, you’ll quickly see why it’s one of the best cuts of meat to roast (via Kitchn ).