Consider the most cost efficient cuts of pork. Chances are, the choices that pop to mind most quickly are the loin and ribs. While it’s true these cuts are the most popular, there are an array of pork possibilities that warrant further exploration.

For instance, cuts like pork shoulder and leg of pork (a.k.a. fresh ham) have distinct characteristics that lend themselves particularly well to specific menu applications. They also carry lower product costs than “upscale” cuts such as tenderloin and baby back ribs.

Savvy operators who create signature dishes using these underutilized cuts can charge a premium price for them, thereby increasing their profit margins.

Pork shoulder. This primal cut from the anterior of the hog is rich in moisture-laden fat, making it well-suited to long, gently cooking techniques. Weighing anywhere from 8-20 lb. (depending on the size of the animal), it consists of two sub-primal cuts: the butt (a.k.a. Boston butt) and the picnic minus the foot. Well-marbled, flavorful pork shoulder is the cut of choice for barbecue, sausage-making, and braised/stewed dishes such as chili and carnitas (Mexican “little meats” of crisped, shredded pork).

The butt portion, from the uppermost part of the shoulder is available bone-in or boneless, averaging 2-8 lb. in either case. Boned, the butt offers good yield and is relatively lean, so it can be used for smoking, slow-roasting, or grilling (when cut into steaks).

The picnic, too, is available bone-in or boneless. On the bone, it is one of the least expensive cuts around, and finds its way into a variety of “pulled” and shredded applications. The value-added boneless picnic, available rolled and tied and weighing 2-8 lb., can be ground for sausages and patties; cubed for soups and stews; or shredded for barbecue. It’s also a good cut for roasts, steaks, cutlets, kabobs, and stir-fry strips.

Pork leg. The primal cut from the hind leg is a versatile, economical option for roasting, braising, and rotisserie cooking. Weighing up to 26 lb. in its entirety—with shank, hip, and femur bones intact—it is a dramatic cut for carving stations and other banquet applications, particularly since it slices so well. It yields lots of “residuals” or scraps and bits, and the leg bone itself, that can be used for pasta, soups or stews, and sauces.

The leg can be broken down into a variety of useful boneless cuts, including a convenient boneless, rolled and tied (BRT) whole roast which consists of all of the components of the leg muscles with the bone removed. Smaller cuts comprise specific muscles. The outside muscle is suitable for roasts, cubes, and strips, and is most tender when cut across the grain. The inside muscle (3-5 lb.) consists of the inside portion of the leg with connective tissue and overlying fat removed. It is the most tender cut of pork, adaptable to salads, roasts, and cutlets as well as strips and kabobs. The pork tip, or knuckle, comes from the tip portion of the leg and is particularly appropriate for stews, soups, and braised dishes. 

Going into hock

Pork hocks, cut from either the leg or the shoulder, are a flavorful addition to the foodservice kitchen.

Similar to veal osso buco, pork leg hocks are separated from the hind foot at or above the knee joint, with the shank bone intact. Cut at least 2-in. in length, they weigh anywhere from 1⁄4-1 1⁄2 lb. Applications include braising and slow-roasting; they also work well in stuffings, stews, and ragouts.

Shoulder hocks, similarly specked, are less meaty than their leg counterparts, but they add flavor and body to soups and stocks.