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Home » Ingredients » Meat Pork

Pork Cuts Names And How to Cook Them

Published: Jul 2, 2016 · Modified: Apr 23, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

A list of all the edible parts of the pig with their names in English, French and Italian. A brief description of how they are used with some suggestions on how to cook each pork cuts. #yourguardianchef #porkchartmeat #porkrecipes #pork #porkchops #porkbelly #porktenderloin

Pork is very common in many countries. However, many people know and tend to cook the same pork cuts.

It is a shame, as practically every part of the pig can be cooked and eaten; also, using most of its meat is a way of honoring its death.

Jump to:
  • Ham (Eng.); Jambon (Fr.);  Cosciotto, Prosciutto (It.) :
  • Hocks, shank (Eng.); Jarret (Fr.), Jambonneau , Gretti o Stinchi (It.):
  • Tenderloin (Eng.); Filet mignon (Fr.); Filetto (It.):
  • Loin end roast (Eng.); Pointe (Fr.); Punta di filetto (It.):
  • Loin (Eng.); Filet (Fr.); Sottofiletto, Nodini (It.) :
  • Pork chops (Eng.); Carré de Côte (Fr.); Carre, Lonza, Braciole (It.):
  • Neck, Spare rib roast (Eng.); Échine (Fr.); Coppa, Capocollo (It.):
  • Boston Butt (Eng.); Palette (Fr.); Paletta (It.):
  • Rib tips (Eng.); Plat de cotes (Fr.); Puntine (It.):
  • Spare ribs (Eng.); Travers de cote (Fr.); Costine, Puntine, Custaioli (It.):
  • Jowl (Eng.); Gorge (Fr.); Guancie, Guanciale (It.):
  • Bacon (Eng.); Poitrine (Fr.); Pancetta (It.):
  • Picnic shoulder (Eng.); Épaule (Fr.); Spalla (It.):
  • Head (Eng.); Tête (Fr.); Testa (It.):
  • Feet (Eng.); Pieds (Fr.); Piedini (It.):
  • Pork rind (Eng.); Couenne (Fr.); Cotenna (It.) :
  • Pig lard (Eng.), Saindoux (Fr.), Sugna o Strutto (It.):
  • Other articles you might also like

Some less obvious pork cuts were historically used out of necessity when food was scarce, for example, during the war when poor people could not afford to buy premium cuts.

Though some of the less appealing parts of the pig have a wonderful flavor, and with time they have earned an honored place among traditional recipes.

I decided to conduct some research and make a list of all the edible parts of the pig with their names in English, French and Italian. In addition, I added a brief description of how they are used with some suggestions on how to cook each pork cuts.

I hope this chart will help you to discover some exciting recipes, so you will not miss out on those delicacies even if some pork cuts might be at first less appealing than others.

Pig chart

Ham (Eng.); Jambon (Fr.);  Cosciotto, Prosciutto (It.) :

Because of its large dimensions, it is often used for festivities. In the Anglo-Saxon countries, it is used as a Christmas roast, while in Italy and France, it is mainly used to make cooked or cured ham (Jambon, prosciutto di  Parma o Culatello the part closer to the tail). That is why in Italy and France, it is difficult to find it plain to roast at home,  as in the Anglo-Saxon countries.

Pig chart 1

Here you can find some recipes:

Chinese Braised Ham Hock in Black Bean Sauce from Krumpli

Crispy Beer Roasted Pork Knuckle With Red Cabbage from Krumpli

Hocks, shank (Eng.); Jarret (Fr.), Jambonneau , Gretti o Stinchi (It.):

It is the upper part of the feet and is usually simmered in a stew. It releases a lot of flavors and makes a thick broth. In some Anglo-Saxon countries, it is often sold as cured or smoked.

Pig chart 2

Here you can find some recipes:

Chinese Braised Ham Hock in Black Bean Sauce from Krumpli

Crispy Beer Roasted Pork Knuckle With Red Cabbage from Krumpli

Tenderloin (Eng.); Filet mignon (Fr.); Filetto (It.):

This is the leanest cut of meat; it can be cooked, roasted, grilled, fried, or barbecued. I either cut it in slices, stir fry it and deglaze it with Marsala or stuff it and cook it in the oven.

Pig chart 3

Here are more recipes for a tenderloin:

  • Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Chestnuts and Cranberries from Your Guardian Chef
  • Pork Tenderloin with Apples from Supergolden Bakes
  • Easy Chinese Bbq Pork from Easypeasy Lemonsqueezy
  • Slow Cooker Marinated Pork Tenderloin from Dishes Delish
  • Rosemary Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Strawberries from Sprinkles And Sprouts
  • Cashew Pork Stir Fry from Binky's Culinary Carnival

Loin end roast (Eng.); Pointe (Fr.); Punta di filetto (It.):

This part is not as lean as the loin and is uneven in shape. It is often used for sausages or mince.

Pig chart 4

You can use it to make:

  • Beef Sausage Hand Pie Recipe
  • Sausagemeat and Chestnut Stuffing Wrapped in Bacon
  • Brioche Sausage Rolls Recipe
  • Garlic Air Fryer Pork Loin from Binky's Culinary Carnival

Loin (Eng.); Filet (Fr.); Sottofiletto, Nodini (It.) :

It is a lean part of the pork, similar to pork chops but without the bone. It is usually cut whole in a cylindrical shape and roasted. It can be a huge piece of meat and can feed a crowd.

Pig chart 5

I cook it in the pressure cooker to make:

  • Pulled Pork Pressure Cooker
  • Pork Casserole with Pineapple: You can make a pork roast using any vegetables in your pantry.
stuff the pork loin

A famous Italian recipe is Loin cooked in milk and flavored with truffles.

Pork chops (Eng.); Carré de Côte (Fr.); Carre, Lonza, Braciole (It.):

It is the same cut as the loin but with the bones. The chops are cut in between the bones and are usually grilled or barbecued.

Pig chart 6

Here are some recipes:

One Pan Tuscan Pork Chops from Sprinkles And Sprouts

Neck, Spare rib roast (Eng.); Échine (Fr.); Coppa, Capocollo (It.):

It is marbled meat, situated between the upper neck and the carre, loin.

In Italy is dried and cured and sold as cold meat: coppa or capocollo. If raw, it can be used for a roast.

Pig chart 7

Here is a recipe:

Instant Pot Pork Stew with Maple Syrup from Sprinkles And Sprouts

Boston Butt (Eng.); Palette (Fr.); Paletta (It.):

It is the upper part of the shoulder, a tougher cut than the shoulder. It can be cooked roasted or on the barbecue.

This piece is used to make salami, Cotechino ( traditionally eaten at New Year), Nduja and Mortadella, also called Bologna in the USA, and hot dogs.

Pig chart 8

In France, it is traditionally used in the Cassoulet

One more recipe from Krumply: Pork Pie Recipe With a Bonus!

Rib tips (Eng.); Plat de cotes (Fr.); Puntine (It.):

They are the top end of the ribs and chewier as they have more cartilage than the top ribs. Some people prefer those to the Spare ribs. They are cooked the same way as the ribs here below.

Pig chart 9
  • Italian Braised Pork Ribs with Pasta from The Pasta Project

Spare ribs (Eng.); Travers de cote (Fr.); Costine, Puntine, Custaioli (It.):

they are the continuation of chops’ bone. They are lightly marbled and full of flavor. Sometimes they are cut perpendicular to the bone Flanken-cut, but most commonly, they are cut parallel to the bone, called the English-cut.

Pig chart 10

Ribs are usually roasted, broiled, or on a barbecue seasoned with a sweet and sour sauce.

Here are some recipes:

  • Bourbon Baby Back Ribs from Dishes Delish
  • Herb-Roasted Rack of Pork from Flipped Out Food

Jowl (Eng.); Gorge (Fr.); Guancie, Guanciale (It.):

It is relatively lean but very moist. In Italy is cured and smoked and used as bacon/pancetta to flavor dishes like, for example the traditional Pasta alla Carbonara

Pig chart 11

Recipes with Guanciale:

  • Pasta Amatriciana from Inside The Rustic Kitchen

Bacon (Eng.); Poitrine (Fr.); Pancetta (It.):

They are used for breakfast in Anglo-Saxon countries, even if cut differently depending on the country. In Italy and France is used smoked or plain is used to add flavor to many dishes.

Pig chart 12
  • Sausagemeat and Chestnut Stuffing Wrapped in Bacon
  • Caramelized Squash Ricotta Spinach Bacon Quiche

Some more recipes:

  • Cider & Chilli Pork Belly from Slow The Cook Down
  • Easy Garlic Bacon Pasta from Sprinkles And Sprouts
Traditional French Cassoulet pork shoulder belly Toulouse sausages
Pig chart 13

Picnic shoulder (Eng.); Épaule (Fr.); Spalla (It.):

This cut is lightly marbled and full of flavor. Usually used for sausages and chipolatas, it is excellent roasted as the fat keeps the meat very moist. It is reasonably priced and, if roasted whole, can feed an army! You can use it for pulled pork

As it is a significant cut of meat, it can be used for Christmas ham roast.

Good to know, if you live in France or Italy where the typical ham to roast is more challenging to find.

Pierino, a food writer and a “Romanista Curva Sud” activist living in California, suggests making the Porchetta Romana.

Here are more recipes:

  • Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast from Crave The Good
  • Green Chile Pork Stew from Flipped Out Food
  • Instant Pot Liver and Onions With Bacon and Mash from Krumply

Head (Eng.); Tête (Fr.); Testa (It.):

Not everybody’s cup of tea, but when food was scarce, all parts of the pig were eaten, including ears, nose, and tongue.

Pig chart 14

It is a tradition within the Italian countryside to kill a pig in the winter and celebrate with a feast called “La maialata.”

Every part of the pig is used, and nothing is wasted, not even the offal.

They are boiled in pig fat and eaten as a delicacy to those who appreciate them.

Feet (Eng.); Pieds (Fr.); Piedini (It.):

In Italy, the pork feet are emptied and stuffed with sausage meat (Paletta) to make the classic New Year dish Cotechino. I know, I was never a fan of that, but it is a tradition in Italy. If I can, I skip it!

But if you want to see the recipe, here it is:

  • Cotechino e Lenticchie from My Pinch Of Italy
  • Pork Pie Recipe With a Bonus! from Krumply
Pig chart 15

Other pork cuts we should not forget are:

Pork rind (Eng.); Couenne (Fr.); Cotenna (It.) :

  • Pigskin to make cracklings, a global roasted delicacy. It is made by boiling the lard to separate it from the rind. The fat located inside the pig is also used; it is softer and has fewer cartilages attached. It is used for cooking and baking. Here is the recipe: Crispy Crackling Bites from Sprinkles And Sprouts and another recipe from Krumply Spring Ham Hock Salad.

Pig lard (Eng.), Saindoux (Fr.), Sugna o Strutto (It.):

  • The generic term Lard in English and French, Lardo in Italian, is used to describe pig fat, primarily located in the upper part of the back over the loin. It has the pork rind attached, and it is often mixed with the meat to make sausages and salami. Here is a recipe from The Pasta Project Neapolitan Ziti Pasta with Italian Lardo (ziti lardiati)

Other articles you might also like

If you have a suggestion or a recipe to share, write in the comments below.

If you want to buy different cuts of meat and you don’t speak the language, find my charts with names translated into French and Italian also for cuts of lamb, beef to BBQ, and What are calamari, squid, cuttlefish, and Octopus.

You can download all these charts here below (discount code for subscribers):

Buy Conversion Charts

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michele DICKSON

    October 08, 2018 at 9:52 am

    I am in France, so, can you please tell me how to make a Christmas ham?

    i do miss it!!

    Reply
    • Laura

      October 09, 2018 at 6:25 am

      LOL, I miss it too and working on it...

      Reply
  2. Betty

    August 18, 2019 at 5:59 pm

    Great post Laura! So many great recipes to try! Thanks for including my pork belly

    Reply
    • Laura

      August 19, 2019 at 6:47 am

      Thank you Betty for your contribution

      Reply
  3. Brian Jones

    August 18, 2019 at 8:18 pm

    What a fab collection of grub and plenty of new stuff for me to experiment with, I adore cheaper cuts. I am working on a pigs ear recipe right now

    Reply
    • Laura

      August 19, 2019 at 6:48 am

      Thank you, yes I do too. Let me know when it is ready and I will add it on

      Reply
  4. Jacqueline Debono

    August 20, 2019 at 7:25 am

    I love this post. As I'm sure you know Laura here in Italy they say 'del maiale non si butta via niente'! This post has some fabulous recipes that I'd love to try! I especially want to make your cassoulet! Thanks for sharing my Italian braised ribs recipe!

    Reply
    • Laura

      August 20, 2019 at 7:28 am

      Thank you Jacqui, I want to try your ribs recipe. I never tried ribs in pasta so very excited to try

      Reply
    • Jacqueline Debono

      August 20, 2019 at 7:29 am

      And the ziti lardiati! 🙂

      Reply
      • Laura

        August 20, 2019 at 10:21 am

        Yes!!!!

        Reply
  5. Chantal Bristow

    May 11, 2021 at 11:28 am

    I was looking for these. Thanks for the names in different languages. You could add crépine.caul as it is also very useful.

    Reply
    • Laura

      May 11, 2021 at 12:01 pm

      Thank you, yes I will do. We wrapt the liver with it

      Reply
  6. Paula

    May 10, 2023 at 4:23 pm

    Very interesting, but aren't your English names American English? Please add the British English names bc I'm confused. Here in France, most French food names are given in British English. No such thing as picnic ham here! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Laura

      May 11, 2023 at 12:56 pm

      I know, it is very confusing, Picnic is the way the shoulder is cut. Although it is the shoulder

      Reply

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