Pork Cuts Names And How to Cook Them

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Pork is a very common meat 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 the pig’s meat is a way of honouring 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.):
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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 flavour, and with time they have earned an honoured 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 interesting recipes, so you will not miss out on those delicacies. Even if some pork cuts might be at first less appealing than others.

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 mostly 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.

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

Sweet and Tangy Orange Glaze For Ham from Pine Needles In My Salad

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

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

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. Personally, I either cut it in slices, stir fry it and deglaze with Marsala or stuff it and cook it in the oven.

Here 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 its shape. It is often used for sausages or mince.

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 a whole in a cylindrical shape and roasted. It can be a very large piece of meat and can feed a crowd.

I cook it in the pressure cooker to make:

Pulled Pork Pressure Cooker
Pork Casserole with Pineapple or whatever: You can make a pork roast using any vegetables you have in your pantry.

A famous Italian recipe is Loin cooked in milk and flavoured 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.

Here 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.

Here 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.

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.

Succulent fall off the bone BBQ pork ribs from Pine Needles In My Salad
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 flavour. Sometimes they are cut perpendicular to the bone Flanken-cut, but most commonly they are cut parallel to the bone, called the English-cut.

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

Here 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 flavour dishes like for example the traditional Pasta alla Carbonara

Recipes with Guanciale:

Pasta Amatriciana from Inside The Rustic Kitchen
Spaghetti with Baked Tomatoes, Black Garlic and Guanciale from My Pinch Of Italy

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

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

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

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

this cut is lightly marbled and full of flavour. 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 big 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 difficult to find.

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

Here 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.

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

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 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, mostly 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 a recipe from The Pasta Project Neapolitan Ziti Pasta with Italian Lardo (ziti lardiati)

If you got inspired, you can download your free charts of pork cuts here below to bring them with you to the supermarket.