We can identify the following pork cuts:

The shank contains a large proportion of bone. The meat contains a lot of white connective tissue which makes it very tasty. Clean the trotters and use for brawn. The shank can be used whole for pickling and curing (Eisbein). It can also be sliced for braised dishes.

This part is boneless with a thin muscle layer and a lot of white connective tissue. Cut into a rectangular shape and make a roll for pot-roasting or bake in a cooking bag or aluminium foil. Mince and mix with beef mince for mince dishes. Cure and smoke the belly for making streaky bacon. Remove rind, cut into 25-mm thick strips and use for concertina kebabs.

This cut contains the breastbone, rib ends and a portion of the Marrowbone. The Marrowbone can be marinated and grilled as "spare ribs". Cut into portions for a stew or potjiekos. Debone the cut, cut into rectangular shape and make a roll for pot- roasting. Debone and cure the breast, cut into thin (3-mm) strips for uncured bacon ("green bacon"). Cure and smoke it to make bacon. A deboned breast can be cut into 25-mm thick strips for concertina kebabs. Cut into cubes for a stew and use trimmings for mince.

The neck of the pig carcase is too short to remove separately and is removed with the thick rib. The thick rib consists of the shoulder blade, vertebrae with dorsal vertebrae and 5 to 7 ribs. Debone the thick rib. The cavity where the shoulder blade has been removed can be filled with a stuffing to make a cushion for oven-roasting. The thick rib can be sawn into chops for grilling (thick rib chops). Strips (70 mm x 3 mm) can be cut for a stir-fry. Rib A feature of the rib is the large eye muscle, 7 to 9 ribs, vertebrae and an even fat layer with rind. Have the triangular vertebral bone sawn off (chined*). French** the rib ends and use the cut for a rack. It can also be used to a make a crown roast, candle roast or guard of honour. (Chine* - saw off the triangular bone of the vertebral column. French** - remove all the connective tissue, fat and flesh from the first 2,5 cm of the rib ends.

The loin contains the vertebral column, a T-shaped bone, a large eye muscle and the smaller fillet. The loin contains no ribs. The loin can be removed before the carcase is halved. This cut is referred to as a saddle. Oven-roast whole, or debone, tie and oven-roast, or saw into saddle chops. Debone, tie and oven-roast the loin, or secure with skewers at 25-mm intervals, cut through the meat between the skewers and grill the chops. These are referred to as Saratoga chops.

The chump contains the pelvic bone and several muscle layers. The chump can be kept whole and oven-roasted. If the chump is deboned and tied previously, carving will be easier. Chump chops can be cut for grilling. The chump can be left on the leg to make ham.

The leg consists of marrow bones and several muscle layers. The leg from larger carcases can be divided into 3 separate cuts, i.e. the silverside, topside and thick flank. Use whole, or deboned, and tied for oven-roasting. Separate the muscles from each other. Cut 2-3 mm slices (Schnitzels) from the rectangular muscle in the topside for shallow fat frying. Cut thick flank into strips (70 mm x 3 mm) for stir-fry dishes or cubes (25-mm square) for kebabs. Leave the silverside whole for an oven roast.