Pork in a small sauce
When you hear the word pork, everyone thinks of pig slaughter. The slaughtering of pigs in the backyard was a special event in every family, especially before Christmas and on the occasion of weddings and major holidays. The animal was honoured by using every part of it. It is no different in today’s modern meat processing plants.
Anyone who’s been to a pig slaughter probably knows where the pig is located, but many people only come across chops, loins, shoulder blades, etc. in the butcher’s counter or in a package. With the help of our meat experts, here’s a look at the different parts of pork: where they are, what to make with each, which is the tenderest, which is the juiciest and even why collagen is good for pork.
FEJ: Beyond pork cheese: cheek meat can also be used to make stews
Location, what can be made of it? The location of the head is not worth explaining, but many people don’t know that head meat can be used not only in pork cheese and jelly, but also in stews. In recent centuries, pig’s cheese has become a great tradition in our country and is still loved by many people.
Fun fact: Traditional pork cheese stuffed into the stomach is smoked for its shelf life and flavour.
TARJA: If it's a juicy cut of meat, then it's tarja
Position: the neck of the pig is located on top, after the head.
What can it be used for? It is a succulent, fatty meat, which makes it very tasty, and is best suited for frying. It is also very popular at barbecues, which is no coincidence, as the marbled meat, which is rich in fat, after a delicious marinade, ensures that the food stays tender and succulent.
Kometa tip
In addition to salt, you can also add black pepper, ground pepper, cumin and even coriander. Not only on the barbecue, but also in the oven, it makes a delicious dish both sliced and fried.
LAPOCKA: One of the most versatile ingredients, but the best for stew
Location: the shoulder is essentially the foreleg of the pig, the upper part of the front leg of the animal.
What can it be used for? The meat under the layer of skin and fat is more tender than the thigh. The use of pork shoulder is very varied, it is excellent for Brasserie steak, chitterlings, stews, meatballs, roasts, vegetable dishes, etc. and, when minced, it can enrich any casserole, even shepherd’s pie.
Kometa tip
Shoulder blades are also particularly recommended for pork stew, as the collagen that comes out of the tendons during cooking shapes the texture of the stew, and the cooked collagen can fight not only wrinkles but also cartilage loss!
KARAJ: Meat that is easy to fit into your diet
Location: high-protein loin is a fibrous meat that runs along the backbone. The long loin is the head part, the short loin the tail part, the latter including the tenderloin. If you see a sign at the butcher’s or meat counter that says “cutlet” or “pork chop”, don’t be alarmed, these are also the names for loin. Pork chops are bone-in or boneless chops, and cutlets are bone-in chops.
What can it be used for? It can be baked as a whole or in slices, and it can even be stuffed: stuffed with sausage, the Csabai loin is a popular dish. Many people use it as a fried meat, which is no coincidence, as it is one of the most popular fried meats. If you prefer a slightly fattier flavour, go for the long loin, while if you want a completely fat-free meat, go for the short loin. It can also be cooked in the oven after marinating, and some people fry it with the bone in a pan with onions, peppers and, of course, fruit.
Kometa tipp
It is worth paying attention when baking, as the low fat content can dry out quickly. It is recommended to marinate and bake covered or in a bundle. Don't forget the bones: with some vegetables, they make a delicious bone soup!
PORK: Not just the loin, but the noblest part of the whole pig
Location: the tenderloin is the noblest, most expensive part of the pig, the lean meat under the short loin, at the rump.
What can it be used for? Just like the rest of the loin, you can roast it whole, in slices (tenderloin) or stuff it. It can also be included in the diet as it is very low in fat. And that is why you have to pay special attention to drying out when frying.
Kometa tip
You can make a lot of tickling dishes from it if you continue to roast it after high heat, covered. It is delicious with a honey and mustard marinade, and many people serve it with fruit jams, onion soups and various sauces.
BUTTER Bacon: It can be used for ribs, belly bacon and bacon
Location: the ribbed part of the meat under/next to the pork loin.
What can it be used for? This part can be used to make ribs, bacon, belly bacon, bacon and even part of the fat. The chopped main cuts are marinated, cooked and smoked to produce the classic Caesar bacon, which can be eaten on its own, in casseroles or even as a topping for bread or pasta.
OLDALAS: Grilled meat, one-dish meal, stew - they can all be made with ribs
Location: the flank is a ribbed, bony, skinless part of the pig’s thorax.
What can it be used for? A form of cutting/processing of the bony, leathery Emperor bacon is the flank. It can be prepared in a variety of ways, for example as a very tasty dish cooked over a slow fire, so it can be eaten hot or cold, e.g. on its own with bread, or as a topping for main courses. It can be grilled as well as baked or boiled. In this case, it’s a good idea to marinate the meat a few days before grilling, either Hungarian-style with lots of onions or with BBQ seasoning. Smoked, it is also an excellent flavouring for bean soup.
Kometa tip
If you buy them whole, rather than cut into pieces, you should slice 1-2 ribs at a time before roasting, marinating, etc.
BACON Bacon: Or bacon bacon, because bacon means bacon
Elhelyezkedése, mi készülhet belőle? Bacon is made from the bacon of the Caesar, typically does not include the ribs and the rib-eye, and is not cooked, but only smoked. It is most often sliced and served with eggs or on its own, but it can also be a spaghetti fillet (e.g. spaghetti carbonara).
DAGADÓ: Waiting to be recharged
Location: the pork belly is the lower part of the pig’s abdomen, a soft, fleshy, fatty part.
What can it be used for? It’s easy to pierce, holds the filling and makes an excellent stuffed meat. A real classic with mushrooms and parsley, but feel free to experiment with flavours. It can also be minced, although it’s expensive, so for minced meat our experts recommend the shoulder and thigh.
COMB: nut, nut, fricando, fartőő
Location: located above the pig’s hind leg, it is the muscle group with the largest mass.
Mi készülhet belőle? Lean meat can be used in many ways: it can be made into stew, put into sauerkraut, and stewed or baked. With bone and skin, it can be used as a traditional smoked prosciutto (also excellent in cabbage dishes), or as a boneless cured ham (KOMETA Prosciutto Crudo). The latter is a delicious dish in its own right, often used as a topping for traditional Neapolitan pizzas, but it also makes a delicious pairing with melon and can be used in a more substantial sandwich.
Its parts and what can be made from them? The thigh is made up of muscle groups bounded by a membrane. The cuts are: rump, fricando, walnut, rump; these can be eaten roasted or sliced (fried and freshly roasted). The most valuable of these cuts is the rump, which is also excellent when fried in slices and can be the basis of stews (e.g. pepper and buckwheat stews). The fricando is the middle part of the thigh. The walnut in the rump is also known as the round rump. The rump is also known as the rose, the juiciest part of the thigh: it is ideal for roasting or even mincing (e.g. for making low-fat meatloaf), and is part of the sauce.
FRUIT: Excellent as a stew or in one
Position: the front or back leg is the shank of the pig.
What can it be used for? It is most often found marinated and smoked, or still raw ready for frying, but it can also be chopped up to make a stew. If roasted whole, it is best to leave the bone in, as this keeps the meat juicier and tastier. Baker’s-style drumsticks are a classic dish that is not too difficult to prepare, but time-consuming.
Kometa tip
If you want a quick and easy-to-prepare leg of pork, ready-to-roast pork chops are the perfect choice, as you can have a restaurant-style meal on the table in just over half an hour.
FRUIT: Worth eating for its collagen content alone
Location: like the head, the location of the nail is clear.
What can it be used for? It’s perfect in jelly and stews, and even in stews made from pork belly, it’s worth adding a few pieces cut in half, because it makes the stew thicker and juicier, and of course, you shouldn’t forget about its collagen content.
FAROK: A New Year's Eve dinner garnish is actually also an excellent source of collagen
Location, what can be made of it? The location of the pig’s tail also needs no explanation, but many people think that it is just a decoration for the New Year’s Eve dinner. This is not true, as it can be used in jelly, stews and cabbage dishes. It can be smoked or unsmoked.
Fun fact: It’s not just the flavour of pork tails that makes them worth cooking, but also the natural gelling agents that boil out of the tails during cooking, which improve the texture of the food.
Did you know? You can get natural collagen from pork
Collagen consumption plays an important role not only in maintaining the beauty of the skin, but also in muscle regeneration and the prevention of cartilage loss, among other things. It also helps to maintain a healthy gut, while supporting the brain and heart. Various collagen preparations are very popular, but pigs’ nails, tails, heads and hocks, when well cooked, provide our bodies with natural collagen. Pig collagen is the closest to human collagen and its usefulness is unquestionable.
Did you know? Chops can be included in a fat-free diet
In the backyard pig slaughter, the thickness of the bacon was the yardstick. Today, in line with nutritional requirements, the focus is on lean cuts. Loin and part of it, tenderloin, are an excellent addition to the diet.
Pork cuts can be used to create a variety of flavours and protein-rich dishes. Everyone can find their favourite. Enjoy your meal!
