Pork

The old saying that you can eat every part of the pig but the squeal is almost true. Head, blade shoulder, arm shoulder, loin, spare ribs, belly side, leg, and hock are all cuts of pork used in everyday pork recipes. The head is used for soups and broths, and the ears are sometimes frozen and fried. In fact, many high-end restaurants now include “crispy pork ears” on their menus. The loin is the most versatile section of the pig, providing us with baby back ribs, pork chops, Canadian bacon, pork loin crown roast, and the pork loin itself, which is practically fat free. You get your cured, bone-in picnic ham from the leg, and if you’ve ever eaten pickled pig’s feet or pig’s tail, you’re eating hock.