Segments of the Carcass

Appears in

La Varenne Pratique

By Anne Willan

Published 1989

About

A pig can be divided into five segments that do not always correspond to retail cuts. See Pork cuts.

Useful Information

Season Full grown: year-round, peaking autumn. Suckling pig: spring.

How to choose Moist meat, deep pink not gray or red in color; white or creamy fat; avoid dry or discolored surfaces and wet packages, which indicate poor handling.

Nutritive value See Pork cuts.

Cooking methods Whole cut: braise or pot-roast at 350°F/175°C, 25 minutes per 1 lb/500 g; roast; Chops: bake at 350°F/175°C, 1-1 ½ hours; barbecue or broil; marinate 1 day; pan-fry or sauté; cook as a sauté ¾-1 hour; simmer 1-1 ½ hours. Steaks, cubed: braise or stew at 350°F/175°C, 1-1 ½ hours; simmer 1-1 ½ hours; stir-fry 2-3 minutes.

When done Whole cut: tender when pierced with two-pronged fork, at least 170°F/75°C on meat thermometer. Chops, steaks, cubed: meat falls easily from fork.

Processed forms Salted; pickled; smoked; canned.

Storage Whole or pieces: refrigerate 2-4 days; freeze 9 months. Ground: refrigerate 2 days; freeze 3 months. Typical dishes Roast shoulder with crackling and baked apples (UK); épaule braisée aux marrons (braised shoulder stuffed with chestnuts, France); puerco en naranja (loin with mustard and orange sauce, Mexico); pork olives (rolled pork fillet with sage and onion stuffing, UK); carré braisé Niçoise (braised loin with vermouth and lemon peel, France); roast loin with sage and onion stuffing (USA); loin with cornbread stuffing (USA); lombo di maiale al forno (garlic-roasted loin, Italy); lombo di maiale al prosciutto (grilled loin with prosciutto, Italy); lomo de cerdo al Jerez (roast loin with sherry, Spain); loin roast with bitter marmalade, brandy, lemon, and ginger (Australia); schlesisches himmelreich (salted belly, stewed with dried fruit, Germany); kasseler rippchen mit rosinenpudding (pickled smoked chops with sauerkraut and onions, Germany); costolette di maiale al finocchio (braised chops with white wine and fennel seed, Italy); jungfernbraten mit rahmsauce (chops in dill and paprika sauce, Austria); chops with apricot sauce (Australia); goo lo yuk (sweet and sour pork, China); guiso de puerco (pork stewed with onions, chilies, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, cumin, garlic, and vinegar, Mexico); daube de porc aux bélangères (stewed with eggplant and allspice, Caribbean); arista alla fiorentina (roast with garlic, rosemary, and cloves, Italy); pork and apple stew (Ireland); pökelrippchen mit dicken bohnen (with white beans, Germany); spareribs layered with apples, prunes, and brown sugar (USA); maple barbecued spareribs (mustard, tomato, and maple syrup sauce, USA); székelygulyâs (goulash with sour cabbage, Hungary); schweinfrikassee (stewed with onions, pig’s blood, and cream, Switzerland); noisettes de porc aux pruneaux (pork fillet with prunes and cream, France); vepřova pecĕrĕ (roasted with caraway seeds, Czechoslovakia). Also good with rosemary; thyme; sage; honey; dried fruits; plums; red currants; cranberries; pickles; chutney; mustard, red and white cabbage; boiled potatoes; braised endive; carrots; beer.