Pork is the meat of the hog. It contains more fat than that of any other animal. The lean should be fine-grained and of a pale red color, the fat white, and the skin clear and smooth. Reject the meat if the fat is a yellowish white and full of small kernels, and the flesh soft. The hind legs are salted and smoked and are called ham. Sugar-cured hams are the best. The shoulders are also salted and smoked and sold cheaper as "picnic hams." The ribs and loin are used for chops and roasts. The flank, which lies just below the ribs, is salted and smoked and called bacon. The best salt pork comes from the back on either side of the backbone. The solid fat which lies inside the flank is known as leaf lard.

Diagram Showing Bones and Various Market Cuts (Williams and Fisher)

Names Of Cuts Food Uses

1. Loin.

2. Ribs.

3. Ham.

4. Shoulder or picnic ham.

5. Breast.

6. Clear back fat.

7. Jowl.

8. Pigs feet.

Chops or roast.

Chops or roast.

Boiled or sliced and broiled, etc.

Poorer cut of ham.

Salt pork or bacon.

Salt pork.

Head cheese, etc.

Pickled.

The tenderloins, of which there are two, lie under the backbone and extend from the ribs under the loin. Pork should be thoroughly cooked to be wholesome. It should not be eaten except in cold weather and never by children or people of weak digestion.

Note

Students obtain prices of the various cuts of meat and tabulate them to show,

(1) Prices procured by self, from "family" butcher.

(2) Highest prices procured by any member of class.

(3) Lowest prices procured by any member of class.

Each class should visit a local meat market to inspect meat.

Side Of Pork

1. Head.

2. Shoulder or Picnic ham.

3. Back fat.

4. Middle cut.

5. Breast.

6. Ham.

7. Ribs.

8. Loin.