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Jowl vs Tenderloin

Two cuts people weigh against each other at the counter — here is what actually separates them.

Side by side

JowlTenderloin
Tenderness 70 92
Marbling 88 20
Umami 84 55
Price 62 66
Jowl
Drmies at English Wikipedia (Later version(s) were uploaded by Hohum at en.wikipedia.) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Jowl

Cheek · guanciale · pork collar

The cheek and throat, worked constantly by chewing, so lean muscle and fat end up laced through each other rather than stacked in layers. Cured it becomes guanciale, the fat that makes a carbonara; grilled fresh it is the cut Korean barbecue calls hangjeongsal, and a whole pig yields only a few hundred grams of it.

High heat, briefJust past pink

Look for a marbled cross-section rather than one solid fat seam — the laced pieces are the ones worth the price.

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Tenderloin
Julo · Public domain

Tenderloin

Fillet · psoas · filet mignon of pork

A slim muscle tucked under the spine that does almost nothing for a living. It is the most tender thing on the animal and also the least forgiving: with barely any fat, the window between juicy and sawdust is only a few degrees wide.

60–63°CTake it off early

Ask for the silverskin removed, or take it off yourself: it shrinks in the pan and curls the whole muscle.

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Which one to buy

  • Better forJowl : Tenderloin
  • GrillingJowl92 : 70
  • CuringJowl80 : —
  • BraisingJowl55 : —
  • Quick roastingTenderloin— : 90
  • Stir-fryTenderloin— : 78

Other comparisons

→Jowl vs Shoulder→Jowl vs Belly→Jowl vs Loin→Shoulder vs Picnic shoulder→Shoulder vs Leg→Picnic shoulder vs Hock & trotter→Picnic shoulder vs Leg→Loin vs Tenderloin

All cuts

Beef Primals

→Chuck→Ribeye→Striploin→Sirloin→Round→Brisket→Short plate→Flank→Shank→Head & cheek→Oxtail

Pork Primals

→Jowl→Shoulder→Picnic shoulder→Loin→Tenderloin→Belly→Leg→Hock & trotter

Lamb Primals

→Neck→Shoulder→Rack→Loin→Leg→Shank→Breast

Chicken Portions

→Breast→Wing→Thigh→Drumstick→Tenderloin→Oyster

Beef Offal Map

→Tongue→Heart→Liver→Rumen→Omasum→Abomasum→Small intestine→Large intestine

Bluefin Tuna Cuts

→Kama→Akami→Otoro→Chutoro→Tail belly

← Back to the chart

Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.