Side by side
Loin
Back · centre-cut chop · karree
The long muscle running along the back, barely worked and therefore very lean. Nearly every breaded cutlet in the world comes from here — schnitzel, tonkatsu, milanesa — because a lean, even muscle is exactly what a coating needs to protect.
A thin, even fat cap along one edge keeps the muscle from drying; a fully trimmed loin cooks noticeably tougher.
Leg
Ham · fresh ham · gammon
The hind leg, the largest single piece on the pig and the one the whole curing industry is built around. Fresh it is lean and mild; salted and air-dried for a year or more it becomes jamón, prosciutto or country ham, depending on which side of a border the cellar sits on.
For roasting, pick a piece with the skin still on; for stir-frying, ask for the inside round, which is the tenderest section.
Which one to buy
- Better forLoin : Leg
- CutletsLoin92 : —
- RoastingAbout the same80 : 80
- GrillingLoin72 : —
- CuringLeg— : 92
- Braised in soyLeg— : 68
Other comparisons
All cuts
Beef Primals
Chicken Portions
Bluefin Tuna Cuts
Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.