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.
Profile
Tenderness72
Marbling40
Umami62
Price52
Pairs with
Cutlets92
Roasting80
Grilling72
Recommended cooking
63°CFaintly pink is correct
Modern pork is safe at 63°C with a three-minute rest. The habit of cooking it grey comes from a parasite risk that no longer exists in farmed pork.
How to pick it
A thin, even fat cap along one edge keeps the muscle from drying; a fully trimmed loin cooks noticeably tougher.
Signature dishes
Grading & naming
Centre-cut loin should show a pale pink eye and a modest fat cap; excess purge means poor handling.
Nutrition · Per 100 g raw edible portion
148kcalCalories
21gProtein
6.5gFat
2.4gSaturated fat
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.