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Picnic shoulder vs Leg

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

Side by side

Picnic shoulderLeg
Tenderness 40 50
Marbling 55 30
Umami 76 66
Price 34 44
Picnic shoulder
GameKeeper · Public domain

Picnic shoulder

Front leg · hand · arm shoulder

The lower half of the foreleg, below the shoulder proper. Leaner and more sinewy than the butt above it, with a thick skin that crisps into crackling if you let it dry out first. It is the traditional cut for pressed and boiled pork dishes across Asia and Europe alike.

85°C+Cook it right through

Skin should be smooth and dry to the touch. A damp, sticky rind will steam rather than crisp.

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Leg
Renee Comet (Photographer) · Public domain

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.

63°CRest 5 min

For roasting, pick a piece with the skin still on; for stir-frying, ask for the inside round, which is the tenderest section.

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Which one to buy

  • Better forPicnic shoulder : Leg
  • Boiled & slicedPicnic shoulder88 : —
  • RoastingAbout the same78 : 80
  • SausagePicnic shoulder66 : —
  • CuringLeg— : 92
  • Braised in soyLeg— : 68

Other comparisons

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

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.