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PORK · Cut

Picnic shoulder

Front leg · hand · arm shoulder

Picnic shoulder
GameKeeper · Public domain

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.

Profile

Tenderness40
Marbling55
Umami76
Price34

Pairs with

Boiled & sliced88
Roasting78
Sausage66

Recommended cooking

85°C+Cook it right through

Dry the skin uncovered in the fridge overnight if you want crackling; moisture is the only thing that stops it blistering.

How to pick it

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

Signature dishes

Grading & naming

Picnic is a working cut — colour and skin quality matter more than a marbling score.

Grading systems →

Nutrition · Per 100 g raw edible portion

180kcalCalories
19gProtein
11gFat
4gSaturated fat

Calories & protein →

Next steps

Compare with

→Picnic shoulder vs Shoulder→Picnic shoulder vs Hock & trotter→Picnic shoulder vs Leg

Keep exploring

→Shoulder→Hock & trotter→Leg

Find a cut by cooking

→Boiled & sliced→Roasting→Sausage

Signature dishes

→Picnic roast→Stewed front leg→Smoked picnic ham

→Pork Primals

All cuts

Beef Primals

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

Pork Primals

→Jowl→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.