Fat and bone-rich portions of the pig

(BZfE) - Pork is the undisputed leader in the German meat hit parade. According to the supply balance of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food, per capita consumption in 2016 was 36,2 kilograms per year. Particularly popular are the so-called valuable cuts: ham, chop, filet and comb. The portions with higher fat or bone content, especially in the hearty autumn and winter kitchen certainly have their advantages. And on top of that, they are also inexpensive. For example, the "thick rib" between stomach and shoulder. The more coarse-grained meat is usually boiled or braised with the bone. The meat becomes particularly tender when it has been marinated for a few hours. In many cases, the thickness rib is also offered cured or smoked. So it is well suited for savory stews or goulash.

With a fat content of around 20 percent, the belly meat is similar to the fat rib. It is sold either "as grown" (with bones and rind) or without bones, and is best made as cooked meat. A special delicacy is stuffed pork belly. It may be varied: sometimes come crumbs, onions and herbs, sometimes colorful vegetables and spicy minced meat.

The knuckle - also called ham leg or knuckle - is characterized by its high bone content, is heavily intergrown and surrounded by a thick layer of fat. It must be cooked for a very long time so that the meat becomes really tender and aromatic and can be easily detached from the bone. The preparation is strongly regional: While the Berlin swill on cured and cooked pork knuckle with sauerkraut or pea puree, the Bayern leave nothing to grilled knuckle with the crumbly crust.

For more information on the different cuts of pork and its uses, pork production, purchasing and storage, see: https://www.bzfe.de/inhalt/schweinefleisch-998.html

Eva Neumann, www.bzfe.de