Favorite cut of meat

[col klink]

Recently my fiancee and I went to talk to the coordinator and chef of where we'd like to have our wedding reception. I was pretty much keeping out of the conversation and basically nodding until I was able to question the chef. When I asked if they smoke their own salmon, the chef and I went into our own little world of smoking meat and the ladies went on to discuss the reception!

The chef and I both had a beautiful moment when I brought up pork shoulders and we both agreed that the shoulder is our favorite cut of meat. It's beautifully marbled and can be cooked in so many ways and is so forgiving. Walking home I wondered to myself, is the shoulder my favorite cut? After much deliberation, I have to say the pork shoulder is my mine. How about you?

edit: fiancee didn't come out as nicely as I would've liked.

Edited February 21, 2003 by col klink (log)

[tommy]

the shoulder is also the ass, correct?

i like the belly of tuna the most i think.

in the last year, i'm come to appreciate any piece of meat that is tough and cheap, and which turns into tender and tasty after a few hours in the oven, in liquid, or on the grill. shoulder included.

[awbrig]

Against everyone, practically, at eGullet, I love the filet of Beef. This with a rosemary port reduction and a glass of cabernet and im perfect...

[Coop]

For beef it's T bone/ porterhouse so I can make Fiorentina. Pork it has to be the leg. Veal the rib chop. Chicken the thigh. All of Selma Hyak.

[Matt Seeber]

the shoulder is also the ass, correct?

ham tommy and i'm with coop on that last one.

[tommy]

the shoulder is also the ass, correct?

ham tommy and i'm with coop on that last one.

is pork butt "ham" then? i dunno. but i'll defer to the experts.

porterhouse, to me, seems like a waste of filet mignon. and i'm not even sure that it's the best end of the tenderloin to begin with. thoughts?

Edited February 21, 2003 by tommy (log)

[col klink]

Pork butt refers to the butt end of the shoulder, opposite end of the foot.

[awbrig]

opposite end of the foot.

????

[tommy]

Pork butt refers to the butt end of the shoulder, opposite end of the foot.

but what about the ass?

just kidding. i never realized that. as i like to say, you learn something new on egullet almost every other day.

[vengroff]

Bone-in cowboy cut rib steak.

[snowangel]

Pork: shoulder. Beef: NY strip steak. Chicken: Thigh. Fish: cheeks. Turkey: none, unless smoked. Duck: crispy skin. Lamb: chop.

[col klink]

opposite end of the foot.

????

The shoulder ecompasses all the meat of the forward leg from above the hock to the approximately the spine. The butt of the shoulder is the top, next to the spine.

Tommy, the ass is the "ham" or a rear leg. Ham is cured from the rear legs which are leaner than the forward legs or "arms." Hence shoulder.

[tommy]

Tommy, the ass is the "ham" or a rear leg. Ham is cured from the rear legs which are leaner than the forward legs or "arms." Hence shoulder.

so does the ass always come cured, and sold as ham?

at the risk of posting something that i shouldn't: 2 takes on a hog:

Edited February 21, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Matt Seeber]

wait what happened to salma hayek.....darnit!

[awbrig]

tommy Posted: Feb 20 2003, 09:04 PM 

but what about the ass?

no comment

[Holly Moore]

I'd have a hard time picking between lamb shank and prime rib.

[awbrig]

does my but look big?

[JAZ]

Tommy, the ass is the "ham" or a rear leg. Ham is cured from the rear legs which are leaner than the forward legs or "arms." Hence shoulder.

so does the ass always come cured, and sold as ham?

According to Aidells and Kelly's Complete Meat Cookbook, the uncured leg can be difficult to find, since apparently not many butchers know how to cut up a whole leg into smaller roasts. So most are smoked and end up as ham. But they say you should be able to order one from a decent butcher. Look for it as "pork leg" or "fresh ham."

[col klink]

so does the ass always come cured, and sold as ham?

Nope. Depends on your butcher I suppose. With mine I can get fresh hog legs or cured legs or fully cooked cured legs which is what ham is. The fresh cured hams are great because you can smoke them yourself for the best ham of your life.

[tommy]

so does the ass always come cured, and sold as ham?

Nope. Depends on your butcher I suppose. With mine I can get fresh hog legs or cured legs or fully cooked cured legs which is what ham is. The fresh cured hams are great because you can smoke them yourself for the best ham of your life.

so does the ass ever come "virgin," so to speak? or is it cured.

confused.

edit:

ah, i see you say "fresh hog legs." i'm assuming this could be the ass as well. and if so, does the ass taste much different from the front legs, aside from fat content? same applications?

Edited February 21, 2003 by tommy (log)

[mamster]

Beef chuck, which is also a shoulder cut. It's the best stew meat for stews both European and Asian; you can grind it; and treated with care it's got an enormous amount of beef flavor and, because it's several muscles coming together, a variety of textures.

About the only thing you can't do with chuck is cook it like steak.

[Matt Seeber]

generally speaking - applicable to beef, veal, lamb and pork - shoulders are braised and legs are roasted.

[elyse]

I was just thinking about my stew today. I used to cut chuck into chunks before browning it, but recently started browning it as a steak or two. Then I take it out and let it rest while sauteeing the vegetables. I find it easier this way. Any reason cutting it first works better?

[Suzanne F]

Only that there are then more surfaces to brown (Maillard effect and all that). But there is definitely something to be said for ease of preparation.

[elyse]

You know, I just get tired of turning and toasting. Plus I find it blackens the pot more quickly. And not in a good way.