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The conical muscle in pork refers to the shank-end ham, which is a cut of pork that comes from the rear legs of the pig. This cut of meat is distinctive because of its conical shape, and it contains the shank bone and part of the femur. The conical muscle is a well-muscled cut of pork that is tough and fatty, and it is located between the picnic shoulder and the foot, also known as the hog's lower leg.
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What You'll Learn
Pork shoulder cuts
The pork shoulder is a primal cut of meat that comes from the front of the pig. It is divided into two sub-primal cuts: the picnic shoulder and the pork butt, also known as the Boston butt. The picnic shoulder is the lower portion of the shoulder, closer to the leg, while the pork butt is the upper portion.
The picnic shoulder is a versatile cut of meat that can be used for grilling, roasting, stewing, braising, stir-frying, and more. It is often used for pulled pork, roasted pork dishes, and Chinese BBQ pork (Char Siu). This cut is typically sold bone-in and skin-on, with a weight ranging from 6 to 11 pounds. It is known for its moist texture and crispy skin.
The pork butt, on the other hand, is located above the pig's foreleg and directly behind its head. This cut is less tough and sinewy than the picnic shoulder because it is not used as much by the pig. The pork butt is typically sold in large portions intended for slow cooking, but it can also be cut into bone-in steaks for grilling. It has a nice marbling of fat and is resistant to overcooking.
Both the picnic shoulder and the pork butt can be used interchangeably in many recipes. They are affordable cuts of meat that offer great value for money. When choosing between the two, it is important to consider the desired cooking method and the level of toughness and moisture desired in the final dish.
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Shank-end hams
Preparing a shank ham is easy and does not require any special equipment or skills. A home-baked ham shank can be more juicy and tender than a spiral-sliced one because it is sliced after baking, sealing in the meat's juices. To keep the meat moist, water is added to the bottom of the baking dish.
One popular recipe for a ham shank includes glazing the ham with a mixture of brown sugar and Dijon mustard. This yields a delectable brown sugar mustard glaze that is far more affordable than a HoneyBaked ham.
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Pork jowl
In the United States, there is a traditional New Year's Day meal in the South that includes pork jowls or fatback, black-eyed peas, and greens. This tradition dates back hundreds of years, with pigs and pork products symbolizing wealth and gluttony. During the American Civil War, the Northern army considered these foods as livestock feed, while Southerners associated the peas with wealth.
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Hock
The pork conical muscle is a muscle found in the front or hind leg of a pig, also known as the pork hock or knuckle.
The hock is the joint between the tibia/fibula and the metatarsals of the foot, or the lower segment of the pig that corresponds to the ankle or calf region. The hock includes the bone, skin, calf muscle and a slice of the round. The ankle is situated 4-5 inches above the trotter.
There are two types of hock: the shoulder hock from the front legs, and the ham hock from the rear legs. The shoulder hock is the lower arm of the pig, including the full radius and ulna. The ham hock is the hind leg or calf.
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Loin rib end section
The loin rib end section, also known as the blade-end roast, is the part of the loin closest to the shoulder. It is sold bone-in and boneless, with the bone-in option being harder to locate. The bone-in blade roast can be chewy and difficult to carve due to its many separate muscles and fatty pockets. The boneless option is a favourite for roasting, as it has more fat and flavour than the boneless centre-cut loin roast.
The loin rib end section is also where rib chops are cut from. These chops have a high fat content, making them flavourful and unlikely to dry out during cooking. They are identified by the bone that runs along one side and the large eye of loin muscle.
Country-style ribs are also cut from the loin rib end section, specifically from the blade end of the loin close to the pork shoulder. They are meatier than other rib cuts and do not contain rib bones. Instead, they contain parts of the shoulder blade.
Loin back ribs are the portions of the ribs directly underneath the pork loin. They consist of at least eight ribs but may have up to 12-15 ribs, depending on whether it is the whole intact rib section. Oftentimes, there is a portion of the loin muscle remaining on the dorsal side of the ribs. The peritoneum (membrane) on the ventral side of the back ribs is recommended to be removed before smoking to enhance tenderness.
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Frequently asked questions
The conical muscle in pork refers to the shank-end ham, which is below the butt portion of the ham.
The shank-end ham contains the shank bone and part of the femur. It is slightly more complicated to carve compared to the butt end of the ham, which only contains one bone.
The shank-end ham is also commonly called ham hocks, shanks, or pork knuckles.
