For many people it is sausages and bacon which spring to mind when they think of pork. Though these can be absolutely delicious, there is more to pork than that, with tasty cuts for every meal.

Cuts unfamiliar to many people are often called for by pork recipes. This guide will help you choose from the huge range of options available at your local butcher shop.

Shoulder Pork

Large and versatile, a plethora of different pork recipes use meat from around the shoulder. From casseroles, to curries, to stews and roast pork, pork shoulder can be used in all of them with grogeous results.

Good butchers will, with speed and precision, turn the shoulder into steaks, cubes for use in stews or casseroles, mincing meat and roast pork joints.

Loin Pork

The pork loin is traditionally the preserve of chops but modern butchering has led to a number of new and exciting pork cuts. As well as tasty steaks, pork fillet, spare ribs and chops, good butchers will also produce delicious roast pork joints from the pork loin.

Pork recipes using this part of the pig include BBQs, roasts and stir fries.

Pork Belly

It seems like there is not a trendy gastro pub nor restaurant selling classic British cuisine thathasn’t addedslow roast pork belly to its menu. Once an undervalued and lesser used cut, the belly has become very popular, and for good reason.

Butchers carve fantastic spare ribs, belly slices and roasting joints from the belly.

Leg of Pork

Thanks to the bones, the pork leg requires a good deal of preparation from the butcher before you get the cuts with which you are familiar. From only one pork leg the butcher is able to produce a host of roast pork joints, steaks and meat for stir fries, casseroles or stews.

From casseroles to goulash to ham to roast pork, pork leg cuts are at the heart of a range of tasty recipes.

Offal

As increasing numbers of tv chefs turn to offal – kidney, cheek, liver, trotters and so on – it is becoming more widely used on the doomestic market.

More than this, in the grip of tough economic conditions, they can be a delicious means of feeding the family for less.

Of course, the key to any of these cuts is using good quality meat so be sure to look out for the red tractor seal of approval.