Half Pig Cuts: What Cuts Do You Get in Half a Pig?

Our Half a Pig Butchers Box is one of our favourite meat boxes to produce.

We love breaking pork down the traditional way, the same way our family has been doing for three generations, and we think it shows. It has consistently been one of our customers’ favourite products on our online store.

Customers love ordering half a pig because it lets them bulk buy, save money, stock the freezer in one go, and get a wide variety of different pork cuts for proper home cooking.

But half pig cuts can also be a little confusing.

Customers sometimes ask to alter the cuts in their Half a Pig Butchers Box, which we always try to help with where possible. But it can lead to some long conversations about what is actually possible.

For example, if you want T-bone pork chops, you cannot also have pork fillet. If you want your loin chops on the bone, you will not get baby back ribs as well. Confused? Exactly.

So here’s a simple guide to the cuts you can get from half a pig.

What Is Half a Pig?

In butchery, half a pig is usually called a side of pork.

It is one half of the pig, split lengthways, and it can be broken down into a wide range of pork cuts, including roasting joints, chops, belly slices, ribs, hocks, sausages, diced pork and mince.

The exact cuts you receive will depend on how the side is butchered.

Half Pig Cuts

The main cuts from half a pig can include:

• pork shoulder
• pork butt
• pork hock
• pork loin joints
• pork loin steaks
• pork chops
• pork fillet
• baby back ribs
• pork belly
• pork belly slices
• belly ribs or spare ribs
• pork leg joints
• chump joint or steaks
• diced pork
• pork mince
• sausages

That does not mean you will always get every single cut in one box. Some cuts are alternatives to each other, because they come from the same part of the animal.

Why Can’t You Have Every Pork Cut?

This is the bit that causes the most confusion.

A pig only has so many parts, and some cuts depend on how the butcher breaks the side down.

For example, if you want loin chops on the bone, the bone, fillet and baby back ribs are attached to that section. So you cannot also have separate pork fillet and baby back ribs from the same loin.

The same applies to pork belly. If you want belly left on the bone, you cannot also have a separate rack of belly ribs.

It is not us being awkward. It is just anatomy. Annoying, but true.

The Main Sections of Half a Pig

A side of pork can be broken down into three main sections:

• the front, often called the cross-cut
• the middle
• the leg

Each section can then be broken down further into different cuts.

The Cross-Cut

The cross-cut is the front section of the pig.

It can usually be split into three main primal cuts:

• the butt
• the shoulder
• the hock

The Pork Butt

The pork butt, also known as Boston butt, comes from the upper shoulder area.

It is a brilliant cut for low and slow cooking, BBQ and pulled pork because it has plenty of fat and connective tissue. When cooked slowly, that fat and tissue break down and leave you with tender, shreddable pork.

Pork butt can be left as a whole roasting joint, or it can be boned and divided into smaller roasting joints or shoulder steaks.

For more detail, read our guide on what pork butt is.

The Pork Shoulder

Pork shoulder is usually broken down into roasting joints.

It can be sold boneless, rolled and tied, or left on the bone depending on the butcher’s specification.

Shoulder is full of flavour and especially good for slow roasting, pulled pork and low and slow cooking. It is not the leanest joint, but that is exactly why it cooks so well over a longer period of time.

The Pork Hock

The hock comes from the lower part of the leg area near the joint.

You cannot really break it down much further. It is less fashionable these days, but it is still a fantastic traditional cut.

Pork hock is great for stews, stocks, curing, bacon hocks, or traditional dishes like Schweinshaxe, which is a roasted pork hock sometimes called pork knuckle.

The Middle

The middle of the pig is where many of the most familiar pork cuts come from.

It can be split into two main sections:

• the loin
• the belly

The Pork Loin

The pork loin can be butchered in a few different ways.

It can be used for:

• boneless pork loin steaks
• boneless pork loin roasting joints
• baby back ribs
• pork fillet
• on-the-bone pork chops
• on-the-bone pork loin roasting joints

This is where choices matter.

If you choose boneless loin steaks or roasting joints, the butcher can remove the baby back ribs and pork fillet separately.

If you choose on-the-bone pork chops, the rib bones and fillet are part of that chop section, so you will not also get separate baby back ribs and pork fillet.

For more on ribs, read our guide on what baby back ribs are.

The Pork Belly

The pork belly can also be butchered in different ways.

It can be used for:

• boneless pork belly slices
• rolled pork belly roasting joints
• pork belly cubes
• belly ribs or spare ribs
• on-the-bone pork belly roasting joints

Again, you cannot always have every option at once.

If the belly is left on the bone as a roasting joint, you will not also get a separate rack of belly ribs. If the ribs are removed, the belly can then be boned and sliced or rolled.

Pork belly is rich, full of flavour and great for slow cooking, roasting, BBQ-style recipes and sticky pork belly dishes.

For a good recipe idea, have a look at our sticky pork belly.

The Leg

The leg comes from the back section of the pig.

It is usually used for roasting joints, but can also be broken down into other cuts depending on how it is butchered.

A pork leg can be used for:

• boneless pork leg roasting joints
• on-the-bone pork leg joints
• pork leg steaks
• chump joint
• chump steaks
• diced pork

The chump is sometimes left attached to the leg, but it can also be left attached to the loin depending on the butcher and the specification.

Either way, the chump can usually be left whole as a roasting joint or sliced into steaks. One or the other.

What Cuts Are Usually Included in a Half Pig Box?

Every butcher will have their own specification, but a half pig box will usually include a mixture of roasting joints, steaks, chops, belly, ribs, sausages and diced or minced pork.

A typical half pig selection may include:

• pork roasting joints
• pork chops or loin steaks
• pork belly slices or belly joint
• ribs, depending on the cutting style
• pork shoulder or butt
• pork leg joints
• sausages
• diced pork or pork mince

Some less fashionable cuts may be used for sausages, mince or diced pork, depending on the final box specification.

Can You Choose the Cuts in Half a Pig?

Sometimes, yes, within reason.

We will always try to help customers where possible, but half a pig has natural limits. Choosing one cut may mean losing another.

For example:

• On-the-bone loin chops may mean no separate baby back ribs or pork fillet.
• Boneless loin steaks may allow separate baby back ribs and fillet.
• On-the-bone belly means no separate belly ribs.
• Chump can be kept as a joint or sliced into steaks.
• Some trim may be better used for sausages, mince or diced pork.

If you are unsure, it is always best to ask before ordering. We would rather help you understand what is possible than have you expecting cuts that physically cannot all come from the same side.

Why Buy Half a Pig?

Buying half a pig is a great way to stock the freezer and get more value from the animal.

Customers like half pig boxes because they:

• usually work out better value than buying individual cuts
• give you a wide variety of pork cuts
• help stock the freezer in one go
• reduce repeat shopping trips
• encourage you to cook different meals
• make good use of the whole side of pork

It is also a brilliant way to get more confident cooking different pork cuts instead of always buying the same thing.

How Much Freezer Space Do You Need?

A half pig box can take up a fair bit of freezer space.

The exact space needed depends on the weight of the box, how the meat is packed, and how full your freezer already is.

As a rough rule, make sure you have a good amount of clear freezer space before delivery. It is not the sort of order you want arriving when your freezer is already full of ice lollies, frozen peas and mystery tubs from 2021.

How to Use Half Pig Cuts

Half pig cuts give you loads of meal options.

You can use them for:

• Sunday roasts
• pulled pork
• pork chops
• pork belly recipes
• BBQs
• slow cooker meals
• stews and casseroles
• sausages and mash
• stir fries
• batch cooking

Browse our full Half a Pig Butchers Box if you want to stock up properly.

Final Thoughts

Half pig cuts can be confusing at first, but the basic idea is simple.

A side of pork is broken down into the front, middle and leg. From there, the butcher can prepare roasting joints, chops, steaks, belly, ribs, hocks, sausages, mince and diced pork.

The important thing to remember is that some cuts are alternatives to each other. You cannot always have every single cut, because choosing one option may mean another cut is included within it.

That is why a half pig box is such a proper butcher’s product. It is not just a random box of pork. It is a side of pork broken down properly, with value, variety and proper meals in mind.

FAQs

What cuts do you get in half a pig?

Half a pig can include pork shoulder, pork butt, hock, loin joints, pork chops, pork fillet, baby back ribs, pork belly, belly ribs, leg joints, chump, diced pork, mince and sausages.

What is half a pig called in butchery?

Half a pig is commonly called a side of pork in the butchery trade.

Can you choose the cuts in half a pig?

You can sometimes choose certain cuts, but there are limits. Some cuts are alternatives to each other because they come from the same part of the pig.

Can you get pork chops and baby back ribs from half a pig?

Not usually from the same loin section. If the loin is cut into on-the-bone chops, the rib bones are part of those chops, so you will not also get separate baby back ribs.

Can you get pork fillet and T-bone pork chops?

No, not usually from the same side. The pork fillet is attached to the section needed for T-bone style chops, so you normally choose one or the other.

Is buying half a pig good value?

Buying half a pig can be good value because you bulk buy, stock the freezer, and get a wide range of pork cuts in one order.

What can you cook from half a pig?

You can cook roasts, chops, pulled pork, pork belly, ribs, sausages, stews, casseroles, stir fries and slow cooker meals from half pig cuts.