Side by side
Tenderloin
Fillet · psoas · filet mignon of pork
A slim muscle tucked under the spine that does almost nothing for a living. It is the most tender thing on the animal and also the least forgiving: with barely any fat, the window between juicy and sawdust is only a few degrees wide.
Ask for the silverskin removed, or take it off yourself: it shrinks in the pan and curls the whole muscle.
Leg
Ham · fresh ham · gammon
The hind leg, the largest single piece on the pig and the one the whole curing industry is built around. Fresh it is lean and mild; salted and air-dried for a year or more it becomes jamón, prosciutto or country ham, depending on which side of a border the cellar sits on.
For roasting, pick a piece with the skin still on; for stir-frying, ask for the inside round, which is the tenderest section.
Which one to buy
- Better forTenderloin : Leg
- Quick roastingTenderloin90 : —
- Stir-fryTenderloin78 : —
- GrillingTenderloin70 : —
- CuringLeg— : 92
- RoastingLeg— : 80
- Braised in soyLeg— : 68
Other comparisons
All cuts
Beef Primals
Chicken Portions
Bluefin Tuna Cuts
Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.