CHAPTER XXIPORK CUTTINGS

Hog Cutting — Variety and Classes of Hogs — Cutting Floor — Pork Cuts — Hams — Side Meats — Bellies — Backs — Loins — Shoulders — Butts and Plates — Percentage of Yield — Change Cuts One Side — Test on Five Sides — Complete Cutting Test.

—The division of a carcass into its parts for disposal of fresh pork and for curing purposes, is a part of the expert work in the packing house business. The cuts placed in the curing cellar for shipment six or seven months hence and a prognostication as to what cut will meet a favorable future market; the sale, etc. are true problems.

There are a number of standard cuts, however, that are usually readily disposed of. A description of the various cuts, etc. is given herein. Use is made of much valuable data collected and published in the Illinois State Agricultural Department Bulletin previously referred to.

—A day’s buying of hogs unless selected to yield a given quality, is likely to yield the following classes:

Different styles of dressing are characteristic of the different classes of carcasses except heavy and light loin hogs, and shippers and pigs. Dressed hogs of all classes are cut open along the underline and through the aitch-bone andbrisket, but the method of splitting and trimming varies with the class, as follows:

“Loin Hogs.—These are split down through the center of the back-bone (‘loin-split’ or ‘center-split’) in order that pork loins may be cut from the sides. They are dressed “packer style,” i. e., head off, leaf out and hams faced.

Inside.Outside.FIG. 108.—SMOOTH HEAVY HOGS.

Inside.Outside.

Inside.

Outside.

FIG. 108.—SMOOTH HEAVY HOGS.

“Packing Hogs.—Are usually split like loin hogs; sometimes on one side of the back bone, making a hard and soft side.

“Bacon Hogs.—Or those used for English meats are usually dressed ‘marked’; that is, a knife is passed down each side of the back bone and the backbone removed. The hogs are dressed regular unless the ham is intended for a long cut ham.

FIG. 109.—BUTCHER HOGS.A, HEAVY.B, LIGHT.

“Smooth Heavy or Heavy Loin Hogs.—The following description is of the usual commercial selection of hogs: These are prime smooth hogs, either barrows or good, clear (not seedy) sows, weighing 240 to 400 pounds, with from four to six inches of fat on the back; thick, wide, level sides without depressions in the back; heavy hams, filled out even with sides, full at the rump and well rounded down toward hocks, without flabbiness. As their name indicates such hogs are suitable for heavy loins. The remainder of the sides are being used for heavy short clears or fat backs and bellies.

“Butcher or Light Loin Hogs.—A large proportion of the fresh pork sold in retail markets is pork loins, which are cut into chops and roasts; hence light loin or ‘pork loin’ hogs are those from which these cuts can be obtained to best advantage.

FIG. 110.—PACKING HOGS (SOWS).A, HEAVY.B, MEDIUM.

“To yield loins of the proper size and quality, a hog carcass should weigh about 160 to 240 pounds and have the same shape, smoothness and general quality described for heavy loin hogs. The covering of fat should be two to four inches thick on the back. This class is composed of barrows and smooth, clear sows. The weights most preferred for butcher hogs are 200 to 220 pounds. They are principally cut up by packers, the loins being sold to retail dealers or jobbers. Besides loins, fat backs, clear bellies, extra ribs and extra shortclears are commonly made from sides of butcher hogs. The hams are cut short and the shoulders principally made into picnics, New York-cut shoulders and Boston butts. In some instances carcasses of this class are sold to retail markets for fresh trade, in which case they are dressed either ‘head on’ or ‘head off’ as ordered. (SeeFig. 109.)

FIG. 111.—CHOICE BACON HOGS.

FIG. 112.—PORK CUTS.

“Quality of Packing Hogs.—This class includes mixed hogs of all weights which are too coarse in quality, rough in shape or soft and uneven in finish to be suitable primarily for fresh pork products or smoked meats and are therefore principally packed in such forms as barreled pork and dry-salt meats.

“Heavy Packing Hogs.—These are also known as Rough Heavy or Mess Pork Hogs, consist of rough and seedy sows, coarse barrows, boars and stags averaging 240 to 400 pounds. All heavy hogs that are too rough to be classed as loin hogs are included in this grade. Defects common to these carcasses are thick, rough and wrinkled skin, dark-colored and coarse-grained flesh, soft, oil fat, large bones and carcass bruises. (Fig. 110.) They are more largely cut into short ribs and mess pork, and less into loins, fat backs and bellies than Heavy Loin Hogs, and consequently are more frequently ‘marked’ and side-split although at times a large proportion of them are loin-split and pork loins taken out. The hams are sweet pickled and shoulders made into picnics and Boston butts.

“Marked Hogs.—Light marked hogs are those that are suitable primarily for sugarcured breakfast-bacon bellies and ‘English’ meats. Since such meats must be comparatively lean, firm and of good quality, the leading features of bacon hogs are long, deep, smooth sides with a light, even covering of fat over the entire carcass and especially uniform on the back and sides. The hams should be full but lean and the shoulders light and smooth. The flesh must be firm, the fat solid and the carcass sufficiently mature to insure proper curing. Hogs which fulfil these conditions weigh 90 to 170 pounds dressed. The most desirable weights are 120 to 150 pounds. They consist principally of barrows, but for most grades of bacon, smooth clear sows that resemble barrows in general quality and finish are used to some extent. The products principally made from them are ‘English’ middles, backs and bellies, domestic breakfast-bacon bellies, long-cut and short-cut hams. Bacon hogs vary from choice to common in quality, finish and shape, although no fixed grades are universally recognized among packers. This grade is used for the manufacture of ‘Wiltshire’ and ‘Staffordshire’ sides, ‘English’ backs and bellies, and fancy breakfast-bacon bellies, also ‘Cumberland’ sides to some extent. They weigh about 120 to 160 pounds.”

—The hogs thoroughly chilled are ready for the cutting room. To be safe, however, the hogs should show a temperature of from 34° to 36° F. inside of the hams and shoulders. If this temperature in the meat has been reached by gradual chilling, very little trouble should be experienced in curing the meats. The proper cutting of the hog carcass is one of the most important items in the economical handling of hogs. The great variety of cuts and the percentage of yield of the various cuts are given on succeeding pages. For cutting and trimming economically it is essential that suitable facilities be provided. A cutting floor must be laid out for the quantity to be handled and for the style of meats to be cut. The carcass being heavy, the use of slides, conveyor mechanical saws, etc., are resorted to.

In hog cutting floors of large capacity the arrangement is usually on three floors or decks, the parts gravitating in the movement toward a finished cut. It is preferable to do the cutting in a cooled room in most climates and where a uniform temperature of 40° to 45° can be maintained. Lower temperature would be better but it is difficult to keep working people satisfied, particularly where female help is employed, for trimming purposes.

Be it said that moisture and heat are not conducive to the keeping quality of meats and it is to be avoided. The handling of cold meat in warm rooms brings about this condition, consequently it is far better to avoid exposure in cutting hogs into the several parts.

The usual method is to remove the ham, preferably by knife and hand saw; to chop the shoulder, further separated by power saw; to pull the loin and pass the side on for separation to backs and bellies. The further finishing of the cuts, either immediately on separation from the side or in an adjacent room, is a matter of space available.

—Fresh pork cuts are taken more or less from all classes of hogs. Since the pork loin is by far the leading fresh cut, light loin hogs are more extensively used for fresh pork than any other class. The varying demand for loins determines to a considerable extent the method of cutting other classes of hogs from time to time. Tenderloins and spareribs are also primarily fresh cuts. Skinned shoulders, shoulder butts, hams, bellies, fat backs, and raw leaf fat are sold fresh to a small extent.

Skinned Ham.Second Brand.First Brand.Third Brand.FIG. 113—SHORT CUT HAMS.

Skinned Ham.Second Brand.First Brand.Third Brand.

Skinned Ham.Second Brand.

Skinned Ham.

Second Brand.

First Brand.Third Brand.

First Brand.

Third Brand.

FIG. 113—SHORT CUT HAMS.

FIG. 114.—SMOKED SHORT CUT HAMS—FIRST BRAND.

The grading of pork cuts is complex since it involves their quality, shape, proportions of fat and lean, and weight. Many of the grade names refer merely to different methods of cutting and curing; but since they are applied only to cuts of specified quality, thickness or weight, the grades are in reality based on the latter factors to a large extent. The various cuts differ considerably as to methods of grading; consequently an adequate explanation of the factors involved and their relative importance can be presented only by describing the grades of each class.

—Hams are of two general kinds, short-cut and long-cut. The former are made from comparatively fat, plump hams, trimmed short and round at the butt, and the shank cut off at the hock joint. They are sold either as Regular Short-Cut, Skinned, or Boneless Rolled Hams. Long-cut hams are lean, long hams, with the butt left full and the foot taken off at the first joint below the hock. The principal grades are Regular Long-Cut, Stafford Cut, Manchester Cut and Italian Cut Hams.

—These are cut from the side midway between the hench-bone and slip-bone,[A]trimmed round at the butt, cushion[B]faced full, not undercut on the skin side, and shank cut off in or above the hock joint. Until 1909 the Board of Trade required that the shank be cut above the hock so as to expose the marrow. Practically all hams are sold as sweet-pickled or smoked meats. For regular delivery on the Chicago Board of Trade as sweet-pickled hams, they must average, in lots, not to exceed 16 pounds, with no ham to weigh less than 12 pounds and none to weigh over twenty pounds. The short-cut hams is the leading ham cut and has to a large extent taken the place of the long-cut ham in export trade.

[A]The hench-bone is the flat portion of the hip-bone that remains attached to the socket joint of the ham when the hog is split. The slip bone is the portion of the hip-bone that lies in contact with the back-bone near the end of the loin.[B]The cushion is the fat butt of the ham where the tail piece is cut off.

[B]The cushion is the fat butt of the ham where the tail piece is cut off.

FIG. 115.—BONELESS ROLLED HAMS.

Short-cut hams are graded by packers according to the brand of smoked hams for which they are suitable. For the first brand (known as “extra selected” or “fancy-cured” hams) they are selected for thickness and firmness of lean meat, plump, well rounded shape, solid, white fat or medium thickness (one to two inches on a medium-weight ham), smooth, soft skin, bright color, small shank and absence of bruises. The bulk of this grade weigh 10 to 16 pounds, 10 to 12 pounds being most desirable for family trade, and 14 to 16 pounds for hotels and restaurants. SeeFig. 113. Second brand or second grade hams (frequently termed No. 1’s) are deficient in one or more of the points just mentioned, but must be reasonably good in general quality and not exceedingly deficient in any particular. Many of them are too fat for the first brand. The third brand (also known as “seconds”), includes those from which a skin-bruise has been removed, also thin, light hams and any others which lack the shape and quality required for regular meat market trade.

Regular.Manchester.Stafford.Italian.FIG. 116.—LONG CUT HAMS.

Regular.Manchester.Stafford.Italian.

Regular.Manchester.

Regular.

Manchester.

Stafford.Italian.

Stafford.

Italian.

FIG. 116.—LONG CUT HAMS.

Short Rib.Extra Short Rib.Short Clear.Extra Short Clear.FIG. 117.—SIDES.

Short Rib.Extra Short Rib.Short Clear.Extra Short Clear.

Short Rib.Extra Short Rib.

Short Rib.

Extra Short Rib.

Short Clear.Extra Short Clear.

Short Clear.

Extra Short Clear.

FIG. 117.—SIDES.

—These are cut short as explained above, the skin is removed down to the shank and the fat trimmed off within one inch of the lean. Until 1909 the Board of Trade regulation required the fat to be trimmed off within one-half inch of the lean. They are made from fat hams of first and second grades, weighing from 12 to 30 pounds, but the bulk weigh 16 to 22 pounds. Many skin-bruised hams are also skinned in order to remove bruises.

—These are made from sweet-pickled short-cut hams by lifting the skin, removing the surplus fat and the bone, and pressing or tying in the form of a roll with skin on. They are also made from skinned hams. 15 to 26-pound hams of first and second brands are used. These are usually prepared from cured hams.

—These are lean, long hams with only one-half to one and one-half inches of outside fat, and are “cut from the side by separating with a knife the hip-bone from the rump, properly rounded, foot unjointed at first joint below the hock.” They are not faced; and the butt end is left full, which gives it a flat, lean appearance. (Fig. 116.) Average weights are 10 to 20 pounds but usually above 14 pounds. This cut is made from good and choice bacon hogs. “Yorkshire” or “York” hams are cut slightly longer at the butt than regular, but are otherwise as described above. “Smithfield” or Virginia Style hams are long-cut and very lean, dry salt cured, long smoking, spiced, and “aged” for several months before using. They weigh 9 to 18 pounds.

“Stafford” Hams are cut about two inches shorter at the butt end than regular long-cut hams, hench-bone taken out exposing the socket joint, and foot cut off at the first joint below the hock. They are cut from good and choice bacon hogs and cured for English trade. This grade is made principally from 14 to 18-pound hams. SeeFig. 116.

“Manchester” Hams are a very lean grade of long-cut hams comparatively flat in shape, butted like “Staffords,” and averaging 14 to 18 pounds. SeeFig. 116.

“Italian” Hams are very thin, long hams, of 9 to 18-pounds average, and of common to good quality. The hench-boneis removed as from “Staffords,” the leg is left extra long, the butt trimmed like American or short-cut hams, the ham pressed flat, dry-salt cured, smoked dark and seasoned with pepper. SeeFig. 116.

Numerous other styles of grades of hams which were formerly packed in large quantities, especially for export trade, are no longer made or used sufficiently to be regarded as standard products.

—This class includes various grades and cuts of Short Ribs, Short Clears and “English” Bacon Sides.

—Regular Short Ribs are middles of hogs from which short-cut hams and regular or New York shoulders have been taken off, with back-bone and tenderloin removed, hench-bone and breast-bone sawed or cut down smooth and even with face of side, feather of blade not removed and no incision made in the side. This is a regular Board of Trade cut and is quoted in provision reports simply as “Ribs.” It is made from medium to heavy packing hogs, in averages from 25 to 80 pounds, but principally from 45 to 65 pounds. On the Board of Trade regular ribs averaging not less than 30 nor more than 60 pounds are deliverable at contract price; those over 60 and not over 70 pounds average are deliverable at a discount of 20 cents per 100 pounds; those over 70 and not over 80 pounds are discounted 30 cents, per 100 pounds. Regular ribs are mainly shipped south either as dry-salt or bacon meat. Many are afterward converted into other cuts, as extra ribs, extra clears, backs and bellies, as determined by current prices of the various cuts.

Jobbing or Rough Short Ribs consist of short ribs with the back-bone left in, the hog being center-split leaving equal part of the back-bone on each side. They are sold at a discount of two per cent under regular ribs and must average not less than 30 nor more than 50 pounds for Board of Trade delivery.

Hard Short Ribs are made the same as Jobbing Ribs except that the hog is split so as to leave the back-bone all on one side. The side containing the back-bone is known as the Hard Side or Hard Short Rib and the other as the Soft Side, the latter being the same as the Regular Short Rib.They usually weigh 50 to 70 pounds, are cut from heavy packing hogs and are sold principally in the South as dry-salt pork.

Extra Short Ribs or “Extra Ribs” are made from Short Ribs by removing the loin. They average 35 to 50 pounds. 20 to 30 per cent of the stocks of sides usually consist of Extra Ribs.

Square Cut or “English” Short Ribs are the middles of hogs from which square shoulders and long-cut hams have been cut, thus making the side shorter than a regular rib, square-cut and with the feather of the blade-bone out. They are selected from the better grades of medium weight packing hogs, and average 20 to 30 pounds.

—Regular Short Clears are made from regular short ribs by removing the ribs and cutting reasonably square at each end. They are graded and handled in the same manner as short ribs. Short Clears average 30 to 70 pounds and to grade regular must average not less than 35 pounds. It is primarily a domestic cut but is exported to some extent. Square-Cut Short Clears are the same as Square-Cut Short Ribs except the ribs are taken out.

Extra Short Clear Sides or “Extra Clears” are made the same as short clears except that the loin is also removed. They may be made from extra short ribs by cutting out the ribs. The pieces weigh 25 to 60 pounds, and must average not less than 30 nor more than 60 pounds to grade regular.

—These so-called sides or long middles include both the side and shoulder, and in one instance (Wiltshires) the ham is also included. After arrival in Great Britain, they are usually made into “rolled sides,” which are dried for English trade, but in Scotland are usually smoked.

“Wiltshire” Sides consist of the side, ham and shoulder left together in one piece; the blade-bone is taken out, foot cut off, the shoulder trimmed the same as “Cumberlands,” hip-bone taken out, not backstrapped, the belly trimmed smooth and even, and leg of the ham cut off below the hock joint. These sides average 40 to 70 pounds and are selected especially for thickness of lean meat with a light, even covering of fat from 1¹⁄₄ to 2 inches thick, not exceeding 1³⁄₄ inches in thebest grades. They are made exclusively from choice lean bacon hogs, and are the highest grade of English bacon sides.

FIG. 118.—SHORT RIBS. CUT FOR MESS PORK.

Heavy.Medium.Light.FIG. 119.—PORK LOINS.

Heavy.Medium.Light.

Heavy.

Medium.Light.

Medium.

Light.

FIG. 119.—PORK LOINS.

“Cumberland Sides” have the end from which the ham is taken cut square; the leg cut off below the knee joint; the shoulder ribs, neckbone, back-bone and blood vein taken out; breast-bone sawed or cut down smooth and even with the face of the side; and should not be back-strapped or flanked. They are made from good and choice bacon hogs and average 20 to 60 pounds, but the bulk run 25 to 40 pounds. This is by far the leading export side cut, and being made in various grades and averages is suitable for converting into other English side cuts, such as “Yorkshires,” “Birminghams,” “Staffords.”

Wiltshire.Long clear.Cumberland.Yorkshire.Dublin.Staffordshire.FIG. 120.—LONG SIDES.

Wiltshire.Long clear.Cumberland.Yorkshire.Dublin.Staffordshire.

Wiltshire.Long clear.

Cumberland.Yorkshire.Dublin.Staffordshire.

Cumberland.Yorkshire.

Dublin.Staffordshire.

FIG. 120.—LONG SIDES.

Long Rib Sides are made from the same as Cumberlands except the shoulder bones are taken out and the leg cut off close to the breast. The average weight is 18 to 25 pounds.

Long Clear Sides are cut the same as long ribs and in addition have the ribs taken out. For English trade, they are made from good bacon hogs weighing 120 to 160 pounds dressed, and the sides weigh 18 to 26 pounds. For regular Board of Trade delivery they must not average less than 45 pounds. The latter are used in domestic trade and Continental Europe, and are made from the heaviest bacon hogs and from comparatively lean butcher hogs. Extra long clears are made like long clears except that the loin is also removed. They are seldom used.

“Dublin” Middles are thin lean sides cut like “Cumberlands” and in addition the leg cut off close to the breast. They are made from light, common bacon hogs and pigs. The sides weigh 12 to 20 pounds. SeeFig. 120.

—The grades of this cut are Dry-Salt, Sweet-Pickle, Breakfast-Bacon and “English” Bellies.

—These are made from short rib sides of mixed packing hogs by cutting off the back. For delivery on the Board of Trade they must be “Well cut and trimmed; no bellies that are coarse, bruised, soft or unsound shall be accepted.” However, they are not as closely trimmed as sweet-pickle bellies. They are made in averages from 10 to 45 pounds. They are quoted as Dry-Salt Rib and Dry-Salt Clear Bellies, the latter having the ribs removed and being made usually from bellies weighing less than 25 pounds. When smoked they are known as “Bacon Meats.”

—These are made from butcher bacon and good packing hogs, being “well cut and trimmed, to average, in lots, not to exceed 14 pounds.” The edges are squared and trimmed more closely than Dry-Salt bellies. They are made in 6 to 14 pound averages.

—These are clear bellies cut from bacon or light butcher hogs and selected with reference to firmness, color, proportions of fat and lean, smooth skin and general quality. They are trimmed still more closely than the regular sweet-pickle bellies. Selected bellies of this class weighing 4 to 10 pounds are known as Fancy or Special Breakfast Bacon Bellies and are made into the best brands of sugar-cured breakfast-bacon. The second brand includes bellies that are too fat for fancy bacon, or which lack the necessary firmness of flesh and thin smooth skin. They weigh 4 to 16 pounds.

Dry Salt Rib.Sweet Pickle Rib.English Clear.Sweet Pickle Clear.Fancy Clear.FIG. 121.—BELLIES.

Dry Salt Rib.Sweet Pickle Rib.English Clear.Sweet Pickle Clear.Fancy Clear.

Dry Salt Rib.

Sweet Pickle Rib.English Clear.Sweet Pickle Clear.Fancy Clear.

Sweet Pickle Rib.English Clear.

Sweet Pickle Rib.

English Clear.

Sweet Pickle Clear.Fancy Clear.

Sweet Pickle Clear.

Fancy Clear.

FIG. 121.—BELLIES.

English Rib.English Clear.Short Fat Back.Sweet Pickle Clear.FIG. 122.—BACKS.

English Rib.English Clear.Short Fat Back.Sweet Pickle Clear.

English Rib.English Clear.

English Rib.

English Clear.

Short Fat Back.Sweet Pickle Clear.

Short Fat Back.

Sweet Pickle Clear.

FIG. 122.—BACKS.

—These are clear bellies weighing 10 to 20 pounds, cut from choice heavy bacon hogs and light butcher barrows, and selected for firmness and a large proportion of lean. They are cut square on all edges.

FIG. 123.—SMOKED BREAKFAST BACON BELLIES (FIRST BRAND).

—The grades of backs are Short Ribs, Short Clear, Short Fat and Long Fat Backs.

—These are made from short rib sides by cutting off the belly; they therefore contain the loin, back fat and back-ribs but not the back-bone nor tenderloin. It is a dry-salt cut, weighing 25 to 45 pounds and is not commonlymade. Hard Backs are made from hard rib sides, thus containing the back-bone. “English” Rib Backs are made from Square Short Ribs, and average 12 to 20 pounds.

—These are “made from the sides of smooth hogs from which the bellies have been cut, back-bone and ribs taken out and the lean left on, tail-bone sawed off even with the face of the meat, and trimmed smooth and square on all edges.” They are cut from medium and heavy packing hogs. The weights run from 16 to 40 pounds. “English” Short Clear Backs are lighter than regulars, averaging 10 to 20 pounds, and are shorter at the butt end, being cut off in front of the hip-bone. Pickled Clear Backs are short clear backs of light weight and lean quality. They weigh 6 to 10 pounds and are sweet-pickled, smoked, and sold as “Loin Back Bacon” or “Breakfast Bacon Backs.”

—These are “made from the sides of heavy, well-fatted hogs from which the bellies have been cut, back-bone and ribs taken out and all the lean taken off, to be trimmed smoothly and properly squared on all the edges.” It is made from packing and loin hogs when cutting pork loins, and is usually quoted as a dry-salt cut in 8 to 20 pound averages.

Export Short Fat Backs have the blade-bone taken out, are more closely trimmed and squared than domestic fat backs and are made principally in heavy averages, 16 to 40 pounds. Paprika Fat Backs are thin, light fat backs, weighing 4 to 8 pounds.

—These consist of “the upper half of the side cut through the center of the ribs from the ham to and including the shoulder, with the loin and blade-bone taken out, trimmed smoothly and squared on all edges.” It is a dry-salt cut, not as commonly made as formerly and used only for export trade.

—Loins, consisting of the back with the fat trimmed off, are sold either as Regular Pork Loins or as Loin Rolls.

—These are made from sides of loin hogs, with the belly and back-fat cut off; they contain the back-bone, back-ribs and tenderloins, and have but a small amount of fat (one-fourth to one-half inch) on the outside. The weights of regular pork loins are 8 to 18 pounds and the price usuallyvaries inversely with the weight. 14 pounds is the heaviest average generally used for fresh trade. Extra or Long Pork Loins include, in addition to the regular loin, the top or lean cut of the shoulder, but this cut is seldom made.

Tenderloins consist of short round muscles lying underneath and on each side of the back-bone; they are attached to the “slip-bone” and extend from the loin butt almost to the last rib. They weigh one-fourth to one pound each, but those weighing three-fourths pound or over are most extensively used. They are cut from hogs that are too heavy and rough to yield regular pork loins, and from which short ribs, mess pork and boneless loins are made.

—These are made from heavy loins (15 to 22 pounds) by boning them completely.

—The standard grades are Rough, Regular, Picnic, New York Cut, Skinned, Square, New Orleans Cut and Boneless Rolled Shoulders.

—These are untrimmed shoulders as cut from the hog, separated from the side between the first and second ribs and with the jowl cut off square.

—These are “cut as close as possible to the back part of the forearm joint without exposing the knuckle, (leaving two ribs on the shoulder) butted off square on top, the neck-bone and short ribs taken out, neck squared off, blood vein lifted and cut out, breast flap cut off on or above the knee joint.” They are made principally from hogs that are too heavy and rough for New York style shoulders, and at times when the supply of “picnics” exceeds the demand. Sausage Shoulders are regular-cut shoulders which are unsuitable for dry-salt or sweet-pickle because of being trimmed to remove bruises, cut from “shoulder stuck” hogs, or otherwise deficient, and are used for the purpose which their name indicates. Bladed Shoulders are cut the same as Regulars except the shoulder-blade is taken out and the corners rounded.

—Formerly termed California hams—These are cut 2¹⁄₂ ribs wide, trimmed and packed as follows: “Shank cut off above the knee joint, trimmed as full on the face (lean surface) as possible, butt taken off to the edge of the blade, well rounded at the butt in the shape of a ham, breast flap taken off, and trimmed close and smooth, reasonably uniformin size, and to average, in lots, not to exceed 12 pounds. The lighter averages (4 to 8 pounds) are sometimes termed Boston Shoulders, and were formerly butted shorter than Calas and only slightly rounded. Skinned Picnics are made from the fatter grades of Picnics by removing the skin and trimming the fat off within one-half inch of the lean. They average 6 to 10 pounds.

—These are cut two ribs wide, butted one inch from blade-bone, trimmed smooth, neck and breast flap cut off, and shank cut off between knee and brisket. 8 to 14-pound grades are made for domestic trade and the bulk weigh 10 to 12 pounds.

—These are cut similar to New York Cut Shoulders and in addition the skin is taken off down to the shank and the fat trimmed off close to the lean. They weigh 6 to 16 pounds, and are sold fresh, sweet-pickled and smoked. Skinned shoulders with the shank cut off close to the breast are termed “Chicago Shoulders,” or “Skinned Shoulders, hock off.”

—These are cut three ribs wide, squared on all sides, neck-bones out, breast flap off, foot cut off at the knee joint, butted just above blade-bone, and so trimmed as to expose the lean as much as possible. This is the leading “English” shoulder cut, and is made in averages from 10 to 20 pounds.

—These are made 1¹⁄₂ ribs wide, smooth and rounded on neck end, part of shoulder butt left on and neck-bone out. They are cut principally in 12 to 14 pound averages, but are also made from 10 to 16 pounds, from shoulders that are too rough and fat to make New York Cut or Picnic Shoulders.

—These are made from heavy picnics by lifting the skin, removing the surplus fat and the bone, pressing or rolling and tying with cord in the form of a roll in the same manner as rolled hams. They are also made from skinned picnics. Boneless rolled shoulders are made similarly from regular shoulders.

—Butts are cut from the end or top of the shoulder and from the jowl. Plates are made from shoulder butts. The various grades of these cuts are Boston Style, Milwaukee Style, Boneless, Buffalo Style, New York Style, Picnic, Dry-Salt and Square-Cut Butts; Regular Plates, Clear Plates and Back Plates.

Rough.New York.Skinned.New Orleans.Square.FIG. 124.—SHOULDERS.

Rough.New York.Skinned.New Orleans.Square.

Rough.New York.Skinned.New Orleans.

Rough.New York.

Rough.

New York.

Skinned.New Orleans.

Skinned.

New Orleans.

Square.

FIG. 124.—SHOULDERS.

Boston Butt.Regular Plate.Boneless Butt.Clear Plate.New York Butt.Picnic Butt.FIG. 125.—BUTTS AND PLATES.

Boston Butt.Regular Plate.Boneless Butt.Clear Plate.New York Butt.Picnic Butt.

Boston Butt.Regular Plate.Boneless Butt.

Boston Butt.

Regular Plate.Boneless Butt.

Clear Plate.New York Butt.Picnic Butt.

Clear Plate.New York Butt.

Picnic Butt.

FIG. 125.—BUTTS AND PLATES.

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