How to Break Down a Pork Loin
930 days ago
Let’s break it down this way. Learning how to break down a pork loin and portioning it out to different cuts can save you money. Better yet, it’s easy to do and yields days’ worth of meals.
Because it’s boneless, there is no concern about having to navigate around bones when cutting a pork loin. It’s a matter of making a few well-placed cuts. A sharp knife that can easily slice through the loin without ripping or tearing, like a 6-3/4" Petite Carver, will have you fabricating your own cuts in no time. Another knife option is the Santoku-Style 8" Carver, both knives work well for this technique.
From just one pork loin you can cut country ribs, chops, roasts and more. We called upon the help of culinary trainer Lynn Novo to show us how to break down a pork loin into six different cuts. Here is how it’s done.
How to Break Down a Pork Loin
- Using a 9" Carver, Cut the loin into four sections: Blade end (the reddest part of the meat), center rib, center loin, sirloin end (end with a lot of connective tissue).
- From the blade end: Slice off chops and use the remainder to make boneless country ribs. To fabricate ribs, cut the remaining piece all the way in half horizontally, so you have two equal pieces. Cut the pieces crosswise, about 1 1/2" to 1 1/4" thick.
- From the center rib section: Slice off thin and thick center cut chops.
- From the center loin: Leave as a whole piece for a roast.
- From the sirloin end: Cube for stews or stir-frys.
Learn these other knife skills:
How to Butterfly and Tie a Pork Loin Roast
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