Remember "Pork, the other white meat"? That slogan described industrial pork — pale, bland, and forgettable. Real pork, the kind that comes from heritage breeds raised outdoors, is deep red and richly marbled. It is complex, varied, and delicious. Our Red Wattle and Large Black hogs produce some of the finest pork available anywhere in the Midwest. This guide will help you make the most of it.
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Grill or sear. Fast, high heat. The everyday pork cuts.
Loin, ham, and sirloin. Oven cooking for a crowd.
Shoulder, ribs, belly. Low and slow is where heritage pork shines.
Bacon, ham, charcuterie. Heritage pork makes all of these better.
Where the cuts come from
A pig is divided into distinct primal sections. Each section has different muscle structure, fat content, and ideal cooking methods.
High heat, fast cook. Heritage pork chops are a revelation compared to the industrial product — darker meat, more fat, and genuine flavor that doesn’t need much help. Don’t overcook: 140–145°F and a 3-minute rest.
Center-cut chop from the loin. Leaner than the rib chop but excellent quality in heritage breeds.
The most premium pork chop. Includes both the loin muscle and a generous portion of tenderloin separated by a T-shaped bone. Impressive on the plate and extraordinary in flavor from heritage breeds.
The most tender cut on the pig — very lean, very quick to cook. Often underrated because industrial tenderloin has no flavor. Heritage tenderloin is a different animal entirely: noticeably richer and more satisfying despite its leanness.
One of the best-kept secrets in pork. Well-marbled, deeply flavorful, and extremely versatile — grill it fast, braise it slow, or pan-fry it and finish with something acidic. An outstanding value cut that our heritage breeds make exceptional.
Heritage pork loin and leg roasts have a depth of flavor that industrial pork can’t approach. Don’t skip the fat cap — it bastes the roast as it cooks and is largely responsible for the flavor.
Large, lean, and impressive. The fat cap on heritage breed loin is thicker and more flavorful than commodity pork — score it before roasting so it renders and crisps. Feeds a crowd with minimal effort.
The whole rear leg of the pig, sold fresh without curing or smoking. Larger and more impressive than a loin roast, with a mix of muscles that produces a more complex result. Often overlooked — a whole fresh ham feeds 10–12 people and is extraordinary from heritage hogs.
Also available
| Center-Cut Loin Roast | More uniform section of the loin. Consistent cooking and clean presentation. | Roast · 140°F |
| Pork Sirloin Roast | From the rear of the loin. Slightly more flavor than center-cut, a bit less uniform. Excellent value. | Roast · 140–145°F |
This is where heritage pork truly separates itself. The shoulder, ribs, and belly from Red Wattle and Large Black hogs have extraordinary fat content and marbling that slow cooking renders into something remarkable. Plan for time — it is always worth it.
The definitive slow-cook cut. Well-marbled with connective tissue that melts over hours of low heat, producing pulled pork that is extraordinary from our heritage hogs. The fat content in Red Wattle shoulder in particular is exceptional — this is the cut our wholesale chefs request most.
The richest cut on the animal — layered fat and meat that renders into something extraordinary when slow-roasted, braised, or smoked. This is also the source of bacon. Heritage breed belly has a fat-to-lean ratio that commodity pork simply cannot replicate.
More meat, more fat, more flavor than baby back ribs. St. Louis cut is spare ribs trimmed to a uniform rectangle for even cooking. Heritage breed spare ribs are the best argument for buying from a small farm — the difference is immediately obvious.
Smaller, more curved, and leaner than spare ribs. Quicker to cook and more tender by nature. From heritage breeds, the meat between the bones is noticeably thicker and darker than what you find in grocery stores.
Also available
| Picnic Roast | Lower portion of the shoulder. More connective tissue than the butt, excellent for braising or smoking. Often less expensive per pound. | Smoke · Braise |
| Coppa (Neck Roast) | From the upper shoulder and neck. Extremely well-marbled — one of the most flavorful cuts on the animal. Prized by Italian butchers for coppa salami. | Braise · Cure for charcuterie |
Heritage pork fat has a different flavor and texture than commodity pork fat — it makes better bacon, better ham, and better charcuterie. All of our cured and smoked products are made from our own heritage hogs.
We work with an artisan producer to offer a rotating selection of charcuterie made from our heritage pork — salami, coppa, and other cured items. The Red Wattle breed produces exceptionally well-marbled meat that is prized specifically for charcuterie making. Ask us what’s currently available.
Our bacon is made from our own heritage pork belly — thicker, darker, and richer than anything from a grocery store. The fat renders differently, the flavor is deeper, and the ratio of meat to fat is more generous. Once you cook it, you’ll understand why our customers reorder it every time.
Also available
| Jowl Bacon | Made from the cheek. Richer and more intensely flavored than belly bacon. A staple in Southern cooking and Italian guanciale. | Pan-fry · Braise |
| Cottage Bacon | Cured and smoked pork shoulder. Leaner than belly bacon with a ham-like character. Good for sandwiches and breakfast. | Pan-fry · Griddle |
| Ham & Ham Steak | Cured and smoked leg of pork. Available whole or sliced into steaks. Heritage breed ham has a depth of flavor that is noticeably different from supermarket ham. | Ready to eat · Pan-fry steaks |
Everyday cooking cuts. Heritage ground pork and sausage have a fat content and flavor that makes them genuinely better in any application.
| Ground Pork | Trim from across the animal. Heritage ground pork has noticeably more fat and flavor than commodity — transformative in dumplings, meatballs, meat sauce, and anywhere pork is mixed with other ingredients. | Dumplings · Meatballs · Sausage · Sauce |
| Sausage | Seasoned ground pork in bulk or links. We make our own sausage from our heritage hogs in several varieties. Ask about current flavors. | Pan-fry · Grill · Braise |
| Lard & Leaf Lard | Rendered pork fat. Leaf lard from around the kidneys has a very clean, neutral flavor prized for pie crusts and pastry. Regular lard is excellent for frying, roasting vegetables, and biscuits. Our heritage hog lard has a richer flavor than commercial lard. | Baking · Frying · Roasting |
Pork offal is underutilized and excellent. Ask us about availability.
| Liver | Mild flavor, often used in pâté or frying. Our heritage breed pork liver is exceptional for liverwurst and country pâté. | Pan-fry · Pâté |
| Heart | Lean, dense muscle. Slice thin and cook hot, or braise low and slow. | Grill · Braise |
| Kidneys | Stronger flavor. Soak before cooking to mellow. Traditional in British cooking. | Sauté · Braise |
| Tongue | Rich and tender when braised. Peel after cooking. Excellent in tacos or sliced cold. | Braise |
Pork stock is underrated. Neck bones and trotters make exceptional broth.
| Soup Bones | For broth and stock. Roast first for a richer result. | Stock |
| Neck Bones | Excellent in soups and slow cooking. A staple in Southern and Caribbean cooking traditions. | Soups · Slow cook |
| Smoked Hocks | Lower leg, cured and smoked. Essential for flavoring beans, greens, and split pea soup. | Soups · Beans · Greens |
Ready to taste real pork?
Available at our farm store in Traverse City, select local retailers, and through our wholesale program.
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