How to Cut Up a Boneless Pork Loin

Why, you may ask, would I want to cut up a whole pork loin? I was asking the same thing as I unwrapped this unwieldy hunk of meat. Longer than my arm, it was an intimidating beast and I was doubting my choices a bit. Then, I glanced at the price tag and remembered why I was trying this.

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Why I Love This Process?

I love this process because of the savings. Pork in most cities ranges between $3-$4 per pound, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve. The pork I purchased may have been $14, but it was 11 pounds! Buying your cuts of meat for $1.29 is quite a savings, and cheaper than most chicken cuts. I like variety in my family’s diet, but I’d rather not pay out the nose for it. So here we are, cutting up a giant hunk of meat to shave our bottom line once again!

There is also the control of the cuts of meat that is a benefit of cutting up your pork loin as well. Thick-cut pork chops demand a premium at our grocer, but cutting them myself, I can make them as thick as I need and they stay the same price.

Pork Loin Anatomy

You can get really technical about the different sections of meat, but I think that’s a bit unnecessary. The short version, there are 3 sections to the pork loin:

• Blade End: The tapered, thinner end of the Boneless Pork Loin. The meat on the blade end is darker and should cook up nicely as a Rib Roast, Rib Chops, and Country Style Ribs.
• Center Section: This is where pork chops, butterfly chops, and breakfast style chops come from. The meat is lighter, lean, and looks like the pork chops found in stores.
• Sirloin End: This is the fatter and fattier end of the loin. This end is lean but has more marbling. It can also have a nice layer of fat on one end (the back in the picture). This end can be cut into a sirloin roast, sirloin chops, or butterfly chops. I also square off the end and use that for stew meat.

In the video, I made the mistake of cutting roasts out of the lean center section. I don’t recommend this as this meat seems more suited for chops since it’s so lean. I suggest cutting chops from the middle section and cutting the ends into roasts.

Equipment Needed to Cut Up a Whole Boneless Pork Loin

• Cutting Board: Something big. My biggest cutting board wasn’t even close to big enough for 14 lbs of meat, so I lined my butcher top island (IKEA) with wax paper. It didn’t work very well, so I recommend butcher paper and will use it next time.
• Carving Knife: Sharp and long. Long strokes make for nice, clean cuts of meat, and a sharp blade means you don’t mutilate the edges as you go.
• Ziplock Bags: I used quart-sized freezer bags to store individual meals.

Preparation

Preparing the food

1. Line your prep surface with butcher paper to minimize cleanup. Remove the boneless pork loin from the bag and drain the excess juice.
2. Lay out the meat on your surface, and grab your knife. Make sure it is sharp by sharpening it before you start.
3. Square off the ends of each side by cutting 1″ off the blade and sirloin end. These cuts will be your stew meat, so set it aside for later.
4. Decide how you want to cut your meat. What do you want to make from this meat? Roasts? Chops? Butterfly chops? Stew Meat?
   1. Roasts: Cut 6-8″ off of the sirloin end of the blade end to make a roast. The ends have more marbling and dark meat, making for a juicier roast perfect for slow cooking.
   2. Chops: The middle of the boneless pork loin has lean pork, perfect for chops. I suggest a minimum thickness of 3/4″ for juicy chops, but a 2″ chop is a luxury cut good for special occasions. However you do it, be accurate on the thickness so they cook up the same. I used my thumb to estimate thickness for pock chops and it worked pretty well.
   3. Butterfly Chops: Some of the chops I cut a bit thicker and then butterflied. Cut them about 80% through the middle, leaving a bit of connection of the fatty side. Splay them open to make sure you cut everything. These are great for stuffed Porkchop recipes of all kinds.
   4. Breakfast Chops: These are thin cuts from the middle section which are cooked up fast and served for a hearty breakfast. Not my favorite cut, but some people love them.

Storing the Food

Obviously, we aren’t going to cut up a whole boneless pork loin and then cook everything at once. So, freezer bags are going to be your best friend here. I separated each cut into different bags, with 3 cuts per bag (one for me, one for my wife, and one split between my 2 kids). The quart-sized bag was the best fit, with the roasts going into gallon-sized bags. I wrapped everything in freezer paper to avoid freezer burn.

Pro Tip: Label the bags as you go so you aren’t guessing what you are pulling out for dinner. Or even worse, pulling out the wrong thing and having to pivot dinner at the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Cook a Whole Boneless Pork Loin?

I haven’t had the chance to try cooking a whole pork loin yet. There are 4 of us and over 10 lbs. of meat cooked at once sounds like miles of leftovers. If you’re looking for an adventure, try diving into the Pork Loin Wiki, which has the many uses of pork loin. I will try roasting or baking a whole pork loin at some point, hopefully for family dinners if that becomes a thing again (Stupid Covid).

What’s the Difference Between a Pork Loin and a Pork Tenderloin?

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