The Difference Between A Pork Shoulder And A Pork Ham: It’s Not What You Think

The holiday season is upon us and with it arrives a plethora of cooking decisions, one being whether to use ham or pork shoulder for your Christmas dinner.

They are both very delicious meats, but they can be easily confused, too.

Therefore, to help you have your decision this holiday, we will put these pork cuts into comparison so that you can easily differ them and choose your favorite.

What is pork shoulder?

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Pork shoulder, also called pork butt or Boston roast is a cut of meat from the upper side of the pig’s shoulder.

The pork shoulder has fat marbling throughout the meat, which gives it a tender texture when cooked.

The muscle can be used for pulled pork sandwiches and other dishes like barbecue or smoked ham.

What is ham?

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Ham is the cut of the pig’s back leg.

The word ham comes from the old English term “hamm,” which means a piece of land near or surrounded by water.

The word also meant enclosure in general, so it was used to describe meat that was cured and preserved for storage in barrels.

Does pork shoulder taste like ham?

The answer to this question is yes, pork shoulder does taste like ham.

Both are made from the same cut of meat.

Pork shoulder is a part of the animal that’s often used for smoking or curing, and it can be used in many different ways.

Ham refers specifically to the cured/smoked portion of a pig’s leg, but it’s made from the same cut as pork shoulder.

When you’re choosing between ham or pork shoulder, you should think about what flavors you want your meal to have: if you want something salty and smoky with a bit of sweetness, then pork shoulder is the way to go; if you want something that has more of an earthy flavor with just a hint of sweet, then ham might be better suited for your needs.

The main difference between ham and pork shoulder is that ham is often sold as a whole piece rather than ground up into smaller pieces like pork shoulder usually is—but this doesn’t mean that either one is necessarily better than the other!

What are the differences between pork shoulder vs ham?

Pork sirloin roast and pork loin are both great cuts of pork.

However, there must be some people who prefer one to the other because of its unique texture, taste, or other factors that differ these meat ingredients.

	Pork shoulder	Pork ham
Pig’s part	From the upper part of the pig’s back (the shoulder section)	From the hind leg
Fat content and texture	Leaner	Have more fat
Flavor	Milder and taste like bacon	Stronger and taste like roasted beef
Price	Cheaper because they are usually sold in larger quantities	Higher
Cooking time	Less because it doesn’t have too much fat	Longer
Use	Can be roasted, grilled, smoked, or braised	Commonly cured with salt and sugar to make it last longer Perfect for sandwich

What are the similarities between pork shoulder vs ham?

Despite some key differences between pork shoulder and ham, we cannot deny that they are relatively similar.

1. They are great to be smoked

Pork shoulder and pork ham are usually used in smoking recipes.

There are different parts of the pig that can be cured, but in fact, only the back leg is entitled to a ham.

2. They should be cooked under indirect heat

The reason is to prevent the outside from being burnt whereas the meat inside is not cooked.

Which one is better?

Product Comparison	Fresh Brand – Pork Shoulder Blade Roast, Bone-In, 2 lb	365 by Whole Foods Market, Ham Black Forest Family Size Sliced, 14...
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It really depends on your preference to choose which cut is better.

Both cuts of meat are delicious, but it all comes down to personal taste and what you like more than anything else.

If you’re not sure which cut will be best for your Christmas dinner this year, we recommend getting a small amount from both so that you can try them out first before committing to any decision.