What’s in a name? For pork, it’s profit. From the porterhouse to the ribeye, official pork chop names drive big value for operators. Fourteen pork cuts now have consumer-friendly names, including many that align with well-known beef or steakhouse cuts.
Watch this break-down demo to learn how to butcher and name chops from a bone-in loin, and find more how-to demonstrations, including the boneless version at PorkFoodservice.org.
Showcasing pork chops as a premium center-of-plate protein and referring to specific pork cuts help operators get more value from specialty chops. Lee Morcus, CEO of Kaiser Restaurant Group in La Quinta, CA, has used explanatory names for pork cuts for years. “‘Porterhouse’ is an intuitive way to amplify and clarify what we’re serving,” says Morcus.
All bone-in pork chops are prepared from the Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS) number 1410 Pork Loin. These are also the numbers used in North American Meat Institute’s (NAMI) Meat Buyer’s Guide (MBG). The 8th edition of the MBG adopts the new IMPS numbers for pork chops along with the corresponding Purchaser Specified Option (PSO) for each of the new named chops. Learn more about common cuts from the pork loin below.
1410, PSO8 Sirloin Chops
Bone-in chops from the portion of the loin that meets the fresh leg. The fine grain holds moisture and flavor well.
1410, PSO2 Porterhouse Chops
Bone-in chops with loin muscle and tenderloin.
1410, PSO3 T-Bone Chops
Bone-in chops with loin muscle and a portion of the tenderloin tail.
Top: 1410, PSO1 Center-Cut Chops
Bone-in chops similar to a New York strip steak. Differs from ribeye chops because no spinalis muscle or cap shows on top.
Top: 1410, PSO4 Ribeye Chops
Bone-in chops from the rib portion of the loin with one or more loin back ribs on each chop, depending on thickness.
1410, PSO7 Blade Chop
Bone-in chops from the blade end of the pork loin.
Boneless Pork Chops
Boneless pork chops are derived from the IMPS 1413, boneless pork loin.
To learn more about cutting portion cuts from the boneless loin, watch the video and see the cuts below.
1413, PSO2 Ribeye Chops
1413, PSO1 Center-Cut chops
1413, PSO3 New York Chops
For more information on how pork chop names drive big value for operators, visit The 400 newsletter and sign up for the latest pork news, videos, recipes and trends delivered right to your inbox.
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This content was provided courtesy of the National Pork Board.
