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Jowl vs Shoulder

Two cuts people weigh against each other at the counter — here is what actually separates them.

Side by side

JowlShoulder
Tenderness 70 46
Marbling 88 62
Umami 84 80
Price 62 40

Jowl

Cheek · guanciale · pork collar

The cheek and throat, worked constantly by chewing, so lean muscle and fat end up laced through each other rather than stacked in layers. Cured it becomes guanciale, the fat that makes a carbonara; grilled fresh it is the cut Korean barbecue calls hangjeongsal, and a whole pig yields only a few hundred grams of it.

High heat, briefJust past pink

Look for a marbled cross-section rather than one solid fat seam — the laced pieces are the ones worth the price.

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Shoulder

Boston butt · collar · spare rib roast

The upper foreleg and neck, a bundle of small muscles held together by generous seams of fat and connective tissue. That structure makes it almost impossible to overcook slowly, which is why every barbecue tradition on earth converged on this one cut for pulled pork.

90–95°CUntil it pulls apart

Choose a piece with visible fat seams running through the middle, not just a cap on the outside.

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Which one to buy

  • Better forJowl : Shoulder
  • GrillingJowl92 : 60
  • CuringJowl80 : —
  • BraisingJowl55 : —
  • Slow roastingShoulder— : 95
  • StewsShoulder— : 82

Other comparisons

→Jowl vs Belly→Jowl vs Loin→Shoulder vs Picnic shoulder→Shoulder vs Leg→Picnic shoulder vs Hock & trotter→Picnic shoulder vs Leg→Loin vs Tenderloin→Loin vs Belly

All cuts

Beef Primals

→Chuck→Ribeye→Striploin→Sirloin→Round→Brisket→Short plate→Flank→Shank→Head & cheek→Oxtail

Pork Primals

→Jowl→Shoulder→Picnic shoulder→Loin→Tenderloin→Belly→Leg→Hock & trotter

Lamb Primals

→Neck→Shoulder→Rack→Loin→Leg→Shank→Breast

Chicken Portions

→Breast→Wing→Thigh→Drumstick→Tenderloin→Oyster

Beef Offal Map

→Tongue→Heart→Liver→Rumen→Omasum→Abomasum→Small intestine→Large intestine

Bluefin Tuna Cuts

→Kama→Akami→Otoro→Chutoro→Tail belly

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Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.