Numerous other styles of grades of hams which were formerly packed in large quantities, especially for export trade, are no longer made or used sufficiently to be regarded as standard products.
Side Meats.
—This class includes various grades and cuts of Short Ribs, Short Clears and “English” Bacon Sides.
Short Rib Sides.
—Regular Short Ribs are middles of hogs from which short-cut hams and regular or New York shoulders have been taken off, with back-bone and tenderloin removed, hench-bone and breast-bone sawed or cut down smooth and even with face of side, feather of blade not removed and no incision made in the side. This is a regular Board of Trade cut and is quoted in provision reports simply as “Ribs.” It is made from medium to heavy packing hogs, in averages from 25 to 80 pounds, but principally from 45 to 65 pounds. On the Board of Trade regular ribs averaging not less than 30 nor more than 60 pounds are deliverable at contract price; those over 60 and not over 70 pounds average are deliverable at a discount of 20 cents per 100 pounds; those over 70 and not over 80 pounds are discounted 30 cents, per 100 pounds. Regular ribs are mainly shipped south either as dry-salt or bacon meat. Many are afterward converted into other cuts, as extra ribs, extra clears, backs and bellies, as determined by current prices of the various cuts.
Jobbing or Rough Short Ribs consist of short ribs with the back-bone left in, the hog being center-split leaving equal part of the back-bone on each side. They are sold at a discount of two per cent under regular ribs and must average not less than 30 nor more than 50 pounds for Board of Trade delivery.
Hard Short Ribs are made the same as Jobbing Ribs except that the hog is split so as to leave the back-bone all on one side. The side containing the back-bone is known as the Hard Side or Hard Short Rib and the other as the Soft Side, the latter being the same as the Regular Short Rib. They usually weigh 50 to 70 pounds, are cut from heavy packing hogs and are sold principally in the South as dry-salt pork.
Extra Short Ribs or “Extra Ribs” are made from Short Ribs by removing the loin. They average 35 to 50 pounds. 20 to 30 per cent of the stocks of sides usually consist of Extra Ribs.
Square Cut or “English” Short Ribs are the middles of hogs from which square shoulders and long-cut hams have been cut, thus making the side shorter than a regular rib, square-cut and with the feather of the blade-bone out. They are selected from the better grades of medium weight packing hogs, and average 20 to 30 pounds.