—These are made from short rib sides by cutting off the belly; they therefore contain the loin, back fat and back-ribs but not the back-bone nor tenderloin. It is a dry-salt cut, weighing 25 to 45 pounds and is not commonly made. Hard Backs are made from hard rib sides, thus containing the back-bone. “English” Rib Backs are made from Square Short Ribs, and average 12 to 20 pounds.
Short Clear Backs.
—These are “made from the sides of smooth hogs from which the bellies have been cut, back-bone and ribs taken out and the lean left on, tail-bone sawed off even with the face of the meat, and trimmed smooth and square on all edges.” They are cut from medium and heavy packing hogs. The weights run from 16 to 40 pounds. “English” Short Clear Backs are lighter than regulars, averaging 10 to 20 pounds, and are shorter at the butt end, being cut off in front of the hip-bone. Pickled Clear Backs are short clear backs of light weight and lean quality. They weigh 6 to 10 pounds and are sweet-pickled, smoked, and sold as “Loin Back Bacon” or “Breakfast Bacon Backs.”
Short Fat Backs.
—These are “made from the sides of heavy, well-fatted hogs from which the bellies have been cut, back-bone and ribs taken out and all the lean taken off, to be trimmed smoothly and properly squared on all the edges.” It is made from packing and loin hogs when cutting pork loins, and is usually quoted as a dry-salt cut in 8 to 20 pound averages.
Export Short Fat Backs have the blade-bone taken out, are more closely trimmed and squared than domestic fat backs and are made principally in heavy averages, 16 to 40 pounds. Paprika Fat Backs are thin, light fat backs, weighing 4 to 8 pounds.
Long Fat Backs.
—These consist of “the upper half of the side cut through the center of the ribs from the ham to and including the shoulder, with the loin and blade-bone taken out, trimmed smoothly and squared on all edges.” It is a dry-salt cut, not as commonly made as formerly and used only for export trade.
Loins.
—Loins, consisting of the back with the fat trimmed off, are sold either as Regular Pork Loins or as Loin Rolls.