Selection No.1

Hams, shoulders, shoulder picnics, loins, and Boston butts of  Selection No.1 are meaty, based on a composite evaluation of thickness of muscling and quantity of intermuscular and external fat. To meet the minimum requirements for meatiness, cuts usually are at least moderately thick and plump throughout; have at least moderately thick muscling, and not more than a small amount of intermuscular fat, nor more than a small amount of external fat on the unskinned portions of skinned hams and shoulders.

The bones must not be ossified to a degree that cartilage is not in evidence in t\he pelvic, spinal, and scapular sections of the pork cuts. The split chine bone, spinous processes, and cross-cut sections of bones must be porous and not appreciably brittle or flinty. The color of the bones must be in the range from red to deep pink. The exterior surfaces of the rib bones must show at least some redness. The lean must be at least slightly firm; possess a bright, reasonably uniform color slightly two-toned is permissible), ranging from light pink to light red; and have a fine smooth texture. In addition, hams must have at the minimum two traces of marbling, and shoulders, shoulder picnics, loins and Boston butts must have at least a slight amount of marbling.

Selection No.1 bellies must indicate a slightly high ratio of lean to fat, and have a uniform distribution of fat and lean layers. They may vary in thickness from slightly thick to moderately thick, and must be moderately uniform in thickness, moderately long in relation to width, and may show a slight amount of marbling.

The exterior fat on the fresh pork cuts must be at least slightly firm, white, and reasonably uniform in distribution. The skin must be thin, smooth and pliable. The pork cuts must be free from bruises, dislocated or enlarged joints or other malformation, or odor foreign to fresh pork. They must be practically free from scores, mis-cut, abrasions, hook marks, blemishes, hair roots, or other defects.