From early spring to late fall, Michiganders fall in love all over again with their grills and the delicious recipes and foods they’ve missed all throughout the cold winter months.
Once our warm weather returns, our fridges are restocked with our favorite meats and condiments, and just like flipping a switch, our diets change from the comfort foods of winter, to our grilling favorites of summer.
Burgers, dogs, steaks, ribs, watermelon and sweet corn fill our shopping carts and whet our appetites.
By mid-summer, you may be ready for something that’s both familiar AND new.
And we’ve got some great suggestions.
Pork is no doubt, a summer favorite. Look no further than the mountain of packaged pork spare ribs, baby back ribs and pork shoulder/butts stacked on large displays at Cattleman’s to reaffirm everyone’s love for these grilling favorites.
But, don’t overlook some of the lesser-known pork cuts. You may be missing out on some really great meals, and some really great values.
And, you won’t find many of these specialty cuts at the “big chain” grocery stores.
Here are some of our favorites, with some preparation suggestions. In no particular order, they are:
Pork Riblets
These savory bites (typically 2” in size), are great for broiling, grilling or pan-searing. Try placing a griddle plate on your grill, sear them first, then slathering them in your favorite BBQ sauce as they braise into pork goodness.
Pork Rib Tips
Slightly larger (and longer) in size, you can treat these tender tips just as you would your favorite Baby Back Ribs but be careful not to over-cook them.
Boneless Pork Country Ribs
These VERY meaty rib cuts are a perfect choice when you love the taste of spare ribs but you’d prefer not to deal with any bones. They have just the right amount of fat to lean to make them juicy and delicious, but as they have no bone to hold on to, many serve these ribs with a knife and fork.
Thick Cut, Center Cut Pork Chops
A summer grilling favorite, these chops are very lean and come in your choice of both thin and thick sliced. Generally, pork chops are seasoned and grilled but not always basted with a sauce so be careful NOT to overcook them, which is all too common.
Western Style Spare Ribs & Chinese Style Pork Spare Ribs
Both of these rib cuts are similar to one another and are excellent choices for grilling and barbecuing. Unlike full slabs of ribs, these long, individual cuts allow the flavor of your grilling and your sauce to touch each side of the ribs and give you more opportunity for flavor and enjoyment.
Pork Stew
This cut of pork is designed primarily for pan-searing, then braising in a liquid (to make a stew), or, for dishes such as Sweet & Sour Pork. Another delicious and creative way to use this cut is to make a braised “Pulled Pork”, by searing all sides of these pork pieces, then sauteing in a bit of chopped onion and garlic. Cover with your favorite BBQ sauce and perhaps a bit of bourbon and cook covered, in a crock pot for a few hours until they are fork tender.
Fresh Sliced Pork Belly
Basically, uncured, unsmoked, very thick cut bacon, Fresh Sliced Pork Belly, is a wonderful addition to your summer, grilling arsenal. Grill over medium heat, turning often and basting with your favorite sauce, they are sure to be a hot hit and go great as a side item to grilled chicken or even a steak.
Pork Cubed Steaks
These mechanically tenderized steaks are excellent candidates for breading and pan-frying in butter, then served with a savory chicken or mushroom gravy when the weather outside just isn’t allowing you to grill your other favorite cuts of pork. They freeze well so they’re an excellent “standby” pork option.
Split Pigs Feet
Are a Southern influenced dish which, can be barbecued if first cooked in a seasoned broth for 2 to 3 hours, then basted with BBQ sauce and oven-roasted or grilled. The resulting broth is often used to cook collard greens, beans, and other southern favorites.
Pick of the Pork
Can’t decide which of these pork to buy? You’re not alone, and for that very reason, we’ve created a Multi-Cut pack that we call Pick of the Pork which includes a Pork Butt to roast and both Pork Chops and Western Style Spare Ribs to grill.
Too many choices and not enough summer.
Regardless of which cuts are your favorite, Cattleman’s enormous meat departments are always fully stocked with freshness, value and great service.
NOTE: Prices shown on packages were in effect July 6th, 2025 and may not reflect current pricing.
