What is the difference between striploin, ribeye and tenderloin?

Tenderloin is the most tender and mildest in flavour. Ribeye is medium-tender with rich, buttery marbling. Striploin sits in between, with a firm bite and a bold, beefy flavour. All three are premium steak cuts.

Is striploin a tender steak?

Striploin is medium-tender. It is firmer than ribeye and tenderloin but rewards you with a stronger, beefier flavour. Cook it no further than medium and slice against the grain for the most tender result.

Which steak cut is best value in Singapore?

Striploin and ribeye usually offer the best balance of flavour and price. For wagyu-like richness at a lower price, marbled Meltique striploin and ribeye are popular choices. Tenderloin is the most expensive due to its tenderness.

Where can I buy fresh steak in Singapore?

Tasty Food Affair cuts steak in its own butchery and delivers across Singapore in its own refrigerated trucks, with free delivery on orders above S$65.

Different raw pork cuts including collar, loin, belly and ribs arranged on a board

Different Pork Cuts and Their Uses: A Singapore Guide

July 23, 2024

Pork is the most versatile meat in a Singapore kitchen, yet most cooks rotate through three or four cuts and leave the rest to the butcher. Each cut has a job it does better than any other. Use the wrong one and even good pork disappoints; use the right one and an inexpensive cut can outshine a premium one. This guide covers the main cuts, what each is best for, and how to cook it.

How a pig is divided

Most retail pork comes from four sections. The shoulder (which includes the collar) is well-worked and marbled, built for flavour and slow cooking. The loin runs along the back and is the leanest, most tender section. The belly is the fatty underside, prized for its layers. The leg is lean and large, usually roasted or cured. Ribs and bones come off the belly and back. One principle ties it together: the harder a muscle worked in life, the more marbling and connective tissue it carries, and the more it rewards low, slow heat.

Pork collar

The collar — the muscle running from the neck into the shoulder — is the most forgiving cut on the pig. It is threaded with fat that keeps it moist through long braises and hot grills alike. This is the cut behind char siu, and the one to reach for when you want pork that stays tender.

Best for: char siu, barbecue, curry, stew, grilling, sliced pork.
How to cook: marinate and roast for char siu, slice for the grill, or cube for curry. Hard to overcook because the fat protects it.

Shop the whole pork collar slab or browse pork chops for portioned collar and loin chops.

Pork loin

The loin is lean, mild and tender — the pork equivalent of a striploin. Because it carries little fat, its one weakness is drying out. Cook it to just done and rest it, and it is excellent; push it past that and it turns dry and chalky.

Best for: pork chops, roasts, schnitzel, quick pan-frying.
How to cook: sear and finish gently to an internal 63°C, then rest. For roasts, wrap in a little fat or bard with belly to keep it moist.

Shop fresh pork loin.

Pork tenderloin

The tenderloin is the single leanest, most tender muscle on the pig — a small strip that runs under the loin. It cooks fast, which makes it ideal for a weeknight, but that same leanness means timing matters.

Best for: char siu, stir-fries, medallions, tacos, quick roasts.
How to cook: high heat, short time. Sear the outside, finish to 63°C, rest five minutes. Slice into medallions across the grain.

Shop fresh pork tenderloin.

Pork belly

Belly is the fatty underside, built in alternating layers of meat and fat. Those layers are what make it so versatile — render the fat slowly and it becomes silky; blast the skin with high heat and it crackles.

Best for: siew yoke (roast pork), braised pork belly (lu rou fan), Korean bossam, bacon, curries.
How to cook: slow-roast or braise for tenderness; finish skin under high heat for crackling. Score the skin and dry it well before roasting.

Browse the full fresh pork collection for belly and other cuts.

Pork ribs

Ribs come in three common forms: the meaty spare rib slab, individually cut spare ribs, and the leaner baby back. All reward either long, low heat or a proper braise — the goal is to soften the connective tissue between the bones until the meat gives.

Best for: barbecue ribs, bak kut teh and rib soups, sweet-and-sour pork ribs.
How to cook: low-and-slow in the oven, or simmer for soup. Finish barbecue ribs with a glaze under high heat.

Shop fresh pork spare ribs.

Pork soft bone (and pork bone)

Soft bone — the cartilage-rich rib tips and breastbone — is one of the most underused cuts in the Singapore kitchen. Braised long enough, the cartilage turns gelatinous and the surrounding meat falls away. Pork bone, meanwhile, is the backbone of a clear, sweet stock.

Best for: braised soft bone, bak kut teh, stocks and soups.
How to cook: blanch first to clean the bones, then simmer gently for a clear broth, or braise soft bone in a sticky sauce until tender.

Shop fresh pork bone.

Minced pork

Mince is the workhorse: dumplings, meatballs, mapo tofu, noodle sauces, patties. A little fat in the mince keeps it juicy, so avoid anything too lean for these dishes.

Shop fresh minced pork.

Quick reference: which pork cut for what

Cut	Best for	Method
Collar / shoulder	Char siu, BBQ, curry, stew	Roast, grill or braise — very forgiving
Loin	Chops, roasts, schnitzel	Sear then gentle heat to 63°C; rest
Tenderloin	Char siu, stir-fry, medallions	High heat, short time; rest
Belly	Siew yoke, lu rou fan, bacon	Slow-roast or braise; high-heat skin
Ribs	BBQ ribs, rib soup, sweet-sour	Low-and-slow or simmer
Soft bone / bone	Bak kut teh, braises, stock	Blanch then simmer or braise
Minced	Dumplings, meatballs, sauces	Keep some fat for juiciness

Frequently asked questions

Which pork cut is best for char siu?

Pork collar is the classic choice — its marbling keeps char siu moist and tender. Pork tenderloin gives a leaner char siu that cooks faster but dries out more easily.

Which cut should I use for bak kut teh?

Pork ribs and soft bone, often with pork bone added for a sweeter, clearer stock. Blanch the bones first to keep the soup clean.

Bone-in or boneless chops — which is better?

Bone-in chops stay juicier and carry more flavour, but cook slightly less evenly. Boneless chops are quicker and easier to portion. For a pan-fried chop where moisture matters most, bone-in has the edge.

What is the most beginner-friendly pork cut?

Pork collar. It is almost impossible to dry out, forgives imprecise timing, and works across roasting, grilling and braising.

Item added to your cart