Pork Collar

Pork collar sits between the shoulder and the loin, marbled enough to stay juicy through a hot grill or a long marinade. Whole collar is the cut for char siu, since the fat streaks baste the meat as it roasts. Sliced collar suits a quick barbecue or pan-fry, and the shabu-shabu cut goes thin for hot pot, cooking through in under a minute. A well-marbled piece browns better than a lean one, so look for visible fat lines running through the meat.