Think pig

1. Head

That anything so elegant could come from a hog’s noggin is reason enough to book it to Bar Boulud for the restaurant’s unparalleled headcheese: a lush, meaty terrine encased in a pork-steeped jelly that melts on the tongue.—Jordana Rothman

2. Ears

Cartilaginous ears may not sound appetizing, but the chewy strips in the No. 1 banh mi Vietnamese sandwich at Ba Xuyen (4222 Eighth Ave between 42nd and 43rd Sts, Sunset Park, Brooklyn; 718-633-6601) add just the right textural contrast to the accompanying tender pâté, ham and crispy vegetables.—Daniel Gritzer

Shoulder

Photographs: Jeff Gurwin and Talia Simhi

3. Shoulder

At il Buco, whole heritage hog from Flying Pigs Farm is roasted porchetta-style. The shoulder makes an exceptional cut: It’s boned and seasoned with fennel, garlic and rosemary, capped with a potato-chip-thin crackling skin and an underlayer of succulent fat.—DG

4. Fatback

The slab of solid fat that runs along the pig’s back is cured in Italy to make lardo. Salumeria Biellese (376–378 Eighth Ave at 29th St, 212-736-7376) makes an excellent domestic version by seasoning Berkshire pork with rosemary, pepper and spices, then burying it in salt for at least 30 days.—DG

5. Skin

The torreznos (pork skin) at El Quinto Pino beautifully straddle the line between haute bar snack and humble pork rind. Neat squares of skin still attached to hunks of salty belly meat are deep-fried to their bubbliest, crunchiest potential.—JR

6. Loin

Heritage Foods USA (heritagefoodsusa.com) has recently debuted a superior porterhouse chop—a T-bone steak that comes from the tail end of the loin and includes a portion of the tenderloin—from peanut-fed Berkshire pigs. It’s a pork lover’s chop, with a little extra chew and a clean meatiness.—DG

7. Ham

The Spanish jamón ibérico de bellota—one of the finest pork products, period—is a cured ham that comes from a special breed of pig that grazes on acorns. At room temperature, the fat begins to render and the meat tastes nutty and sweet, with a mesmerizing whiff of a dusty attic. You pay for the quality: A 1.5-ounce serving costs $35 at Pata Negra (345 E 12th St between First and Second Aves, 212-228-1696).—DG

8. Ribs

You’ll find one of the city’s most competent racks of ribs at Georgia’s Eastside BBQ. Here they are oven-roasted and finished on the grill—no pit in sight. The result is sweet, characteristically tender flesh that’s just clinging to—not falling from—the bone.—JR

9. Caul fat

The membrane that lines a pig’s abdominal muscles is most often used as a casing for charcuterie; its fat content imparts moisture and flavor that intestines do not. At Lunetta, the lacelike sheath creates a purse for the decadent mixture of guanciale and diced lardo.—JR

Liver

Photographs: Jeff Gurwin and Talia Simhi

10. Liver

If you enjoy this organ’s funky flavor and chalky mouthfeel, head to Peasant for chef Frank DeCarlo’s suckling pig liver. This rarity is seared and served over polenta—added bacon neutralizes the naturally tinny taste.—JR

11. Bacon

Westville elevates bacon to an art with its standout BLT. Thank Florence Meat Market’s thick, twice-cured strips, which aren’t fried, but slow-cooked in the oven—they’re crunchy, scene-stealing meat candy.—Kate Lowenstein

Belly

Photographs: Jeff Gurwin and Talia Simhi

12. Belly

Alternating layers of white fat and pink meat, which are trademarks of the belly cut, transform into a jellied mass thanks to the extended cooking at Sakagura. The buta kakuni—a fist-size belly cube—comes quivering in a pool of sweet sake broth.—DG

13. Feet

Salted, grilled and complemented with a dab of pungent yuzu paste and vinegar sauce at the trotter-focused restaurant Hakata Tonton, these hooves possess crispy skin, collagen and achingly tender fat.—KL

14. Blood

L’Absinthe serves an exemplary version of the sanguine classic boudin noir. Seasoned with onions, garlic and herbs, the pork blood sausage is a crumbly pudding in a casing.—KL

Blood

Photographs: Jeff Gurwin and Talia Simhi

15. Cheeks

Italians call them guanciale; the staff at Back Forty have dubbed their outrageous pork jowl nuggets “little fat bombs”—the gelatinous cubes of house-cured cheek meat are braised in stout and pressed before being breaded and fried.—JR

Wanna try the whole pig? Daisy May’s BBQ USA $480, call two days in advance. Blaue Gans $380, call three days in advance.—KL