Say goodbye to pork butt. Youll still be able to buy that cut of meat, which really doesnt come from a pigs buttocks, but under new meat-labeling standards it will now be called Boston roast and more accurate-ly described as bone-in pork shoulder. The first update in 40 years to the meat industrys Uniform Retail Meat Identifica-tion Standards, rolling out now for pork and beef and later for veal and lamb, aims to reduce consumer confusion. Besides simplified, more uniform names for more than 350 cuts, the system will include detailed characteristics of the meat and cooking guidelines, which may make it easier to identify leancuts. Where possible, it will employ universal terms across species, so youll see pork T-bones and ribeyes. Although voluntary, the standards are used by 85% of food retail-ers. Together with new federal nutrition-labeling rules for meat that went into effect in 2012, the rules should make smart shopping at the meat counter easier.
