: Buying directly from a farm like Purely Pastured Farm allows you to know exactly how the animal was raised, which is a major plus for quality-conscious cooks.

: You get everything from the ribs and belly to the shoulder and hams.

involve digging a pit—sometimes 4 feet deep and 10 feet across —to smoke and steam the meat simultaneously. This results in a texture similar to pulled pork with a deep, smoky barbecue flavor.

: Instead of paying individual cut prices, you often pay a flat per-pound rate (around $5.50/lb depending on the source) for a variety of pork cuts you select yourself.