Pork Shoulder Question

[USAF - AMMO]

Hello all! So I have a question, maybe a silly question,  but a question none the less. I have done 5 or 6 pork shoulders/boston butts, and each of them coming out better than the last! I just went to the commissary on base, and pictured is all I can get. Usually the sholder I have bought in the past have just a small amount of the bone in the center. I have never had to deal with the leg sticking out of the top. Now I was told the butcher can cut that piece off therefore looking more like what I have cooked in the past. Another option I was told, the butcher can debone it. I am not sure I like the soinds of not having the bone in at all, I always try to buy my cuts of meat with the bone as I think it adds to the flavor. After looking at the pic, what is yall's two cents on it?

Thanks in advance for any advice...

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[TMB]

That looks like a shoulder not a butt.  I don't really care for the shoulder as much, to much bone and tissue to deal with.

I like butts, remove the bone chop and your done.  Not so true with a shoulder

[Rummm]

The 'whole' pork shoulder (15-20 lbs) consists of the upper part (Boston Butt) and the lower part of the shoulder (the Picnic). You can purchase it whole, however most times it is found in the store separated into the two pieces mentioned above. The difference between Picnics and Boston Butts are the bone structure......the butt has a small shoulder blade bone and the picnic has the front leg bone and joint. The picnic is normally sold with "skin on", whereas the Butt only has a small fat cap. Both have excellent bbq meat, but the Boston Butt has the better value.

The photo is a Pork Picnic shoulder.

[sliding_billy]

Nice price if it is a whole shoulder (which it looks like) and not just the picnic.  If the butcher will do it, I would have him separate the butt and picnic and cook them individually.

[USAF - AMMO]

So how do we think it will turn out in the SRG after I have them seperate the picnic..... and it might be fun trying to explain all this to the italian butcher!

[Rummm]

have them seperate the picnic..... and it might be fun trying to explain all this to the italian butcher!

As long as it's not frozen, just grab each end of the shoulder and try to bend it. You'll be able to see where the joint is and that's where it is to be cut.

[USAF - AMMO]

what do you all think of this idea; Since i can get 4 smaller boston butts, could i put them all in the SRG at onces, basically put two on a each shelf with the bigger ones to the top?  Or even just two pounders, one per shelf?

[TentHunteR]

That looks like a whole shoulder, which includes the butt (like Rumm said).

Here's a whole shoulder I got from the butcher and simply asked him to cut it in half.
The Picnic cut is on the left, the Butt is on the right.


I usually end up cooking pulled pork for a few large BBQ's every year and honestly can't say that either cut is better than the other, so I tend to buy 50 - 60 lb cases of whole shoulders to get a better price.  Like Rummm said the only real difference is in the bone structure. Neither cut is any harder to pull than the other. Yes, the bone is a different shape, but comes out just as cleanly and easily when cooked properly. Just mash it down, expose the bones, pull them and the cartilage out - done!

There are a lot of champion bbq'ers who use whole shoulders (Myron Mixon is one). I remember when I lived in NC, lots of BBQ caterers used whole shoulders.  Then there are several folks and BBQ joints who served whole hog pulled pork swearing it's the best.

So it's really up to the individual. If you think butts are better, then buy butts. If you prefer a better price, get the whole shoulders.

That's my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions and rear ends! 

[Rummm]

That's my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions and rear ends! 

Ditto!! LOL

[USAF - AMMO]

OK, well I usually like to slice the pork, does that change anything? And since i am used to the back fat i just keep it on, i do not have to remove the skin that comes on the shoulder do I?

Sorry for all the questions guys, have a bunch of people coming to the house on Saturday and I can not disappoint after bragging so much about the SRG!

[sliding_billy]

Slicing vs. pulling will change the temp you want to cook to (about 165 IMO).  As for leaving the skin on...  You can cook with it on, but you won't want to eat it.  The big downside with leaving it on is that you will not have bark where the skin is.

[USAF - AMMO]

yes sir, that is the temp i usually aim for, since i will now be pulling, what temp to pull??

[sliding_billy]

Sorry, I misread your question and thought you were looking to do sliced.  Between 195-200 (a little lower if you are going to need to wrap and rest for a longer period) is what I shoot for to pull, but the real test is being able to slide a probe in like "butter" and the bone pulling away without resistance.

[TMB]

yes sir, that is the temp i usually aim for, since i will now be pulling, what temp to pull??

I shoot for 200 to 205 IT.  Infrared will not dry out the meat so you can go higher.   I have 78 butts cooked with infrared and hope to do 8 this weekend. I don't know much of this great world but I do know butts in INFRARED. 

Heck I even made Butt baskets so for cooking pulled pork.

[TentHunteR]

yes sir, that is the temp i usually aim for, since i will now be pulling, what temp to pull??

Like Tommy, I rarely have a shoulder that is truly done below 200°, but I gave up going by temperature years ago. Instead I go by how it feels when you insert a probe. Honestly it's simple and it works every single time no matter what.

I start checking around 190° -195°.  If the probe slides in all the way like warm butter with little or no resistance, then it's done. If it slides in part way then hits resistance, then that means the connective tissues in the middle aren't done breaking down yet. Wait another 30 minutes and check again.

Every shoulder is different and this technique can't fail because you're letting the meat tell you if it's done or not, not a thermometer.


Allow yourself plenty of time and if it's done sooner than expected, great! Then FTC & let it rest.  If not, don't worry, because it's not that critical. The connective tissues have already broken down; so it can't relax any more than that.  Any juices that come out while pulling, just mix back in and the meat willingly soaks them right back up.

If you choose to foil, you can even add in some of the foil juices and it will soak those up too, adding even more flavor.

Whichever method you choose, shoulders are very forgiving and I'm sure it will turn out great! Just be sure to get some pics to share with us!