Pork BUTT Vs Shoulder

[JustinT]

Hi Pitt I need your thoughts.

I am doing pulled pork tomorrow for around 10 family members and when I have don’t this previously I have always used pork shoulder as it’s readily available and that’s what seems to be used in the UK.

I have ave always I admit ignorantly believed that shoulder was butt and that it was just the American/UK terms for it.

What at is the main differences between butt and shoulder and why do so many prefer to use butt ? I have always had good results with shoulder so I was just wondering what the difference is.

[JimLinebarger]

In the US, butt and shoulder are the same thing. It is sometimes called shoulder because of where it comes from on the pig, the front. Ham is from the back from the picnic. Check out these charts.

Update: I was thinking wrong. Picnic is lower part of shoulder. Duh. I provide a location of a chart and that chart shows I was wrong. My mind must be in left field.

[Bkhuna]

No there not. The butt is part ofa whole shoulder.

[Jerod Broussard]

The Butt is the UPPER part of the shoulder. The Picnic is the LOWER part of the shoulder.

The Butt may or may not contain a blade bone and is more block shaped.

The Picnic is elongated and typically has part of the leg bone, and is more lean (drier).

[Troutman]

What dat man done say

[texastweeter]

called a butt as a holdover from the wooden casks salted shoulders used to be shipped in.

[fracmeister]

That's my take

[mrteddyprincess]

In this case "butt" is not referring to where the cut of meat is located on the animal. The location on the animal is the shoulder. The term "butt" comes from how those large chunks of pork were shipped across country salted in barrels. Here in the US the terms Boston Butt, pork shoulder roast, pork shoulder, and pork butt are used interchangeably. And as previously stated, the lower part of the pork shoulder is called the picnic. Technically that can be called a butt too. Most of the time around here, though, the term pork butt means a pork shoulder roast.

[jfmorris]

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...cuts-explained

As everyone said the butt (derived from the packing method in the 1800's) is the upper shoulder, as opposed to the picnic ham lower on the front leg.

I've had a picnic ham once, and as others said, its drier, and I don't think would serve as well for pulled pork. If I cooked one of those I think I would stop at a lower temperature, and plan on slicing the meat, versus pulling the meat.

[Troutman]

Just so we're clear, this is not about twerking...this is about food. So let's keep it clean and family like.

[ofelles]

If someone goes there if your fault now Troutman!

[texastweeter]

the difference in a butt and an @$$ is squats, according to Mrs.Calhoun.

[JustinT]

Haha yeah let’s stick with food :-)

[josh_karpf]

I didn't know I could love AR this much. I was born in 1966, have enjoyed a relatively literary career that makes me think I know the English language, and have learned only today, August 30, 2019, what's a butt.

[JustinT]

JimLinebarger Jerod Broussardmrteddyprincess jfmorris thank you all for your answers.

This all makes sense thank you I have always used the ones in the supermarket which they say are shoulder so I’m assuming these are what you would call the picnic joint.

I have used this this a couple of times and never had an issue with moisture but at the same time I have never used butt so don’t have a comparison.

These are the joints i am I am using as they came and after they were prepared.

[holehogg]

Those are Butts. Shoulder is what they call them these parts as well. I usually get them bone in.
The shoulder is mainly sold here cut up into shoulder chops for the braai (live fire) You don't often find it sold as a whole shoulder. I have to ask the butcher to cut a whole piece when I do pulled pork
More common is the leg that is sold for roasting but doesn't do well for pulled pork.
You got 2 good looking Butts.
It takes a bit of getting used to the American terminology for certain cuts.

[holehogg]

P.S. make sure you roast it for 2 hours and 46 min. as recomended. Not a minute longer. 😅

[JustinT]

@holehog awesome that would explain why I have never had an issue with it drying out.

And that’s the first time in ages I have been told I have a good looking Butt 😊

[Huskee]

As Sir Mixalot once said, "I like pig butts and I cannot lie." (Wasn't that what he said?) Have a great cook JustinT but I suggest you hack them babies into 4lbers instead of seasoning & smoking whole.

[mrteddyprincess]

Huskee I'm thinking those are 4-5 lb chunks already. Says right at 2 kg on the package. Would you still cut 'em in half?

[Huskee]

You're right mrteddyprincess I hadn't looked at the label. Those equate to a pinch over 5lb each, I'd probably leave 'em whole. I have done 2.5lbers before though, but I wouldn't necessarily suggest someone cut that in half.

[JustinT]

Huskee haha your not wrong there you can’t go wrong with a big old Butt 😂😂 after trimming and tiying then I weighed them and they have a combined weight of 7.5LB once trimmed.

[mountainsmoker]

I have a silly question. Do they include a joint or is that just a British terminology for a hunk of meat?

[mountainsmoker]

Thank you while I have been in both England and Canada, I've never bought meat in either.

[JustinT]

Ok sillier question what’s the difference between a joint and a hunk of meat ?

[pkadare]

A joint has been known to make the consumer of one hungry enough to eat a hunk of meat?

[JustinT]

Here we go.

[JustinT]

Unfortunately I didn’t fully go well and I don’t know why it tasted good but wasn’t pullable I ended up slicing it for some reason the got to 166F and wouldn’t go any higher so I ended up slicing it.

[droopie69]

The stall. It can take HOURS sometimes to get from 160ish to 180ish. If you want to speed up, wrap it in foil until you get to 180ish. I leave them in the foil til 203-208 but you can take it back out if you want really firm bark. I also plan the time so I can wrap in foil and a blanket and still in a cooler (faux cambro) for an hour or two...that's the finishing touch to what my wife calls, SILKY bbq!

[JustinT]

droopie69 thank you for the advice I look forward to many more cooks and learning with each one and so much great help and advice from everyone here I think I will wrap it next time at what temp would you wrap ?