I got a massive 12 lbs bone in pork shoulder. I'm planning on doing pulled pork for a back yard (socially distance) beer festival (since the usual event was canceled this year). The butcher asked me if I wanted the fat cap and skin removed. I wasn't sure. The recipe on this website suggests trimming the fat as you can't get bark under that. But then another recipe suggested that the crispy skin was the best part. Can I remove the skin and make craklings separately? Any and all advice is appreciated.
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Pork Shoulder - Need Advice
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I'm with JC. Trim the fat down, remove the skin. You can also cut a butt of that size into 2-3 pieces if you want more bark.
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Charter Member
- Dec 2014
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- Grew up in New Orleans, 20 years in Texas, 22 years in Mandeville, LA. Now Dallas, TX
Skin would suggest that you have a picnic which is the front lower leg.Twelve pounds is large for a picnic, but If it is the picnic and the shoulder (Boston Butt) it is small. I have never had a Boston Butt with skin on, but I have never had a picnic and shoulder still joined. I have only cooked picnics with skin on scored after marinating for Cuban pork. I am not sure how the picnic would cook without the skin, but the butt trimmed of excess fat will cook just fine. I think the picnic is leaner than the butt and tastes different than the butt.
Post a pic and we can better tell what you are cooking.
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Here are two photos, one from skin side and bottom. What piece did I get? It says Pork Shoulder on label. I do think I'm leaning to carving off the skin and making cracklings and then tieing up the rest and doing the traditional smoked pulled pork roast. 3=5 hours on smoker then into the oven till it reads 203.
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In the supermarkets near me, if it says "pork shoulder" it's a picnic. It's hard to say for sure from your pics, but I'm leaning toward a picnic. Cutting a picnic in half successfully without a bone saw is a challenge, to say the least, due to the amount and location of bone in the roast. Even if you could get it successfully cut into 2 roughly equal hunks, you won't likely get a 50% reduction in cooking time. More likely a 25-35% reduction. And that's if you wrap it.
Responding to LA Pork Butt - you can definitely smoke a picnic without the skin for pulled pork. I did that for several years back in the 90's when butts were hard to come by in this part of the country.Last edited by Dewesq55; July 22, 2020, 08:42 AM.
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IMO this is a picnic roast. I don’t see the blade nor a money muscle. I’ve cooked these just like your normal pork butt but they will get just a little drier. One of the better ones I cooked, I pulled it off when the internal temp was around 175-180 and sliced it about 1/2†thick with a sweet hot pepper jelly glaze.
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Just don’t be too disappointed if it turns out drier than what you expected. A "Boston Butt"will turn out juicier and with more flavor. I generally see them "cured & smoked". Or an old fashioned boiled dinner with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, celery and other root vegetables. If you smoke it for pulled pork follow the advice of not going too hot..
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Hedge your bets, inject. Crutch with foil. I cook mine fat cap intact, injected, dry brine, and crutches with foil.
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Thank you for all the advice. I had been debating whether to use the simple or competition (with injections) recipe. Either way, I dedcided to give it an extra day or two of dry brining to help it from drying out. I find its worked wonders on chicken and beef.
Here is a picture of the skin removed and ready for cracklings; and the trimmed shoulder after salting.
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