Bone in vs. boneless butt


 
D

Dennis D

TVWBB Member
I've been looking around town for a decent butt that hasn't been enhanced and it's hard to find. The closest I can come is at Costco but the butts are boneless.

Other than the satisfaction of pulling out that bone when it is done, are there any other differences between bone or boneless as far as taste and moistness goes?

Anyone in the Portland area know of a good source of bone-in, non-enhanced butts?
 
Dennis, I and many others use the boneless Costco butts. Costco usually does a hatchet job to get the odd-shaped bone out, though. Some tie them to make them a little more compact (I do) and some don't (might take a little less time to cook; more surface area for the rub/bark). I haven't had any problem with the quality of the meat and my butts have turned out well. As to whether the bone adds more flavor, I can't say, because I haven't done any bone-in butts.

Rita
 
I'm just up the road from you (Olympia, Wa). I always go to Safeway. They will rarely have any out in the display case, but if they're selling "Country-style" ribs or pork shoulder steaks, you know they have cryopaks of full-size butts in the back.

Just ask anyone that looks like they're working in the meat dept. for a cryopak of pork shoulder blade roast (2 to a pak). You may have to insist that you want the whole thing "in the cryopak." "just weigh it and slap the price sticker on it." They usually can't believe you really want that much meat.

This last January and February they had two sales on the actual cryopaks - $0.79/lb. I hope they do the same next year.
 
Dennis - unless I have to, I no longer use Costco butts, because, as Rita said, they make such a mess of them. They don't really care, since they use them for country style ribs, but I prefer bone in. what's more, I find them for about 75 cents per pound cheaper at my lame-o grocery store. Go figure...

The reason bone in, in my opinion, works better, is because you have less of a chance of parts of the butt getting dried out. With a costco butt, even with tying to try and keep it together, you'd have some piece of it hanging out, which will inevitably dry out. It doesn't make much of a difference when added with the rest of the butt, but with bone in, you don't get that problem as much.

As to where to find them... if you go to most traditional supermarkets and ask them to cut you a butt, you'll find them. And most of the time, they won't be enhanced. Where I find enhanced butts is where you see a lot of pre-cut, branded meats.

Anyhow, good luck...
 
I just did a Wall Mart butt this past w/e. First time I ever saw them there. Bone in, not enhanced. Called shoulder blade roast. Was pretty darn good. Used that for pulled pork, and picnic for mixing up BBQ sammies.
 
Thanks all for the great tips. Our Walmart had the shoulder blade roast but they had the 12% solution injection that I want to avoid. As Adam suggests, maybe if I ask for it they won't have time to enhance it and it'll be fine. Fred Meyer had some small bone ins but they were 1.98 a pound--seems way too high. I'll be visiting some butchers on Friday to see what they can do for me. This is a great board!
 
I think Portland's a big enough place you should be able to find what you want at a price you want to pay somewhere. Under $1 a pound is great; under $2 a pound is not outrageous...
 
I have no idea what your situation is like in Portland, but here in Madison we have a meat wholesaler with a walk in store. Butts (2 to a cryopak) can be ordered a day in advance. Not enhanced, bone in. Have you checked the yellow pages and called local wholesalers to see if they can help you out?
 
I agree on the Costco butts...they are certainly a big floppy mess. Although I have good results rubbing everywhere (holds more rub!) and placing it in the smoker all bunched up.

Re: Bone-in, I have had comments that my bone-in butts have a stronger, unpleasant taste to the meat that was directly around the bone...cant describe it, but sorta an earthy unpleasant taste. Never had that issue with boneless. Didnt bother me as much as the less experienced Q'rs.
 
Dennis - I was just at Cash and Carry picking up a full brisket for the 4th. The had both bone-in and bones butts for just over a dollar a pound. You can see their Portland locations here
 
David - thanks for the tip. I'll check out the Gresham store next time I'm smoking butts and brisket. That's one store I didn't think of.
 
I was going to say Sam's Club but it looks like there is not one close. Next best suggestion is if you have a chest freezer buy a case from a meat wholesaler. Raw butts last a long time at minus 25f.
 
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