I am trying to smoke my first pork butts for the 4th. Problem is, I cant find any pork butts. I thought Sam's would have them but they dont. They only thing I can get my hands on is a pork shoulder from my local food market. Can any one give me any insight from experience to what is better between the shoulder and the butt.
-
Enter the TVWB 27th Anniversary Prize Drawing for a chance to win a Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill! Click here to enter!
Butt or shoulder
- Thread starter GregS
- Start date
Mikey Seim
TVWBB Member
Generally, it's the same thing.
"Butts" are shoulders, and "picnics" are lower shoulder/ upper forearm.
I like butts! (sorry, lack of sleep)
"Butts" are shoulders, and "picnics" are lower shoulder/ upper forearm.
I like butts! (sorry, lack of sleep)
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GregS:
Thanks Mikey. One thing I think I noticed is that the picnics have the bone in them whereas the butts dont correct? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
http://bbq.about.com/cs/porkpulled/a/aa072697.htm
"The pork shoulder is the entire front leg and shoulder of a hog. In your grocery store you will usually find this divided into two cuts, the Boston butt and the picnic."
I like the butts with bone still in them for pulled pork.
Thanks Mikey. One thing I think I noticed is that the picnics have the bone in them whereas the butts dont correct? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
http://bbq.about.com/cs/porkpulled/a/aa072697.htm
"The pork shoulder is the entire front leg and shoulder of a hog. In your grocery store you will usually find this divided into two cuts, the Boston butt and the picnic."
I like the butts with bone still in them for pulled pork.
Mikey Seim
TVWBB Member
Generally, you can pick bone-in or boneless. I like 'em with the bone.
A lot of places up here in Minny seem to use "shoulder" and "butt" interchangeably, just to add to the confusion. Too many old scandinavians mixing up butts and rump roasts, I guess.
A lot of places up here in Minny seem to use "shoulder" and "butt" interchangeably, just to add to the confusion. Too many old scandinavians mixing up butts and rump roasts, I guess.
I'm going to give my thoughts here. Common to see a picnic called a shoulder, which it's not really IMO, but that's what they call it. The shoulder part of the hog is the butt (top of the arm), that's above the picnic (forearm/bicep).
So butt = top shoulder
Picnic = bicep forearm
Whole front shoulder = all the above. Butt, bicep and forearm/shank. I see so many pics here where people say they are doing the whole shoulder, when in fact they are not. They're just doing what's labeled as a shoulder which is nothing more than a picnic, sometimes with only a partial shank attached. Trust me, if you were doing the whole shoulder assembly, it would be quite long and not fit on the top grate unless you were doing one off a small hog. Where I buy alot of my fresh pork and bellies for bacon, it would take some work to get one of their whole front shoulders on the WSM. Here's a pic of a butt I bought not so long ago from them. I asked them to cut it large for me, so this has the collar and a piece of the picnic on it. Came in at over 18.5 lbs. The shank is not even on this and look at how little room is left on the top grate. OK, no doubt this was off a very large hog but still look at the pic, it's mostly Butt.
So butt = top shoulder
Picnic = bicep forearm
Whole front shoulder = all the above. Butt, bicep and forearm/shank. I see so many pics here where people say they are doing the whole shoulder, when in fact they are not. They're just doing what's labeled as a shoulder which is nothing more than a picnic, sometimes with only a partial shank attached. Trust me, if you were doing the whole shoulder assembly, it would be quite long and not fit on the top grate unless you were doing one off a small hog. Where I buy alot of my fresh pork and bellies for bacon, it would take some work to get one of their whole front shoulders on the WSM. Here's a pic of a butt I bought not so long ago from them. I asked them to cut it large for me, so this has the collar and a piece of the picnic on it. Came in at over 18.5 lbs. The shank is not even on this and look at how little room is left on the top grate. OK, no doubt this was off a very large hog but still look at the pic, it's mostly Butt.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by danmarks:
dont any of you find the picnic to be leaner, drier than the butt? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, many of us find that to be the case. That and the texture is different on a picnic verses a Butt. For my money, I buy Butts every time.
But smoke what you like, your the one who's eating it.
Recent thread on the subject.
dont any of you find the picnic to be leaner, drier than the butt? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, many of us find that to be the case. That and the texture is different on a picnic verses a Butt. For my money, I buy Butts every time.
Bill Hays
TVWBB Platinum Member
Greg,
Did you ask if they have them in the back? Most Sam's don't put them out and you have to ask for them. They'll come 2 to a cryo pack. Ours just started putting them out.
Dave,
Yes or a shoulder blade roast, I belive it's called.
Heres a link that should help you both a bit.
Bill
Did you ask if they have them in the back? Most Sam's don't put them out and you have to ask for them. They'll come 2 to a cryo pack. Ours just started putting them out.
Dave,
Yes or a shoulder blade roast, I belive it's called.
Heres a link that should help you both a bit.
Bill
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">One thing I think I noticed is that the picnics have the bone in them whereas the butts dont correct? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No. Most butts are bone-in. Places that cut them into smaller 'shoulder roasts' remove the bone of course, as does Costco (who apparently only sells boneless butts), but butts most in most places are bone-in.
No. Most butts are bone-in. Places that cut them into smaller 'shoulder roasts' remove the bone of course, as does Costco (who apparently only sells boneless butts), but butts most in most places are bone-in.
Bill,
No I didnt ask them at Sam Club if they had any in the back but I will today. Thanks for the tip. If they dont have any I will just buy the bone in one and try that. Looking forward to a good pulled pork sammy. I bought one at an outdoor event the other night and it was awful.
No I didnt ask them at Sam Club if they had any in the back but I will today. Thanks for the tip. If they dont have any I will just buy the bone in one and try that. Looking forward to a good pulled pork sammy. I bought one at an outdoor event the other night and it was awful.
KevinJ
TVWBB Pro
I am right across the river and could not for the life of me find and "Butts" either. Then I re-read Chris's section on Butt Seletion and he gave all the names it might be under.
Boston shoulder roast
Boston roast
Boston butt
Shoulder butt
Shoulder blade roast
So with all of that I went back out and started to see that around here the food stores call them Shoulder Blade Roast. Start looking for this and you should start to find them.
Boston shoulder roast
Boston roast
Boston butt
Shoulder butt
Shoulder blade roast
So with all of that I went back out and started to see that around here the food stores call them Shoulder Blade Roast. Start looking for this and you should start to find them.
Bill,
I asked the guys at Sam's club if they had any in the back and they did. What he told me is that they usually cut them up into country style ribs an dont put them out as the whole Boston Butt's unless they are asked for. But they came 2 in a pack like you said. I am going to try my first butt tonight. They one I am going to cook is 8 1/2 lbs. I will hit the butt with some Texas BBQ brisket rub and use the MM and throw 2 chunks of oak and 1 chunk of apple on the coals. Any thoughts on how long to cook the 8.5 pounder. I think I remember reading about an hour and a half per pound. It that correct?
I asked the guys at Sam's club if they had any in the back and they did. What he told me is that they usually cut them up into country style ribs an dont put them out as the whole Boston Butt's unless they are asked for. But they came 2 in a pack like you said. I am going to try my first butt tonight. They one I am going to cook is 8 1/2 lbs. I will hit the butt with some Texas BBQ brisket rub and use the MM and throw 2 chunks of oak and 1 chunk of apple on the coals. Any thoughts on how long to cook the 8.5 pounder. I think I remember reading about an hour and a half per pound. It that correct?
Bill Hays
TVWBB Platinum Member
Greg,
Glad you asked them.
Usually, Sam's has "IBP" brand butts but they do get others from time to time. I have found the IBP to be most consistant in size and quality where the others are not nearly as good. For instance, I just got a case of Farmland brand and the weights of the cryo's varied beteen 14.7 lbs down to 10.4 for two. The weight of yours sounds more like what you get with IBP. I cook my butts between 220 and 225º because I find all the fat pockets are dissolved once I reach 195-200º, my desired finish temp. At that temp, it takes me 18 to 22 hours on average, sometimes longer. The 2 Farmland butts I cooked overnight took 23 hours to get t 194º at that temp and I raised it to 240º once they got through their plateau. A lot of people cook theirs at higher temps with good results and shorter cook times so it's all in what you find works best for you. I find a little more smoke wood works better for us but I started out with smaller amounts like you and worked up from there until I found what WE like.
Good luck on your cook and ask away with any addtional questions .. There's always someone here to help.
Take pics and post them if you can!
Bill
Glad you asked them.
Good luck on your cook and ask away with any addtional questions .. There's always someone here to help.
Bill
Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench into the smoke plans. Just as I was getting ready to fire up the bullet, major downpours and very windy conditions rolled in. Lasted long enough to where I decided to cancel. Live to fight another day and I will have to hopefully squeeze the cook in very soon as I dont want to freeze the butt. Thanks to all for your replies.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GregS:
Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench into the smoke plans. Just as I was getting ready to fire up the bullet, major downpours and very windy conditions rolled in. Lasted long enough to where I decided to cancel. Live to fight another day and I will have to hopefully squeeze the cook in very soon as I dont want to freeze the butt. Thanks to all for your replies. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Dear Sir, I started this hobby of mine in North Dakota in the wintertime. You can get that smoker started! I believe in you!
My friends think I'm a moron for smoking in all weather, and they thank me when it's Sunny.
-Brian
Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench into the smoke plans. Just as I was getting ready to fire up the bullet, major downpours and very windy conditions rolled in. Lasted long enough to where I decided to cancel. Live to fight another day and I will have to hopefully squeeze the cook in very soon as I dont want to freeze the butt. Thanks to all for your replies. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Dear Sir, I started this hobby of mine in North Dakota in the wintertime. You can get that smoker started! I believe in you!
My friends think I'm a moron for smoking in all weather, and they thank me when it's Sunny.
-Brian
Michael Freeman
TVWBB Fan
I bought my first one today. I thought I knew what I was looking for, but when I got to Food World, I was starting to get confused. They had picnics, that were labeled boston butt. And they had something smaller, more squarish type that was labeled boston butt. I bought one that was 4.5 pounds. It felt like it had bone in it. Is this just a regular butt that's cut in half? It's kind of confusing when they label them all boston butts.
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Michael Freeman:
I bought my first one today. I thought I knew what I was looking for, but when I got to Food World, I was starting to get confused. They had picnics, that were labeled boston butt. And they had something smaller, more squarish type that was labeled boston butt. I bought one that was 4.5 pounds. It felt like it had bone in it. Is this just a regular butt that's cut in half? It's kind of confusing when they label them all boston butts. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I can relate to that, in my case it's 'Shoulder'. Here they will label picnic or butt as shoulder.
At 4.5lbs and square it sounds to me like you got a 1/2 shoulder butt (whole butt sawn in half). Is there any skin on it?
A whole picnic (including hock) has skin on 2-3 sides IME. Butts might have skin on 1 side.
I bought my first one today. I thought I knew what I was looking for, but when I got to Food World, I was starting to get confused. They had picnics, that were labeled boston butt. And they had something smaller, more squarish type that was labeled boston butt. I bought one that was 4.5 pounds. It felt like it had bone in it. Is this just a regular butt that's cut in half? It's kind of confusing when they label them all boston butts. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
At 4.5lbs and square it sounds to me like you got a 1/2 shoulder butt (whole butt sawn in half). Is there any skin on it?
A whole picnic (including hock) has skin on 2-3 sides IME. Butts might have skin on 1 side.