Pork cuts to smoke other than butts/shoulders?


 
D

D Mark

New member
Long time lurker, 1st time poster here. It is a great forum and thanks to all that post for all the knowledge that I have already gained.

I have been smoking pork butts/shoulders for several years and they usually turn out really good for pulled pork. However I prefer Eastern NC style, whole hog BBQ. The mix of meat from different parts of the pig gives the BBQ a flavor profile that is missing from just using butts/shoulders. Short of getting a pig cooker and using a whole pig, does anyone have advice for what other cut would work well in the WSM to go along with a butt/shoulder?
 
If you can find pork neck bones, I think they would be awesome. I just found them for the first time at a local supermarket. Hamhocks sping to mind also.
 
Welcome D! Sometimes I like to smoke a pork loin roast. They are good sliced with warm sauce or gravy. If you have a food processor, try some of the loin
along with warm gravy or warm sauce in the processor, but dont overdo it, several pulses ought to do it, then spoon over bread. Sounds kind of wacky, but
tasted great.
 
Welcome to the Family !

Since you have cooked them for a while and normally pull them, how about cooking them but instead slicing the money muscle and pulling the tubes. While it's easy to just pull it, more finesse is required to deliver excellent sliced money muscle.
 
Try a fresh ham ( the rear leg of the piggy ). I get mine at the Hispanic markets, usually around a buck a lb this time of year. Score the rind in a diamond pattern with a new utility knife and rub with a spicy paste and baste with a mustard, vinegar, citrus glaze.
I smoke roast mine at 300+ but you can go lower and slower if you like.
HTH

Tim
 
timothy said:
Try a fresh ham ( the rear leg of the piggy ). I get mine at the Hispanic markets, usually around a buck a lb this time of year. Score the rind in a diamond pattern with a new utility knife and rub with a spicy paste and baste with a mustard, vinegar, citrus glaze.
I smoke roast mine at 300+ but you can go lower and slower if you like.
HTH

Tim
Click to expand...

Six bucks a pound to un-hammed ham here. :(
 
Carl H. said:
It seems obvious, but what about ribs? Belly can be good.
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Ribs were my first thought as well but i was hoping for something a little easier to pull/chop and mix in with the butts. Fresh ham sounds like a good idea too but yeah I don't thing I have ever noticed and "un-hammed" ham. Maybe a loin would work as well?
I'm not looking to smoke something different than butts but looking for something to smoke with the butts and them mix with them to have a closer flavor profile to "whole hog" BBQ.
Thanks for the help so far guys!
 
Try any cut of pork you can find, they all work. Just be mindful of whether they're tough (like shoulder - cook until tender) or tender (like loin - cook until done).
 
Bob H. said:
Welcome D! Sometimes I like to smoke a pork loin roast. They are good sliced with warm sauce or gravy. If you have a food processor, try some of the loin
along with warm gravy or warm sauce in the processor, but dont overdo it, several pulses ought to do it, then spoon over bread. Sounds kind of wacky, but
tasted great.
Click to expand...
+1

If you can find a bone-in rack of pork, it's a fantastic piece of meat that really looks dramatic when you unveil it, if you're a bit of "ham" like I am. :-)
 
A whole pork belly! You can do it either with skin on or off. I usually do it with skin off as it renders better and better smoke/seasoning throughout. Season with an on the sweet side rub of your choice and smoke until it pulls apart like soft string cheese. It is like candy and my favorite part of the hog to smoke. I did one with a butt this summer and nearly all of the "bacon" was gone before the butt, and the butt was awesome!
 
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