Shoulder Roast? Question...


 
J

Jim Smithson

TVWBB Fan
My brother is coming to visit for the weekend. They had two pigs that were recently butchered and wants to bring something to smoke on my WSM.

Great idea, good thought...but...I am having a hard time describing the cut they should bring in relation to what their butcher called it on all the packages in their freezer.

The closest they have to 'butt' (had to convince them I didnt mean HAM) is shoulder roast. I thought...hmmm...maybe the whole shoulder?

When I google shoulder roast....I get "shoulder roast = shoulder pot roast = English roast Notes: This boneless cut is located right behind the arm roast on the carcass. It's rather tough, so it's usually cooked in a liquid. Substitutes: arm roast OR bottom round OR cross rib roast"

Regardless, I have a butt in my fridge in case what they bring isnt what we need...but I will be disappointed to tell them 'sorry, that wont work'

If it does end up being the entire shoulder, advice on smoking vs. just a butt? Just longer I assume?

Thoughts here?

thx
 
Jim, ask how large it is. If it is 8 lbs or less go ahead and cook it as if is one butt. If it is one piece with both the picnic and butt and over 12 lbs. consider cutting it in two pieces.

It doesn't matter much except as a time issue. A larger piece 12 lb piece will take more time, maybe 24 hours +-.

John
 
If it is huge, I may cut it down...or increase the temp as I cannot put it on until probably 10pm Friday nite and we want it for Sat dinner.

My post above, I think that definition I found was for BEEF, not Pork. I figure, shoulder is shoulder in a pig...just which half is it.
 
The definitions above are describing beef.

The two large cuts from a pork shoulder are the picnic and the butt (aka Boston Butt).

Use size to determine what to do, regardless if it includes both the picnic and butt or just one or the other. Again if it's 8 lbs or less cook it whole, much more than that cut it in two pieces. Use a sterilized hack saw if you must.

John
 
The 'butt' part of a whole shoulder is aka a 'shoulder roast-bone-in'. The 'picnic' part is aka as a 'whole arm roast' or 'arm roast-bone-in'. Both terms ('arm' and 'shoulder') are also used for beef though 'chuck' is more common than 'shoulder'.
 
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