Butt Size

Butt: I always buy the biggest cuts available. I figure I should maximize the return for my labor. BBQ freezes well, so there's no such thing as too much.

The benefit of cutting a butt in half is maximizing the surface area for rub and smoke flavor.

Time I don't see as an issue because I put it in the smoker the night before, so I have all night and all the next day for it to cook.

Turkey: If you're going to cook a turkey, you must follow SmokinOkie's Turkey 101. The brine plus the smoke produces one outstanding bird.

Hey John, "Welcome to the forum!" Wow! Not too often a true virgin shows up aroud these places. You are about to partake of the thrill of a lifetime!

Go with the butt and cook it as is. You want to season thatt puppy up good and nothing better than a big fatty butt!

Smoke your butt to an internal temp of 190� - 195� and pull it. Decided what portion you are going to eat for the next day or so and freeze the rest. I freeze mine in zip-locks, adding just a tad of sauce to the mix for each bag.

Pull it out of the freezer and drop it in a pot of boiling water. Some nuuke it but IMO it changes thhe texture of thhe meat. Doo whatever suits ya!

Good luck & have fun!

Do a butt, more forgiving and LOTS of good eats at the end. Basically a butt will loose 50% after smoking so you'll be left with 6lbs of meat.

Check the terminology.

A 12lb butt is "likely" 2 butts in a crovac. OR it couple be a small shoulder (which is a butt & picnic before they're cut apart).

Always appreciate the votes for Turkey 101 Dennis

I am still learning the terminology! I did visit one store that had pork sholders... with the bone included. So I guess that is the butt and ham combined? I asked the butcher and he said it was the same as a pork butt... I guess it really isnt?

We have a CostCo that seems to have butts.. They look just like what my smoker needs. Should I leave the excess fat on the butt or trim some off first?

I have studied SmokinOkie's 101's... dont worry!

Thanks for your help!

Don't trim nothin'.

A whole shoulder is around 17-20 lbs and is the butt and picnic connected.

The ham is back on the rearend of the porker.

Costco should have two butts in a cryovac.

Open the package and throw them in the cooker.

Still learning here as well ...

A full pork shoulder (from front leg of the beast) is comprised of a Butt and a Picnic. So you may see terms like Shoulder Butt, Shoulder Picnic, etc. Ham is from the rear leg of the beast. Like Smokin said, the 12 lb'er is either a small full shoulder, or, 2 butts. Butts Ive done range from 7.5 to 8.5 pounds.

I second the above -- start with a pork butt, you'll be happy. wish I had, although everything I've done in my CS has been great.

Phil

Well the "butcher" isn't right and he's isn't wrong. He should have said it "included" the butt and a picnic. If the butcher doesn't know where a ham comes from, find another butcher. The butt if from the shoulder and a ham is from the backend (can't say butt).