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Pulled this off the old cookshack site, wanted to post some of the "best of".
Please add your information that you've learned so others may learn.

So, today's lesson: Pork butt, Pork Shoulder, Picnics... etc.

What are they?

Go to this site and check out some good photos:

IBP Pork

There are many sources, lots of information, but we'll try to put a little here for you to get started.

For purposes of this post, I purchase a pair of butts at Sams (they use IBP and I've had great success and this is NOT an endorsement for them)

For the new folks Pork 101: A pork shoulder(front part) can be divided into two parts: Butt end. - so called because it is the butt end of the shoulder (it isn't the actual "butt" of the pig...just the shoulder) Shank end. -so called because it has the shank bone in it. The back "shoulder" of a pig would be called a haunch or a ham. You generally make "pulled pork" from a Pork shoulder cut (either butt or shank). The butt portion is most popular because it has less bone and less connective "stuff" in it. The shank portion can make some tasty pulled pork as well, but it will have a slightly different texture, and more connective "stuff" in it, not to mention the big ol' shank bone (good for soup stock).

I was trying to "generalize" for someone who wanted an exact listing and I didn't have my log with me to recount how long everything has taken.

I'm at work (hi Boss) and the preferred method is indeed to use a Polder. Some controvery on what temp I've seen mention of everything from 180 to 205. I also shoot for an internal of 205 (and I check several places before I'm sure -- it's hard to get a good consistent read on pork lots of fat can throw the reading off). If it's a small pork butt, I might cook it only to 190. I go on my instincts more than my polder...

I've also seen everything from 1 hour to up to 2 1/2... yes really.

My recommendation: plan for 1 1/4 hours per pound, but don't do this blindly. I start checking mine about 1/2 way through my estimate and keep and eye on it when I'm mopping it.

I'm not a fan of foil but it does a great job of keeping the moisture in. My complaint is that I want some of the "renowned Mr. Brown" bark with my butt and you can't get that with foil -- it's too "mushy". Now what I have done is finish them off in foil to get them moist and then pop them on the grill for 10-15 to crisp up the outside.
It's also hard to get some mop onto the meat. A good vinegar based mop does wonder for pulled pork. (if you're interested, I'll post a killer apple juice mop that the family loves).

I've got a lot more comments about pork butts, but I'm interested in others input also. Do you apply a rub? how about mops? Do you serve in with sauce? mustard based? try it I can go on and on

FYI, in my Model 150 (that's my big one guys) I've done up to 8 butts and it average almost 1.5 hours per pound total. These each averaged about 12-14 pounds each.

So, what do you do with a Butt after cooking?

Eat it.... ....aahh Grasshopper, come along on this journey we call "pulled Pork". Being an Okie (go figure with my handle)in the Air Force I had the pleasure of traveling the world and the US and I've always found time for learning how different regions love their Q. I've learned about Pulled Pork from those in the S.E, particularly the Carolina's. I won't go into a full blown discussion of the virtues of Lexington versions, east carolina, and whether to use vinegar, mustard or a tomato sauce.

My suggestions for Pulled Pork

Once you've cooked it (remember cooking is a whole nuther lesson about vinegar mops), let it sit for 10-15 min (you always let the meat you cook sit for a few minutes to let the juices settle). You can then pull (you can pull with your fingers, you can pulled with forks, you can pull whatever you got, you just pull). Some actually like it sliced, but you have to cook it only to 180 to do that. Now, when you're pulling, look for "Mr. Brown and Mrs. White" in the pork, there will actually be two slightly different colors of meat, hince the names. Look for these and taste them, they WILL be different. Some swear by the Mr. Brown. If you didn't cook in foil (you didn't did you -- shame on you) then you'll also have some "bark" this is also something many pork pullers look for and eat. When done right it's not all dried and crusty, it just has a firmer texture and not quite dried out. So, now you have this huge mass of pulled pork.

The two traditional ways to eat pulled pork is either on white bread or cheap, small hamburger buns. And you know what, it's great that way. Now for the hard part. Some will eat this with cole slaw on the top -- yup, on the sandwich (also call a "samich" in some parts). Depending on which side of the mountain in Carolina (Lexington) you'll either use a mustard based sauce, a tomato based sauce or a vinegar sauce.

I have an excellent apple pork baste and mustard sauces which I'll post in a separate posting. So there you have it, the pulled pork tutorial (short version) Hope that helps Grasshopper. Enjoy, this pulled pork stuff is not native to Oklahoma, but my friends swear by it now -- and my Memphis Style Ribs (oops, another lesson). Welcome to the Pork Pulling Club, Good Q'in Smokin' Okie

Smokin Okies Vinegar Mop for Pulled Pork


Smokin's Pulled Pork Baste & Serving Sauce



Smokin Okie's Virgin Mustard Sauce


[This message has been edited by SmokinOkie (edited February 18, 2001).]
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Hey Smokin'

Great Post. I got kinda reminiscent (sniff, sniff) at the ol' grasshopper comment!!

One thing - I typically buy pork shoulder roasts that have a triangular type bone in it. It does not say whether it is "butt" or shank. It is usually 4-6# or so. No big deal, but curious what you think it is.

Everything looks great on this new forum.

Congrats again to you and Donna.

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Happy Qin' - AAHH
Had to include you in here AAHH, you've been a great supporter, learner and good member in standing of the forum.

I think what you're buying is the butt. Check out the link in the post to IBP where there are photos of the various cuts.

Usually what I see are butts, 2 in a pack.

Butt...hahah, it could be something else.

Hope the photos help.



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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
On that "triangular bone" that was mentioned... I think there are two items called pork butt: one is the upper shoulder, the other the lower shoulder, between the upper shoulder and foot (Hannibal would say think upper arm for upper shoulder, and forearm for lower shoulder). I think the upper shoulder looks squarer in the package, and the lower shoulder section looks a bit more triangular. I like the upper section better -- have had better results.
Tried my first Boston Butt this weekend. It weighed about 6 lbs. Tried the E. Carolina vinegar sauce as a baste and follow-up when serving. The meat was very good. Thanks to the tips from smokin Okie. I opened the smoker twice to mop. Total time was 10 hours at 220 degrees. I had to take the butt out of the smoker at 180 degrees (we were getting very hungry). I was waiting for the internal 200 degree point but could not get there in 10 hours. Opening the door 2X probably had a lot to do with that time.
What you ran into was "the plateau"

When cooking butts, this occurs usually around the 180 temp. Can last 45 min can last 2 hours...it's just one of those things.

Sometimes, when I hit it and it's been a while, I'll bump the cooker up to 250. Since you were at 225, it shouldn't have mattered.

you know what 'ole smokin says:



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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page
Hi Woodburner.

The shoulder is comprised of 2 parts.....

The upper portion is the butt..as in Boston Butt.

The lower portion is the picnic.

Many believe the lower portion taste much more like ham than the butt portion. In the MIM contests I have watched and cookecd in, we tend to use the butt for our samples and the blind box.

They both cook the same.
That makes sense to me, Stogie. Yes, the butt vs. the picnic. I still like the butt better. That plateau can be a bitch. Stuff will stick there (for me, seems like 165-170) for a good hour or two. But it really pays to wait it out to at least 190 -- unless you want to slice.
I may never eat brisket again! I cooked pork butt for the first time yesterday. Followed your advice, got a pair of them at Sam's, total about 11.5 lbs. Smoked @ 225 with 4 oz of apple. started at 7:30 a.m. Mopped with your vinegar mop at 1,2,3,and 4. The temp stopped going up so I decided to keep the door shut. FINALLY, about 8:30 pm the temp was 191. Everyone was hungry and we decided not to wait for any higher temp. Meat was tender, moist, and NO- I DID NOT FOIL! Just the right amount of bark. It was outstanding!! Possibly the best I have ever eaten.
What would I do different? well- let's see, the main thing I would do different is make sure that drip pan was out of reach of the Golden retriever who ate ALL of it, and hence was sick during the nite, it was such a mess! she is still ill today, but probably won't squeak for a long time with all that grease.
Thanks for all your help! This new forum isgreat!
pj
Great to hear it PJ.

for folks who have grown up eating brisket and ribs...there's a whole 'nuther world out there.

Hopefully you notice the Mr. Brown and Mrs. White, slightly different flavors of the butt.

Or you probably ate it so fast, you didn't notice.

Congrats again and thanks for the comments.

p.s. You did eat it with Mustard Sauce and cole slaw on cheap white buns? (just a comment for those in pats of Carolina who ONLY eat it that way). See there's always more out there.


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Smokin Okie
It's done when it's done
Cookshack BBQ Guide Page
Hey hey 51 Smokin really helped me, I used to foil the butss I had done previously in th CS but i got brave and did not use the tin stuff. I have not gone back, no need to the bark keeps all the moisture you could want right in the mass and the flavor too. good luck to you on your bbq quest.

Oscar,

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