What do I ask for?

WickedIsland

I have yet to do a low and slow. It was actually my first time with smoke last night (did a Spatchcock chick and came out great). From what I have read here I should do a butt first rather that come out of the gate with a brisket (although I die for brisket). This may be a stupid question but when I go to the butcher do I just ask for a pork butt and then just go into specifics in terms of pounds or do I need to know any other special terms? I am on the east coast just in case terms here may vary. Thanks!

ChokeOnSmoke

Butchers (grocery store or other) will know "pork butt" or "pork shoulder". 

I seem be in the minority, but I don't find briskets all that difficult to do. I cook them at 235-250 until it reaches about 200 internal temp and they always come out good, oh and don't open the lid!  I don't use foil during the cook but put in foil when I take it off for a rest period for an hour or up to 4 hours, depending when I want to eat.  I coat with worchestershire sauce and then heavily with rub right before I put it on.

That's it.  Keep it simple for good results.

R2Egg2Q

Yeah, lots of names for the same thing: pork butt, pork shoulder butt, boston butt, pork shoulder blade roast... Hard to say which name your butcher uses but I would hope they'd recognize "pork shoulder butt". 7-9 lbs bone in would be a pretty standard size.

Fred19Flintstone

First of all, Welcome!  This is a great site with some very knowledgable regular posters.  Me, I'm kinda new to the Egg, but not to charcoal.  Any butcher will know what a pork butt is.  Let them know what weight you want and you're good to go.  If you don't have a large crowd, one of the wonderful blessings about a larger butt is the leftovers.  Read a lot of threads and you'll learn a bunch.  Happy Egging!

Hillbilly-Hightech

Also, if the guy looks at you funny (maybe he's some teenage kid, and he thinks "butt" is actually.. well... butt), then you can also say "ya know, the part of the pork that you use for pulled pork").  

BTW, as an aside - I have seen the term "picnic" used - what is that?  Is that different than a butt, or is it just another name for the same thing too??  

Inquiring minds wanna know :-B

ChokeOnSmoke

BTW, as an aside - I have seen the term "picnic" used - what is that?  Is that different than a butt, or is it just another name for the same thing too??  

Inquiring minds wanna know :-B

Two different parts of the shoulder:

WickedIsland

Thanks everyone, very helpfull (I love this place and love my LBGE)

Brownie

I agree with choke on smoke about brisket vs butt. But briskets have a smaller window for tenderness than pork. I would base your decision based on your ability to maintain temp with your egg because pork is kinda hard to mess up.
Picnics will come with skin, and spots of the meat can have ham qualities imo.