Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

pork shoulder question

skihorn
skihorn Posts: 600
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Here in Texas we rarely see what everyone else calls a Pork Butt. A few months ago I asked for one and the butcher cut it for me special but couldn't even print a label for it. Anyway, I cooked it 19 hours until 197 internal and it was VERY good.

I've got a bunch of people coming over this weekend and am going to be doing a mess of food. The local Kroger is running special on what they call "Pork Shoulder Whole CAV" and elsewhere on the label it says "pork shoulder picnic.' at 1.29/lb

They also have something they call "Pork shoulder blade boston CAV." at 1.49lb

How similar are these to the Pork Butt I did last time? Will I be disappointed in these and should I insist on a Pork Butt, or is one of these the functional (or even exact) equivalent?

These are in the 11 lb range. Will that fit on my Medium? My Large is going to be doing briskets.

Thanks for educating a Texan on pork.

Freddie
League City, TX

Comments

  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    pork shoulder blade should be the same thing
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    imagine the front leg and back leg. rear leg is a 'ham'.

    front leg looks like a smaller version of the same thing. the part often found with skin on, with a narrowing toward the shank (lower leg), is typically called the 'picnic'. above that, further up the leg, where it attaches to the body, is the 'butt' ('boston butt', also).

    the whole shoulder would be both these things.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    A whole shoulder cook makes some very tasty pulled pork. :P
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    my hunch is you can find 6-8 pound pork butt at a local mexican grocery store. maybe fiesta if one is local t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • skihorn
    skihorn Posts: 600
    Thanks guys! Sounds like I cook them the same.

    How big of a one can I fit on my Medium?

    Freddie
    League City, TX
  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
    You can easily fit a 10 pound pork butt on a medium egg. I haven't seen a shortage of pork butts in Texas. :)
  • skihorn
    skihorn Posts: 600
    Hornhonk: What part of Texas are you? (see edit below)

    I think part of the problem is terminology, at least here in the Houston area. I have been looking at Kroger and HEB for the last several years and never seen anything labelled "Boston Butt" or even "Pork Butt." (I do from time to time see "picnic.") What I described above is the first time I have even seen "shoulder blade boston" which is apparently the same thing. As I mentioned, when I specially ordered my first Pork Butt the butcher even said he didn't have a label for it and admitted that the label he put on the meat he cut while I waited was in error. He assured me, label aside, that it was indeed a pork butt and it was from judging from the pictures on here.

    To give you an idea of how cultural it is down here, in my 49 years I have been to at least a hundred gatherings of backyard type bbq gatherings (not counting duplicate chefs) and dont' recall ever being served pulled pork. It is always some combination of brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage, or even some exotic wild game, but never pork (other than ribs or ham). I asked the owner of my local Egg store (who has been Egging several times a week for 7 years) and he said he had never done a Pork Butt. There are definitely regional biases.

    EDIT: I just noticed you are from Allen. That makes sense since someone said to try Fiesta grocery which leans more Hispanic as would Allen. Next time I am in a Fiesta I will have to check.

    Freddie
    League City, TX
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    I grew up in Corpus and had never had pulled pork till I moved to Dallas (about 7 years ago). That being said, you shouldn't have a hard time finding one. Lots of Hispanics use them in their cooking, but they often cube them up and make carnitas and such. Fiesta should definitely have them.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Freddie,
    I live in Galveston and work in Houston.
    Almost every grocery store between Galveston and Houston sells "shoulder blade boston" or similar named pork that is the same. I shop the HEB on 646 all the time. If they don't have it on the shelf they have it in back. I normally buy them in a two pack from Sam's Club in Texas City right off Hwy 45. You could fit the two pack on your Egg. It might be tight to start but they will shrink up.
    Sam's Club
    Krogers
    Costco
    Randalls
    Arlands
    Foodking

    See them called by many names. They normally run 7-11 pounds and the club stores will sell them 2 in a cryo pack that looks like one big piece.

    Boston butt
    Picnic
    Shoulder pork or Blade

    Send me an email on the side and we can meet for lunch one weekend.

    Darian
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • skihorn
    skihorn Posts: 600
    Darian: I work in Galveston and live in League City. Let's definitely get together. My e-mail is skihorn61@yahoo.com Emailing through this website has rarely worked right for me, so just e-mail me direct.

    I bought a "pork shoulder blade boston whole" at the Kroger in LC just a few minutes ago. It is 11lbs and was on special for $1.49/lb.

    I shop at the HEB on 646 also. I find their meat to be a little more expensive but better quality than Kroger and a better selection. We also love the sushi they make there. However, the traffic is so bad getting in and out of there I just go to Kroger more often than not.

    Did you get your Egg at ChimChimneys? EDIT: I should say Eggs plural. I see you have quite a collection. Just Large and Medium for me thus far.

    Freddie
    League City, TX
    skihorn61@yahoo.com