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Butt vs. Shoulder

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Kansas Cooker
Kansas Cooker Posts: 3
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder

Help. I am having a big party next weekend and wanted to do pulled pork. My wife went to Costco yesterday and picked up a 13lb pork shoulder. I usually use pork butts. Will Shoulder be as good? What are differences between the two?
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  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
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    Most of the cuts we get locally can have more fat in them... they cook up the same, just much more rendered fat... when I cook one, I really start it off slow to ensure it stays in plateau longer as I feel the "bone in" transmits heat to center faster (just a feeling - no facts to base this on)...

    On the flip side, I got a shoulder cut at Sam's a couple of weeks back and it was much leaner than I have gotten in the past... so, guess it really is the cut...

    Overall, my cooks are almost the same for a butt or shoulder... hopefully a shoulder expert will chime in!!!
    Kent Madison MS
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  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
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    What you got at Costco is most likely a two pack of boneless butts.
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  • tnels
    tnels Posts: 75
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    Fidel's right, Costco has the boneless butts. Both cuts you get from the shoulder (picnic roast, boston butt) are fine for pulled pork, but I think butts are better.
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  • Jai-Bo
    Jai-Bo Posts: 584
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    I don't do anything different between the cooks.... I will tell ya though, my Lab likes when I do a shoulder cause it takes him about 3 minutes to devour the bone!!!! :laugh:
    Hunting-Fishing-Cookin' on my EGG! Nothing else compares!
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  • thailandjohn
    thailandjohn Posts: 952
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    I do both bone in pork butts and whole shoulders

    My first choice and when I have the time, is the whole shoulder because it has two kinds of meat, the butt end and the picnic end when the meat is pulled and mixed together, it is awesome

    The whole shoulder takes much longer but with my Stoker for controlling the temp, it is no problem

    I put a rub on the meat side and cook it skin down.

    My shoulders are usually between 16 and 20 lbs

    I order them through one of my meat suppliers and order to size

    Here is my website showing the whole shoulder:

    http://jvp.smugmug.com/Barbeque/Backyard-BBQ-Food/8895898_7iocj#609883000_JaY5V


    http://jvp.smugmug.com/Barbeque




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