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Seasoning a Heritage Pork Shoulder

bikesAndBBQ
bikesAndBBQ Posts: 284
in EggHead Forum
I recently got a pork shoulder from a heirtage hog that was pasture fed and supplemented with apples and nuts. My question for this who have done a quality hunk of hog before is how should I season this?  My theory is if you have high quality ingredients you don’t do much to them. You let the ingredient shine. Should I just do salt and pepper for the rub, or should I use my normal pork butt rub?
Pittsburgh, PA. LBGE
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Comments

  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,549
    You are really just seasoning the outside, doubt you will have to do anything after its pulled...my 2 cents love to see the final product 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    You can’t go wrong here. If you have a pork rub you love with this cook, use it. Salt and pepper would be great. The smoke from the egg is what will transform it. 
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
    Try The salt and pepper. I think you’ll love it. 

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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,211
    I don’t think I’d put anything on it. 
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    DoubleEgger said:
    I don’t think I’d put anything on it. 
    Anti salt Nazi.  Admit it now.   ;)
    Explain why.  It’s a big chunk of quality pork.  Season it son. Makes food, including quality food taste good.  
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,211
    bgebrent said:
    DoubleEgger said:
    I don’t think I’d put anything on it. 
    Anti salt Nazi.  Admit it now.   ;)
    Explain why.  It’s a big chunk of quality pork.  Season it son. Makes food, including quality food taste good.  
    Ok Old Man. Some of the best pork I’ve had was when I lived in Greensboro. Naked pork shoulders. Not butts. 
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    DoubleEgger said:
    bgebrent said:
    DoubleEgger said:
    I don’t think I’d put anything on it. 
    Anti salt Nazi.  Admit it now.   ;)
    Explain why.  It’s a big chunk of quality pork.  Season it son. Makes food, including quality food taste good.  
    Ok Old Man. Some of the best pork I’ve had was when I lived in Greensboro. Naked pork shoulders. Not butts. 
    You are correct with the “old” comment.  I understand the difference and we must agree to disagree. Youngster.  To the OP, old school is hard to beat..
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    Another vote for just S&P. Let the meat shine. Pecan for smoke would be my personal preference, but cherry or apple (in that order) should also work. 

    Coarsely crushed coriander wouldn't be bad either. But I wouldn't add much more to it.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
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  • bikesAndBBQ
    bikesAndBBQ Posts: 284
    DoubleEgger said:
    I don’t think I’d put anything on it. 
    I am considering this as well. 
    Pittsburgh, PA. LBGE
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I had a nice fresh heritage ham a few years ago. Just rubbed a bit of salt on the exposed meat a day before hand. Was some of the sweetest meat I'd ever had.
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  • bikesAndBBQ
    bikesAndBBQ Posts: 284
    caliking said:
    Another vote for just S&P. Let the meat shine. Pecan for smoke would be my personal preference, but cherry or apple (in that order) should also work. 

    Coarsely crushed coriander wouldn't be bad either. But I wouldn't add much more to it.
    I like the idea of adding coriander. I think I am going to do apple for the smoke since the pigs are fed apples. I am going to ask if they have any wood from the apple trees so I can use wood from the trees the pigs ate from. 
    Pittsburgh, PA. LBGE
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  • bikesAndBBQ
    bikesAndBBQ Posts: 284
    gdenby said:
    I had a nice fresh heritage ham a few years ago. Just rubbed a bit of salt on the exposed meat a day before hand. Was some of the sweetest meat I'd ever had.
    I am excited about the sweetness I’m told this will have.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a pasture raised heritage hog before. I am very excited for this. My only concern is I will become addicted to the quality haha. This was about $8/pound. 
    Pittsburgh, PA. LBGE
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  • CornfedMA
    CornfedMA Posts: 491
    I’d kill for that kind of price on quality Berkshire pork. Around me, the conversation for a bone in shoulder starts at about $10/lb. 
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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    I'd go straight salt and pepper with pecan and apple wood for smoke.  Good eats in store!!

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
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    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • bikesAndBBQ
    bikesAndBBQ Posts: 284
    Thanks for all the input!  I will do salt and pepper for the rub. I think I will cook this next week. I’ll be sure to post the cook. 
    Pittsburgh, PA. LBGE
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    bikesAndBBQ said:
    gdenby said:
    I had a nice fresh heritage ham a few years ago. Just rubbed a bit of salt on the exposed meat a day before hand. Was some of the sweetest meat I'd ever had.
    I am excited about the sweetness I’m told this will have.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a pasture raised heritage hog before. I am very excited for this. My only concern is I will become addicted to the quality haha. This was about $8/pound. 
    As @CornfedMA said, $8/lb is a great price. If I can find it, Berkshire around me goes for at least $10.

    Don't bother looking for Ossabaw or Manglitsa unless you want to get a 2nd mortgage. ;)
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  • 20stone
    20stone Posts: 1,961
    bikesAndBBQ said:
    caliking said:
    Another vote for just S&P. Let the meat shine. Pecan for smoke would be my personal preference, but cherry or apple (in that order) should also work. 

    Coarsely crushed coriander wouldn't be bad either. But I wouldn't add much more to it.
    I like the idea of adding coriander. I think I am going to do apple for the smoke since the pigs are fed apples. I am going to ask if they have any wood from the apple trees so I can use wood from the trees the pigs ate from. 
    That is a great plan.  If you do add some coriander, add in small doses during the pull (so you don’t carpet bomb it), and you will do even better if you get whole coriander, toast it and grind it.
    (now only 16 stone)

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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    We should all start to separate the salt from the pepper.  Proper salting makes all meat better.  Pepper is added for flavor, just like any other spice. It has been the spice of choice here in the US for so long that it we all seem to think it automatically goes on everything along with the salt.

    Season the pork with salt.  Add flavors with spices and smoke.  Added flavors should be in balance with the natural flavor of the meat.  With high quality pork, go lighter on the added flavors.  Heavy spice is sometimes used to try to hide that the meat itself is not very flavorful.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • bikesAndBBQ
    bikesAndBBQ Posts: 284
    gdenby said:
    bikesAndBBQ said:
    gdenby said:
    I had a nice fresh heritage ham a few years ago. Just rubbed a bit of salt on the exposed meat a day before hand. Was some of the sweetest meat I'd ever had.
    I am excited about the sweetness I’m told this will have.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a pasture raised heritage hog before. I am very excited for this. My only concern is I will become addicted to the quality haha. This was about $8/pound. 
    As @CornfedMA said, $8/lb is a great price. If I can find it, Berkshire around me goes for at least $10.

    Don't bother looking for Ossabaw or Manglitsa unless you want to get a 2nd mortgage. ;)
    I didn’t know I got such a great price. I found this place at a farmers’ market. I will keep their contact information haha. 
    Pittsburgh, PA. LBGE
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