Choosing pork for the WSM

[Finney]

Buy a bone-in Boston Butt. That is what you make Carolina (or southern style for that matter) BBQ out of. Rub it, throw it on the WSM, forget it until it get to around 190*. Throw it in some aluminum foil and into a cooler for at least two hours. Pull apart with two forks or your hands (in heat resistant gloves). Serve with a vinegar based sauce for NC style.

 

[Finney]

It's called a Boston Butt everywhere in the US but Boston. You may see them as shoulder butt roast. Butt all meat people will know what you are talking about when you say Boston Butt.

 

[Finney]

You will get about 2/3 of the start weight as your finished product. That's the bone and fat. There is so much fat through out this cut that you don't need to inject it unless you want some kind of flavoring agent in the meat. Pulling the pork to serve gets the outside flavor mixed in with the inside meat.

 

[Kloset BBQR]

Cruising,

You can pick up good quality pork butts at Sam's club. They are usally sold in two packs, weigh in at about 18 lbs (for the pack).

Pork butts are probably the easiest piece of meat to Q. They are very forgiving. After the great job you did on the brisket, you won't have any problems with the butt.

 

[ScottyDaQ]

A ham comes from the rear leg. The butt comes from the front leg.

The picnic cut is from the lower part of the front leg, the butt, is from the top part of the front leg.

The word "Ham" ....makes me a little nervous about what your butcher told you. A Ham only really comes from the back leg.

Edit: When I get butts ( which I prefer over picnic) I go in and ask for a "cryo of whole bone in pork butt". That should be enough for the Butcher. If they ask questions ... go elsewhere. You should get a nice big cryopack of two Boston Butts. The price seems right at least to my region.

 

[Finney]

Okay, stupid trivia...
Did you know that Butts get their name from the wooden barrels (called butts) that they were once shipped in? :!:

 

[Kloset BBQR]

Yep, learned that one on Bobby Flay's BBQ show.