Butt or Shoulder

[TMB]

Reason I bring this up is the other day I smoked 2 shoulders instead of butts

I found I got less cook meat for the $$$$$ with a shoulder then I did with butts

What's your thoughts?

[wyoduke]

I am a Butt guy  ;D

[mikecorn.1]

Butt, pork butt that is ;D


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[beefmann]

the butts have it

[Smokeville]

For about a month, our local Forintos (a Loblaws franchise chain) had whole shoulders on sale for $1.19/lb. They weighed in at about 18lbs per shoulder. The picnic half had the skin still on and the butt half was "naked" with some fat only. They cut apart fairly easily once I learned where the bone joint was. Takes practice.

Those butt halves were fantastic. I cut them in half so there was more surface area for the rub, and the pulled pork was so juicy it still makes my mouth water to think about it!

I still have the picnic halves in the freezer. I've pulled them before, but like TMB got less meat after shrinkage, and they just aren't as tasty. On the other hand, here around Toronto picnics can sell for as low as .69c/lb at some of the Chinese chains. And that can make up for the weight loss.

Rich

[TMB]

Wow .69 per pound is a killer price.  I picked up the two shoulders I did this past weekend at Kroger for .99 per pound (with their card) but thought it was worth it.  But to be honest pulling pork at 10 PM and twice as hard as a butt I didn't think it was worth the savings   

[Smokeville]

Yeah, even at a cheap price I think our time is worth more than the saving.

One thing that works great with the picnic is making porketta. You bone it and butterfly it, then rub it (on the inside) with garlic, some salt, and either dill weed and sees or fennel.

Here's the recipe adapted from a Toronto Star article (which did not smoke it, just oven baked)...

Rub for a 10-12 lb whole pork shoulder, bone removed and butterflied.

10 tsp   kosher salt
10 tsp   ground black pepper
10 cloves   fresh garlic, pressed
8 tbsp   fennel seed, slightly ground
10 sprigs   fresh thyme, leaves only
1 bunch   fresh sage, chopped

Spread out the shoulder like a book.
Take ½ the rub mixture and rub evenly into pork.
Fold pork back together and tie firmly with string.

Pour olive oil over rolled tied pork and rub to cover.
Take remaining rub mixture and rub evenly over all sides of pork.

Heat smoker to 250F.
Smoke for 4 hours with hickory wood.
Transfer to 325F oven and roast until meat thermometer reads 170F.
Remove from oven, tent with foil.
Slice and serve.
Best left overnight in fridge and sliced while cold for sandwich meat.

[Smokeville]

This is the non-smoked version and it is one of the greatest pork dishes I have ever had, smoked or not. Works great with just the picnic.

http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/recipes/2012/01/09/sudburystyle_porketta.html