Can I smoke a pork shoulder the way i smoke a pork butt?

[Daba's BBQ]

Can I cook a pork shoulder the same way I cook a pork butt?

 

[clifish]

Can I cook a pork shoulder the same way I cook a pork butt?

I have to make pulled pork, only thing is the shoulder usually has the skin on.

 

[JLeonard]

Peel the skin off, trim it up and go like a butt. Some folks like to keep the skin and deep fry to make pork skins.
Jim

 

[Colin1230]

Daba, I do believe they are the same thing.

Edit:
Hmmm, I've never seen a shoulder with the skin on. I still learn something every day.

 

[JLeonard]

Slightly different but here's a good reference...

Pork Shoulder vs Pork Butt: The Differences | BBQ Champs

Wondering what the difference is between pork shoulder vs pork butt? You are not the only one! Here is a breakdown of the differences. - BBQ Champs Academy

bbqchamps.com

Jim

 

[Daba's BBQ]

Excellent, thank you all.

Here is my game plan...*

1. Preheat Traeger to 325°F
2. I removed about 50% of the large flap of skin and injected it with beer, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar.
3. Rub the butt with Mad Hunky dry rub (I love this stuff)) and smoke for 2 1/2 hours looking for a very dark color
4. In an aluminum foil pan add BBQ sauce, apple juice, brown sugar, and some rib rub (homemade)
5. Place the pork shoulder into the pan and roll in the sauce mixture a few times to coat. Leave the pork in the pan and wrap tightly with foil. Place back on the smoker for 90-120 minutes until the pork is probe tender around 200°F internal temperature.
   
   I plan to let the pork rest for 30-45 minutes before I shred it. I usually shred about 50-60% of the pork.

Note: I will also be using a smoke tube for this cook

* this is a modified method I got from the Rec website

 

[Colin1230]

Slightly different but here's a good reference...

Pork Shoulder vs Pork Butt: The Differences | BBQ Champs

Wondering what the difference is between pork shoulder vs pork butt? You are not the only one! Here is a breakdown of the differences. - BBQ Champs Academy

bbqchamps.com

Jim

Very interesting and informative. Thank you very much for the link Jim.

 

[thirdeye]

The picnic end is very similar to the butt end of a pork shoulder. You will find some muscles have a darker color, and the meat surrounding the bone especially toward the shank area is some of the best. When injecting make sure you get good coverage around the bone.

 

[JLeonard]

Colin1230 Thanks....

 

[Daba's BBQ]

This is the prep and the pork at the 2 1/2 hour mark. I slathered it in my special bbq sauce juice and out it back in the Traeger for about 2 hours or until it hits 200 internal temp.

More to come...stay tuned

 

[tbern]

starting to look awfully good!!

 

[Daba's BBQ]

Final cook

 

[noboundaries]

A year or two ago the FDA changed the name of the pork butt to the pork shoulder. Pork butt was an anachronism to an earlier time when they were packed in butts (barrels) on sailing ships.

Now they're shipped in boxes on trucks. Pork Box was just as confusing as the butt.

 

[DougE]

A year or two ago the FDA changed the name of the pork butt to the pork shoulder. Pork butt was an anachronism to an earlier time when they were packed in butts (barrels) on sailing ships.

Now they're shipped in boxes on trucks. Pork Box was just as confusing as the butt.

I really wish they'd label them as picnic and shoulder to simplify things. Some stores label upper shoulder as Boston butt, some as pork shoulder (which is technically correct). It would make it easier for those who don't know one from the other. I've also never seen a picnic anywhere I shop.

 

[thirdeye]

I've also never seen a picnic anywhere I shop.

Because of the skin and more bone, they are usually priced less than the butt. Sometimes I'll see them on sale for .99/lb. A picnic was one of my earliest experiments using the daveomak injectable ham curing method. A little harder to slice with the bone and all, but it has the traditional 'ham-like' look to it.

 

[DougE]

Because of the skin and more bone, they are usually priced less than the butt. Sometimes I'll see them on sale for .99/lb. A picnic was one of my earliest experiments using the daveomak injectable ham curing method. A little harder to slice with the bone and all, but it has the traditional 'ham-like' look to it.
View attachment 638346

Yea, I wouldn't mind having a picnic to do the ham recipe, but they just don't sell them around here. Butts are what they do the 99 cent sales on around here. That ham looks fantastic, by the way.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Next time you should try smearing some mustard on your butt and then running nekkid the whole cook.

 

[thirdeye]

Next time you should try smearing some mustard on your butt and then running nekkid the whole cook.

Boy, that could easily be taken out of context.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Boy, that could easily be taken out of context.

It sure could!

 

[noboundaries]

Perfect directions for the next time I'm feeling bad and want my wife to cook!