Making the most of a Boston Butt.

[floridasteve]

Was at Sam’s Club today. Chicken Breast $2.87#. Cheapest Beef $4.50. BUT (pun intended) Pork Butt was only two bucks! So being a cheap old fart, I bought a couple.

My question is, I'm looking for is advice on how to cut it into Country Ribs and maybe some pork steaks??

 

[noboundaries]

Sharp boning knife. Remove the bone. Then butterfly to the thickness you want and slice into 2" strips for boneless country ribs. That's what I do when I make country ribs or buckboard bacon from a butt.

Pork steaks? Someone else will have to help. I've never done that.

I saw butts for $1.78 today. Cheapest I've seen in a while. Might have to pick some up BUT I think I've got 4 or 5 in the bottom of the chest freezer.

 

[zwiller]

There's also a bunch of ways to eat PP besides sandwiches. Nachos, tacos, loaded baked tater, chili/soups, in casseroles. Butts are also basically considered the perfect sausage cut. No need to even stuff and make loose. Bfast, italian, chorizo. Not sure if you have a GFS but their usually the best deal in meats at least around here.

 

[floridasteve]

There's also a bunch of ways to eat PP besides sandwiches. Nachos, tacos, loaded baked tater, chili/soups, in casseroles. Butts are also basically considered the perfect sausage cut. No need to even stuff and make loose. Bfast, italian, chorizo. Not sure if you have a GFS but their usually the best deal in meats at least around here.

You are right, Sam! The one in the freezer is destined to be ground different sausages, and I don’t trim close to the bone so that goes into the pot for pork vegetable noodle soup.

 

[floridasteve]

Sharp boning knife. Remove the bone. Then butterfly to the thickness you want and slice into 2" strips for boneless country ribs. That's what I do when I make country ribs or buckboard bacon from a butt.

Pork steaks? Someone else will have to help. I've never done that.

I saw butts for $1.78 today. Cheapest I've seen in a while. Might have to pick some up BUT I think I've got 4 or 5 in the bottom of the chest freezer.

Thanks Ray! I bought some Country Ribs a while back and really liked them. Smoked some and some I just did in my Air Fryer. Just thought I could say e a few pennies by cutting them myself. They also had some butt steaks that looked interesting.

 

[cal1956]

i'm hoping the price of boston butts come down a bit around here, sometime next month i'm going to be needing 150 lbs . i always buy from Sams

 

[crazymoon]

FS,I believe a true pork steak involves cutting through the shoulder blade length wise so a meat saw is required. Maybe petite steaks by cutting above and below the shoulder blade with a boning knife and then steaking the pieces ?

 

[chopsaw]

FS,I believe a true pork steak involves cutting through the shoulder blade length wise so a meat saw is required.

Yup . That would be a center cut pork steak . Cross cut through the bone .
Pork butt sliced into steaks will normally be the boneless end . Same cut , just where there isn't a bone .
Leave the fat cap on each one . So cut 90 degrees to the cap.

I've been grinding them and mixing with beef trim to extend the beef . It's a great mix actually .
Also use for taco meat . Leave it bulk unseasoned in 1 lb. packs . You can thaw and mix for the meal .

 

[floridasteve]

Yup . That would be a center cut pork steak . Cross cut through the bone .
Pork butt sliced into steaks will normally be the boneless end . Same cut , just where there isn't a bone .
Leave the fat cap on each one . So cut 90 degrees to the cap.

I've been grinding them and mixing with beef trim to extend the beef . It's a great mix actually .
Also use for taco meat . Leave it bulk unseasoned in 1 lb. packs . You can thaw and mix for the meal .

Thanks for the advice. I have some ground beef. What ratio would you recommend?

 

[floridasteve]

FS,I believe a true pork steak involves cutting through the shoulder blade length wise so a meat saw is required. Maybe petite steaks by cutting above and below the shoulder blade with a boning knife and then steaking the pieces ?

Thanks for your help!

 

[SmokinEdge]

For country ribs without a saw, bone the shoulder, or by them boned. Then cut them in half length wise (same direction the bone layed) then use the fat cap side to slice “ribs” from like thin steaks, cut perpendicular to the bone direction. The bottom half can be cured then smoked (or not) then ground and mixed with beef for bacon burgers or for bacon/beef meatloaf.

 

[floridasteve]

For country ribs without a saw, bone the shoulder, or by them boned. Then cut them in half length wise (same direction the bone layed) then use the fat cap side to slice “ribs” from like thin steaks, cut perpendicular to the bone direction. The bottom half can be cured then smoked (or not) then ground and mixed with beef for bacon burgers or for bacon/beef meatloaf.

So I’d basically butterflying the butt as Noboundry said. Got it!
I REALLY like your last sentence! It’s been a long time since I’ve cured anything, but I’ve got all my old notes. Thanks for helping me

 

[chopsaw]

I have some ground beef. What ratio would you recommend?

Steve , I don't have a set ratio . I've done 50 / 50 or whatever is left of each .
I buy a lot of beef subprimals . When I do I'll also get a pork butt . After I break them down I save all the clean trim and grind it . Then I take enough of the butt to make sausage , and save some to mix with the beef .
All this said , I'm grinding the beef trim so it is on the lean side . Adding " whatever " weight in pork butt won't make it to fatty . So if you have store bought ground beef just keep that in mind .

 

[SmokinEdge]

So I’d basically butterflying the butt as Noboundry said. Got it!
I REALLY like your last sentence! It’s been a long time since I’ve cured anything, but I’ve got all my old notes. Thanks for helping me

Just ask if you get hung up or confused. Lots of folks here can answer your curing questions.

 

[floridasteve]

Steve , I don't have a set ratio . I've done 50 / 50 or whatever is left of each .
I buy a lot of beef subprimals . When I do I'll also get a pork butt . After I break them down I save all the clean trim and grind it . Then I take enough of the butt to make sausage , and save some to mix with the beef .
All this said , I'm grinding the beef trim so it is on the lean side . Adding " whatever " weight in pork butt won't make it to fatty . So if you have store bought ground beef just keep that in mind .

I like the way out do that. Kind of the way I do things LOL.

 

[rc4u]

 

[floridasteve]

I like that pan! Where you’d get it?

 

[boykjo]

When cutting butts I place the money muscle to the right fat side down and start slicing right to left until I hit the bone on my far left. I'll work my way back around the bone and complete the cut, then turn my blade so its facing left and follow the face of the bone and cut the meat off the bone. Then at an angle I cut under the bone to remove the rest of the meat. Then flip the bone over to remove the two pockets that are left at the knuckle. This leaves me with some nice size pieces to make some boneless spare ribs.
If you can figure out what I just said You'll get a like.....lol

 

[rc4u]

i dont know where we got the pan. so many yrs ya know.. but i have seen them online, i will try find out. as we do have the box. my wife likes to store things in there box..
and thanks for the like carazy moon

 

[floridasteve]

When cutting butts I place the money muscle to the right fat side down and start slicing right to left until I hit the bone on my far left. I'll work my way back around the bone and complete the cut, then turn my blade so its facing left and follow the face of the bone and cut the meat off the bone. Then at an angle I cut under the bone to remove the rest of the meat. Then flip the bone over to remove the two pockets that are left at the knuckle. This leaves me with some nice size pieces to make some boneless spare ribs.
If you can figure out what I just said You'll get a like.....lol

I understand completely! When I grind a butt, do almost the same thing, only I put the money muscle on the left, and I don’t a complete deboning, it cut the big chunks off that end, and use the bone and remaining meat to make soup.