Pulled pork thread: Boston butt or picnic for smoking?

[NetWareHead]

I'm going to try my hand at smoking a pork shoulder to make pulled pork. I have access to both types of shoulder cuts. Which one do you guys prefer? Picnic seems smaller and would finish sooner than a butt. On the other hand, if I am going to drag the smoker out and fire it up and then go through the mess of preparing a shoulder, why not do it with the bigger butt portion and get more out of it. Any difference in taste between the butt and picnic cuts? I have a good amount of experience in smoking ribs but have never done a shoulder before.

 

[Uppsala9496]

I prefer the boston butt since it has less bone. I've smoked bone in and bone out and can't tell the difference in taste. Less bone equals more meat if the weights are equal.
You can't go wrong with either cut.

 

[ElFenix]

picnic should take longer (and some say taste better) because the muscles are tougher and there's more connective tissue. barbecue isn't done when it hits a specific temp, barbecue is done when it's done.

pulled pork is pretty much the easiest thing to do, if you can do ribs you can definitely do pulled pork.

 

[NetWareHead]

Maybe I'll just smoke both of them side by side and do my own taste test. Picnic and butt are cheap enough and my smoker can accommodate both of them with room to spare.

 

[ElFenix]

Maybe I'll just smoke both of them side by side and do my own taste test. Picnic and butt are cheap enough and my smoker can accommodate both of them with room to spare.

more barbecue is always better than less barbecue

 

[gorcorps]

more barbecue is always better than less barbecue

I think this is what I want on my tombstone

 

[Insomniator]

marking this thread for later

also, whats a good NO ****ing gross ass mayo slaw recipe to go with the pulled pork?

 

[Spydermag68]

I've used this recipe several times. Its one of my favorites (but some people don't like the vinegar based slaw as much as the cream based).

Lexington, North Carolina Bar-B-Q Slaw
2 Medium Cabbages, Chopped
1 Onion Chopped
1 14.5 oz can Chopped Tomatoes
1 ½ Cups Vinegar
2 Cups sugar
2 cups Apple Cider
3 Tbs. Horseradish
3 Tbs. Sale
1 Tbs. Pepper

Chop cabbage (blender works well with a little water. Pour into colander to drain). Add chopped onions and tomatoes and drain additional liquid. After draining, add remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate (last up to three weeks).

 

[UglyCasanova]

What is Sale?

 

[Ayrahvon]

I agree buy both, or if you don't need that much meat, buy the cheaper of the two. I tend to go for boston butt personally, I find it breaks down easier (not that either are difficult, it's just timing).

Growing up in South Carolina I of course make a mustard base sauce to put over the top for anyone who cares, but good pulled pork doesn't always need a sauce!

 

[uclaLabrat]

I agree buy both, or if you don't need that much meat, buy the cheaper of the two. I tend to go for boston butt personally, I find it breaks down easier (not that either are difficult, it's just timing).

Growing up in South Carolina I of course make a mustard base sauce to put over the top for anyone who cares, but good pulled pork doesn't always need a sauce!

Oh now you've done it... You went and mentioned pulled pork and mustard sauces... Prepare to feel the wrath of zeze!

 

[NetWareHead]

Update: I ended up buying both a picnic and boston butt. Smoked them both side by side for almost 15 hours until internal temps reached 195.

Id say that picnic had a slightly better taste, as in solely the meat. I tasted from a part of the cut deep inside near the bone and as far away from the rub applied to the outside and also far away from the smoke. Picnic had a slightly better meat/pork taste.

However, Boston butt was MUCH more moist and juicy. I found boston butt had more intramuscular fat (big pockets of it) and as I was shredding it, the meat was dripping and glistening with pork juices.

I'm not saying the picnic wasn't juicy and the boston butt wasn't tasty. Both cuts were outstanding. I'd have to give a slight edge to butt for the juicyness.

I'd also like to share an error in my planning here. I started the shoulders on the smoker way too late in the day. I put them on around noon. I initially had wanted to start at around 8-9 AM but was delayed and started hours later. This was my mistake.

Pork shoulder need to reach an internal temp of 190-195. The test is to try to wiggle the bone. If it rotates and wants to pull out of the meat, it is done. If not, it needs more time. These shoulders were on the smoker for almost 15 hours. Therefore, I didn;t pull them off the smoker until almost 3 AM! Then they had to rest for almost an hour in a hot oven. Then I had to pick each shoulder clean and pull all of that pork. End result is that I did not get to bed until almost 5 AM. But I did have a good pulled pork breakfast before I went to sleep.

Next time I do this, I need to start early in the AM or start the smoking late around maybe 10 PM and let it go overnight. When when I wake up in the morning, the shoulder gets flipped and should be ready in time for lunch.