Why bone-in pork shoulder vs boneless?
- Thread starter gregor
- Start date
DivotMaker
New member
jcboxlot said:
This "tip" was obviously written by someone who a) doesn't really know what they're talking about (hey, it's all pork, right?), and b) has obviously never smoked a piece of meat in their lives. Crock pots rule, baby!!
OK, enough silliness. BBQ is serious business! (LOL).... The bone-in Boston butt is the absolute best, for pulled pork, for a couple of reasons. First, it incorporates the upper shoulder muscles (which includes part of the back loin, or the "money muscle," on the BBQ circuits. The muscles in this part of the shoulder are moist and tender, with good intramuscular fat. Secondly, there's a bone! If I have a choice of smoking boneless, or bone-in anything, I will always select the bone-in! Especially in large cuts, the bone acts as a heat sink, and a conduit for the heat, and makes large cuts cook more evenly. I have always had better results with a bone-in.
Disclaimer: I have never smoked a boneless butt, but I've read an awful lot of reviews from people who have. This is what I gather: boneless butts take longer, are more unpredictable, and aren't as juicy. I could be wrong, but that seems to be the common theme.
Bottom line - bone in Bostons are the "gold standard" for pulled pork, and you won't get better results with anything else.
NDKoze
Moderator
I like the boneless butts from Costco to make Buckboard Bacon. But for pulled pork, bone-in Boston Butt is the only way to go.
If you are looking for sliced pork, a picnic shoulder is a great cut.
But as Tony said, Pork Cuts are not all equal. Another example is Baby Backs versus Spare Ribs. Seemingly very similar cuts of meat, but they have some pretty unique differences and people definitely have their preferences on which they like better.
If you are looking for sliced pork, a picnic shoulder is a great cut.
But as Tony said, Pork Cuts are not all equal. Another example is Baby Backs versus Spare Ribs. Seemingly very similar cuts of meat, but they have some pretty unique differences and people definitely have their preferences on which they like better.
DivotMaker
New member
JackT said:
True that.
BedouinBob
New member
+1 to what Greg & Tony said. At least most of it... 8) I have done boneless for pulled pork when I couldn't get bone in and it never turns out as well. Save the boneless for sausage and bacon.
DivotMaker
New member
One more "bone-us!" If you have a dog, they LOVE the smoky bone! My Meathead (200 lb English Mastiff) lives for pork butt bones! Drool for days!
Thanks for the replies!
To save time, I've been cutting the shoulders in half. I am uncomfortable leaving the smoker running on my deck while I am sleeping. I have a townhouse so I don't have a lot of room and I am definitely not putting it out on the grass where it can be gotten to (lots of kids in the area). I love the fact with a very small use of wood 6-8oz that I get a very flavorful result!
The local Amish market sells boneless shoulders, but they are expensive - $3.49/lb. I can buy generic cryowrap pork shoulder with bone at Wegman's for $1.59/lb. Haven't done enough of either to be able to tell the difference.
Cutting it in half doesn't seem to matter much - I get a little more bark - but the bark is obviously thinner from a shorter cook - typically I might pull them from the smoker at 9 or 10 hours for a 9 lb shoulder and finish wrapped up in the oven.
Some day I will have to try the full butts and see how that compares.
To save time, I've been cutting the shoulders in half. I am uncomfortable leaving the smoker running on my deck while I am sleeping. I have a townhouse so I don't have a lot of room and I am definitely not putting it out on the grass where it can be gotten to (lots of kids in the area). I love the fact with a very small use of wood 6-8oz that I get a very flavorful result!
The local Amish market sells boneless shoulders, but they are expensive - $3.49/lb. I can buy generic cryowrap pork shoulder with bone at Wegman's for $1.59/lb. Haven't done enough of either to be able to tell the difference.
Cutting it in half doesn't seem to matter much - I get a little more bark - but the bark is obviously thinner from a shorter cook - typically I might pull them from the smoker at 9 or 10 hours for a 9 lb shoulder and finish wrapped up in the oven.
Some day I will have to try the full butts and see how that compares.
DivotMaker
New member
Gregor, overnight cooks can be worrisome, but if you are using a good remote thermometer, with an alarm, it's not a big deal. As you know, the outside of these smokers don't get hot, so there's really no fire danger. And, if the one-in-a-million event occurs (fire on the inside), the alarm will wake you, just as if you are in watching TV when it happens. Fear not the overnight smoke! Go for a big 'ol bone-in Boston butt, and enjoy the rewards of living on the edge! 8)
