What exactly is a Boston Butt?
A Boston butt is the portion of the shoulder that comes from the front end of the pig. It is the most common cut of meat used for barbecuing and pork roasts.
So, instead of cutting the pork shoulder lengthwise into individual roasts, a Boston butt is prepared with the portion of the shoulder intact.
A Boston butt usually has about 2½ pounds of meat and includes the shoulder blade bone. The portion is a very versatile cut of meat that is often used as a slow-roasted barbecue at cookouts.
Like the whole shoulder, the butt also includes the picnic shoulder or picnic ham, which connects the top part of the butt to the top end of the shoulder blade. The picnic shoulder includes some of the arm blade bone.
An ideal pork butt should have the fat cap, which allows the meat to have a lot of succulentness.
While many people use the term “Boston butt,” which is true, an actual Boston butt cut is only available in the Boston area.
The term “Boston butt” has been used for so long that it has now become a part of the language and popular culture. So there is actually no such thing as a Boston butt cut.
Butt… What About the Rear End of the Pig?
When most folks think of Boston butt, they often think of a cute little puppy. The answer to the riddle lies in the Boston area, where the term ìbutt… is used to describe the rear end of a pork shoulder.
So, anytime you hear people talking about a Boston butt, they actually mean a pork shoulder butt!
Now that you know its origin, you are probably dying to know why pork shoulder butt is so popular. Well, it’s probably because of the amount of fat that is used to make it.
The meat from a pork shoulder butt has a high fat content of about 70%, which makes it more tender and flavorful when roasted.
And since the meat is also “milder tasting,” it is ideal for long braises and because of this, pork shoulder butt “butts” up right against beef brisket in terms of popularity.
Why is Shoulder Meat used for Pulled Pork?
The reason for this is that the shoulder meat is composed of tissues density is more similar to the denser connective tissue in the back fat then the lighter meat in the smoke ring that is located near the outer edge of the loin muscles.
The shoulder skin as it’s part of the front shoulder and not the back leg part. Being closer to the balance of the animal it’s contains more of the fat and connective tissues that add extra flavor and moisture to the meat.
Pork Butt vs Pork Shoulder
A Boston butt is a popular form of pork in the US. It is made from the top portion of the hog shoulder near the picnic roast.
A Boston butt roast is usually between 6 and 10 lbs, but the actual weight will depend on where you buy it from. A pork shoulder will have about 80% meat and 20% fat.
This bone-in roast is perfect if you are looking for a delicious pork roast to serve with mashed potatoes. When it comes to good BBQ, a Boston butt is an ideal choice. Boston’s market name relates to the city of Boston as a part of the pork carried on ships and boats between Boston and New York City.
Butt is a major BBQ joint name for pork in the US. It is specifically used for pork shoulder. Because of the amount of work it takes from the shoulder, it is also called a “culotte roast.” A pork shoulder is perfect to serve at BBQ picnic and family gatherings. It will make about 10 good servings.
The Money Muscle
A Boston Butt is a butterflied pork shoulder that serves as the perfect base for smoking and grilling. It is a cheap cut, yielding tons of meat, and it’s great for feeding a crowd. I like to keep one in my freezer at all times.
Butts have a lot of connective tissue, and take long, slow cooking to break down into that tender, fall-off-the-bone, barbecue we’re used to. This makes them temperamental, so patience is key.
The easiest thing to do is to find your cut of Boston Butt, decide on a time frame, and set the temperature on your grill or smoker. It’s best to keep the temperature relatively low, around 225 degrees.
You can use a crutch if you need more time, but resist the urge to keep messing with it. It’s done when it’s done.
When the internal temperature registers 195 degrees, you can wrap it in foil and let it rest. Once the skin is good and crispy, it’s time to be sliced and served.
Best Alternative Cuts for Pulled Pork
Forget BBQ Ribs! There are hundreds of delicious recipes you can make with pulled pork other than the classic BBQ ribs, chicken or brisket.
If you’re still craving for more smoked meat, try your hand at this pulled pork recipe, pulled pork nachos, pulled pork tacos or pulled pork sandwiches.
How Much Pork Butt Per Person?
The numbers will change depending on the size of the butt and the number of people having the meal. For the sake of this estimation, let’s say that you’re serving 6 adults and that the butt net approximately 10 lbs.
It’s very easy to get the calculator in Google Chrome, and it’s a great time saver. All you have to do is to type in the keyword “Butt Calculator,” then hit the “Enter” button.
Now, click on “per person,” and you’ll see that amounts of protein that you have to buy per adult.
In our case, 10 lbs. of butt with ~ 10% bone-in = roughly 1.2 lbs. of pork butts per person.
Now you got an estimate of how much pork butts you should buy and can start the shopping.
How To Cook Pork Butt
Pork butts, also known as Boston butts, are delicious when slow cooked. With the right preparation and cooking methods you’ll have moist, tender, and juicy pork ready in no time. The key to perfect pork butt is to keep it moist.
These pork butts are juicy and tender even without the brine overnighting, but if you want to make it even juicier the brine is your best chance. The brine draws moisture deep into the meat and keeps it that way in there.
The brine is best to do the night before slow cooking. This way the meat will have a chance to absorb the flavors of the brine overnight. What you’ll need for slow cooking is a large slow cooker, there are a lot of those out there- the key is really that it has to be a slow cooker, meaning it needs to be heated from the bottom. This way you can lay the pork in there and let the heat travel towards the meat.
I think you’ll find that slow cooking is a really easy method and it is all about slow cooking. The slower the better in this case, so do not try to cook it fast in order to keep it moist. This way you’re going to get the best results and the meat will be really creamy and tender.
5 Best barbecue sauces you can buy online
There are numerous barbecue sauces to choose from, but these five are for those who really love barbecue sauce, and they include:
Cowboy Butter Sauces Barbecue Sauce
This item is the number one best seller for barbecue sauces. It comes from the company Hickory Hammock and offers a unique flavor derived from hickory smoked garlic. The addition of peanut butter in this sauce offers a unique and sweet-smokey to tangy flavor which is very hard to resist. This product is gluten-free, and it is also really easy to use by just simply applying it on your favorite meat. It is perfect if you are planning to make a grilling session for a lot of people and you want to make sure that all of your friends, family, and neighbors will be satisfied with the food that you are serving. You can purchase this product online at Amazon.
Hickory Log Barbecue Sauce
Hickory Log only uses the finest ingredients for its barbecue sauces. It is also gluten-free, and it also contains no high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients. The bottle contains 12 ounces, and this is their best seller as well. It is available in the flavor of hickory smoke flavor, hickory smoke flavor with wine, and for those who want something different, they also have hickory smoke flavor with some bacon. You can buy this barbecue sauce in online in Amazon.