Picnic pork shoulder question

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dacfan

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Feb 4, 2009
131
16
Eastern Ky
Hey everybody I found boneless picnic shoulder at walmart well priced so I bought a couple to smoke on Monday. After I got home I realized the packaging said up to 12% solution. Will this affect the desired outcome of making pulled pork or is it going to be like ham?

thanks
 
it should be fine as long as u take pics for use.....i doubt u will see a difference..but I am not as experienced as some on here. the only thing i can say is i have done butts from walmart and did nothing different and they came out great !!good luck
 
Well of course I'll take pics, also these picnics have up to 12% solution the butts Ive seen there don't say anything about solution. I thought solution made meat taste like ham. Anyone else what to take a shot at answering my original post?
 
It will not be any different as far as pulled pork is concerned, texture is more controlled by the temp you choose to remove it from the smoker. As far as the taste is concerned, it will give you a similiar taste as if you had brined it... ham like in taste. That has been my experience with picnic shoulders, with or w/out bone.
 
The flavor and texture should be fine, I normally inject my picnics anyway. A couple suggestions for the next time you venture into the picnic realm:

- use a picnic with the bone in, you will notice a huge difference in flavor and texture of the meat throughout but especially near the bone. Also use a picnic that has as much skin left on as possible, this will also add to the flavor and, from my experiences, bypasses the need to foil as the skin and fat act as a natural insulator.

- the above should also greatly reduce the price of your cut, I use picnics often as opposed to butts
 
I agree with Swede, go for the bone-in picnics with as much skin as possible. Skin/fat cap down and let it cruise. I still foil-towel-cooler my picnics though. As far as the solution your picnic is soaked in, it's more of a brine than a cure. In my experience, it does tend to make the cut a little bit more 'hammy' but not by much. You'll still end up with some awesome pulled pork when it's all said and done.
Good luck with your picnic smoke,

Tom
 
Well I'm sad to say a relative borrowed my camera with out my permission so I couldn't take any pics, man I was ticked I love taking Qview and documenting my experience. Well anyway I rubbed two picnics down with a basic rub made of paprika, cyan, CBP, course salt, garlic, onion and sugar. I injected Creole Butter left in fridge over night. I smoked with hickory chunks @ 250* to 275*, foiled at 167* pulled out and in cooler for one hour @ 205*. Man was it fall apart tender I pulled one and sliced the other it was very good next time I will use less smoke though, I filled a 8x9" cake pan twice. All in all it took about 6 hours in the GOSM. I was happy with my first try and i have a feeling I will be buying more picnics than butts, again sorry for the lack of pics but I already demanded that my camera be returned or I'll break my foot off in his U know what.
thanks for all your input folks.
 
I agree with swede and m1tanker. I always get a shank (bone in) when I do the picnic hams. For the best pulled pork I use the pork roast. I am not adverse to saving money though.
 
I get these cuts from my local butcher who basically gives them to me at cost from Daisyfield or some other distributor in Ohio I believe. They basically look like they were hacked off the hog, packed in a box of 5-6, tied in string and handed over.

When all is said and done I have enough pork for a crowd at .79 cents a pound.
 
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