Question: Pork shoulder blade roast?

[sea_munky]

Hi folks.

I'm hoping to smoke a pork shoulder for pulled pork tomorrow. This will be my first time cooking one purely by smoking without the assistance of an oven.

So one store is selling what's labeled "Pork Shoulder Roast - boneless" for $1.99/lb. Another is selling "Pork Shoulder Blade Roast" for $1.49/lb.

What would you recommend? Being on a budget, I'd like to go for the cheaper one IF it will result in a close to authentic product but if i'm not sure if it's inferior or how it's different really.

I don't really know if it's a normal cut people use? Any info and words of wisdom would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[b8h8r]

I asked for a boston butt and got a shoulder blade roast. It's my first as well, so we're in the same boat. I believe were ok. Fat cap there, etc You want the bone though either way.

 

[jminion]

They repackage a butt, remove the bone and charge more, .50 a pound.
They are the same cut, it's butt.

 

[sea_munky]

thanks senor minion! that answers that. I think i'll get the bone-in!

 

[pineywoods]

Yea the 1.49 is the one you want but don't tell them you want bone in they'll start charging more for it.

 

[ddave]

Yeah, the Safeway in my town is the same way. Guess they figure that it would be improper etiquette to put the word "butt" on the label.

Or maybe it is a regional thing.

Go with the shoulder blade roast with the bone and you'll be in good shape.

Dave

 

[flash]

Bone In for sure.......you get more flavor with the bone

 

[pops6927]

Actually, it's the FDA with 'truth in labeling' law; the meat description has to describe the physical property of the cut, not a coloquial (sp?) rendering of the cut. Just like for 100 years there were 'delmonico steaks'; now they are called boneless rib eye steaks. The term 'butt' used in any other setting except for the actual butt of the hog (which is the buttock, or ham once cured and smoked) is a misuse of the term. Sorry to wax prolific on it; it was a big change in the 70's and we had to change many descriptions on packages to comply.

 

[ddave]

No need to apologize. Actually, thanks for the explanation. It's kind of funny but it does make sense.

I guess the old descriptions would lead to a lot of confusion.

Dave

 

[wutang]

The last one I bought was labeled ---Pork Shoulder Blade "Boston Butt" Roast---
I guess they had all the angles covered

 

[pops6927]

I still see some 'creative' meat labeling that is not right; there's a hispanic store chain here and they embellish the cuts' names something wicked, such as a "Farm Tender Fresh Beef Crown Roast" - that's a total misrepresentation and non-description of what it actually is - it's an arm shoulder round bone roast, short cut. Then, inside, they advertise a "Farm Tender Bone-In Beef Shoulder Swiss Steak" which is a long cut arm steak with the shoulder clod still attached. How they get away with it I don't know! They also advertise "Farm Tender Fresh Beef Back Finger Ribs Family Pack"... what the hey is a 'back finger rib'? Never seen that cut on any USDA meat chart! It's some meat buyer that learned that terminology back in the 50's and still spouts it, not realizing it's deceptive advertising.

 

[capt dan]

The butts I buy are by the case (56-64) lbs per case 4 packs in a case, 2 butts to the pack=8 butts per case. The label on them says:


Pork Shoulder Butts

IBP Superior Trim
neck off

I have bought them other places, but I always go back to these and won't vary unless I have no other option. They are always trimmed nice, no clots or glands, and are usually package fairly symetrical, meaning, I don't usually get a 5 lber in the cryo with an 8-9 lber. They are usually 1.49-1.99 lb around here.

 

[venture]

Well, it is still the butt end, no matter what the FDA says. LOL

I do generally like the FDA designations. It gives the consumer a lot more information, if he is willing to learn the difference.

 

[sea_munky]

Thanks for responding everyone. This has been useful. I went ahead and bought a 9 pound "shoulder blade roast" and a little 4 pounder so I wouldn't have to wait so long for the big one!

Thanks Pop...that was really useful info.


Thanks Capt. Dan....I was wondering if I was getting a good deal. Seems like 1.49 is pretty good.

hahaha! DrowzyDave...that's exactly the store I was looking at. cheers!

 

[capt dan]

its the front shoulder!

 

[venture]

Cpt Dan, call the FDA. Maybe they could clarify things with your concise language! LOLOL

I would sure vote with you.

 

[jminion]

The term butt came from sailing ship days and from Boston. Wooden barrels were made they called BUTTS, the pork was salted and packet in the BUTTS for shipping. The name has been around for a long time, over a hundred years. What we get today is what you are all finding when you go shopping.

The buttock of a hog (hams) were cured and did not need to shipped in BUTTS, they could be bagged for shipping.