Pork butt, also called Boston butt, is the upper portion of the pork shoulder, located above the picnic shoulder. Despite the word “butt,” it comes from the front shoulder, not the rear of the pig. It is a well-marbled cut with multiple muscles, fat and connective tissue, making it especially useful for slow cooking and barbecue.
In North American markets, the cut is commonly sold as Boston butt, pork butt, shoulder butt or blade roast. It may be supplied bone-in or boneless, with the skin and external fat removed or retained depending on the specification. British and European names for related shoulder cuts vary, so do not assume that “shoulder” or “collar” is an exact equivalent.
The marbling and connective tissue allow the cut to remain moist during long cooking. It is commonly smoked or roasted for pulled pork, braised for stews and ragù, or cut into steaks for grilling when the muscle and trim are suitable. It can also be ground for sausages, burgers and other preparations.
Example: season a Boston butt with a dry rub, smoke or roast it slowly until the connective tissue softens, then pull the meat and mix with some of the defatted cooking juices. It can also be braised for carnitas-style preparations.
Boston butt is the upper shoulder and is generally more uniform and marbled. Picnic shoulder is the lower foreleg section, often supplied skin-on and with a different bone and trim profile. Both can be used for pulled pork, but their yields and cooking behaviour are not identical.
Chef’s tip: specify bone-in or boneless, skin-on or skinless, fat-cover trim and weight range when ordering. Record raw weight, cooked yield and trim loss to establish an accurate food cost.
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