• working on DNS.. links may break temporarily.

Pulled pork...Shoulder or butt?

C

cmwr

is Blowin Smoke!
Joined
Sep 17, 2012
Messages
1,238
Reaction score
262
Points
0
Location
Villisca Iowa
Gonna do some ribs and pulled pork for a super bowl party. I have never done pulled pork before.

Should I use pork butt or pork shoulder?


I was planning on doing the ribs in my UDS and the pulled pork in my electric smoker cause I am not sure if I can fit it all on the UDS grate but "IF" I can is it ok to use one smoker for both? I don't know if the time and temps for the 2 meats is close enough or vastly different.

Last question, Is pulled pork something you do directly on the grate or in a pan soaking in its own juices? If done in a pan then squeezing it onto my UDS grate next to the ribs is definitely not gonna work.

I have my own sauce recipes to use for squirt bottles and am pumped to say the least to try this! :boxing:
 
They are one in the same. Shoulder is a butt or aka Boston butt. I do mine directly on the grate as lots of fat will render out and needs a place to go.
 
Assuming you only have one grate in your UDS? If that's the case you could buy a cooling rack from a local store and place it on your grate straddling the ribs and place your butt on that, or vice versa. They sell cooling racks(for baking) with fold down legs which gives you about 3" clearance below them. Like these: http://http://www.target.com/p/wilton-3-tier-cooling-grid-black/-/A-13189264?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C13189264&CPNG=Kitchen&kpid=13189264&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=13189264&gclid=CPPGwsitnLwCFYNi7AodPk0Aqw

Personally I'd cook it all in the UDS if you can. Easier having to monitor only one cooker IMO, plus you're cookin with fire in a UDS. :thumb:
 
do both on the same smoker the same temps are fine. Just keep in mid that the pork butt will take a large amount of time 8-12 hours depending on the size and temp. so plan accordingly
 
J-Rod said:
Assuming you only have one grate in your UDS? If that's the case you could buy a cooling rack from a local store and place it on your grate straddling the ribs and place your butt on that, or vice versa. They sell cooling racks(for baking) with fold down legs which gives you about 3" clearance below them. Like these: http://http://www.target.com/p/wilt...sku=13189264&gclid=CPPGwsitnLwCFYNi7AodPk0Aqw
Click to expand...


I used to have 2 grates but modified my smoker to do away with one and just have the standard one grate 7" down from the lid. I may just use my electric.

I am really concerend about the time it takes. We want to eat around 430 or 5 and doesn't pulled pork take like 12 hours or more?
 
A whole shoulder is the combination of the butt (aka. boston butt) on the high side and the picnic (aka. shoulder) on the low side. The picnic/shoulder is very good for pulled pork. It has a lot more tendons in it, but is fine. My preference is the butt portion if doing only one or the other. My actual preference is both, but they usually come in at about 20lbs or more for whole shoulders, so they're hard to find unless you order them specific from a local butcher.

FYI: Cook them the same.

I cook them in shallow pans, but I have the room. If you dont, they're fine directly on a grate.

Shoulder meat cooks fine at rib temps (ala. 275 range). Figure at or just shy of 1 hour / lb at that temp, unless it's a whole shoulder; they cook like a 9lb butt.
 
Most people use the butt which is cut from the shoulder. Lots of times you can get shoulder or picnic cheaper. Here's how would handle you situation, start the butt/ shoulder at 300-325 using your UDS, the butt/ shoulder should be done and resting in a cooler in time for the ribs to go. Spare ribs can be in about 3hr at that same temp, baby backs can done sooner. Check out this thread, I just cooked an almost 9lb shoulder in 5 hrs.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=180237
 
cmwr said:
I used to have 2 grates but modified my smoker to do away with one and just have the standard one grate 7" down from the lid. I may just use my electric.

I am really concerend about the time it takes. We want to eat around 430 or 5 and doesn't pulled pork take like 12 hours or more?
Click to expand...

Time depends on the side of the butt and the temp of your cooker. I did a 7+ lb bone-in picnic shoulder last night and it took almost ten hours@275*. I've done smaller boneless butts (about 4lbs each) in about six hours@275*. If you get a whole butt obviously it'll take longer than a smaller cut so plan accordingly. Most folks figure 1:15 per lb@250* average. Again these numbers are arbitrary and only rough a guide. You can always cut a whole butt into sections so it'll cook faster too, plus that gives more surface area for rub and thus, bark.

One more thing- pulled pork is very forgiving and will hold(keep warm) like a champ. Plan to start it early so its done on time. You can hold it in a cooler wrapped in blankets for several hours before serving. Oh and don't pull it till you serve- always rest and hold it whole.
 
J-Rod said:
Time depends on the side of the butt and the temp of your cooker. I did a 7+ lb bone-in picnic shoulder last night and it took almost ten hours@275*. I've done smaller boneless butts (about 4lbs each) in about six hours@275*. If you get a whole butt obviously it'll take longer than a smaller cut so plan accordingly. Most folks figure 1:15 per lb@250* average. Again these numbers are arbitrary and only rough a guide. You can always cut a whole butt into sections so it'll cook faster too, plus that gives more surface area for rub and thus, bark.
Click to expand...

In the store yesterday they had small butts maybe 5 lbs or so. I figure it would take several of these. Maybe several smaller butts will lessen my cooking time rather than one large butt?
 
Like Jrod said you can do it all in the UDS no problem...also on one rack easily.

Butts only take about an hour a pound @ 275..i'm putting mine on about 7 AM Superbowl Sunday.
 
I think the picnic has a stronger (more pungent) flavor, and it tends to pull a little more stringy. Personally, I like the butt better. I do not sauce (or use vinegar or other liquids) in my pulled pork, so that may make a difference. I also like how it chunks when pulled. Sauced, I would be a lot harder pressed to tell the difference.
 
Fwismoker said:
Like Jrod said you can do it all in the UDS no problem...also on one rack easily.

Butts only take about an hour a pound @ 275..i'm putting mine on about 7 AM Superbowl Sunday.
Click to expand...


Good to know. I see people are injecting the butts with fruit juice and rubbing with brown sugar? I wonder if my texas rub I use on my ribs would double as a good pork shoulder rub? And I still am not sure if I should go directly on grate?

Why is everyone talking about putting the butt in a cooler or wrapping in a towel? Don't you want to pull apart once done and serve?
 
sliding_billy said:
I think the picnic has a stronger (more pungent) flavor, and it tends to pull a little more stringy. Personally, I like the butt better. I do not sauce (or use vinegar or other liquids) in my pulled pork, so that may make a difference. I also like how it chunks when pulled. Sauced, I would be a lot harder pressed to tell the difference.
Click to expand...


I have never eaten much pulled pork. When given the option I always went for ribs instead cause I love ribs! So I wasn't sure if it was common for people to put a condiment sauce on before putting the top bun on. There will be kids eating too and you know how kids can be. Ketchup or some sort of sauce on everything lol.
 
Some folks do inject with something sweet to add flavor. I started using a finishing sauce instead of injecting but either or is fine.

If you want a good finishing sauce just let me know. A good one you can use to mix into the pull and you won't even know it's mixed in except it will bring out the flavor and add to the flavor of the pork ...and you can save some to put on sammies.
 
cmwr said:
Good to know. I see people are injecting the butts with fruit juice and rubbing with brown sugar? I wonder if my texas rub I use on my ribs would double as a good pork shoulder rub? And I still am not sure if I should go directly on grate?

Why is everyone talking about putting the butt in a cooler or wrapping in a towel? Don't you want to pull apart once done and serve?
Click to expand...

When I do pulled pork, I do it right on the grate of my UDS. You want the fat to render out, and you want good bark all around the butt. Placing it in a foil pan just makes the bottom soggy, and you get less bark, in my opinion. My UDS has two racks, and I put a foil pan on the lower rack, under the butt, to catch the juices so I don't have to scoop them out of the bottom of the UDS later on.

Also, if it is a bone in butt, you will know it is done when the bone pulls out smoothly with little to no resistance. When that is the case, wrap it in foil, then put it in a cooler. Then stuff an old towel or two (don't use your wife's good towels) in the cooler and close that sucker up. This is called "resting" and it will keep the meat nice and hot until you pull and serve it. Don't pull it until it is time to eat.
 
ITBFQ said:
When I do pulled pork, I do it right on the grate of my UDS. You want the fat to render out, and you want good bark all around the butt. Placing it in a foil pan just makes the bottom soggy, and you get less bark, in my opinion. My UDS has two racks, and I put a foil pan on the lower rack, under the butt, to catch the juices so I don't have to scoop them out of the bottom of the UDS later on.

Also, if it is a bone in butt, you will know it is done when the bone pulls out smoothly with little to no resistance. When that is the case, wrap it in foil, then put it in a cooler. Then stuff an old towel or two (don't use your wife's good towels) in the cooler and close that sucker up. This is called "resting" and it will keep the meat nice and hot until you pull and serve it. Don't pull it until it is time to eat.
Click to expand...


Gotcha but I like to let my juices drip onto my coals. They create steam which keeps the meat moist. Plus the coals burn the drippings up so nothing ever gets onto the bottom of my UDS unless I have the meat clear out to the side and some misses the basket.
 
cmwr said:
Gotcha but I like to let my juices drip onto my coals. They create steam which keeps the meat moist. Plus the coals burn the drippings up so nothing ever gets onto the bottom of my UDS unless I have the meat clear out to the side and some misses the basket.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you answered your own question, then. Post some pics when you get a chance!
 
Keith s pp sauce it great, make it a day or so I advance so the flavors can meld. A shoulder if rested properly can hold the whole rib cook. Start it early, wrap and rest then do the ribs. Should be ready at the same time.
If it's your first time go with a butt (upper) over a picnic shoulder (lower). Butts are almost fool proof due to the high fat content.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Maylar
Are pork butt and shoulder the same thing?
Replies
6
Views
2K
thirdeye
thirdeye
Pa_BBQ
Saving Pulled Pork in fridge?
Replies
3
Views
280
Jason TQ
Jason TQ
J
Can I put pulled pork in a warming drawer overnight?
Replies
15
Views
1K
JCBII
J
D
Any advice for beef “blade “ roast for pulling?
Replies
6
Views
533
Debmar
D
TheHojo
Smoked Lamb Shoulder
Replies
18
Views
547
TheHojo
TheHojo
Back
Top