What are you looking for in your butt.

[Mo-Dave]

When watching the newest PitMasters one of the cooks talked about getting a specific kind of pork butt. Are there different kinds or breeds that are thought to be better than others? If so for what reasons and what do you look for, in your butt? I expect some off color remarks here. :roll:
Dave

 

[JD McGee]

I look for bone-in...6-8 lbs...good marbleing...nice white fat cap...reddish pink color...

 

[deguerre]

Most of the stores locally don't list the maker as the single butts are always wrapped on the little yellow trays and just have the weight/price/date info. I just get the one that "looks" good to me. If there is a sale on tjhe cryovac double packs then the maker info is usually on there, and the last ones I got came from KC. They were GOOD and I've still got three in the freezer. As to what kind of pig they come off of....

 

[early mornin' smokin']

What do i look for in a butt.....once again, i love this site....when its done the bone should slide out cleanly...alright, enough of that. I look for nice and pink, good fat cap, bone in, and a nice shape without too much straglers(those ugly pieces of meat that arent really butt)

 

[Lake Dogs]

Would be nice if I could find the remote to the TV.... Perhaps I've been looking in
the wrong place(s)........

 

[landarc]

Yes, the swimmers, yes...but, I digress...Anytime I am looking for pork of any cut, I am looking for white fat, light pink to medium pink flesh, shiny with minimal fluid in the packaging of tray. I shy away from anything that was packed in brine or preservative. I do not like to see any noticable gaps in a raw piece of meat. This was a good one, although the color is darker than it really was.

 

[dwmckay99]

I always check to make sure that the money muscle hasn't been trimmed off.

It really is odd how few good butchers are around now. I guess most people don't care(?).

 

[landarc]

Hey, no hijacking in Que talk! Especially in that way.

By the way, if you buy butts in cryovac, they often have a bit of a funk, I always wash off the liquid they are packed in, let it dry a bit and see if it smells good.

 

[bbqbull]

Folks please keep this subject on track here.
Thanks.

 

[bbqbull]

I buy most of my pork butts in 2 packs at Sams Club.

I look at the cryo packs and look for the pinkest meats and look for the white fat and the best marbling. Sometimes I drive other shoppers nuts but thats just me.

If I cant find what im looking for I ask the butcher if they could bring out some more packages for inspection.

Most of the butchers know me and know that im usually buying meat for a comp and there very happy to oblige my requests.

They will also open up new cases and give me the processed date which makes me very happy.

Hope this information is helpfull.

 

[Mad Max]

When watching the newest PitMasters one of the cooks talked about getting a specific kind of pork butt. Are there different kinds or breeds that are thought to be better than others? If so for what reasons and what do you look for, in your butt? I expect some off color remarks here. :roll:
Dave

Juicy, tender but firm, nicely shaped! :lol: JK.

 

[Midnight Smoke]

I prefer Bone-In, I like a nice even shaped Butt, one that is about the same in size, end to end. If I get one that is smaller on one end, I will tie it up to make it more uniform for even cooking. I look for Butts in the 8-9 Lb range as they seem to work well for a nice finished product.

 

[Mo-Dave]

Well thanks everyone, you all described what I look for in the butts I buy. I really was asking if anyone tries to purchase different breeds not brands that they feel make a difference. Also I remember someone describing the color of the fat cap making a difference, like from a gray greenish color to a snow white having to do with how it was raised and what it ate. None the less I am greatly relieved that no one said they looked for wood in there butts.
Dave

 

[BigBrad]

If you are interested in what breeds of pork butt to purchase they can vary quite a bit. In todays hog production there are few purebred swine left. If you can find pork from Berkshire or Duroc hogs these will have the most marbling and should be the juicest. It will be hard to find these particular cuts unless you have a specific supplier. The majority of the meat that you find in stores unless specifically stated will come from crossbred swine. Hope this helps.

 

[Mo-Dave]

If you are interested in what breeds of pork butt to purchase they can vary quite a bit. In todays hog production there are few purebred swine left. If you can find pork from Berkshire or Duroc hogs these will have the most marbling and should be the juicest. It will be hard to find these particular cuts unless you have a specific supplier. The majority of the meat that you find in stores unless specifically stated will come from crossbred swine. Hope this helps.

Yep thats more like what I was asking for. I just never have seen any butts stating they are a particular breed, live Black Angus beef.
Dave

 

[Smokinrubcom]

Also I remember someone describing the color of the fat cap making a difference, like from a gray greenish color to a snow white having to do with how it was raised and what it ate.

If the butt has any sign of grey or green it is bad.

Mike

 

[Mo-Dave]

If the butt has any sign of grey or green it is bad.

Mike

I don't think that is necessarily so. By greenish I mean just a slight hue and gray is just off white neither of which is bad. Believe me I know what bad pork is.
Dave

 

[dwmckay99]

Yep thats more like what I was asking for. I just never have seen any butts stating they are a particular breed, live Black Angus beef.
Dave

Like the other poster said, it's hard to find these days. Agribusiness consolidates breeds and bloodlines.

Here are a couple of links to some more info about endangered breeds.

Endangered hog foundation.

NYT article on endangered breeds.

You can find various breeds/meats online, but it's expensive. Not something your normal grocery carries. A difference between beef and pork, too, is that pork is inspected but grading is voluntary. The grading system has only two grades, too.

 

[landarc]

Although I like Berkshire Black Hogs and can find it, I have never seen a shoulder, nor do I necessarily believe it is the best use of that breed. With regards to slow cooking a butt or shoulder, there is plenty of fat, even in a supermarket cut. I think the key to a good but is connective tissue and collagen, which is impossible to really determine, and feed, which can be tough to determine, unless you know the grower. The reason I say connective tissue and collagen, is that is what gives you that mouth feel that seems to coat the mouth and throat, the fat gives sweetness and the meat provides savory notes.

 

[River City Smokehouse]

I look for $.99 lb. Sometimes that is hard to find. Around here a butt is a butt. Most all the local stores carry Farmland since it is produced right here in Missouri. Schnuck's carry Hormel and Walmart carries Crap. Sam's is ok but I most usually don't buy from them.