Whole pork shoulder

[blackdogbbq21]

I've cooked a lot of pork butts, however I've never done a whole shoulder. I want to give it a try just have a few questions. Does anyone know what the typical yield of usable meat you get from the whole shoulder. I'm thinking with larger bone, skin and fat that won't render the yield must be less than cooking just a bone in butt.

I'd be cooking it on an offset smoker. Any chance the skin gets crispy enough to mix into the meat or am I better off trimming it off and getting more bark? Was thinking of trying to salt the skin in hopes of getting it crispy but I know the whole hog guys that salt the skin use coals right under the hog to crisp the skin.

 

[Blue Ridge]

I grew up in North Carolina where they do whole shoulders. From putting some on my reverse flow last summer I ended up with about 8% less meat but the Q had a better flavor than pork butt alone. Which is why they do whole shoulder in NC

 

[SirPorkaLot]

Roughly 65% yield

I love doing whole shoulder

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279742

 

[KevinJ]

Roughly 65% yield

I love doing whole shoulder

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279742

How much grate space would you say you need for a whole shoulder?

 

[Curt.P]

You guys are a bad influence. I'm now looking at a SRF bone-in Kurobuta pork shoulder...

 

[chingador]

Roughly 65% yield

I love doing whole shoulder

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279742

I don’t know how I missed that thread the first time around. Absolutely awesome.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

How much grate space would you say you need for a whole shoulder?

My pint grate size is 14.75” x 22” and there was plenty of room

 

[KevinJ]

My pint grate size is 14.75” x 22” and there was plenty of room

Thanks John think I'll mosey over to the Butcher Shoppe and pickup a whole shoulder w/skin or order one if they don't have one. Missed your shoulder thread, epic.

 

[thirdeye]

Man, I'm envious. It is very hard for me to source a shoulder anymore. All I can say is, inject.... inject.... inject. Try to get as close to the bones as you can. Oh, did I mention injecting? :mrgreen:

Anyways, when you lay it out.... visualize the bone location, the butt blade bone is attached to the arm bone in the picnic, and the arm bone connects to the lower foreshank bone. You asked about yield, and I've never weighed before and after, but the 60% yield mentioned above sounds like a good guestimate, but even if you get 50%, it will be worth it. A shoulder is much better than cooking a butt and picnic separately. Maybe it's the mass, or just the anticipation.

 

[JAKs Q & brew]

You guys are a bad influence. I'm now looking at a SRF bone-in Kurobuta pork shoulder...

That SNF whole shoulder is a beast of a cut. A friend of mine got one that was almost 20 pounds, which actually made the price per pound almost reasonable.

 

[JAKs Q & brew]

the butt blade bone is attached to the arm bone in the picnic, and the arm bone connects to the lower foreshank bone.

Am I the only one who sung that part?

The butt blades attached to the arm bone, the arm bone connects to the fore shank bone.

 

[sudsandswine]

You guys are a bad influence. I'm now looking at a SRF bone-in Kurobuta pork shoulder...

I’ve been lusting over one of those for a good while now...someday

 

[thirdeye]

Am I the only one who sung that part?

The butt blades attached to the arm bone, the arm bone connects to the fore shank bone.

You are definitely not.

 

[mike243]

Been years since I have cooked 1, I would say injecting if you plan to leave the skin on, Hard to get seasonings to the meat with the skin on, the skin was always peeled off and wasn't eatable imo. the meat was always good though. was cooking on a off set and don't have 1 these days, butts use to be rare to find but shoulders were common, things have reversed in ETn lol