Is this picture a Boston Butt or Picnic?

[torolover]

I just got a Boston Butt from a butcher, but now I'm not sure the butcher gave me the right cut.

 

I took a picture of what I have.  Is this the Boston Butt or the Picnic?  It's 12 pounds.  The second pic has the bone sticking out because I chopped a inch off to make a pork steak.

 

I paid $6 a pound for this Boston Butt at a famous high-end Butcher shop and he said it's from a Heritage Pig.  I thought it should have more marbling?

 

Thanks!

Edited November 27, 2014 by torolover (log)

[Steve Irby]

That cut is from the leg.  Not sure from the photo whether it is the ham (rear) or picnic (front ) cut but looks like the ham. I'm pretty sure the pig is a commercial breed due to the lack of fat cap directly beneath the skin.  Google Boston butt and the difference will be evident.  If the butcher passes off the leg as a shoulder cut it's time to find a new butcher.

[torolover]

You sure its from the Leg?  They originally had a big shoulder and cut it in half and said this is the Boston Butt and the other part is the picnic.  You think they gave me the picnic or some other part?

[Martin Fisher]

It's from a front shoulder cut in half.

Edited November 27, 2014 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[torolover]

It's from a front shoulder cut in half.

 

Sorry, I'm not familiar what the front shoulder is.  So it's not the Boston Butt or picnic?  

[Martin Fisher]

Looks like the butt end but I can't tell you exactly what all you have by just looking at a cross-section.

[FeChef]

All the boston butts ive ever bought have a "blade bone?" What you have is nothing ive ever seen in a boston butt. Then again, i never paid $6/lb either. I pay $1.79/lb for what you shown.

[pbear]

I respectfully disagree with DDF.  (And I mean respectfully sincerely.)  To my eye, that's obviously the picnic end.  The butt would be block-like.

[pbear]

BTW, it probably would help resolve the question if you post a photo from above.

[torolover]

Looks like the butt end but I can't tell you exactly what all you have by just looking at a cross-section.

Here are some more pictures.  You can see there is a big long bone that runs from one end to the other end.  On another side there is some kind of blade bone.  Does this make it easier?  Really appreciate your input everyone!

[Norm Matthews]

The front let is the Picnic.  The shoulder blade which is the joint above the Picnic is from the shoulder blade and is the butt end.  That looks like the Picnic to me but both butt and shoulder can be cooked the same and taste alike.  The difference is that the Picnic is usually harder to carve because of the bones. 

Edited November 27, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[Martin Fisher]

There's obviously exposed blade...there's no blade in a picnic...not in all the hogs I've butchered anyway.

[Martin Fisher]

They originally had a big shoulder and cut it in half and said this is the Boston Butt and the other part is the picnic. 

 

 

The butcher did exactly that.

It's not trimmed up like a supermarket butt end.

[torolover]

The butcher did exactly that.

It's not trimmed up like a supermarket butt end.

So what is that long bone?  Is that part of the blade or another bone?  

 

Thanks!

[Martin Fisher]

The arm bone. It's the bone directly below the blade bone.

[rotuts]

most comercial BB are cut a little higher so you dont get that arm bone so much as it might be trimmed out.

[torolover]

most comercial BB are cut a little higher so you dont get that arm bone so much as it might be trimmed out.

Thanks for the info!  Is the meat on the arm bone more desirable then the commercial BB that's cut higher?

[weinoo]

At this point, I think you've got a hybrid.  Most of the butt and some of the picnic.

 

Isn't the arm bone part of a picnic?

 

 

The above picture I found on this website:

 

Ask The Meatman

Edited November 27, 2014 by weinoo (log)

[rotuts]

re  Arm better

 

thats hard to say.  The BB has some very choice cuts in it

 

the arm might lent itself more to thick 'steaks'

 

the easiest way to tell is the next time you are at that Butcher, see how they price out each cut, w skin and bones etc.

[BKYLN]

I've dealt with enough prosciutto to know that what you have there is from a leg

[rotuts]

Front Leg.   not many Piggies have arms.

 

note the scapula, although truth be told it might be pelvis.

 

 

Im thinking of leaning in that direction myself.

 

when the bone eventually comes out, it should have a ridge along one side to be the Scap.

 

not so the pelvis.

 

mystery continues .....

[pbear]

I stand corrected.  DDF is right.

Edited November 28, 2014 by pbear (log)

[torolover]

Front Leg.   not many Piggies have arms.

 

note the scapula, although truth be told it might be pelvis.

 

 

Im thinking of leaning in that direction myself.

 

when the bone eventually comes out, it should have a ridge along one side to be the Scap.

 

not so the pelvis.

 

mystery continues .....

So I took some pictures of the bone.  I was so disappointed in the quality of this cut, whatever it was.  6 hours at 300F, internal temp of 200F and came out dry, not much fat, and didn't shred easily.  I'm going to complain to the butcher especially if he didn't give me the BB.  He told me it was Heritage Pork and cost me $6 a pound.

 

We these pic, can you tell what it is?  

Edited November 28, 2014 by torolover (log)

[Martin Fisher]

So much for judging by pics from afar. 

What you have is a real bad hack job of the pelvic area

 

Yeah, I would be bitchin'!

[Mjx]

Whatever it is, that looks more like the head of a femur (and part of a pelvis) than of a humerus (and scapula,) making that the hip/leg joint.