Where did you get that butt?

[theakston]

Memorial day 2004. It's time to scrape the cicadas off the Weber and get smokin'.

On previous occasions whenever I've tried to get hold of a nice piece of pork butt I've been unsuccessful and had to resort to my usual chicken / ribs. I've occasionally been more successful in finding brisket, but even that has been unpredictable.

I've tried Wholefoods (Arlington) Giant (including the gourmet version in McLean), Glutton Place, etc - all to no avail. I'm guessing the local Halal butcher won't be much help either.

Where can I get my hands on a nice piece of butt?

(preferably without going too far into the 'burbs, or that other state..what's it called...mary something)

[mnebergall]

Al Dente should know, he is a butt man. Also, Safeway has spare ribs on sale this week. I plan on taking a page from the spare ribs/baby back ribs thread and doing up some St. Louis stye on the smoker.

For butt, you might try Shoppers Food Warehouse in Potomac yard.

Edited May 27, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[jphilg]

Yup....Shopper's Food Warehouse, either Potomac Yards or Seven Corners. It is on sale at least once a month for 69 cents a pound. Really.

I imagine you know this, but pork butt and pork shoulder are the same cut. Around here, I tend to find it called shoulder more than butt.

[Al_Dente]

Al Dente should know, he is a butt man.

For butt, you might try Shoppers Food Warehouse in Potomac yard.

Uh.... how did you know?

Shoppers probably would be a good place to go. I've usually been able to find it at Safeway or Giant. Not sure of the difference, but have you seen shoulder instead? I think it's basically the same.

I might have to smoke a butt this weekend too.

[mnebergall]

Al Dente should know, he is a butt man. 

For butt, you might try Shoppers Food Warehouse in Potomac yard.

Uh.... how did you know?

Clickity

[TGTyson]

Costco, BJ's and Sam's all sell blade-in pork butts. Here in Richmond, the local Costco carried Swifts brand and BJs carries Smithfield, but your results may vary.

The smoker here is heating up as we speak and I'm putting in 20 pounds of brined pork late tonight - Plenty o' pulled 'que for the weekend!

- Tom

[mnebergall]

Costco, BJ's and Sam's all sell blade-in pork butts. Here in Richmond, the local Costco carried Swifts brand and BJs carries Smithfield, but your results may vary.

The smoker here is heating up as we speak and I'm putting in 20 pounds of brined pork late tonight - Plenty o' pulled 'que for the weekend!

- Tom

H'mmm. I might have to stop by Costco on the way home from work and look at their butts. Perhaps I should consider smoking butt on Saturday and doing the ribs on Sunday. My smoker is not big enough to accomodate both.

[laniloa]

I got a nice pork butt and pork shoulder at Wagshal's last Memorial Day for kalua pig. Cheap, tasty, and very helpful staff.

[mnebergall]

I got a nice pork butt and pork shoulder at Wagshal's last Memorial Day for kalua pig. Cheap, tasty, and very helpful staff.

Where's Wagshals?

[nessa]

Now thats my kinda place! a staff thats cheap and tasty!

I had no idea that pork butt was the same as pork shoulder. Anatomically speaking one seems rather far from the other...

[FunJohnny]

I too plan to smoke a butt for Sunday, and I will be obtaining mine from the butcher at Eastern Market. They have whole butts (or at least they did last time I bought one) but, you may ask for a portion thereof depending on your needs.

[mnebergall]

Now thats my kinda place! a staff thats cheap and tasty!

I had no idea that pork butt was the same as pork shoulder. Anatomically speaking one seems rather far from the other...

This from the Food Saftey Inspection Service:

Retail Cuts of Fresh Pork

There are four basic (primal) cuts into which pork is separated: shoulder, loin, side and leg.

Shoulder

Shoulder Butt, Roast or Steak

Blade Steak

Boneless Blade Boston Roast

Smoked Arm Picnic

Smoked Hock

Ground Pork for Sausage

Side

Spare Ribs/Back Ribs

Bacon

Loin

Boneless Whole Loin (Butterfly Chop)

Loin Roast

Tenderloin

Sirloin Roast

Country Style Ribs

Chops

Leg

Ham/Fresh or Smoked and Cured

[TGTyson]

By the way, they are often referred to as "Boston Butts" and they come (shoulder)blade (left)in or out.

Typically they will weigh 6 to 9 pounds and should have a pronounced layer of fat on one side which will self baste the pork during cooking (10 - 12 hours at around 210 - 215 degrees). Most are sold 2 butts to a package.

- Tom Tyson

[cjsadler]

Is 'butt' the same as 'shoulder'? This has bothered me for awhile. What I mainly see for sale in DC is 'picnic shoulder'. I was told shoulder is the same as butt (butt is just a term, the real 'butt' is the ham), but then was told that 'picnic shoulder' is not butt, only things plainly called 'shoulder' (or some other variant besides 'picnic') are butt. Can anyone solve this butt/shoulder mystery?

[laniloa]

Where's Wagshals?

NW DC. In the little shopping strip by American Law School and across from Crate and Barrel.

[mnebergall]

Is 'butt' the same as 'shoulder'? This has bothered me for awhile. What I mainly see for sale in DC is 'picnic shoulder'. I was told shoulder is the same as butt (butt is just a term, the real 'butt' is the ham), but then was told that 'picnic shoulder' is not butt, only things plainly called 'shoulder' (or some other variant besides 'picnic') are butt. Can anyone solve this butt/shoulder mystery?

I think the leg is the hind leg where the hams come from. The shoulder or front leg is where the butt comes from. It's just as much as a misnomer as a "head butt (or is that butt head)."

[Chad]

Is 'butt' the same as 'shoulder'? This has bothered me for awhile. What I mainly see for sale in DC is 'picnic shoulder'. I was told shoulder is the same as butt (butt is just a term, the real 'butt' is the ham), but then was told that 'picnic shoulder' is not butt, only things plainly called 'shoulder' (or some other variant besides 'picnic') are butt. Can anyone solve this butt/shoulder mystery?

Yep, butt is the same as shoulder. The picnic ham (sometimes called a picnic shoulder) is a different cut, though certainly close by. The shoulder is, well, the shoulder of the pig. The picnic ham is just below the shoulder, atop the thigh, picking up where the shoulder leaves off. Both are from the foreleg. The stuff just called "ham" is from the rear leg (and butt, confusingly enough )

The story I've always read was that Butts (the shoulder kind) are called that because they used to be shipped in large wooden casks called butts. A butt is equal to two hogsheads or 126 gallons. Dunno whether it's true or not, but it makes sense.

Chad

[Roger Troutman]

I like big butts and I cannot lie

[bilrus]

The best butt/shoulder (whateveer you want to call it it was really good smoked) I have had in a while anywhere came from my grill via Wegmans last month.

[snowangel]

Although I am not in your area, but butts can be hard to find here (Twin Cities, Minnesota) area, so if I know I want a big butt, I just call my market ahead of time and request one. I usually have to call the day ahead.

[mnebergall]

No good butt at Costco at Pentagon City. I asked the guy behind the counter and he said they had boneless shoulder in cryovac packages but that they were not allowed to put them in the meat case. I did not want to plumb the depths of that issue.

But, I scored some nice butt at Shoppers Food at Potomac Yard. About 7 1/2 lbs, $1.98 lb. I am just getting ready to put it in the brine.

[TGTyson]

No good butt at Costco at Pentagon City. I asked the guy behind the counter and he said they had boneless shoulder in cryovac packages but that they were not allowed to put them in the meat case.

<laugh> Gee, I wonder if they are allowed to hand them directly to the customer if the customer promises NOT to rest them in the meat case? <shakes head slowly muttering> "...button clerks with manuals..."

- Tom Tyson

[mnebergall]

No good butt at Costco at Pentagon City. I asked the guy behind the counter and he said they had boneless shoulder in cryovac packages but that they were not allowed to put them in the meat case.

<laugh> Gee, I wonder if they are allowed to hand them directly to the customer if the customer promises NOT to rest them in the meat case? <shakes head slowly muttering> "...button clerks with manuals..."

- Tom Tyson

I had the impression that he would give me one if I asked for one. But (no pun) since they were boneless, I did not want one of their's. Shoppers Food had them in the meat case and I stopped in as I continued on home. In the brine.

Also, at Costco, I picked up a couple of racks of pork ribs (not baby backs). They have been trimmed up Kansas City Style, rubbed, and in the fridge.

[Haggis man]

This is slightly off topic...

I have a nice gas outside grill. This summer I want to get a smoker. Any suggestions?

FYI This whole converstaion about big butts has made me burst out laughting at work :)

[mnebergall]

This is slightly off topic...

I have a nice gas outside grill. This summer I want to get a smoker. Any suggestions?

FYI This whole converstaion about big butts has made me burst out laughting at work :)

I would look at the eGCI thing on smoking and some of the other threads. There is a lot of discussion on the topic of different smoker styles. They should probably establish a separate barbecue-smoking topic where all of this stuff can go.