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May 22, 2011

Is That a Butt or a Shoulder??

10 Comments/ 3683/ 0

I am anxiously awaiting the visit of my nephew and his friend tomorrow—they are on a whirlwind trip from New Mexico and are going to be logging a lot of miles over the next 2 weeks or so.  Chris and I were thrilled that he wanted to stop here and the really weird thing is that his mom, my sister, is also here!!!  Now we just have not had a lot of visitors here in Iowa since we have been here.  I can count them on 2 fingers.  Yep, in the 4 years since we have been here we have had a total of 2 visitors.  Our sons have not even come except for the summer we moved when Aaron actually moved and lived with us for the summer.  So suffice it to say I am excited!!!   I usually only get to see Thomas once a year, if that, so I am so happy that they are stopping here for a few hours.

I was trying to think of what to have for lunch that could just be easy and not too much fuss. Aaron has a recipe for BBQ that is so good and I asked him for it this time I visited and he kindly obliged by sending it to me.  All was well until I went to buy the meat.  The recipe calls for pork shoulder.  That sounded easy enough.  Until I went to shop for it.

This is what I could find.  A closer examination of the product showed more info on the label….

I was really confused. Was it a butt or a shoulder?   My friendly HyVee butcher was walking by and asked if he could help.  I told him I was confused.  I was looking for a pork shoulder but all I could find was butts.  What was the deal?  He went on to explain to me that it is the same….kind of.   Well, not really.  I guess they are changing the wording of things and where HyVee is calling it a shoulder, Hormel is still calling it a butt.   He told me that this piece of meat would work for my BBQ .  I told him that my butt and shoulder were not the same thing and hoped that he was right.  He assured me it would be fine.

I went home and looked up the cuts of pork. This is what I found.

It STILL looks to me like the butt and the shoulder are two different things.  Maybe I am just not getting this whole pork thing.  I would really love some clarification if any of you are experts on butts and shoulders out there.  Regardless, the BBQ is cooking away and the smell is inviting.  I hope it turns out as good as Aaron’s.

I think we will have plenty so if you are around and hungry Monday stop on over….we will make sure you are fed.   Will let you know how it all turns out!

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10 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. jack downing
    May 22, 2011 at 05:21 pm

    Beth Ann it all comes down to where your head is at the time. On your shoulders or …………well you know!
    did you google it?
    J.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 22, 2011 at 07:01 pm

      Hey—good point!!!! I did google it to get that diagram and then one of my friends gave me this website which explained it!!! http://www.ehow.com/list_7446645_difference-pork-shoulder-pork-butt.html

      Reply
  2. Robin
    May 22, 2011 at 05:41 pm

    I had that same question awhile back. Try this website, http://www.ehow.com/list_7446645_difference-pork-shoulder-pork-butt.html

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 22, 2011 at 07:03 pm

      Robin–that is AWESOME!!!! That is exactly what I was asking!!! The butcher kind of gave me that answer, in a round about way, I guess!!! I think my head was in my butt when he told me and not on my shoulder!!! 🙂 Thanks!!!

      Reply
  3. Ann in the UP
    May 22, 2011 at 06:11 pm

    All I can say is that I agree that it is very confusing. What they call the butt on the diagram doesn’t even make sense to me. Good thing I don’t cook any more. LOL

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 22, 2011 at 07:03 pm

      🙂 But you miss out on all of the joys of cooking!!! Like trying to figure things like this out!!!

      Reply
  4. Robin
    May 22, 2011 at 07:16 pm

    This is why its called the butt!

    In pre-revolutionary New England and into the Revolutionary War, some pork cuts (not those highly valued, or “high on the hog,” like loin and ham) were packed into casks or barrels (also known as “butts”) for storage and shipment. The way the hog shoulder was cut in the Boston area became known in other regions as “Boston Butt.” This name stuck and today, Boston butt is called that almost everywhere in the US,… except in Boston.
    http://www.ochef.com/877.htm

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 22, 2011 at 08:34 pm

      Good grief—you are just a wealth of knowledge on pork!! You sure you didn’t live in Iowa at one point in your life—we have a lot of hogs…..

      Reply
  5. Robin
    May 22, 2011 at 08:36 pm

    lol…nope…just good at finding answers when I want one! I looked into it awhile back when I wanted to know the why its called a butt! I don’t like not knowing everything I can when I have a question!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      May 22, 2011 at 08:39 pm

      Well now my life is enriched by your quest for knowledge!!! Thank you! I will come to you from now on for questions I can not find answers to!

      Reply

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