Boston butt is actually the upper front shoulder of the pig. The name comes from the way it was cut and stored (in a barrel, or "butt") in Colonial New England.
Right below that is the "picnic" and if you buy the whole shoulder it is often collectively referred to as a picnic.
Rump roast, by contrast, is from the rump. Usually tough meat.
Get to know a local butcher, even if it is the folks at the local chain market.
OPK, do you listen to Sir Mix A Lot when you grill?
Really glad to hear it turned out well!! Wish I could have some!! The brisket I had at The Fishin' Pig last week was awesome. I'll drive an hour and 20 this week for it again, and this time bring some home for wife and kids and friends!! Birthday is only 5 days away, so may seek BGE for B-day and F-day!!!
FWIW, and would like to hear from others:
I have a large BGE. The rap on the extra large was that it did not hold heat as well. I think they just came out with an XXL.
If you get one, you may want to look into that issue. A large cooks a full bone-in butt, smoked the two boneless butts pictured above (almost 18 lbs combined). When you put in the indirect insert, it pushes the meat up into the bell and reduces the cooking area some.
A large is more than plenty for me, but give that some thought.
Not much, after reading, I'd eat your 'cue anytime.
I do inject; I love to play around with different recipes. For pork I often use peach juice. The last brisket I injected was a brine mix of cranberry juice, salt and garlic; it came out delicious. I wrap up once I hit 150, and if I am pressed for time move the meat over the coals to speed things along. I use lots of different woods, and never soak them. My neighborhood is plentiful with pecan trees, so I have a nice stock of that, and oak. I buy chunks of hickory, apple and cherry. For brisket, I also use mesquite, but in very small quantities and early on in the smoking process. Our first competition, my cooking partner TNT used a good bit of mesquite. We thought it was heavenly, as did the general public, but we got a comment card from a judge saying it was "chemically". TNT also did the chicken that contest (our first), and loves to use spices, and he got a lowly score (three sixes) from one judge, and a comment card saying it was way too hot. Since then, he has proudly served up his "Trip Six" sauce upon request. While we don't ever like getting low scores, we do at least like getting a comment card with them. Sometimes it is absolutely baffling as to what those judges are looking for, so when they give you a hint it is appreciated.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
I used an upside-down "V" rack in the middle and kinda propped them up. It was a tight fit. After they shrunk down a bit, I turned them. (Note: with the V rack, it is a two-person job -- when you take one off, the other slides the rack). butt^butt.
Would have preferred a single bone-in, but there was a big BBQ competition here locally and it was Memorial Day Weekend. I started looking too late.
I also find the large to be plenty big, and I have heard the XL really chews through a lot of charcoal. On the menu for next week is a smoked side of salmon. This is fun.
My Quick Smells Like French Toast.
lol...I've never done it any way other than fat up, so hell if I know. I never have had it to compare to. When I trim my butts, picnics, or full shoulders, I'll cut off all the skin, and most of the fat with it. Then I rub the whole hunk o' meat, and wrap it back up with the skin and fat I cut off. When I flip it, I'll put the skin/fat on the new topside. The reason I cut off all that fat and skin is because I want the rub to work everywhere, and obviously it won't do much sitting a half inch away from where it will add most to the flavor of the finished barbecue.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
CBAB, what different competitions do y'all attend? Do they have mystery cuts you must BBQ, or are they known cuts? Will y'all do any competitions in Virginia this year, and, if so, which?
Steven Raichlen's going to be at the Bourbon&Beer Festival per advertising I heard today-I think it's here in Richmond. Will check. I've had his book for several years about 425 recipes from across America, "BBQ USA."
http://barbecuebible.com/2014/05/19/...-bbq-festival/
Actually it's this weekend (Saturday) in Maryland. Doubt I'll attend.
We'll have to get together soon and compare notes. Any chance you'll be at the Virginia Pork Festival next week in Emporia? I plan to attend.
We do KCBS, but we don't do many, just a couple a year. TNT's daughter is involved in volleyball now, which entails lots of traveling and spending money, and I'm still recovering from back surgery, so we haven't scheduled any yet. I got a notice about a new one in Asheboro in early August that looks like it might be fun.
KCBS requires four categories. Pork, chicken, brisket and ribs. Most people do just butts for the pork, but I often will do a whole shoulder, too. With chicken, most do thighs, but you can do anything you want; last time we did wings, next time I am very tempted to do breasts. Most teams have their formula down, and do the exact same thing at each competition. We almost always do something different. Doesn't make for much in the way of consistency, but for us it is more fun. Same with tailgates; we never do the same menu twice, although our appetizers always include stuffed jalapenos.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
I really like doing split-chicken breasts on the grill with Sauer's BBQ sauce-gives them a great twang. I salt and pepper them initially, let them sit out for about 30 minutes while the grill warming to about 375, put them skin-side down initially, get the grill marks, then flip them and only add the sauce the last 10 minutes or so. So it glazes and doesn't burn. Not sure if I've tried them in a smoker, yet, but will soon.