Pork Shoulder

Pork shoulder is what they call the top of the front leg of the hog; it’s not exactly a shoulder, but if you think about it, it kind of is. It is comprised of two parts: The lower (or “arm”) portion of the shoulder is most commonly called the “picnic” or “picnic ham.” True ham comes only from the hind legs; the picnic of the shoulder, though, is often smoked like ham, and some historians speculate that it got its nickname because it’s inexpensive and thus a good cut for casual dining, not for a formal affair when a “real” ham is traditionally served, like at Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. The upper part of the shoulder, often called the “Boston butt,” also known as a “Boston blade roast,” comes from the area near the loin and contains the shoulder blade bone. It is an inexpensive cut that’s packed with muscle, and so without proper tenderizing and cooking it can be unmanageably tough. However, it is well marbled and full of flavorful fat, and thus is ideal for smoking over low temperature; it is the classic meat used for all “pulled pork” in barbecue throughout the South. At Memphis in May contests, which are the first ones I learned to cook for, the whole pork shoulder is always used. At KCBS contests, you can use either a whole shoulder or the Boston butt by itself. I’m used to cooking the whole thing, so that’s what I usually do. History and contest rules aside, here’s the best way in the world to cook a pork shoulder.