What Is Pork Butt and Why Is It Called That

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If you're new to barbecue, pork butt has to be one of the most confusing names you'll run across.

After all, the name makes it sound like it comes from the back end of the pig. It doesn't.

In fact, pork butt comes from the shoulder, and once you understand why it has such an odd name and what makes this cut unique, a lot of the advice you'll hear about smoking it starts making much more sense.

It's also one of the most forgiving cuts of meat you can put on a smoker, which is one of the reasons I recommend it so often to people who are just getting started.

If you're looking for the complete cooking process from start to finish, be sure to read my guide on how to smoke a pork butt.

Where Pork Butt Comes From

Pork butt comes from the upper portion of the pig's shoulder, just above the picnic shoulder. This area surrounds part of the shoulder blade and supports much of the animal's weight as it walks, roots, and moves throughout its life.

Because those muscles do so much work, they develop plenty of connective tissue and intramuscular fat. While that makes the meat relatively tough when it's raw, it's exactly what makes pork butt so well suited for low and slow barbecue.

As the meat cooks over several hours, the collagen slowly breaks down into gelatin while the fat gradually renders throughout the meat. Those two changes transform a tough shoulder into tender, juicy pulled pork that practically falls apart in your hands.

This is one of the reasons pork butt is so much more forgiving than leaner cuts like pork loin or chicken breast. The fat and connective tissue give you a much wider window for success.

Why Is It Called Pork Butt?

This is where things get a little interesting.

The name has nothing to do with the rear of the pig.

Centuries ago, butchers commonly packed less expensive cuts of meat into large wooden barrels for storage and transportation. Those barrels were known as butts, and one of the cuts frequently packed into them was the upper portion of the pork shoulder.

Over time, the name of the container became associated with the meat itself, and “pork butt” was born.

So despite what the name suggests, pork butt has always been a shoulder cut.

Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder vs. Picnic Shoulder

One reason this topic confuses so many people is that different stores and different parts of the country don't always use the same names.

Technically, the shoulder is divided into two primary cuts.

The pork butt, sometimes called Boston butt, comes from the upper portion of the shoulder. It contains more marbling, more intramuscular fat, and usually includes part of the shoulder blade. Those qualities make it the preferred choice for pulled pork because it stays moist throughout a long cook and shreds beautifully once it becomes tender.

The picnic shoulder comes from the lower portion of the shoulder, closer to the front leg. It's generally a little leaner, often sold with the skin attached, and produces a slightly firmer finished texture. It can certainly be smoked and pulled, but it usually requires a little more attention because it doesn't have quite the same level of marbling as a pork butt.

Occasionally you'll also see a whole shoulder, which simply includes both the pork butt and the picnic shoulder together as one large cut.

For most backyard cooks, especially beginners, the pork butt is the easiest and most forgiving option.

How Big Is a Pork Butt?

Most pork butts you'll find at the grocery store weigh somewhere between 6 and 10 pounds, although larger ones certainly exist.

Keep in mind that the finished amount of pulled pork will be quite a bit less than the weight printed on the package. During the cook, fat renders, moisture evaporates, and if you're cooking a bone-in shoulder, the bone accounts for part of the weight as well.

As a general rule, you can expect a finished yield of about 50 to 60 percent of the original raw weight.

If you're trying to figure out how much meat to buy for a party or family gathering, my guide on how much pork butt per person will help you plan with confidence.

Why Pork Butt Is Perfect for Smoking

There are several reasons pork butt has become one of the most popular barbecue cuts, and most of them come back to how forgiving it is.

The generous marbling helps protect the meat from drying out during long cooks, while the collagen slowly transforms into rich gelatin that keeps the finished pork moist and tender. That combination gives you considerably more room for error than many other cuts of meat.

Pork butt also performs well across a fairly wide range of cooking temperatures. Whether you prefer smoking around 225°F (107°C) or closer to 275°F (135°C), you can produce excellent pulled pork as long as you cook it until it's truly tender.

That flexibility makes it an ideal cut for both beginners and experienced pitmasters alike.

If you're still deciding which cooking temperature is right for you, my article on the best temperature for smoking pork butt explains the advantages of each approach.

Bone-In or Boneless?

Both bone-in and boneless pork butts can produce excellent barbecue, so don't feel like you've made a bad choice if your grocery store only has one or the other.

That said, I usually recommend bone-in pork butt whenever possible.

The shoulder blade gives you an easy way to judge doneness because it should twist freely and slide out cleanly when the pork is fully cooked. Many pitmasters also feel that bone-in shoulders stay slightly juicier during a long cook, although the difference isn't dramatic.

Boneless pork butts are often a little easier to handle, store, and season because they've already been opened up and tied back together, making them a perfectly good option if that's what's available.

If you'd like a few tips on choosing the best one in the meat case, my guide on how to choose the best pork butt walks you through exactly what to look for.

Is Pork Butt the Same as Boston Butt?

Yes.

The names pork butt, Boston butt, and sometimes shoulder butt all refer to the same upper shoulder cut.

The exact wording on the label may vary depending on your grocery store or where you live, but they're describing the same piece of meat.

Final Thoughts

Pork butt may have one of the most misleading names in the meat department, but once you know where it comes from and why it's called that, the confusion disappears.

It's an affordable cut, it's remarkably forgiving on the smoker, and its combination of fat, collagen, and rich flavor makes it one of the best choices for anyone who loves pulled pork.

Understanding what pork butt is gives you a solid foundation for everything that follows, because choosing the right cut is the first step toward consistently great barbecue.

From here, the next thing to learn is how to recognize a good pork butt when you're standing in front of the meat case, which is exactly what I cover in my guide on how to choose the best pork butt at the store.