How to Choose the Best Pork Butt at the Store

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Choosing the right pork butt is one of the easiest ways to improve your barbecue, yet it's a step that many people rush through without giving it much thought. The truth is that a well-marbled, evenly shaped pork butt gives you a much better chance of turning out tender, juicy pulled pork than one that's lean, oddly shaped, or poorly trimmed before you ever get it home.

The good news is that you don't have to become a butcher to recognize a good one. Once you know what to look for, you'll be able to sort through the meat case in just a few minutes and walk away with a pork butt that sets you up for success instead of making the cook more difficult than it needs to be.

Start with the Right Cut

The first thing to do is make sure you're buying the right cut in the first place.

Look for labels such as pork butt, Boston butt, or shoulder butt, all of which refer to the upper portion of the shoulder. This is the cut most pitmasters use for pulled pork because it contains the ideal combination of fat, connective tissue, and muscle. During a long, slow cook, those tough tissues gradually break down while the fat renders throughout the meat, creating the rich, tender texture that makes pulled pork so popular.

Don't confuse it with a picnic shoulder. While that cut can certainly be smoked, it is leaner, usually comes with the skin attached, and generally isn't quite as forgiving.

If you'd like to understand the difference between these cuts, my guide on what pork butt really is and why it is called that explains the whole story.

Look for Plenty of Marbling

If there's one thing I pay the most attention to when choosing a pork butt, it's marbling.

Marbling is the network of thin white streaks of fat that runs through the muscle itself, and it's far more important than having a thick layer of fat on the outside. As the pork cooks, that intramuscular fat slowly renders into the meat, adding flavor, helping it stay moist, and making the finished pork much more forgiving if the cook runs a little longer than expected.

When you're comparing two pork butts that look similar, choose the one with better marbling almost every time.

On the other hand, if the meat looks unusually lean with very little fat running through it, I'd leave it in the case and keep looking. A little patience at the grocery store often pays off with much better barbecue later.

Choose a Size That Fits Your Cook

Most pork butts sold in grocery stores weigh somewhere between 6 and 10 pounds, and that's a great range for most backyard smokers.

A pork butt weighing 6 to 8 pounds is ideal for family meals and smaller gatherings because it's large enough to stay moist throughout the cook without becoming difficult to manage. If you're feeding a bigger crowd, an 8 to 10 poundshoulder gives you more finished pulled pork while still cooking very predictably.

Smaller pork butts can certainly be cooked successfully, but they usually finish more quickly and don't leave quite as much room for error because there's simply less meat protecting itself during the long cook.

If you're planning a party and trying to decide how much pork to buy, my guide on how much pork butt per person will help you estimate the right amount.

Bone-In or Boneless?

People often ask whether they should buy a bone-in or boneless pork butt, and the honest answer is that both can produce excellent barbecue.

Personally, I still lean toward bone-in whenever I have the choice.

The shoulder blade gives you another way to judge doneness because it should twist easily and slide out cleanly once the pork is fully cooked. Many pitmasters also believe the bone helps the meat retain a little more moisture during a long cook, although the difference isn't dramatic.

Boneless pork butts work perfectly well too, and they're often a little easier to handle because they've already been deboned and tied together. If that's what your grocery store has available, don't hesitate to buy one.

When the cook is nearing the end, my guide on how to know when pork butt is done explains exactly how to tell when the meat is ready, whether it's bone-in or boneless.

Check the Fat Cap

The fat cap deserves a quick look, but don't let it become your deciding factor.

Ideally, you want a firm, white layer of fat that's reasonably even across the surface of the roast. It doesn't need to be exceptionally thick because you'll probably trim it down a little before cooking anyway.

More important than the amount of exterior fat is the quality of the meat underneath. I'd much rather buy a pork butt with excellent marbling and a moderate fat cap than one with a huge blanket of fat covering relatively lean meat.

If the fat appears yellow, soft, or greasy, I'd probably keep looking for another one.

Pay Attention to the Shape

Take a moment to look at the overall shape of the pork butt before putting it in your cart.

A roast that's fairly uniform in thickness generally cooks more evenly than one with thin sections hanging off the sides or deep cuts left behind during processing. Those thin pieces often dry out long before the center of the pork becomes tender, which means you're either sacrificing bark or trimming away dried-out meat after the cook.

You don't need a perfectly shaped roast, but a consistent shape usually makes your job a little easier.

Check the Packaging

While you're looking over the pork butt, take a quick look at the packaging as well.

The vacuum seal or plastic wrap should be tight with no tears or excessive air inside, and there shouldn't be an unusual amount of liquid pooled in the bottom of the package. A small amount is perfectly normal, but excessive liquid can be a sign that the meat has been handled roughly or has spent too much time sitting in the package.

The meat itself should have a healthy pink to reddish color without looking pale or dull.

Check the Packaging Date

It's also worth taking a quick look at the packaging or sell-by date before making your final decision.

Whenever possible, I like to choose the freshest pork butt available, especially if I plan to cook it within the next day or two. If you're buying several shoulders for a future cook, however, don't be afraid to choose packages with later sell-by dates since they'll have a little more flexibility if your plans change.

The date is only one factor, though. A well-packaged pork butt with good marbling and a fresh appearance is almost always a better choice than simply grabbing the package with the newest date.

Fresh or Previously Frozen?

Don't be afraid of previously frozen pork.

If the pork was frozen properly and thawed correctly, it can produce outstanding pulled pork. The biggest difference is simply giving yourself enough time to thaw it safely in the refrigerator before cooking.

Once it's thawed, pat the surface dry before applying your rub and continue with the cook exactly as you would with fresh pork.

Should You Worry About Grades?

Unlike beef, pork usually isn't labeled with USDA grades in a way that's particularly useful to shoppers.

Rather than worrying about finding a certain grade, spend your time evaluating the things you can actually see. Look for good marbling, a healthy color, a reasonably even shape, a moderate fat cap, and a pork butt that feels like it was processed with care.

Those characteristics will have a much bigger impact on your finished barbecue than the absence of a grading label.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a great pork butt doesn't require years of experience or a trained butcher's eye. Once you know what you're looking for, the process becomes surprisingly simple.

Focus on finding a well-marbled shoulder with a consistent shape, a moderate fat cap, and fresh-looking meat, and you'll be giving yourself a tremendous head start before the smoker is even turned on.

From there, the next step is preparing it for the smoker, and my guide on how to trim a pork butt for smoking will walk you through exactly what to remove and what to leave behind.