On Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:04:22 +0000, Brick wrote:

> On 4-Apr-2012, mike > wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:11:26 -0500, Calvin Atwood <Calvin Atwood>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >I have been given a cyropacked,10 lb, bone in pork shoulder. It has
>> >been brined? (it says solution added - 5 to 8% by weight - for
>> >tenderness). It also has the skin on.
>> >
>> >I want to BBQ/smoke it and end up with pulled pork with a nice bark.
>> >However, I've not done a shoulder like this before. I usually do
>> >boneless pork butts. I have a feeling that I should remove the skin
>> >and treat it like a butt. But, before I start I'd like some input
>> >from the group.
>> >
>> >So, I'm looking for suggestions on how to treat this.
>> >
>> >Thanks,
>> >Calvin
>>
>>
>> I make what is called pork picnic around here quite a lot, usually a
>> couple of 10-14 pounders. All I do is cross cut the skin into about 2
>> inch squares not going through all the fat, put it on the offset at
>> 225-250 and smoke it heavy with hickory for the first 4-5 hours. Then
>> just let it cook until it hits 190 or so. I consider it done when the
>> bone is easily turned in the meat, regardless of the temp reading. When
>> it comes to the various shoulder cuts, it seems that pork is pork, and
>> all cooks about the same.
>
> Sounds like a plan. It works for me just like that every time Mike.
> I would encourage you though to compare the recoverable meat weight with
> the original weight the next time you cook a couple of picnics. I think
> you will find that a more economical cut is the butt. There is just too
> much loss with picnics compared to the price paid. Even with butts, the
> loss is around 40% so you need to keep that in mind. The per pound price
> on the plate can get up there real quick.

Kind of a late follow up to this post. Had a hard drive crash a few
months ago and just now setting up a news reader.

Anyway, I've done a few butts and picnics, and comparing pre-cooking
weight vs usable meat weight after cooking I am getting about the same
45% loss (give or take) on both pork cuts. Since the shrinkage (I hate
to use that term - shudder HA!) is about the same, I just go with
whichever happens to be cheapest at the time. It might make a bigger
difference for anyone who doesn't keep any of the skin.

Just wanted to share what I found with the scale.