What cut of meat is this?

  • I have never bought or cooked a pork shoulder before so went to the butcher and asked for one and got this 4kg chunk of meat. Doesnt look like what i would expect a shoulder to be but i dont know. Photos of all 4 sides and top

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  • +1 what UG said.

    Great cut with all the bones in. Don't trim any more, that bit of fat will baste.

    How are you planning on cooking?

    See those rib bones in the first pic? Well when it comes time to slicing / pulling, make sure you slice along the bottom of those bones leaving the top say 10mm of meat, basically the muscle line, pull those bones off with that bit of meat, thats the chefs treat.



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  • thanks @Wazza will do. Love the sound of the chefs treat.

    As for cooking i was gonna do them in the akorn @ 120c for as long as it takes.

    I picked up an ancho espresso rub from the bbq festival last weekend and it tastes great.

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  • Was thinking of pulling it and not sure what else. Maybe a nice sauce.

    Would i cook it over a tray and catch the juice and reduce it or will it be full of fat?

    Also putting it with mash potato is saying something to me. Sound good?

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  • Maybe a nice sauce.

    Would i cook it over a tray and catch the juice and reduce it or will it be full of fat?

    Also putting it with mash potato is saying something to me. Sound good?


    Oh swampy, now you are talking my language. It's possible I am related to Manu, but you have to have sauce.

    Absolutely put an oven dish which is capable of going on the stove under it. Can't remember which komado you have, but in the akorn I put the meat on the extender and the tray under it, otherwise something like a cake rack over the dish will work.

    Yes there will be fat, but while you are resting the meat, the fat will come to the top so you can pour off, you won't get it all, but a small amount in the sauce will give extra flavour.

    Now, are you going to do a gravy style, or more of a jus. Gravy will need a few Tbsp of plain flour. Then warmed chicken stock. Add flour to liquid pan juices slowly so no lumps, when incorporated, add you chicken stock and a splash of white wine if you have some, stir to combine, thicken to desired consistency, season then pour over meat and potatoes.

    If no chicken stock you can add some chicken gravox and water instead.

    For a jus, this is where you can get a bit more fancy. Simple jus, add white wine and stock to pan juices, reduce. You could chuck in some fresh thyme here or other herbs to add that herby element. Or, depending on what you have in the way of offcuts, roast off the bones and off cuts with diced shalots, carots, celery etc, when browned, put on stove top, deglaze with white wine, add water and herbs of choice and pepper, simmer to get all that goodness off the pan and meat bones. When reduced by a third roughly, cool then strain to get liquid. Add this to pan juices stir and reduce.

    I always catch the 'liquid gold' which drops off the meat while cooking.

    If you smoke, your sauce will have a yummy smokey element to it.

    NEVER add salt to a sauce or pan juices before reducing. Use salt reduced stock or gravox. If making own stock by roasting offcuts, again no salt. The salt will intensity like you you won't believe as it reduces. When you are happy with the consistency of the sauce and you have turned it off, this is the time to taste and if needed season right before serving.

    Now, this may sound fiddly, but it's actually not, especially if you go for the more simple option which will still give a great result. You are just adding a few ingredients and reducing. You don't need to be constantly looking at it either. Do a bit of a Google search and have a quick read, you'll find recipes with volumes etc, I make mine up as I go along so can't help with that. But trust me, serve up some of that juicy sliced or pulled pork over mashed spuds, pour a yummy sauce over, and in the words of Monty Python, 'wink wink nudge nudge, know what I mean' may just come your way. ;)

    Sorry if I hijacked your thread, but sauce making for some can also become a bit of a passion. Oh, many restaurants don't do much more than I have listed above.



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  • Guys, I have to say that reading this thread, and many others, just says everything about this forum and gives us in the back room a lot of satisfaction. Kudos all round. :thumb up::thumb up::thumb up:

    No need to respond, please keep this on topic. ^^ Just my 2c.

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  • Wow @Wazza this is just what i needed, sincerely this is very much appreciated. I also have the akorn.

    I did end up with a little bit of offcuts and bones from the trim job so i will give the jus option a go. I also kept the skin so might crackle that up too as a "garnish".

    @Gumb , so true. This forum is continually educating me. its the difference between cooking good meat and cooking a good meal.

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    Edited once, last by Swamptrout (July 15, 2017 at 12:12 AM).

  • When are you cooking swampy?

    I've actually injured my ankle, so will be lying on the couch with my foot raised all weekend bored, with my phone close by, so if you have any questions along the way post up, if I can answer them I will, otherwise there are others here who can.

    Please read up though as my rough description typed on a phone will be put more eloquently by others. My pc is also up a set of stairs so normally I'd find something for you, but I'm a bit scared of stairs right now.

    Great idea with crackle, if you get this in time, chuck it in the fridge uncovered so the fridge can suck some moisture out of it.

    Will be watching this cook with interest, lots of pics please.



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  • Will be cooking on sunday for sunday night dinner. I think i might do the first part of the jus cook tomorrow then refrigerate. Then i can finish it off on sunday once i have some pan juices.

    Dont have any white wine but i do have apple cider or red wine. I reckon apple cider with a twig of thyme might be the go.

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  • never tried it with apple juice, but hey, apple and thyme with pork, sounds like a classic match to me. Just watch the sweetness.

    If you need to duck down the shops for garlic, shallots, carrot or celery, have a look for some pork offcuts, bones or even a cheap fore quarter chop. The more of this secondary cut off cut you can get in will improve the depth of flavour, and crucially add extra gelletin which will act to carry the flavours over your mouth.

    Hopefully you've come across some recipes by now, I would just be answering off the top of my head, which is how I mostly cook 8o

    Absolutely no problem with making the stock the day before. It's a smart move as you have it ready to go.



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  • Pork rubbed with ancho espresso and wrapped and in to the fridge until tomorrow.

    Stock is on with carrots, celery, onion, splash of rum & garlic. Got some rib and spine bones too. If only you could smell it. Wow.

    I have dropped the apple juice idea and will get a dry white wine tomorrow and some thyme and rosemary and decide which one i will use.

    My possessions: GMG DB - Ziggy Triple

  • Looks good.

    Did you brown the bones and vegies first? That is the difference between a white stock (not browned) and a brown stock. If not you will get more subtle flavours, but given you are adding to browned meat drippings and reducing, I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

    Is there about a cup there, hard to read the side of your jug.



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  • Looks good.

    Did you brown the bones and vegies first? That is the difference between a white stock (not browned) and a brown stock. If not you will get more subtle flavours, but given you are adding to browned meat drippings and reducing, I'll be interested to hear your thoughts.

    Is there about a cup there, hard to read the side of your jug.


    Got a light browning but not as much as i should/could have.

    Had a great taste already though. Ended up with a cup and a half.

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  • You may not have one the right size, but if you've got a roasting pan you can put under the meat, then once it is time to make the sauce you can put it straight on the heat of the stove without having to try to get the drippings out of the aluminum tray.

    Will just make life a lot easier.

    Are you smoking as well? Good luck with the first Akorn low and slow. Looking good so far.



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  • @Wazza no i dont have a baking dish. i was gonna make the jus on the akorn after the pork is done as i will crank up the heat for the crackling. A baking dish will be my next investment though.

    I have some pecan chunks and some of my gmg fruitwood pellets making some nice smoke.

    The akorn is performing well sticking rock solid at 118c for the last 4hrs. Meat went on 3 hrs ago.

    My possessions: GMG DB - Ziggy Triple

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