Pork Experts

Primals - Shoulder

Pork Shoulder
  • The Pork Shoulder is comprised of two sub-primals, the butt and the picnic, and accounts for approx.17% of the total carcass.
  • The Shoulder comes from the front leg portion of the carcass.
  • The butt contains the blade bone and C.T. butt.
  • The picnic contain the arm, or center bone, fore-shank, and cushion meat.
  • The Shoulder meat is used for a wide variety of applications including sausage, pulled, and shredded pork.
  • IMPS Reference #404.

Bone-in Butt
  • The bone-in butt contains the blade bone; with skin, shoulder fat, neckbone, and cartilage removed.
  • The butt should reveal 5-8sq. Inches of false lean with a perimeter fat bevel of no more than 1/8”.
  • Blade bone at the loin/shoulder seperation should resemble a “slight T”, and at the butt/picnic seperation should resemble a “tear drop” shape.
  • Common weight range: 6-10lbs.
  • IMPS Reference #406.
Oven Ready Butt
  • The blade bone in the butt has been boned from the butt but not removed, it is left attached for cooking, then easily pulled from the butt.
  • Fat coverage is 1/2”.
Boneless Butt
  • The Boneless butt has the blade bone fully removed.
  • This convenience cut offers excellent yield, flavor, and value.
  • The boneless butt is a relatively lean and meaty cut, ideal for BBQ and roasts.
  • Common weight:4-6lbs.
  • IMPS Reference #406A.
C.T. Butt
  • This lean muscle lays atop the blade bone on the bone-in butt.
Blade Bone
  • The Blade bone is located in the butt and connects the butt to the picnic, and the butt to the loin.
Bone-in Picnic
  • The bone-in picnic is derived from the shoulder by removing the butt portion.
  • This inexpensive pork cut is excellent for pulled and shredded pork.
  • The bone-in picnic contains the arm and fore-shank bones.
  • Blade bone at the butt/picnic separation should resemble the “tear drop” shape, and the edge at the butt/picnic split is collared 1” wide.
  • Common weight range: 6-10lbs.
  • IMPS Reference #405.
Boneless Picnic
  • The boneless picnic is produced by removing all bones, skin, and cartilage from the bone-in picnic.
  • The boneless picnic is ideal for grinding sausage and ground patties, shredded pork, and cubes.
  • Depending on application, the inner or outer shank meat can be removed.
  • Common weight range: 2-8lbs.
  • IMPS Reference #405A.
B.R.T. Picnic
  • B.R.T. stands for boned, rolled, and tied. The boneless picnic is rolled and placed in a net for cooking purposes.
Cushion Meat
  • The cushion is the triceps brachii muscles from the boneless picnic.
  • The cushion is trimmed to blue membrane.
  • Common weight range 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 lbs.
  • IMPS Reference #405B.
Arm/Fore-Shank Bones
  • The arm bone connects to the blade bone at the butt-picnic seperation, and the arm bone connects to the shank bone at the front foot.

HQM #
Description
1015
1016
1022
1036
1063
1064
1077
1017
1084
1095
1099
1100
1110
1111
1112
1113
 T.P. GARDEN HERB ROAST
T.P. BNLS PORK ROAST ITAL STYLE
T.P. OVEN ROASTED PORK ROAST
FRESH PICNIC, W/FOOT
BNLS PICNIC, CUSHION
BNLS PICNIC, CUSHION REM
LC SHOULDER, BBQ STYLE
BNLS PICNIC, 60#
S.T. BRT PICNICS, VAC
FRESH PICNIC, VAC
FRESH PICNIC VAC, DATED
BOSTON BUTTS, VAC
BNLS PICNIC, SPECIAL TRIM
L.C. SHOULDERS
FRESH PICNIC
BRT PICNIC
HQM #
Description
1114
1115
1122
1137
1156
1173
1191
1238
1243
1400
1409
1410
1419
4111
4112
 BOSTON BUTTS, OVEN READY
BOSTON BUTTS, 5 PC
BNLS BUTTS
BNLS PICNIC RST SM, VAC
BNLS BUTTS, C.T. VAC
BRT PICNIC, VAC
BNLS BUTTS, VAC
BOSTON BUTTS, FRZ
PICNIC, FRZ
FRESH PICNIC, COMBO
BNLS BUTT, COMBO
BOSTON BUTTS, COMBO
FRESH PICNIC, SKINNED CMBO
S.T. ENHANCED PICNICS
S.T. BOSTON BUTTS