Ask a butcher

[mrobisr]

zbigjeff Somehow, I missed this thread, thanks for the link.

[mrobisr]

Deepwoodsbutcher Thank you so much!

[Deepwoodsbutcher]

mrobisr you’re very welcome

[zbigjeff]

mrobisr You’re welcome. We all help each other to reach our goals. Go have some fun.

[Deepwoodsbutcher]

Came across this well written explanation of why we call the upper portion of the pork shoulder “butts”. This is from an Instagram post by meat_musings. I think her write up is very comprehensive

[Steven Winscot]

Deepwoodsbutcher I was a butcher for many years butt didn’t know why they were called Boston butts. I suppose they were salted before being packed in the barrels too.

[bocephus]

Deepwoodsbutcher I always wondered butt now I know.

[processhead]

Just to add to what Deepwoodsbutcher posted, here are some more traditional names for wooden containers that have been used for commerce throughout history.

[calldoctoday]

Deepwoodsbutcher You hit the nail on the head & then some!

[kyle]

Deepwoodsbutcher thanks for posting that

[cdavis]

Deepwoodsbutcher thanks for the fun fact. I needed a laugh this morning

[Deepwoodsbutcher]

kyle no problem. I figured some on here would find it interesting

[processhead]

Deepwoodsbutcher I can’t remember where I read it now, “butt” the explanation I read were along these lines:

The butt end of any object is the thick or widest end. If you take the the whole shoulder primal as it comes when the side is broken down and then separate it into the two sub-primals that we customarily see as retail cuts, the butt is the wide/thick end with the blade bone. The shoulder with the picnic and attached leg is the other retail subprimal.

Pretty boring description. The one you posted is a lot more interesting.

[Deepwoodsbutcher]

processhead this is something I’ve read before too. The other explanation is more common, but not completely proven to be accurate. I think either explanation is acceptable since the exact origin is unknown. Having a story helps people remember and understand that the “butt” is not the rear end of the animal.

[processhead]

Deepwoodsbutcher
Yes, that is where almost everyone goes when the topic comes up in discussion,

[Denny O]

processhead Ha, most topics head South before we get to the head of the conversation. Dontcha think?

[zbigjeff]

Deepwoodsbutcher Had an extensive discussion with 2 women butchers in Cleveland,OH who own Saucisson. They broke it down like this. “Think that a pig is standing like you on their back legs. The “butt cut” comes from your shoulders/shoulder blades. Period. Also, with very minor differences, the anatomy of a pig and human are the same.” Yep, they broke it down easily.