How to Trim a Pork Butt

Pork Butt is a sacred and delicious commodity in the world of grilling. And you may not have known that pork butt actually doesn’t come from the rear of a pig but, in fact, the top part of the shoulder. Thankfully, pork butt is a relatively easy cut of meat to trim and cook to perfection. But if you’ve never trimmed pork butt before, it can seem a bit intimidating. Just follow the instructions below, and you'll be trimming butts like a pro!

Tools Needed:

You can honestly use whatever you feel comfortable with, but we suggest,

1. 6-inch curved boning knife
2. Straight boning knife
3. Butcher’s knife

Trimming the Pork Butt:

1. First, you’re going to want to feel the entire surface of the butt, searching for anything that feels out of place. For instance, sometimes fragments of bone are left behind. If you feel anything like that, remove it with your knife.
2. Next, using your sharp knife, make an incision between the skin and the meat. Pull the skin upward while slicing through the fat just under the skin. Remove the skin and fat cap completely.
3. Once the skin is removed, locate and remove any chunks of fat thinker than ¼ inch.
4. Find the seam near the bone end of the butt. Begin to pull the crevice open and carefully cut in-between the two muscles. Trim the excess fat, connective tissue, and anything that is not meat from the inside of the opening.
5. Now you’re ready to season and smoke!

Taking the time to trim your pork butt may seem tedious or time-consuming, but you’ll find that trimming this piece of meat allows the rub and smoke to penetrate more fully. With a few easy cuts from your knife, you’ll be on your way to serving up the best pork butt your family and friends have ever tasted!