CarneAtlas

Boston buttvsPicnic shoulder

pork · Approximate equivalent

These cuts are approximate equivalents — similar in character but with meaningful differences in preparation or exact cut.

Both are from the shoulder and suited to long, slow cooking, but the butt is fattier and more forgiving while the picnic includes the leg bone and has a stronger flavour.

Boston butt
Pork · Shoulder

Boston butt is the upper part of the pork shoulder, above the picnic. Despite the misleading name it comes from the shoulder, not the rear. It has generous fat content and…

HeadBladeArm ShoulderLoinLegRibsBellyHock
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Picnic shoulder
Pork · Shoulder

The picnic shoulder is the lower half of the pork shoulder, below the Boston butt. It includes the leg bone and more connective tissue than the butt, making it ideal for long…

HeadBladeArm ShoulderLoinLegRibsBellyHock
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Names by country

CountryBoston buttPicnic shoulder
🇺🇸United StatesBoston buttPicnic shoulder
🇬🇧United KingdomPork shoulderHand of pork
🇫🇷FranceÉpaule de porcPalette de porc
🇪🇸SpainPaleta de cerdoBrazuelo
🇦🇷ArgentinaPaleta de cerdoBrazuelo de cerdo
🇲🇽MexicoPaleta de cerdoBrazuelo de cerdo
🇵🇹PortugalPá de porco—
🇧🇷BrazilPaleta suína—
🇮🇹ItalyCoppa di spallaSpalla di maiale
🇩🇪GermanySchweinekammVorderschinken

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