Pork shoulder

Pork shoulder is a cut of meat located above the shoulder blade on the front leg. Sometimes it is referred to as ‘Boston butt‘, or ‘pork butt‘ (not to be confused with the rump). As it’s one of the most hard-working parts of the pig the shoulder is usually quite tough, however, the longer it cooks the more tender it becomes! Making it perfect for slow cooking like stews and roasts. The shoulder is usually quite cheap and packed with flavour., it’s great in recipes like pulled pork.

Preparing pork shoulder

Depending on your recipe there are several ways to cook pork shoulder.

• Minced shoulder is mostly fried. It is great in ragús, tacos and it can also be made into meatballs!
• Chopped or cubed shoulder is used in recipes like stews or goulashes. If you have a lot of time a slow cooker is perfect but if you are in a rush we suggest investing in a pressure cooker as they dramatically decrease the cooking time!
• The top part of the shoulder is the most tender part, it can be cut into steaks for grilling or frying.
• Pork shoulder is also sold in joints which are fantastic for roasting. The joints can come with or without the bone and are rolled and tied together with string. They can be cooked in the oven, pressure cookers and slow cookers depending on the recipe.

Pork shoulder nutrition

There are about 236 calories in 100g of unseasoned, roasted pork shoulder. Pork shoulder is high in protein and saturated fats. It also contains high levels of potassium.

Pork shoulder contains good amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6 and Iron. It also contains smaller amounts of Vitamin C, Calcium and Magnesium.