How to cook Pork Butts

Pork butts, despite its misleading name, is actually located along the shoulder area of the pig. The pigs shoulder is separated into two portions the upper end which is the pork butt and the lower end which is the picnic. Pork butts may be prepared in several ways and are a great addition to any meal. The most common method is by baking in the oven which is a fairly long process but entirely worth the effort. Many of the seasonings mentioned here can be substituted with other kinds of seasonings. The objective is to bake the pork butt until it is tender and well cooked.

Required Ingredients

• 4-6 pounds of pork butts, with or without bones
• 3 teaspoons of salt
• 2 large peppers
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 stalks of scallion
• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons of regular cooking oil

Required Utensils

• A large roasting pan
• A large cooking fork
• An oven for baking
• A container for seasoning the pork
• A knife
• A pestle and mortar
• An adequate piece of foil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 370 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove the pork from its packaging and wash in cold water.
3. Place the pork in a container and add the salt peper and olive oil. Rub them all over the pork until it is sufficiently saturated.
4. Chop up the onion, peppers and scallion stalks into small pieces.
5. Place the chopped seasonings into the pestle an mortar crushing them together vigorously.
6. Rub some of the seasonings from the mortar unto the pork.
7. Make small slits in the meat and stuff the remaining contents of the mortar into these slits. By doing this the pork will be better penetrated by the seasonings.
8. Allow the pork to marinate for an hour or more to improve its natural flavour.
9. Grease the roasting pan with the cooking oil and place the pork in the pan and cover with foil.
10. Place the pan in the oven for two hours checking its progress occasionally with the tip of a fork.
11. After two hours have passed remove the foil and reduce the overall temperature to just about three hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
12. It should take no more than an additional 2½ to 3 hours to complete.
13. Remove the pork from the oven after it has been in it for a total of 5 hours or once it is tender.
14. Allow to cool. Once cooled it is ready to be cut with a fork and a knife. It should serve approximately 6-8 persons.

Tips and Warnings

1. Try to obtain pork butts that have a low fat content and a high yield of meat.
2. If the pork butt was placed in a freezer, it must be defrosted before cooking in the open air or in a microwave.
3. Always monitor the oven once it is on.
4. To avoid excessive drying out of the pork a small amount of water may be tipped intermittently into the pan to keep it moist.
5. For best results seasoning the pork a few hours before it is cooked and placing it in the fridge will enhance its natural flavour.
6. Do not cook the pork if it has a very pungent smell, it may possibly be stale and cause severe food poisoning.

For more information on How to Cook Pork Butts read:

How to Cook Pork Butts

How to Cook Pork Butts