Found a better way to break down a pork shoulder

For years, I just hacked through the seams with a cleaver. Messy. Saw a video from a shop in Kansas City last month. They use a boning knife to find the natural separations first. Took me three tries to get it clean. Now my cuts are way more even. Anyone else switch up their breakdown method recently?

3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

3 Comments

emery_hall6mo ago

I get what @avery_torres49 is saying about a stiff blade, but in my hands a flexible boning knife works better for feeling out those seams. It lets the tip bend right into the joint so you can follow the curve of the bone without forcing it. A stiff knife just pushes straight and can tear the meat if you hit a tight spot. Maybe it depends on the cut, but a little flex gives me more control.

6

avery_torres496mo ago

Actually, the Kansas City shop probably uses a stiff boning knife, not a flexible one. A flexible blade can wander off the bone and into the muscle. A stiff knife follows the bone better for clean separation.

1

logan2996mo ago

Ever notice how people argue about tools but it's really about how their own hands work?

4