Collagen-Focused Pork: Butt plus Picnic for Carolina Chopped

Overview

Cook the whole shoulder—Boston butt plus picnic—for deeply gelatinous, bark‑rich Carolina chopped pork with balanced texture and vinegar snap.

Ingredients

Pork: 1 Boston butt (6–9 lb / 2.7–4.1 kg) and 1 picnic (6–9 lb / 2.7–4.1 kg), bones in, skin removed from picnic
Optional binder: 2 tbsp (30 ml) yellow mustard
Rub – kosher salt: 70 g (about 1/4–1/3 cup, brand dependent)
Rub – 16-mesh black pepper: 36 g (~1/4 cup)
Rub – sweet paprika: 16 g (2 tbsp)
Rub – turbinado sugar: 12 g (1 tbsp)
Rub – granulated garlic: 6 g (2 tsp)
Rub – cayenne: 2 g (1 tsp), to taste
Rub – mustard powder (optional): 4 g (2 tsp)
Vinegar sauce/mop – apple cider vinegar: 240 ml (1 cup)
Vinegar sauce/mop – distilled white vinegar: 240 ml (1 cup)
Vinegar sauce/mop – water: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
Vinegar sauce/mop – kosher salt: 10 g (2 tsp)
Vinegar sauce/mop – white sugar (optional): 5 g (1 tsp)
Vinegar sauce/mop – crushed red pepper: 4 g (2 tsp)
Vinegar sauce/mop – black pepper: 3 g (1 tsp)
Vinegar sauce/mop – ketchup (optional Lexington-style): 30 ml (2 tbsp)

Equipment

Offset, kettle with snake, or insulated cabinet smoker
2-probe thermometer (pit + meat)
Instant-read thermometer (fast-response thermocouple)
Boning knife and trimming knife
Large cutting board and cleaver for chopping
Butcher paper or heavy-duty foil
Food-safe spray bottle or mop
Heat-resistant gloves
Sheet pans and wire racks
Cambro or pre-warmed cooler with towels for resting

Wood

Hickory primary with oak support; a small accent of apple optional

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 250 °F (121 °C)
Target internal: 203 °F (95 °C)
Approx duration: 14 hours

Overview

Carolina chopped pork shines when you cook the whole shoulder—pairing a marbled Boston butt with a collagen‑heavy picnic. The butt brings fat and the prized money muscle; the picnic brings connective tissue and shank flavor. Smoked together, then chopped and dressed with a vinegar‑pepper sauce, the mix yields a juicy, cohesive pile of pork with real outside brown (bark) in every bite.

Why Butt + Picnic

Eastern and Piedmont Carolina traditions lean on whole shoulder for a reason. The butt’s intramuscular fat and tender muscles carry smoke and stay moist, while the picnic’s sinew and shank collagen break down into silky gelatin. Chopping both together gives you structure without greasiness and the signature springy, juicy mouthfeel you can’t fake by cooking a butt alone. Aim for an even mix (about 50/50) or skew 60/40 toward butt if you prefer a softer chop.

Sourcing and Trimming

Choose one Boston butt (6–9 lb / 2.7–4.1 kg) and one picnic (6–9 lb / 2.7–4.1 kg). Look for firm, pink meat with creamy white fat and intact bones. If the picnic still has skin, remove it for low‑and‑slow; the skin won’t render tender at 250°F/121°C. Trim the exterior fat to about 1/4 in (6 mm), removing hard surface deposits and ragged edges. Square the pieces so they cook evenly. Keep the bones in for moisture and an easy doneness cue later.

Seasoning: Salt-Forward Rub and Vinegar Mop

Dry‑brine by salting the pork evenly 12–24 hours before the cook (use the rub listed below; wrap or pan, refrigerate uncovered to help the bark). Carolina profiles are simple: salt, black pepper, a touch of paprika for color, and light heat. Mix the vinegar‑pepper sauce the day before; it doubles as a light mop during the smoke and as the finishing sauce at the board. Keep sugar minimal so the bark doesn’t scorch.

Fire and Wood

Run a clean, steady fire at 250°F (121°C). Hickory is classic in the Carolinas; support with oak for a stable coal bed and add a small touch of apple if you want a softer edge. Burn splits that give thin blue smoke, not white billows. In a kettle, use a charcoal snake with a few hickory chunks. In an offset, feed small, frequent splits to avoid temperature swings. A shallow water pan can help stabilize temps but don’t steam—bark should dry and set.

Cook: Timeline, Temps, and Wrapping

Preheat the pit to 250°F/121°C. Lightly coat the pork with a thin smear of yellow mustard (optional binder), then apply the rub. Place the butt and picnic with thicker sides toward the heat source; orient any remaining fat cap toward the heat for shielding. Smoke until bark is set—dry to the touch, deep mahogany, and doesn’t smudge when lightly mopped—typically 5–7 hours in, around 160–170°F (71–77°C) internal. Begin mopping every 60–90 minutes after hour 3 to avoid washing off early rub. Once bark is set, wrap tightly in unwaxed butcher paper or heavy foil with a small splash (2–3 tbsp / 30–45 ml) of the vinegar sauce. Continue cooking at 250°F/121°C to an internal 200–205°F (93–96°C). Expect 10–15 hours total for two pieces in the 12–18 lb (5.4–8.2 kg) combined range; the picnic often lags the butt by 30–90 minutes.

Doneness Checks That Matter

Ignore the clock at the end and probe for tenderness. A thin probe or skewer should slide into the shoulder like warm butter in multiple spots: the butt’s money muscle, the center of the blade side, and near the picnic’s shank. The butt’s blade bone should wiggle freely; the picnic’s knuckle should give with little resistance. If it’s still grabby at 200°F/93°C, keep cooking and recheck every 20–30 minutes. Better to arrive at tender than to stop early and serve chewy collagen.

Rest, Chop, and Finish

When tender, vent the wrap for 2–3 minutes to slow carryover, then rewrap and rest 1–2 hours until internal temp eases to 170–180°F (77–82°C). Hot‑hold above 140°F/60°C if needed. Collect juices, defat, and reserve. Pull out bones and any large cartilage or gristle. Coarsely pull, then chop with a cleaver into a medium‑fine mix so outside brown disperses throughout. Moisten with reserved juices and a measured splash of vinegar sauce until the pork glistens but isn’t wet. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serving and Regional Notes

For Eastern NC, keep it clean: chopped pork lightly dressed with vinegar‑pepper sauce, served on a bun or plate with mayo slaw, collards, and hushpuppies. For Lexington style, offer a red slaw and a dip with a touch of ketchup. Don’t drown the pork—sauce should brighten, not mask smoke and bark. A few crispy bits of outside brown on top are a bonus.

Food Safety and Holding

Handle raw pork cold and separate from ready‑to‑eat foods. Sanitize boards, knives, and hands after contact. Keep raw meat ≤40°F/4°C before cooking. Cook shoulder well past USDA minimum tenderness temps; safety is achieved above 145°F/63°C, but collagen requires 200–205°F/93–96°C to render tender. Do not leave cooked pork between 40–140°F (4–60°C) for more than a cumulative 2 hours. For service, hot‑hold wrapped pork at 150–165°F (65–74°C) up to 4 hours. Cool leftovers fast in shallow pans to ≤70°F/21°C within 2 hours and ≤40°F/4°C within 4 hours. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze 2–3 months. Reheat to 165°F/74°C with a splash of vinegar sauce or stock to restore moisture.

Troubleshooting

Stalled forever at 160–170°F/71–77°C? That’s normal evaporative cooling—wrap once the bark is set. Bark too dark or bitter? Run a cleaner fire, reduce sugar, and wrap earlier. Dry results? It’s often undercooked collagen—if it shreds stringy but chews tough, you stopped early; cook longer next time and chop a bit finer, then moisten with defatted juices and vinegar. Greasy? Increase picnic ratio in the blend and trim exterior fat more aggressively. Smoke flavor harsh? Use smaller, seasoned hickory splits and aim for thin blue smoke.

Notes

Plan 1.0–1.5 hours per pound (0.45 kg) at 250°F/121°C; pieces cook at their own pace—probe tenderness rules.
Wrap only after bark is set; paper preserves bark better, foil cooks faster and softer.
Orient fat toward the heat source to shield and prevent bark scorching.
Reserve and defat wrap juices; they bring gelatin that elevates chopped texture.
Hold finished pork wrapped at 150–165°F (65–74°C) up to 4 hours without losing quality.
For a more old-school bite, chop some outside brown finely and fold through for concentrated smoke.