Butt (Boston butt).
The upper shoulder. Well marbled, forgiving, the pulled-pork cut.
Pork butt (boston butt) is done when it is bone slip, usually between 195 and 205 F. The number is a checkpoint. USDA FSIS calls pork safe at 145 F with a 3 minute rest. Tenderness comes later.
Where it comes from
FSIS lists shoulder butt roast or steak, blade steak and boneless blade Boston roast under the shoulder primal. The Pork Board notes the shoulder is sold as picnic roast, Boston butt, blade roast and pork butt. It is the most forgiving barbecue cut: enough fat and collagen that an extra hour rarely hurts. Safety is met at 145 F; pulled pork happens much later, at 185 to 190 F by the Pork Board's figure or 195 to 205 F by backyard convention, when the blade bone slips out clean.
USDA FSIS primal: shoulder. Seven regions, matching master pork-A.
- Best methods:
- smoke, braise
- Slice:
- Pull, do not slice, once at the tenderness window.
- Rest:
- 1 hour wrapped, above 140 F, before pulling.
Scores are Pit Log editorial, anchored to FSIS tenderness notes.
What you will see at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston butt (bone-in or boneless) | smoke | bone slip, 195 to 205 F (craft) | 6 to 9 lb. Bone-in holds shape and gives the bone-slip test. |
| Pork shoulder steak (blade steak) | grill, smoke | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | St. Louis backyard classic. Grill to 145 F plus rest, or cook long until tender; both are legitimate. |
| Country-style ribs (shoulder end) | smoke, braise | bend test, 190 to 203 F (craft) | FSIS lists country-style ribs under the loin; many are cut from the blade end of the shoulder. Not true ribs. |
Safe. Then done.
145 F (62.8 C), then rest at least 3 minutes before carving or consuming
Steaks, chops and roasts (whole muscle). Food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle, read before removing from the heat source. This is a food safety floor, not a preference. Where any other number on this page is lower, this one governs.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, page updated 2025-04-14, read 2026-09-02.
195 to 205 F, bone slip
For pulled pork, backyard convention finishes shoulder at 195 to 205 F when the bone slips clean and the meat shreds. The National Pork Board's own smoking table gives 185 to 190 F with the bone-slip test. Both are above the 145 F minimum; the difference is texture, and Pit Log shows both.
- Probe where:
- thickest part away from the blade bone
- Pit:
- 225 to 275 F
- Planning time:
- National Pork Board: about 1 hour 15 minutes per pound. Backyard planning: 8 to 14 hours for an 8 lb butt at 225 to 250 F. Approximate.
- Stall:
- Pronounced. 150 to 170 F for two to six hours is normal.
Two sources disagree: pork-board-smoking: 185-190 F, bone slips vs. convention and the previous Pit Log printable: 195-205 F. Neither is a safety figure. Print the Pork Board figure as the sourced one and the higher window as the common pulled-pork convention. Let the bone-slip test decide.
pork chops roasts
Chops, loin, tenderloin and whole-muscle roasts. Culinary preference, as published by the industry body cited below.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (USDA minimum) | 145 F, rest at least 3 minutes | At or above the minimum. |
| Medium well | 150 to 155 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 160+ F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: National Pork Board: pull a smoked loin at 140 F and rest 10 minutes in a warm place until it reaches 145 F. Chops: 145 F then a 3 minute rest.
More on the pork temperature page and the full chart.
Smoke
- Hickory: Bold, savoury, bacon-like. The classic pork and rib smoke; heavy-handed on poultry.
- Apple: Sweet, fruity, gentle. Builds slowly; forgiving on poultry and pork.
- Cherry: Fruity, mild, and it colours the meat a deep mahogany. Pairs with almost everything.
- Pecan: Nutty, warm, slightly sweet. A softer relative of hickory.
What ruins it
- 01Panicking at the stall and cranking the pit.
- 02Pulling at the safety minimum and finding it tough.
- 03Not resting before pulling; the juice ends up on the board.
Cook it
- Pit Log Competition Pork Rub: in the test kitchen. Not published yet.
- Pit Log Carolina Gold Mustard Sauce
A tangy South Carolina mustard sauce: yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire, garlic and black pepper. For pulled pork, ribs and chops.
- Carolina-Style Vinegar Sauce: in the test kitchen. Not published yet.
- Leave-in probe / wireless thermometerFSIS: use two thermometers, one for the pit air and one for the food. Every low-and-slow page.
- Pink butcher paperBrisket, shoulder, lamb and goat wrap. Consumable, repeat purchase.
- Meat claws / shreddersPulled pork, lamb and goat shoulder.
- Cooler for holding (faux Cambro)The brisket rest above 140 F. Higher ticket.
- Heat-resistant glovesHandling a wrapped butt or a hot grate.
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Then write down what happened
Pit temp, wood, wrap, final temp, rest, result. The chart says what usually works. Your log says what worked for you.