Locating the Gland in Pork Butts

[johnny52007]

Here are a few pics that will hopefully help in locating the gland in the Boston Butt without having to make lots of cuts. The gland is located left, bottom in pic 3.View attachment 1253View attachment 1252View attachment 1251

 

[TrickyDick]

Looks like a piece of muscle to me. Why do they call it a gland?

 

[johnny52007]

Hi Guys, there are glands all over animals. Mostly, the pork belly has a gland and also lamb legs, fresh hams and beef rounds have a gland. As you will notice in this pic, I have circled the gland (which I cut in 1/2 while peeling back a layer of meat.

View attachment 1258

 

[sparky]

Hi Guys, there are glands all over animals.

i say throw some rub on the gland and smoke away. what i don't eat my dogs will.

 

[RickB]

i say throw some rub on the gland and smoke away. :

Sparky your killing me son! But I find your logic flawless. There is little in life thats not better with a little rub.

 

[johnny52007]

Yeah, it's not like they are harmfull. Sometimes they can be hard to spot, and it's busy.....and --oops. But mostly we remove them. On another note, stopped in @ Home Depot today looking for food grade pelletts; suggested that maybe they should look into it, but looks like I will be buying my first batch on line. I am open to suggestions and thankful for any advice.

 

[Matt Dalton]

Yeah, it's not like they are harmfull. Sometimes they can be hard to spot, and it's busy.....and --oops. But mostly we remove them. On another note, stopped in @ Home Depot today looking for food grade pelletts; suggested that maybe they should look into it, but looks like I will be buying my first batch on line. I am open to suggestions and thankful for any advice.

Go to the top of the page and click on Big Poppa Smokers..order up some BBQ'ers Delight..the free shipping and quality of product CANNOT be beat!

 

[Tatonka3A2]

Thanks for the info!

 

[scooter]

I was able to locate the gland once when I was looking for it. If you carefully pull all your butt by hand you'll remove it and will not eat it by accident. It has a somewhat off taste to it so if you don't want your guests to wonder "what the heck was that" then you'll want to pull your butts by hand. If you use one of those drill bit attachments that just instantly shred an entire butt at once then someone will be getting a surprise in their pulled pork sammie.

 

[TrickyDick]

While we are at it, where is the "money muscle" located?

 

[Matt Dalton]

While we are at it, where is the "money muscle" located?

It's located opposite of the bone..you'll notice a muscle with grain running both ways..kinda looks like a marbled loin about the size of a half dollar

 

[Big Poppa]

ours are a little bigger....hahahah

 

[Matt Dalton]

ours are a little bigger....hahahah

we need to get some of your butts then!..sometimes I pick through a lot of butts to get the big ones..and it does matter for sure!

 

[Big Poppa]

I was kidding with you.

 

[Matt Dalton]

I was kidding with you.

haha I know..you know when we have had smaller ones my knife skills have come in very handy..just a slight angle will give a bigger piece..same with brisket..can you tell I'm itching to comp?..and that brisky s going on the MAK again!

 

[Big Poppa]

matty gc on its way!

 

[johnny52007]

Thanks Matt! Excellent tip Scooter! After so many years of production cutting, it's easy to overlook the cooking method. Great tip.