This will be a two part post about smoking pork butt or shoulder for canning. The reason I’m doing it in two parts is because this week, I guess through tomorrow, Kroger has pork shoulder/butt or picnic roast on sale for 99¢/pound. Not all Krogers have the same ads but that’s what’s on sale in our area and if it’s the same thing in your area, this is a great price!
With the price of groceries continuing to go up, the best thing we, as homemakers can do, is take advantage of a great price when we find it. Any time something is on sale for a great price, and it’s something I know we will use, I stock up.
Pork Shoulder
Do you see that price? $8.23 and this piece of meat will provide at least 5 or 6 meals for the two of us. I bought four of these and would have bought more except our freezers are full and we have a pig that’s going to be ready at the butcher either this week or next week. This may be weird but I don’t like most leftover meats. Pulled pork is one of those things that I love fresh but do not like re-heated. Once the meat is canned, it tastes fresh . . each jar tastes like it just came off the smoker. These four will go into the smoker, the meat will be pulled, BBQ sauce added and it will all be canned.
This morning I rubbed two of the butts down with mustard and then seasoned them.
Pork for Smoking
They were then wrapped in foil and will sit in the fridge for a couple of days before going on the smoker.
Pork for Smoking
They have a “use by” date of April 9 so I will do two probably Wednesday and then two more over the weekend, simply because it’s so much work to pull and can all four of them at once.
Judy D in WA says
Not once did I think to can pulled pork! I will be doing that soon! Any more tricks up your sleeve??? 🙂
Sherrill says
OK, you rubbed them with prepared mustard or no? And what other seasonings? I’ve been seeing the same ads here but have goofed off and not gotten any. Guess I better get in there!!
JudyL says
Yes, prepared mustard. I used a spicy southwestern mustard today. As far as seasonings, you can buy a rub that’s already a blend of spices but I grab whatever looks good – onion powder, garlic powder, hot salt, jalapeno powder, paprika . . whatever looks good and is easy to reach! Today I used a rub blend that a friend had made and given us.
danielle says
You know, it just boggles my mind that meat can be canned and still be okay to eat….I don’t know why…..after all, I eat canned tuna and other canned meats. But it just doesn’t seem logical somehow…..
Donna Williams says
Sounds terrific! I wait patiently for those sales too, and also I do not like warmed over pulled pork. Yay for saving money at the grocery AND having canned meals ready to go – I like having those especially in the summer when it gets too hot to be in the kitchen.
Peg H says
Great idea! Our Kroger had buy one, get one free on their pork butts today. I got a couple of small ones to make posole. I’ll make a big batch and freeze a few meals for us; I don’t yet have a pressure canner to use for canning meat unfortunately. Better Half is intrigued by the idea, though. And as you know that’s a great first step for a man. 😉
Hilary says
We only have HEB and IF they put anything on sale it’s because the sell by date is tomorrow. Then they mark down a dollar or so. The other day they had those big containers of organic greens that looked pitiful. They are 5.99. I asked the produce manager if he’d mark them down since the sell by was in 2 days. No way! Only if it expired today. I was going to get for the chickens but no deal. You are lucky to find deals.