Can we talk about breaking down pork shoulders?

Honestly, I used to just go straight for the seam with a boning knife and muscle it apart. After a demo at the Ohio Meat Processors conference last year, I now score the fat cap first with my Victorinox stiff boner and it comes apart in about half the time. Anyone else have a different method for getting clean, quick separations?

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3 Comments

vera_foster367mo ago

Wish I could help, but I'm still in the muscle-it-apart camp. That conference trick sounds way more efficient than my usual struggle. Might have to look up that scoring method.

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rodriguez.diana6mo ago

Scoring like jennyh41 said saved my last project.

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jennyh417mo ago

Try scoring the wood along the grain with a utility knife before you pull it apart. I learned that from an old carpenter who fixed my kitchen chairs. It breaks the paint seal without splintering the trim. Makes the whole muscle-it-apart thing less of a fight. Works on window casings too.

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