Smoked Butt a/k/a Boiled Dinner

This recipe is a classic one that Mom made when we were kids. She called it boiled dinner because the name of the cut of meat used caused us all to be grossed out. And, the recipe is a classic boiled dinner that is prepared similar to corned beef. The cut of meat is smoked butt, which is pork shoulder that has been smoked. I had no idea why this cut of meat is known as butt so I did a bit of research and learned that the pork shoulder was a less desirable cut of pork, so they were often stored for later in a barrel which was known as a butt. So, eventually this cut of meat became known for the common storage container used.

Boiled dinner is sometimes known as New England Dinner because it was common in New England back in the day. By boiling the meat, a tougher cut becomes quite tender. And, cooking the vegetables in the pot with the meat makes this dinner very easy. Smoked butt used to be easy to find and inexpensive. Maybe it is the name that led it to be less popular, but it is now harder to find and more expensive. Luckily, my local butcher, Paulina Meat Market, always has it in stock. The taste is similar to ham, but subtler. Most importantly, it is a delicious meal.

Smoked Butt 

• 1-3 pound smoked butt
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• cabbage
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 potatoes

Place the meat in a Dutch oven. Fill with water to cover the meat and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for a total of about 40 minutes per pound. Chop the cabbage, onion, and potatoes into large pieces. When there is about 30 minutes left of cooking time, add the chopped vegetables to the Dutch oven. Return to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for the remaining cooking time. Remove the meat and allow it to stand about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the drained vegetables. Enjoy!