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Found out pork shoulder cook times vary by 30% depending on the breed of pig
I was reading a meat science blog from Nebraska (weird, I know) and they had a chart showing how heritage breeds like Berkshire take way longer to break down collagen compared to commercial crossbreeds. Something about fat distribution and connective tissue density being totally different. I've been wondering why some shoulders come out perfect at my usual time and others are tough as nails. Has anyone else noticed this with specific breeds at your shop?
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ryan71923d ago
Stop believing everything you read online. That one blog post got shared around butcher forums a few years back and now everyone acts like it's proven science. I've cooked hundreds of pork shoulders from different suppliers and never seen a 30% difference based on breed. What actually matters is the age of the pig when it got slaughtered and how fresh the meat is, not some heritage label. Old sows and young barrows cook totally different regardless of breed. Temperature control and resting time matter way more than what someone's blog said about Berkshire collagen. You want consistent results, focus on getting shoulders from the same supplier and tracking your own cook times instead of chasing fancy heritage breeds.
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