Cheap (supermarket?) cuts to practice on?

[Jamo]

Hi all,

I've been learning how to control my OTP by doing beer can chicken with some cherry wood but want to try something else without spending lots on big pork shoulders etc. just yet. What else is good to practice on that is reasonably cheap, are there supermarket cuts that are worth trying or have i got this wrong and should be going straight to the butchers for specific cuts?

Sorry, total newbie! Thanks in advance.

[MrJaba]

Tescos at the moment has actually some pretty nice racks of ribs, and I've been practicing on these for a couple of cooks now... they're £3-£4 per rack which is much cheaper than my butcher!

[tommo666]

Asda sell a couple of rib racks for a fiver and morrisons seel them from the butcher counter. You don't need top smoke a whole pork shoulder. I often use a smaller shoulder joint.

[keith157]

Add a sell some quite large shoulder joints as mentioned ribs are available but remember to drop your times for them as there isn't as much meat to cook. 3-2-1 for full on meaty racks, while I do 1 1/2 -2, 1 1/2, then glaze till done

[slatts]

hi
if you have a Costco near you then I buy the 2 pack of pork shoulders from them.
both have no skin on them and are a decent price for the size, ive practised on these a few times with good results or bad results if you count no left overs in it

Think they charge between £8-10 for both.
4 pack of ribs about the same price, 2 racks are quitter good but the other 2 can be a bit scruffy.

im a total beginner aswell but read loads on here for months before finally buying a smoker, used it every weekend since getting it though.

[keith157]

Or if like the majority of posters you have neither a Costco, Makro or Bookers card the supermarket joints are great to start with, until you find a butcher who understands your needs.

[slatts]

sorry bit off topic and not sure where to put this post maybe you can help Keith.

Do you know about the Weber shop at the Riverside garden centre in Hertingfordbury?
I went there the other day, they have everything weber including the smokey mountains and wood chunks. I also see the Weber ranch there, its massive.

As your quite local thought you might like to know about it if you didn't already.
Although its a bit pricey they will match online prices.
They also do Weber restaurant grade charcoal if anybody has any experience of it.

[keith157]

I didn't know but do now, thanks.

[gunman]

I have only ever used Asda's pork shoulder and at £3 a KG you will struggle to find cheaper. Made some quite acceptable pulled pork with them.

For ribs, the best Ihave found have been at our local chinese supermarket. The racks are cut int 2-3 sections but there's more meat on them than I got from the local butchers.

[keith157]

Unless you are one of the VERY lucky few you will always find that. The ribs we like to cook are not a UK standard and most UK butchers wouldn't want to cut the the way they do in the US as they will lose so much in the way of profit. They take the whole rack of bones from nthe spone on down. This means they lose the chops and rolled belly joints, and if they do bacon there is not enough meat left for streaky bacon. The Chines whoever don't do chops so their suppliers cater for them properly.