A pork butt may be just about the most confusingly named piece of meat, and that’s saying a lot. This big hunk of meat, perfect for making epic pulled pork, does not come from, well, the butt of the pig. (That is called ham.) A pork butt comes from the front leg, specifically the shoulder. You may think, then, then it’s the same cut as pork shoulder. You would be wrong. In fact, though they are similar in many ways—both are tough cuts that benefit from low and slow cooking—they come from two different places and cook up a little differently. When it comes to pork shoulder vs butt, knowing the difference can help you choose the best cut for your cooking style.

What’s the Difference Between Pork Butt and Pork Shoulder?

Both pork shoulder and pork butt come from the front leg of the pig.

The thicker pork butt sits up higher on the leg and so can contain some of the shoulder blade and neck along with the leg. At the market you might also see this cut labeled as a Boston butt. (One origin story of the confusing term harkens back to ye olde times when New England butchers shipped this cut in barrels called butts. ) Sold bone-in or boneless, the butt comes in a fairly uniform rectangle shape and is well marbled. It often comes with a thick fat cap on it but no skin.

Pork shoulder, comes from lower down on the leg and might also be called a picnic shoulder or picnic roast. (And then there is the confusingly named picnic ham, which is not a ham cut at all, but a part of the front leg that’s been cured and smoked. Ugh.) A pork shoulder is more triangular in shape. If sold boneless, it may be in netting. Pork shoulder usually comes skin-on, which has benefits to be discussed later.

When to Use Pork Butt

With more marbling than pork shoulder, pork butt is our pick for smoking and braising. It’s the best choice for pulled pork. When cooked to the proper temperature (between 200°F and 205°F), the meat becomes meltingly tender and shreds easily. Because of the ample fat, it does not dry out easily, especially when bone-in because the bone helps it keep its shape to cook more evenly.

When to Use Pork Shoulder

One of the best things pork shoulder has going for it is that it usually comes skin on. That skin, cooked right, can turn out deliciously crackling. For that reason, roasting is a good choice for cooking this cut. That said, you don’t want to cook it at too high of a heat. And while you can shred it if cooked long enough, most recipes for pork shoulder call for it to be sliced. That means pulling it off the heat at a lower internal temperature so the meat will hold its shape.