Ideas for Cooking Boston Butt Strips

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Boston butt, also known as pork butt, is far quicker to cook in strips than it is to cook whole. Despite its name, the cut comes from the upper part of the shoulder, which means it’s marbled with flavorful fat. There are as many ways to cook the strips as there are recipes that use the small pork pieces. From stir-fries to stews, Boston butt strips are as versatile as any piece of pork.

Yummy Simmering

Lightly brown Boston butt strips in a skillet and then simmer them in a sauce for a simple way to moisten the meat and infuse each piece with flavor. Simmer browned pork strips in a mixture of tomato sauce, kidney beans, onion, chili pepper and garlic for a classic chili-flavored meal. Cook the browned strips with barbecue sauce to create a dish that echoes the flavor of barbecue pulled pork. Lightly boil the browned pork with apples, applesauce, walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon for a fall-flavored dinner.

Scrumptious Stir-Fry

Stir-frying Boston butt strips in oil gives the pieces an almost crispy exterior while preserving the juicy interior. Stir-fry the meat until it is nicely browned and remove it from the pan. Stir-fry the vegetables in the meat-flavored oil, add the meat and a sauce to the vegetables, simmer and serve over rice or noodles. Mix Boston butt pieces, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, bok choy and soy sauce to make a traditional stir-fry dish. Combine the strips with celery, onions, cabbage, carrots, pineapple and sweet and sour sauce for a tangy treat. Mix pork strips, mushrooms, onions, baby corn, ginger, soy sauce, beef broth and garlic for a spicy stir-fry.

Savory Stewing

To create a savory stew, coat the Boston butt strips with flour, lightly brown them in the bottom of a stew pot, and simmer them with liquid. Cook the browned strips with carrots, potatoes, beef broth, garlic, rosemary and thyme to make a filling dish with an earthy taste. Stew pork butt strips, pinto beans, kidney beans, beef stock, tomatoes, onions, celery, cilantro, cumin and chipotle pepper for a Southwest-style supper. Simmer the strips with tomato sauce, beef broth, carrots, onions, celery, baby squash, zucchini, cabbage, peas and parsley for a garden vegetable stew.

Tasty Grilling

Grilling Boston butt strips requires the use of metal or water-soaked wood skewers. Marinate the meat for extra juiciness and slide the strip onto a skewer. Fill each skewer with the meat and additional ingredients, avoiding overcrowding the strips, and grill as desired. Marinate the meat in teriyaki sauce and skewer with pineapple to make a tropical-style meal. Soak Boston butt strips in barbecue sauce and skewer with new potatoes for a hearty dish with a rich flavor. Immerse pork strips in a lime salsa and skewer with bell peppers to create a sweet and spicy dinner.