Boston Butt is a cut of pork that comes from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg and may contain the blade bone. Smoked or barbecued Boston butt is found in the southern U.S. History of the name and cutIt is said that in pre-revolutionary New England and into the Revolutionary War, some pork cuts (not those highly valued, or "high on the hog," like loin and ham) were packed into casks or barrels (also known as "butts") for storage and shipment. The way the hog shoulder was cut in the Boston area became known in other regions as "Boston butt". The name "Boston butt" is not used in Boston but is used in other parts of the U.S.