Pork shoulder is the portion of meat cut from the shoulder of a pig's forelimb. It is often used best as braised pork. But prominently, it is used for braising, stews, roasting, stir-fries, and grilling. Tasting pork shoulder is a heavenly task. But it is not so heavenly if you are out of pork shoulder. That is why you need to use a substitute for it!