Do you inject your pork butts?

TheToast

And if so, what with?

I never normally do but my pork can get a little dry outside - perhaps because in the UK the cuts I get are massive 6kg / 13lb cuts. 

How how often do you spritz the outside too?

theyolksonyou

The pigs cringe when they see me coming. 

The ones I buy, no. 

JohnInCarolina

I think the average pork Butt done on this forum is probably north of 5kg, so it's not the size.

Carolina Q

No injection, no spritz, no foil. Seasoned meat and heat. That is all. 

RRP

only did one time and it tasted like a cheap, crappy ham and never injected one again...in fact threw that one out!

TheToast

@rrp Thanks for the warning!

YukonRon

I do the rub, and then I smear peach preserves over the entire surface, and do a low and slow, smoked with peach.
Keeps inside moist, nice bark, and delicious when served.
I also brine prior to cook, using water, pickling salt, and molasses.

TheToast

Oh yeah - what's the temp you all normally cook at? 110c / 230f for me. 6kg takes about 19hrs

YukonRon

TheToast said:

Oh yeah - what's the temp you all normally cook at? 110c / 230f for me. 6kg takes about 19hrs

225F until bone is easily removed. I take it off with a pizza peel.

blasting

TheToast said:

And if so, what with?

I never normally do but my pork can get a little dry outside - perhaps because in the UK the cuts I get are massive 6kg / 13lb cuts. 

How how often do you spritz the outside too?

Our butts are most often sold in a double pack, and 20lbs for a two pack is about the largest I can find here.  A 13lb single butt is a larger butt by my standards.  

I only spritz if I'm using the stickburner - egg no spritz.  I usually do a submerged brine.  I wrap in foil once the bark looks to be to my preference.

SoCalTim

I know you said the 'outside' gets dry, but if the final product ever appears dry after pulling, you can hydrate it by adding hot apple juice, it'll wake it right up.

HeavyG

I've never injected any meat and doubt that I ever will.

bgebrent

YukonRon said:

I do the rub, and then I smear peach preserves over the entire surface, and do a low and slow, smoked with peach.
Keeps inside moist, nice bark, and delicious when served.
I also brine prior to cook, using water, pickling salt, and molasses.

I brine as well, never inject.  Choose the rub of your liking (Ron's concoction above is delicious) and smoke on.

TheToast

Thanks everyone. I normally make a North Carolina finishing sauce which does a good job in livening it up once pulled too. 

YukonRon

bgebrent said:

YukonRon said:

I do the rub, and then I smear peach preserves over the entire surface, and do a low and slow, smoked with peach.
Keeps inside moist, nice bark, and delicious when served.
I also brine prior to cook, using water, pickling salt, and molasses.

I brine as well, never inject.  Choose the rub of your liking (Ron's concoction above is delicious) and smoke on.

I brine, because Brent was kind enough to share with me his method of cooking pork butts on the BGE. Once I tried it, I have not done it any other way. I had since added the step of using peach preserves. If you try this, add the remaining preserves to your sauce. It cranks it up.

Eoin

YukonRon said:

I do the rub, and then I smear peach preserves over the entire surface, and do a low and slow, smoked with peach.
Keeps inside moist, nice bark, and delicious when served.
I also brine prior to cook, using water, pickling salt, and molasses.

Adding jam (preserve) sounds good.

YukonRon

Eoin said:

YukonRon said:

I do the rub, and then I smear peach preserves over the entire surface, and do a low and slow, smoked with peach.
Keeps inside moist, nice bark, and delicious when served.
I also brine prior to cook, using water, pickling salt, and molasses.

Adding jam (preserve) sounds good.

Kind of a messy labor intensive way to do it, yet very worth doing. Try it on ribs, too. It is so good.

blasting

Jam thinned with jalapeno juice is awesome

SmokeyPitt

It sounds like the bark might be getting too dark for your liking. Another suggestion would be to try wrapping the butt in foil toward the end of the cook to finish. This basically traps in moisture and will steam and soften the bark. To some, this is the reason they don't like to foil because they prefer the bark nice and crusty. Honestly I think that would give you better results than injecting or spritzing for the outside of the meat. I would advise not to foil too early though. The foil stage will soften the bark so I would suggest waiting until the bark is nice and dark and then foil. Somewhere around 170-180 degrees F internal temp.