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Do you inject your pork butts?

TheToast
TheToast Posts: 376
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?

Comments

  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
    The pigs cringe when they see me coming. 

    The ones I buy, no. 
  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,871
    I think the average pork Butt done on this forum is probably north of 5kg, so it's not the size.

    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    only did one time and it tasted like a cheap, crappy ham and never injected one again...in fact threw that one out!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • TheToast
    TheToast Posts: 376
    @rrp Thanks for the warning!
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    edited August 2017
    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.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • TheToast
    TheToast Posts: 376
    Oh yeah - what's the temp you all normally cook at? 110c / 230f for me. 6kg takes about 19hrs
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    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.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262
    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.
    Phoenix 
  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
    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.
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,326
    I've never injected any meat and doubt that I ever will.
    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    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.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
  • TheToast
    TheToast Posts: 376
    Thanks everyone. I normally make a North Carolina finishing sauce which does a good job in livening it up once pulled too. 
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    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.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    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
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984
    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.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • blasting
    blasting Posts: 6,262

    Jam thinned with jalapeno juice is awesome


    Phoenix 
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    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. 


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg.