First Time Injecting Pork Shoulder

[Its_Raw]

Yesterday I tried injecting a pork shoulder prior to smoking. I would say it was well received, but I have a question or two.

I did not use a lot of injection at all. I used it sparingly and did not "inflate" the meat. I noticed while eating there was several mushy bites. Is this due to injecting or something in the injection? I used a simple injection of 3/4 cup of apple juice, 1/4 cup of ACV, 1/2 cup of water, salt, sugar, and Worstershire. I did read where ACV could be the culprit, possibly?

One disappointment was how the injection kept the bark VERY soft. Again, I did not use much at all. The injection seeped out during the 6.5-hours of smoking, preventing the bark from every setting up. Color was there, but you could wipe the bark off as it was just too wet. Is that always the case? I cooked the pork at 250 and increased it to almost 275 for the last hour or so and it never dried out and formed well. I then wrapped and placed it in the oven because I had to get to other things.

What say you?

 

[Fueling Around]

Most commercial injections contain sodium phosphates to retain moisture.

i've only injected once and did not like the results over not injecting.

When I "wrap" my meat it is not a direct to meat wrap. I pan them and wrap the pan. Drippings go down and most of the bark is retained

 

[schlotz]

Instead of injecting I go with a 9# bone-in butt and wet brine it in a 2.5gal zip-lok bag over night (~15-16 hours), remove and pat dry then add rub. Bark comes out fine every time.

Brine is a simple mixture with 2 quarts water, 3/4 cup kosher salt (use 1/2c if meat is moisture enhanced) and 8 ozs molasses.

 

[Its_Raw]

Schlotz - Does the brine penetrate well into a large piece of meet like a pork shoulder?

 

[bill ace 350]

For the few times I have smoked pork, I did not inject.

Only time I inject is when making ham.

 

[schlotz]

Schlotz - Does the brine penetrate well into a large piece of meet like a pork shoulder?

We think it does. We like this version as it doesn’t mask over the great flavor of the pork butt. Originally came from Alton Brown. You can always add other elements.

 

[Big ED147]

I’ve had similar issues with injections making the bark too soft, especially when using apple cider vinegar. The vinegar can break down the meat a little too much, and if you’re using a decent amount like I did once, it can cause that mushy texture. I’ve found that reducing the ACV or cutting it with more water helps a lot. For the bark, I’ve learned that injecting can make it hard to get that crispy crust, so now I tend to use less liquid or just skip the injection if I really want the bark to set. It’s all about balance—lower temp, a good dry rub, and patience with the smoking process usually works better for me.

 

[thirdeye]

I don't use ACV in an injection, but I lightly dry the meat and use the damp meat as a binder. Never have a problem with the injection impacting the bark.

 

[Its_Raw]

Is a water pan even necessary then?

 

[thirdeye]

Is a water pan even necessary then?

For me, a water pan is sort of pit specific, or maybe product specific (like when smoking a meatloaf). One of the neatest water pans (really a water wall) is an insert into my SnS charcoal basket. The insert is the same height as the charcoal so it adds moisture and buffers heat. When I don't use water, the air gap adds a little heat buffering. It's maybe 1-1/2" wide at the top and has a 'V' taper. It's hard to see but these roasts are sitting right at the edge of the insert.