injecting pork butt

[derick2986]

Ive heard people say to inject pork butts with beef broth, coke and so on... I wanted to get yalls thought on if its necessary to do thi.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

If you are looking to enhance or change the flavor then injecting can be beneficial. I normally do not inject pork butts when I am smoking them. Every once in a while I will if I am looking for a different flavor profile.

 

[derick2986]

Does it help with tenderness?

 

[mdboatbum]

Does it help with tenderness?

No. Only thing that helps with tenderness is finding that sweet spot where the connective tissue breaks down. Before that, and it will be tough and taste dry. Wait too long afterwards and you'll end up with either mushy pork or tough, dry pork.

 

[superdave]

Butts have so many flaps and openings that injecting is a pretty big waste of injection and a big mess in my opinion.  I brine my butts overnight to get the liquid and flavor into the meat.

 

[derick2986]

What do you use to brine with?

 

[matt22556]

I have never brined a pork butt, and I have injected in the past. I find that injecting pork butt isn't really worth it. If you cook it low and slow it really should be moist when finished. If you want to change the flavor of the pork the inject away, but as said before you have to be careful not to wait to long. Mushy pork sucks! Best way to impart new flavors to you pork in my opinion is to come up with a rub that you like, or use a finishing sauce (yumm). Just my thoughts.

Matt

 

[superdave]

I take a small cooler, slightly larger than the butt, and make a brine of kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaf, brown sugar, rub and any number of other things I find to pull out of the spice cabinet.  Simmer the ingredients so that they disolve and open up their flavors.  Add ice water to cool the liquid and cover the butt with the brine.  I fill the rest of the cooler with ice, put on the lid and leave overnight to absorb the liquid / flavors.

 

[derick2986]

Thanks everyone for all the info, I will try the brine on my next butt smoke