Is it just me?

[Carvendive]

OK, I'm new to smoking. Maybe it's just me. Others are raving about my pulled pork. Some saying - best they've had ...

To me it tastes bland. The bark is dry but has flavor. The inside always needs sauce (for me). Others are eating it up with nothing - not even a bun.

Am I removing too much fat? (I can't see where using more fat - other than bark fat - making a difference)
Do I need to inject or insert seasoning?
(Maybe deep slit and insert garlic and other spices???)

Maybe it's just me. Brisket to me is heaven. Maybe I'm just a Beef-a-holic? (I can think of worse things!!!)

 

[oddegan]

Some of it could be a lack of regular consumption of BBQ on your friends part. They just haven't had enough of it yet to have an educated opinion. Just roll with it and keep developing your skill and you will always be their BBQ hero.

 

[noboundaries]

Fresh and non-enhanced butts can taste bland inside. Solution? An injector. You can also brine a butt, but it takes a while if left intact.

Another solution is to buy enhanced butts from Hormel or Smithfield. They are injected with a brine solution up to 12%. You can tell by reading the label.

 

[JCAP]

I’ve never injected. Instead I like to save some of the rub and add it in after shredding. That + a good vinegar sauce is my favorite way.

 

[jcam222]

Next time you smoke butts fill your water pan (or a foil pan below them) with chicken broth. Let those babies drip in it as it also takes on smoke. Instead of wrap when it’s time to put them in foil pans with a half cup of the broth and cover tightly. Once done pull the pork and frig it overnight. Pour all the water pan and pan drippings into a pot and frig overnight. Next day skim the heavy fat layer off of the broth and then mix the liquid gold back into your pulled pork as you reheat in a toaster or crock pot. My family and friends swear it’s the best ever. I freeze the leftover smoked broth / drippings too for later use.

 

[Carvendive]

Thanks jcam222. I'll give this a try before going to injecting. I've been letting the drippings collect in the bucket and discarding. I collect the juice from after foiled but it's way too little in my opinion. The chicken broth should work. I think I'm also going to knife in some garlic bulbs. (Maybe even some cloves - I'll have to think about that one).

Once I shred them I've been adding more of the rub (Jeff's original) but no matter how much I use it still isn't scratching my itch.

 

[bradger]

I’ve never injected. Instead I like to save some of the rub and add it in after shredding. That + a good vinegar sauce is my favorite way.

i agree, i also add stuff after pulling.

 

[chopsaw]

Alot of times , it doesn't taste as good to the cook as it does to others . If they like it you're doing something right .

 

[tallbm]

OK, I'm new to smoking. Maybe it's just me. Others are raving about my pulled pork. Some saying - best they've had ...

To me it tastes bland. The bark is dry but has flavor. The inside always needs sauce (for me). Others are eating it up with nothing - not even a bun.

Am I removing too much fat? (I can't see where using more fat - other than bark fat - making a difference)
Do I need to inject or insert seasoning?
(Maybe deep slit and insert garlic and other spices???)

Maybe it's just me. Brisket to me is heaven. Maybe I'm just a Beef-a-holic? (I can think of worse things!!!)

I am right there with you on this!
Like JCAP suggested, shred the meat and then shake/mix more rub into it. This will work best with a simple savory rub that doesn't need to be "cooked" to taste better. Some rubs/seasonings are somewhat complex and don't taste as well unless they are on cooked food.
A simple homerun hitter for pork butt seasoning I always suggest is equal parts Salt, Pepper, Onion, Garlic, and Paprika. You season with that heavily on the outside and then shake more in the shredded meat and it will be a MAJOR improvement and you can add as much or as little seasoning to the shredded meat as you like and no need for a sauce to be mixed in. People can then sauce on their plate to their desire or not sauce at all :)

Finally, I've started doing the "Buttcrack" approach hahaha (someone else named it for me).
In short the approach is basically kind of butterflying the pork butt from the bottom up to and hitting the bone and stopping. Then spread it out a little and season all up in there and when you smoke it lay it down so the cut is spread out.
What this does is gets more seasoning, more bark surface area, and more smoke coverage and penetration deeper into the meat... overall MUCH more flavor!!!
See here on my post of it:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/butterflied-pork-butt-or-pork-butt-butt.288566/

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• tallbm
• Jul 3, 2019

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• tallbm
• Jul 3, 2019

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• tallbm
• Jul 3, 2019

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• tallbm
• Jul 3, 2019

Give it a shot and I promise you this will get you much closer to what I think you are looking for because I feel the same way about brisket vs pork butt and I feel like my pork butt is amazing now! Enjoy :)

 

[SmokinAl]

It's pretty hard to screw up a butt. There are many rubs & injections that these guys use, but in my opinion a finishing sauce is the most important thing you can do to enhance the flavor of the PP. I use some of the drippings from the pan when I shred it. Then mix in the finishing sauce. There are several good ones on here, but the one I use is this one.
SoFlaQ’uers finishing sauce

1 Cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Warm the Vinegar up enough so that it dissolves the Sugar well. Then add the remaining ingredients.

I use it in one of those clear Ketchup bottles you can get from Wally World for about $0.99. Snip a little bit larger hole out of the spout with a pair of scissors. Once all your ingredients are mixed together, put your finger over the top, and shake vigorously.

Randomly squirt this over warm freshly pulled Pork, then kind of mix it up with gloved hands. This adds very little heat (despite the Red Pepper) and mellows out the stronger, gamier parts of the Shoulder. The Vinegar also helps break it down even more for some REAL juicy pork.

Personally, I eat it just like that, but your guests can add whatever "Q sauce they prefer once it's on their plates or bun!

Good luck,
Al

 

[Carvendive]

Thanks Al and tallbm both, I'll definitely give both a try. I think the finishing sauce will take it where I'm feeling it's lacking. To me, the non bark pork kind of tastes like dark turkey and in my minds eye I'd like it to have more of a country style pork sparerib flavor but jucy if that makes any sense.
I'm thinking that the butterfly should also add more smoke.

Dang! I guess that means I'll just have to smoke up another one ;-)
Thanks all.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Also try curing one of those butts to make ham. I use pop's brine and also inject it. Ready in a week. It is about the only way I do butts anymore the are so good!

 

[tallbm]

Thanks Al and tallbm both, I'll definitely give both a try. I think the finishing sauce will take it where I'm feeling it's lacking. To me, the non bark pork kind of tastes like dark turkey and in my minds eye I'd like it to have more of a country style pork sparerib flavor but jucy if that makes any sense.
I'm thinking that the butterfly should also add more smoke.

Dang! I guess that means I'll just have to smoke up another one ;-)
Thanks all.

Hey keep experimenting and write down a few notes to know what worked, what didn't, and what you prefer or want to change for the next attempt :)

 

[Carvendive]

Yup. Been journaling everything on my cellphone database app and then I print out the winners creating my own cookbook.

 

[embecmom2]

I have the same feeling, did my first PP (on my new Traeger 1300) have done many before in slow cooker. My view was that the bark was a little crusty/smoke was good but needed a little more and it ended a little dry for my liking.. I followed Franklin way he smokes 270 degrees ..wrap at the cap split .. cooked for roughly 10 hours.

but I think my issues started with the cut ..(im from UK) and pork shoulder is the lower half of the shoulder with rib so it was a leaner meat with little cap.. so next time need to get my butcher to do a boston butt cut. Secondly I think I wrapped to late.. as there wasnt much fat it was not clear. There was little to no juice after wrap and resting. With little internal marbling this was where the taste was missing and certainly the moisture.

My next one this weekend im following a cook to 165 IT then wrap.. then to 205 to rest and pull. With a tray underneath to catch drips.

 

[Carvendive]

You know, this time I did 24# as three separate shoulders and smoked them all at the same time. While I was pulling them I remember thinking to myself that they had very little fat as compared to previous shoulders. That just may be part of the problem here. Thanks for the heads up embecmom2!

 

[DanMcG]

Ya, need a finishing sauce to kick up the flavor, but like Chopsaw mentioned, when you're the one doing the long cook, it doesn't always taste as good to you, as it does to a guest.

 

[whistech]

You may also want to try Chef Jimmy's finishing sauce. It is great.

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/jjs-finishing-sauce-awesome.122319/

 

[Bearcarver]

OK, I'm new to smoking. Maybe it's just me. Others are raving about my pulled pork. Some saying - best they've had ...

To me it tastes bland. The bark is dry but has flavor. The inside always needs sauce (for me). Others are eating it up with nothing - not even a bun.

Am I removing too much fat? (I can't see where using more fat - other than bark fat - making a difference)
Do I need to inject or insert seasoning?
(Maybe deep slit and insert garlic and other spices???)

Maybe it's just me. Brisket to me is heaven. Maybe I'm just a Beef-a-holic? (I can think of worse things!!!)

Could also be right, that you are a "Beef-a-holic".
I prefer Beef Ribs over Pork Ribs.
Pulled Beef from Chuck Roasts over Pulled Pork.
And Prime Rib & Ribeyes over any cut of Pork you can find.

Bear

 

[chef jimmyj]

Injection is ok IF your going to Babysit the cook. If the smoker quits before the IT reaches 140+, there is a safety risk with injected meat.

If I missed it, cooking the day before then resting the meat AND your Nose overnight, helps smoked meat taste better.

Thanks Whistech, here is my Finishing Sauce. And a quick Finishing Sauce that has been a favorite of my kids...JJ

Tangy Pulled Pork Finishing Sauce

This is more of an Eastern North Carolina style Finishing Sauce...

2 C Apple Cider Vinegar
2T Worcestershire Sauce or more to taste
1/4C Brown Sugar
1T Smoked Paprika
2 tsp Granulated Garlic
2 tsp Granulated Onion
2 tsp Fine Grind Black Pepper
1 tsp Celery Salt
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper or Red Pepper Flake. Add more if you like Heat.
1/2 tsp Grnd Allspice

Combine all and whisk well. This is a thin sauce, bring just to a simmer and remove from heat. Adjust sweetness by adding Brn Sugar or additional Vinegar as desired...Makes about 2 Cups.

For a Lexington Style Dip add, 1/2C Ketchup and 1-3tsp Red Pepper Flakes...JJ

POP Sauce

2C Cola
1/2C Apple Cider Vinegar
2T Rub, whatever's on the meat.
1T Mustard
1T Molasses
1T Colgin Hickory Liquid Smoke (optional)

Add all to a pot and bring to a simmer, for 5 minutes.
For Finishing Sauce, keep warm and add to meat.

For Marinade, cool for 30 minutes the refrigerate until cold.
Marinate meat overnight.

For Glaze, reduce over low heat until syrupy. Brush over grilling meat and caramelize.
Enough for one average butt.4