Chris Lilly's Six-time World Championship Pork Shoulder injection and rub


 
I've been playing around with this injection recently, to see if I can help my miserable pork scores. It definitely pumps in some salt, which I think helps for comps. Like Kevin mentions upthread, it'll help your comp score (it did mine) but might not be something you want to do all the time at home.

I don't find the apple juice adds much to the final product and could easily be omitted. I subbed 2/3 of the water with cider vinegar, doubled the worcestershire, and added 2 tbs of rub and found it worked well.
 
Im thinking of injecting my butt with fresh made chicken stock rather then apple and rum, Im also thinking of only smoking for the first wood chunk, Say an hour then slow cook another fifteen hours.
Has anyone here dramaticly lowered there wood smoke imput to lighten the flavour?
Will I still get a bark?


Im getting complaints from SWMBO what she is getting over the "Smoke thing"
In Australia, The majority seem to prefer standard hot roasting.
Also , I chunk my pork neck(butt), Not shred it.
The chunks are served on a plate instead of sliced.
 
Yes, I've lowered the wood amount. Yes, you'll get bark, which is more a product of the rub and sugars (natural and in the rub).

I still don't see a need to inject butt that is going to be pulled (or chopped). It certainly doesn'r need the moisture. Any flavoring(s) can be added during pulling/chopping; easier, and it allows for better control. Still, if you want to inject, fine, but make you injection flavorful.

Welcome to the board.
 
I cooked this last Fall as my first stab at pulled pork, and my friends and neighbors LOVED it.

I plan to do it again this Spring.

The No. 5 Sauce and the Bastardized Piedmont Sauce (tangy!) go well with it.

The sandwiches, with a little cole slaw, are awesome.
 
I fixed for the guys at the fire station last night and it was great. I made up the bastardized piedmont sauce and all was right with the world. I like this better than the Mr. Brown recipe. Thnaks!
 
I made this for a party and it was a huge hit. Actually made it out of the Bob Gibson's book, but same recipe.

I find it a bit too salty, but in the context of a sandwich you don't really notice too much.

Good recipe though for sure.
 
I found it a little salty as well but I really liked it overall. On my next attempt, I'm going to reduce the amount of salt in my rub to balance out the added salt in the injection.
 
Got two pieces of shoulder on the smoker now following this recipe and the smell coming out is wonderful, can hardly wait for 195!!!! Been low and slow all day!!
smoker loaded up
wsmsmile8gm.gif
 
Did this one again about two weeks ago.

Subbed Beer for Apple Juice in the injection
(Had some Leinies Bock in the fridge and forgot the Apple Juice, so I figured "what the heck" - this beer is a bit on the "sweet" side anyway.)

Also cut-down on the salt to about 1/2

In the rub, subbed Turbinado sugar for both the regular white and brown sugar.

Used one batch of rub for (2) 7.5-lb half-shoulders

I could smell a hint of the beer from the injection when I pulled the meat apart.

Quite tasty - got rave reviews
 
Since Chris specified that the recipe is enough for 1 16-lb pork shoulder, that means that it will also suffice for two pork butts as well. I've seen Chris specify to use 1/2 oz of injection per lb of meat, but the way I inject, I'm lucky if half of what I inject actually stays in the meat. Thus... when I inject, I place each pork butt down into its own 2-gallon ziplock bag. I divide the total amount of injection made by the recipe and allow half to each butt. Keep the needle moving - you want to place liquid in as many small areas throughout the meat as possible, and not in one long streak. The bag will catch your overflow, and you can run it through the needle again.

Good luck!

Keri C
Click to expand...

I get most of my injection to stay in the meat by hitting several points inside my first injection. I slowly push the fluid out, and inject in small amounts to many holes inside the initial hole i injected. I also keep my injections in the 1st half of my syringe. If i want to get top layers injected i shoot the needle in more horizontal but still only inject from the 2nd half of the needle. I also Apply my rub right after to almost seal in the fluid. I start with the top part and then inject what comes out into the aluminum pan into the bottom and sides. Be careful though, it is more effective to inject small amounts rather than a lot that comes out. I injected around 10 on the top about 4/5 on the bottom and a couple on the sides. this is on a full butt roast. Enjoy! 14 hrs at 250. Sit for half hr and pull!
 
I smoked a couple shoulders for Independence Day. One using this injection and one with only a rub. I was skeptical, but everyone agreed the injected butt had superior flavor and moisture. The moisture could have been simply because the injected butt was a little larger than the other and cooked for about the same time, but that doesn't explain the enhanced flavor. I'm sold on the injection. Now I might tinker with flavors. Maybe peach juice next time?

To minimize fluid loss, I used this technique:
A. Rub the bottom, sides and ends
B. Inject through the top
C. Rub the top
I don't see the point of poking through the sides and bottom. Can get deep into the meat through the top, while creating fewer opportunities for the fluid to escape.
 
Originally posted by Tim Ryan:
I smoked a couple shoulders for Independence Day. One using this injection and one with only a rub. I was skeptical, but everyone agreed the injected butt had superior flavor and moisture. The moisture could have been simply because the injected butt was a little larger than the other and cooked for about the same time, but that doesn't explain the enhanced flavor. I'm sold on the injection. Now I might tinker with flavors. Maybe peach juice next time?

To minimize fluid loss, I used this technique:
A. Rub the bottom, sides and ends
B. Inject through the top
C. Rub the top
I don't see the point of poking through the sides and bottom. Can get deep into the meat through the top, while creating fewer opportunities for the fluid to escape.
Click to expand...

Tim, his "Peach Pork Butt" recipe (with canned peach syrup in the injection and the peaches added to the sauce) is in his new book, Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book. All in all, with some help, Chris came out with a pretty good book, so you might want to check it out.
 
Well, I dont have much to add except that this was an excellent recipe. I made it a few weekends ago and it was the best pulled pork I've ever made or eaten. I was skeptical on the injection, and I don't know if it helped or not, but the leftovers I froze in vacuum seal bags have been way better than typical left overs for me.

I'll be doing this method again, possibly tinkering a little with flavors, but wow it was delicious.

For what its worth, I also did these with the higher heat method. No complaints.
 
Ok, tried the recipe today - only cutting the salt in half for the injection.

I'm a convert! The injection definitely made a difference. The pulled pork was more moist than without the injection - wife agreed. I'll definitely be using this method from now on.
 
Thinking of making this on the weekend but use boston butts. I do have a couple questions. Has anyone tried this with the yellow mustard before the rub? Also, how long do you rub it before you smoke it. I was thinking 12 hours? then inject just before putting it on the WSM.

Thanks
 
Mustard adds nothing in terms of flavor. Some use it to stick the rub on but I've never seen the point. Mustard's flavor is destroyed by heat so there is no flavor benefit.

I rub maybe 5 or 10 minutes prior to smoking. If you'd like to rub earlier feel free. Some find it convenient to do so.
 
My 2 cents: First off, Boston butt is pork shoulder. Second, there is no need to pre rub, the butt will be on the smoker for (depending on size) 12 hours. So the rub will have plenty of time to get into the meat. I always coat with mustard to get the rub to stick. Last bit of advice: wrap the shoulder in tin foil once done. Pour in some oil/vinegar/rub solution. Wrap in a clean bath towel, and stuff in a cooler or microwave (if fits) for at least 30 minutes. I've left mine for 3 hours and it was still (almost) too hot to pull.
 
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