Injecting Boston Butt


 
I just smoked 2 8lbs butts and used Chris Lilly's injection along with the original Texas bbq rub and these are the best I've had.

Smoked with a little mesquite and hickory and sprayed with apple juice to keep moist. Everyone loved it. I'll be injecting again.
 
the one or two times I tried it, I would guess 1/3 to 1/2 the injection seeped out before I got it on the smoker. With my experience I would advise you to 1) Inject from one side of the butt, and at as vertical an angle as possible 2) add spices, rub or something other than JUST liquid in order to give lasting flavor to the meat (as some of the injected juices will be lost) and 3) foil early - 30 mins or so - into the process to in order to maximize the flavoring effect of any injection. Then unfoil as needed to allow the bark carmelization that you desire.
 
I have done about 6 or 7 butts since I got my smoker last summer. I usually use Chris Lilly's injection. I have always thought they turned out excellent.

One time I forgot to inject and it wasn't in the same league as the other ones. Just didn't have the flavor that the other ones had. Can't believe others can't tell a difference between injecting and not injecting. Maybe doing it with just juice doesn't make as much difference. Lilly's injection has a lot of salt and sugar in it but doesn't seem to make the meat overly salt or sweet.
 
I inject them all now. Here's one somebody just played around with on another site and is kinda hawaiian.

1 1/2 cup apple juice
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp sea salt


FYI, I ruined 11lb of pork on Chris Lilly's injection by not using k salt/or the right amount. Too salty. Now I'm gun shy.
 
I inject them all now. Here's one somebody just played around with on another site and is kinda hawaiian.

1 1/2 cup apple juice
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp sea salt

Couple weeks back I tried to replicate kalua pork without using liquid smoke. Didn't get the results I was looking for. I"m going to do some butts this weekend and one of them will inject using a combination of the Lilly recipe but replacing part of the apple with pineapple juice. I'm not going to include the Grand Marnier. I'll likely use lemon juice rather than cider vin. Definitely will reduce the salt as my "rub" will be solely hawaiian red and black salts.
 

 

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