pork butt injection question


 
P

P.Jean

New member
I am doing my first butts tomorrow and have been reading about injections. I was wondering if injecting the butts the night before the cook would add more flavor. Any opinions?
 
Rub them the night before, maybe, then re-wrap in cellophane. However injecting the night before may cause some problems with the meat's texture. Some injections can soften the meat beyond what you might want. I inject no more than an hour (usually 1/2 hour) before they hit the smoker.
 
If you are shooting a simple brine, juice or stock based injection, then you can shoot it as early as you like. I like to inject a brine 12-24 hours prior to get the salt into the muscles where it can work its magic.

I don't use premade stuff but I do know that the butcher's stuff is meant to be injected right before cooking.
 
thanks all. so far so good, other than one slight mishap. (spilled a little water moving the middle section-I am a weak woman I guess ) I did the injection, next time I will try the mustard/rub deal.
 
I did the injection, next time I will try the mustard/rub deal.
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Maybe I'm reading your post wrong, but I would still encourage you to put a rub on that butt. It will definitely help flavor the bark (exterior crust that forms). The mustard merely acts as a glue to help stick your rub to the butt, you won't taste any mustard flavor. Anything that is wet will basically achieve the same results.

Paul
 
The mustard merely acts as a glue to help stick your rub to the butt, you won't taste any mustard flavor.
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I'm not a big fan of doing this. I find that it makes it nearly impossible to transfer the meat to the smoker without getting mustard everywhere and leaving big rub-less smudges on the meat.

I never have a problem with the rub not sticking. The first coat maybe a little, but it will draw out some moisture that will hold the second coat.

Kevin salts first then applies a salt-less rub, to get the same effect.
 
No worries. I did a rub the night before, and I salted first. The butts turned out great, just took forever, and by that I mean 13 and 14 hours. I tried to keep a steady heat at 225, but next time, I will go higher or get up earlier. I injected about 40 minutes before the cook. I had 7 people and one butt was destroyed by my friends, plus leftovers from the other butt went home with them. They were most happy guinea pigs! I have only a pound of cooked meat left. I'd say it went very well, other than the timing, but there was no way I was taking them off the smoker until they reached internal temperature in the 190's. The patience paid off. Thanks to all for the advice.
 
Hey Congrats on that butt cook! It's pretty hard to mess up with butts. Sounds like your friends will be over frequently
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Paul
 
Hey, I miss stuff on here all the time. Fortunately the people who post here are very helpful and don't make you feel like a dope. It's nice to see that for a change, when other websites have nothing but people bickering with each other.
 
PJ, 13 or 14 hours is not out of line. My 4 butt cook the past Sunday was 15 hours. They often settle in at about 160 and seem to stay there indefinitely. Butts take time.
 
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