Pork butt question: meaning to ask for a while...


 
Jeff Holmes

Jeff Holmes

TVWBB Super Fan
Is it me or am I just the only crazy one 'round these parts. Before joining here, I never really cared for pulled pork or brisket (gasp!) I did, however, about a year ago, have some phenomenal brisket in VA on the was to VA Beach. Anyway, I've probably smoked about 6 butts over the last year and everyone- even my wife, mother-in-law and kids- just loves it. I don't do anything fancy, I just trim the fat, use Rub Some Butt seasoning, fist sized hickory chunks and go low and slow 225-250 until it's 195-203. My question is, is it just me because I'd sure like it to have some stronger flavor out of the center meat. The bark is excellent. I don't like to drown it in BBQ sauce, otherwise that's all you taste, but again, I'd sure like the flavor to really pop. When I say this to everyone eating my butt, they always say something like, "No, man, this is dead on. I love it!" But I'm always left wanting more kick.

Inject it? Rub it down with salt 24 hours in advanced? Inject salt? I see apple juice, etc. is a favorite injection....

Now, don't go an ban me from the forum, maybe your psycho therapy will help me! :confused:
 
Two suggestions:

(1) Reduce the amount of center meat by cutting the butt in half before rubbing.

(2) Don't drown it in sauce, but use a lighter finishing sauce. Search for Kinda Carolina sauce on this forum for one approach.
 
Hi Jeff. One of the reasons I like my pulled pork better the second day is that the flavors from the bark meld in with most of the meat as it sits in the fridge after being pulled. I also started using a finishing
sauce once it's pulled. In my case it's a combination of unsweetened apple juice, some of the rub mixture, apple cider vinegar and some of my bbq sauce. The finishing sauce not only adds some flavor
but also some moisture. Let me also say that it's not like adding BBQ sauce as it's very thin.
 
I'm with Carl on the sauce. I like a North Carolina (Lexington) style sauce. This is my version:

1 cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup ketchup
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
 
Jeff,

Not sure of the 'center', but the area of MM is the best pork of the entire butt / shoulder.
 
Count me in with Bill and Eric. I pull then sprinkle with rub. I think it is best when I do this while it is still really hot. Like...my fingers can just barely take it hot. The rub melts in really well at that stage.
 
As I went in and nuked some pork butt from last week, I realized something that I've notice before but it didn't really stick in my mind until now. I'm always saying that PB just doesn't have a strong enough flavor for my liking. After it sets in the fridge for a few days, the flavors become much stronger and I catch myself thinking, "I see what others are saying, PB really is good." Again, most BBQ sauces that I buy from the store seem to take away from the PB or cover up the flavor. A fella I work -his uncle had a BBQ resturant In TX back in the day- with gave me some sauce. SON, let me tell ya. That aged PB mixed with his secret family sauce= outta the park.

When I first made this statement, several people said, "you just haven't had good pulled pork if you don't like it." I think I'll beg him to bottle me up some and sell it to me.
 
I pull, sprinkle with rub and let it sit. It is rare that I eat pulled pork right after I pull it. I usually wait a few hours or even the next day. Besides after smelling the smoke all day, I don't even want to eat it when it's done. :)
 
When you pull/shred it, make sure you are mixing the center meat well with the outer meat and bark. That way, when you eat it, you're getting a mixture of both at the same time. Also, while I have not tried it, (I will be next week), you might consider injecting. Some people say it doesn't make a difference. Again, I don't know myself since I haven't tried it yet. But I intend to use an apple juice sugar mixture, with some of my rub, and inject deep into the meat to see if that helps.
 
I really try to avoid store bought sauces, since the vast majority (or I should say all that I can get in my grocery store) have liquid smoke in them. I find that the smoke taste from the sauce covers up so many flavors. I typically will make my own sauce, or go without on my PB. If in season I also like to drizzle some apple cider while I'm pulling my pork. I did a cook a couple of years ago, 2 10lb butts. Pulled one without cider, and one with. I tell you what, as I drizzled it over the pulled pork the different scents from the pork came out and it made such a huge difference in flavors.
 
I think injecting the butt with a liquid like apple juice or chicken stock mixed with some rub, or at least some salt, helps a lot with the flavor of the internal meat. Neither the rub's seasonings nor the smoke penetrate very far into the meat, leaving the majority of the butt totally unseasoned while cooking.
 
I can't keep from eating it as I'm pulling it. By the time I get done pulling the pork, I'm too full to sit down and eat a meal!
 
The idea of cutting it in half seems like a great one.....more bark. I'm doing a 16 lb one tomorrow. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I'm using the kettle grill.
 
Bill Farmer said:
Once you pull it, add some more rub into it and mix
Click to expand...
When adding more rub before mixing, how much do you recommend adding? Add it lightly, moderately, heavy? I wouldn't want to over do it if that is a possibility but OTOH would want to add enough to get the desired result.
 
I have been using the Championship Injection on my pork butts after rubbing and wrapping them in plastic wrap. I try to let them sit in a rimmed pan in the fridge for a few hours to overnight before smoking. I think it helps flavor the interior meat although i haven't done a side by side test.
 
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