To much fat on that BUTT?

[Dave Russell]

Could be a myriad of things.......moist environment, injection, basting........and yes, the fat content of the meat as well. I have had the best results with turkey breasts by wrapping them up in cheese cloth for the first 2 hours and basting them regularly. I also brine them. Basting does help, especially with flavor. Butter, or some other sort of slow evaporating liquid, when injected, definitely helps on lean cuts of meat like pork loins. Again, methods do make a difference.

I wouldn't question any of your methods above. I was just considering the merits of injections with pork butts. They definitely add some flavor, but whether they add moisture or not, all I know is that I've smoked with and without injections, and noticed no difference. I've gotten incredibly good pork either way. An overcooked, undercooked, or unusually lean butt is simply going to end up not as moist. I don't think injections are any more insurance against a dry butt than foiling or anything else. Not saying it's a bad thing, though. Just one more thing to mess with or make a mess, and it can inhibit the bark of the butts on the bottom rack. That's another reason I know it can't do much in helping with moisture.

 

[Bob Bass]

You sure it's the injection keeping the meat moist?

Surprisingly, injecting does help the meat retain moisture. Of course, it all depends upon what is in the injection. As the meat cooks, the mitochondrioin contract due to the twisted nature of the myosin filament. As the meat contracts, moisture is 'wrung' out of the meat fibre. If you include something that will relax the myosin filament, less moisture is 'wrung' out of the muscle and you end up with both increased tenderness and increased moisture. A brine solution is commonly used in this regard, as are calcium activated enzymes (Calpains).

 

[Dave Russell]

Surprisingly, injecting does help the meat retain moisture. Of course, it all depends upon what is in the injection. As the meat cooks, the mitochondrioin contract due to the twisted nature of the myosin filament. As the meat contracts, moisture is 'wrung' out of the meat fibre. If you include something that will relax the myosin filament, less moisture is 'wrung' out of the muscle and you end up with both increased tenderness and increased moisture. A brine solution is commonly used in this regard, as are calcium activated enzymes (Calpains).

I (sort of) know what it's supposed to do in theory, and absolutely love a long brine for pork chops. Anyhow, so maybe I haven't been holding my mouth right, but I just haven't found any added moisture by using the injections I've used, other than some added flavor and salt, of course. I've used the typical salty juice injections like Chris Lilly's a lot, but never tried the commercial ones like Butchers or Kosmos, though.