Brine Pork Butt?

Um...no.

I asked this question before, or one like it in a thread. HERE it is.


The general I think the consensus is that pork butts don't need a lot of help since there is so much marbled fat. A cut like pork loin, however, because it's so lean could benefit from a brine more. This (IMO) is the reason that poultry benefits so much from brining. A HAM is brined (read: cured) in a solution and this helps with moisture and flavor, but can give it a salty taste (salt cured ham....) but they are done for a very long time I believe.

HERE is a recipe where Alton Brown brined and smoked a pork butt. If there's one person I trust knows more than most about the science of food, it's AB.

The best thing I can offer is to try it out and cook a side-by-side to see if there's a benefit. Just make sure you let us know!!!!

I don't brine but I do cure (Prague powder, salt & sugar) for buckboard bacon. Cheers!!!

We inject instead of brine. 30+ butts cooked this year with some great results. I inject for all home cooking and family/frineds parties as well. We experimented with brining in the past but it did not penetrate the butt enough in the time allotted at competitions.

Wampus said:

HERE is a recipe where Alton Brown brined and smoked a pork butt. If there's one person I trust knows more than most about the science of food, it's AB.

Click to expand...

I have played around with the AB 'pulled pork' recipe for several years. This is what got me into smoking just like his home brew episode is what got me started with that obsession. However, with both hobbies I learned from him, I now know that he doesn't always know everything about subjects he presents. :twitch:

When I brine my Boston Butts, I do use his 12 oz of pickling salt, and 8 oz of molasses with two pints of water. I then tend to add more ingredients to the brine such as; black peppercorns, Cumin, coriander, and some of whatever rub I intend to use on the butt. I have also had good luck throwing a few Bay leaves into the brine. I almost always let the butts sit in the brine at 36-38* F for at least 12 hours. :drama:

In my opinion, the brine allows all of the meat to get seasoned with salt, the one thing I hate the most is biting into some pulled pork and getting that unseasoned pork flavor. :shocked:

For AB's rub, I think it is a good starting point for a basic homemade rub. The way I have done it is start with his rub recipe and while eating the PP think about what other flavors you would want in the bark, and then the next time you smoke add those flavors to the rub. :decision:

The main complaint I have against AB's recipe is where he tells you to leave the fat cap on the butt. I have done this before, and even after 14-18 hour smokes at 200* F the entire fat cap did not render away, and I have been left with a nasty fatty goop on top of my pretty pork. :mad2:

But as always, YMMV :loco:

NOoooo

Don't think so. We dry rub only and let the hickory do it's job.

Nope. Never felt a need to.

In my experience, it is better to inject the pork butt than to brine it. Obviously, the penetration is deeper, and depending on the injection sauce used, adds more flavor. I favor injecting and using a really good rub. :wink:

I inject and soak them in apple juice overnight.

inject, rest overnight, rub and let sweat foran hour ot two and then onto the grill.

I don't brine them. Many of the butts I buy Say"moist and Tender" or " enhanced " on the label. This means they are already soaking in a salt solution. No need to add more IMHO.

Yes.

Why not?