Inject briskets or not

[DR]

After reading a few other posts in different topics, i wanted to put this thread up and ask if you inject your briskets for big, important events. I am about 50% scared to stop injecting them but not totally sure it really does anything.

I have a very important cook coming up in about a month and will be feeding about 150 people for my best friends 60th bday. I did a practice cook this weekend and cooked a nice pork butt as well as a brisket. I am pretty sure the injection in the pork butt helped. It was super flavorful and juicy. But I'm not sure about the brisket. It didn't seem to have anything "Extra".

My theory over the past few months is that the pork keeps the juices and injection inside as it doesn't contract as much as brisket. The brisket is such a dense piece of meet to begin with, has tighter muscle fibers, and it contract way more than pork and squeezes out almost everything you put inside it.

With all that being said, i am still hesitant to stop injecting my briskets. I will continue to inject pork but am really trying to talk myself out of injecting my briskets.

Any thoughts? DR

[sunrise]

I always inject my meats, whether it be tri tip, pork butts or brisket. Why change what you do?

[Diesel Dave]

If it works for you don't stop, it's the flavor people expect from you.

I agree to some extent though, I'm not really sure the injection makes a difference in the cooking process. But I pan my briskets and when they rest in the juice "expelled" while cooking, they soak up a good bit when resting. As I said in your other thread I've quit injecting, but am going to do 2 side by side and see if I can tell the difference

[bam]

Inject I'll make you feel better.

[DR]

Originally Posted by Diesel Dave

If it works for you don't stop, it's the flavor people expect from you.

I agree to some extent though, I'm not really sure the injection makes a difference in the cooking process. But I pan my briskets and when they rest in the juice "expelled" while cooking, they soak up a good bit when resting. As I said in your other thread I've quit injecting, but am going to do 2 side by side and see if I can tell the difference

Can you do it before September 26th? LMAO

[landarc]

Unless you are using phosphates in your injections, they add nothing to brisket. However, if you are used to cooking briskets with injections, of any type, I would be cautious about making wholesale changes, as the injection does change how the brisket cook. Your timing and feel will vary as you change things like that.

[bizznessman]

"My theory over the past few months is that the pork keeps the juices and injection inside as it doesn't contract as much as brisket. The brisket is such a dense piece of meet to begin with, has tighter muscle fibers, and it contract way more than pork and squeezes out almost everything you put inside it."

That's not a theory, that's a fact. This is why we stopped injecting brisket. And no one has ever mentioned anything about a change in texture or flavor.

[DR]

Yeah i agree and actually got that from one of your posts but i do agree with it. I did a butt and a brisket this weekend in preparation of my big cook in a month or so. The pork injection i used was outstanding and everyone said it was by far the best pulled pork they had tasted (It was really good). I only injected half the brisket to see if i could tell a difference in it (I know this is not the best way to experiment but i didn't want to cook 2 briskets just for testing) and it was just OK but no one could taste anything extra in it. I was trying my ass off to taste a difference in the injected side and the non injected side and really couldn't.

But i get to be a nervous nelly and old habits are hard for me to break.

[Diesel Dave]

Originally Posted by DR

Can you do it before September 26th? LMAO

Actually sure I'll do that. Got a catering event a week before.

[Bbq Bubba]

Curious what your injecting with.
If phosphates, shame on you for selling your customers chemicals. If anything else, your changing the flavor of the brisket.

[AlwaysSmokey]

Never. Ever.

I brine chicken,.. that's the closest I get to injecting anything.

Just one more note,.. if flavor in pulled pork has you injecting. Why wouldn't you just add those flavor profiles aka sauce, or seasoning once pulled? That's how I roll.

Injecting is a waste of time.

Just my opinion. Have at it if that's your style.

Regards,

Kevin

[DR]

Originally Posted by Bbq Bubba

Curious what your injecting with.
If phosphates, shame on you for selling your customers chemicals. If anything else, your changing the flavor of the brisket.

Last time it was basically some apple juice, beef base, worst. sauce, salt, garlic, onion. It was something like that. Pretty basic. Good beefy flavor.

[btcg]

Originally Posted by DR

After reading a few other posts in different topics, i wanted to put this thread up and ask if you inject your briskets for big, important events. I am about 50% scared to stop injecting them but not totally sure it really does anything.

I have a very important cook coming up in about a month and will be feeding about 150 people for my best friends 60th bday. I did a practice cook this weekend and cooked a nice pork butt as well as a brisket. I am pretty sure the injection in the pork butt helped. It was super flavorful and juicy. But I'm not sure about the brisket. It didn't seem to have anything "Extra".

My theory over the past few months is that the pork keeps the juices and injection inside as it doesn't contract as much as brisket. The brisket is such a dense piece of meet to begin with, has tighter muscle fibers, and it contract way more than pork and squeezes out almost everything you put inside it.

With all that being said, i am still hesitant to stop injecting my briskets. I will continue to inject pork but am really trying to talk myself out of injecting my briskets.

Any thoughts? DR

My .02:

First, I have a ton of respect for Landarc. He's one of the very best chef's on this site, and a brilliant individual.

BUT, I'm not so sure he's correct as to injections.

I asked all 3 of my teachers about brisket injection; all 3 believe in it, and use it themselves.

Myron Mixon quote: “The more injection you can get into the meat, the more flavors you will add.”

Paul Kirk's lecture touched on the reasons why the injections work: the use of salt. As Paul explained, salt is a 'carrier' spice.
Saving myself some typing, here's a useful webpage that will fill in a lot of details:

http://www.foodproductdesign.com/art...ty-snacks.aspx

ALSO: I think there are major differences in spice and humidity circulation/flavor differences between water cookers vs non-water cookers.

My Backwood's Chubby circulates moisture, which keeps the injection inside the meat.

Hope this helps!

[btcg]

As long as I'm at it, here's Myron's brisket injection:

Prepare brisket injection:

32 oz water
3 tbls Minor’s Beef Base (http://soupbase.com)
3 tbls Minor’s Au Jus (http://soupbase.com)
3 tbls Butcher BBQ Beef Marinade (http://butcherbbq.com)

Heat until near boiling. Injection use: do not use hot or cold. Allow to come to room temperature.

[landarc]

I don't know what your teachers are using for injection, but, I can see from Myron's recipe that he is using Butchers, which is phosphate based, and thus, will have a distinct effect on moisture retention. When I inject, I use Butchers.

I do believe that injection can drive more flavor, specifically, salt and water-soluble flavors into the meat. I just don't believe that without phosphates, that there is a measurable increase in moisture. That being said, I have never done the science on it.