There has always been a discussion about whether or not to Brine/Inject pork butts or shoulders.
Many will tell you that pork has enough internal fat to keep the meat plenty moist when cooked. I do not disagree with this, but sometimes we brine/inject for flavors, not for moisture or tenderness.
The pork butt or shoulder is a large piece of meat, the most flavorful part of it is the bark, because that's where the bulk of the seasoning is. Others will sprinkle more rub into the pork after it's been pulled and this works fine as well. But flavors change during cooking as the aromatics meld together in the heat forming concentrated flavors.
So I don't inject for tenderness or moisture, but more so for adding flavor into the meat. I also feel that injecting the meat also helps to improve texture, allowing it to pull in very long strands. In my experience, the long strands are more pleasing to the eye of the patron/guest as the meat looks more substantial. Lastly, yes added tenderness and moisture will be present, that is not why I inject my pork, but it is an added benefit.
Brining pork can be a long task and can take up a lot of space in the refrigerators. With large amounts of pork to brine, it could soon become a large cumbersome task. I used to brine pork and had really good results. Then I started injecting which made the task easier and less of a task for clean up. Injecting also uses much less product and takes much less time. With injecting there is no need to let the large cuts of pork sit for long periods of time. I find from experience that just letting them sit for about an hour or two while you ready your smoker is often ample time. Then I apply the rub right before putting the pork into the smoker.
I now, always use OakRidge Game Changer Brine as an injection. I Use fruit juice/nectar (Peach, Pear, Apple, or White Grape) for added flavors. For every 8 ounces of juice add 1 Tablespoon of OakRidge Game Changer Brine and then inject into the pork. I usually inject right through the cyro-packaging to save with cleanup, using different angles through the same hole to prevent leaking.
I add 1 Tablespoon of Game Changer Brine per cup of fruit juice and inject roughly 1 ounce of mixture per pound of meat. So roughly one cup per eight pound pork butt.
I used to rub and let the pork sit overnight, but now I'll rub an hour or so before smoking, depending upon my time constraints.
When cooking injected pork butts I find the bone begins to wiggle at about 187° (internal temperature has no bearing on being done).
I always calculate a 3 to 4 hour hold time in an insulated cooler after the cook. This gives me a cooking buffer if the meat takes longer, and pork butt/pork shoulder is one of the meats that benefit from holding in a cooler because as it stays at temperature the connective tissues continue to breakdown into collagen making the meat moist and very tender. The rest period also allows you to get other things ready, or even a rest before your guests arrive.
I find the OakRidge Game Changer Brine keeps the pork exceptionally tender, moist, flavorful, and it pulls in very long strands which is great for sandwiches. You'll notice that not only does the pork pull in long strands, but it also keeps it's warm color with plenty of pink from the smoke ring, and it never turns dull gray in color.
In the end you should choose the method that works best for you, not what works for for me or someone else. After all you are cooking it, and only you, your family, and your friends will enjoy the results of the cook.
I find that using ginger ale adds more sweetness and it also alters texture which I personally don't care for (maybe the phosphoric acid?). But I don't use ginger ale, only fruit juices.
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