IAMM, how long do you normally brine for?
Before I started injecting I would brine the pork butts overnight. The problem is; with brining a large piece of meat, you also need a large container like bus tubs, meat lugs, or food grade buckets. In essence they will require a lot of real estate in the refrigerator.
For about 8 years now I have been injecting. I started injecting which made the task easier and less clean up. I used Chris Lilly's Injection but found it to be salty to my tastes, I cut back to almost half the amount of salt and it is still good. last year I switched to OakRidge Game Changer Brine as my Injection and have nothing less than great results with it.
The main reason for me brining a pork butt wasn't to add moisture, simply because the pork butt has enough fat and connective tissue. The main reason I brined was for added flavors deep into the meat, added tenderness and added moisture are a byproduct of brining, as well as an improved texture.
I now, always use OakRidge Game Changer Brine as an injection. I Use fruit juice (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 inject right through the cyro-packaging to save with cleanup, using different angles through the same hole to prevent leaking. I inject about 3 -4 hours before getting the smoker ready.
Before I started injecting I used to rub and let the pork sit overnight, but now I'll rub a few hours before smoking depending upon my time constraints.
When cooking injected pork butts I find the bone begins to wiggle at about 187°, I pull and then rest the pork in a cambro/cooler for 3 to 4 hours, and pull the pork just before serving. 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.
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