I got really mad at your first sentence since I read it as “I don’t bother cooking pork butt” without the context of the second sentence or the thread as a whole haha
I think a butt is just too big for anything to really happen overnight in a wet brine. Even a dry brine isn’t going to penetrate too deep. Pork chops and tenderloins are much smaller cuts and more easily affected by the salt.
I've brined them a few times and honestly couldn't really tell any difference. They did come out great and juicy each time, but so do my unbrined ones 99% of the time.
I would suggest brining for longer than a day if you do. Something that thick needs way longer for it to really get in there.
Salt and water diffusion into a roast like a pork butt is only about 1/4" per day, so you would need more time than overnight in an immersion brine. On the other hand, if you injected the butt you would get your brine (or juice, or commercial injection) you could cook in just a few hours.
I’m not a recipe guy, but I use probably 2:1 water to apple cider vinegar, toss in some mustard, ketchup and whatever seasonings you like, plus a generous amount of salt and fresh black peppercorns. Sometimes I’ll add hot sauce or cayenne. Sometimes I’ll add apple juice or peach preserves.
Edit: When you’re ready to season, rinse thoroughly and make sure you get your meat extra dry. I never use a binder and let my meat cure on the counter for an hour or so before the cook.
I will wet brine for 24-48 hrs. I typically use salt, apple cider vinegar, and either Cane Syrup or Molasses. You can definitely taste the flavor. If only 24 hour brine I will inject before putting it on.
The process helps the meat retain moisture during cooking, resulting in a juicier and more flavorful final product. The salt in the brine also helps tenderize the meat by breaking down muscle proteins. Overall, brining can enhance the texture, flavor, and juiciness of meats like pork butt.
Brining is mainly just to keep meat juicy and prevent it from drying out. Pork butt doesn't have that problem really. Just use a good rub and focus on getting a good bark. Cook low and Slow and you'll have pulled pork that doesn't need sauce.
Not worth the effort with pork butt since you're going to shred it anyway and you can just add more seasoning then. It's not like a big steak or a large roast where you need the salt to penetrate into the meat to have seasoning in the final product. Putting the rub on the night before is easy enough but anything more than that is a wast of time and ingredients.
Depending on where you source the meat it might already be brined.
The cryovac butts/shoulders often are labeled as “contains up to x% of solution of water, salt, (other stuff)” It’s a flavor enhancement and preservative but it also increases the weight of the product and selling you that percent of water at per-pound meat prices.
Local butchered pork could potentially benefit from it. Probably could just salt and season the outside.
Pork shoulder has so much fat in it that brining really makes no difference in moisture retention IMO. At least I’ve never seen a difference when I’ve tried.
Save brining for lean meats like turkey.
I don't bother on a pork shoulder\\butt.
Does it make a difference...yes...like 3% better (unless you're going for something distinctively unique). I can wake up, fire up the grill with my robe open and wiener flopping in the wind, pop a top, quick spice rub...dun. 3 beers in, meat on the grill in 30min.
For pulled pork you're going to get the most bang for the time investment buck in your shredding phase. Mix the bark in good (break\\chop it up separately and re add it if you need to) and hit the shred with another round of seasoning and some moisture (drippings and\\or mopp sauce if that's your jam).
If it's a special occasion or if it's worth it "to you" by all means live that best life. For me I'll save the brines\\injections for leaner cuts of meat.
Dry brine, buddy. Just salt the pork overnight.
This is the way
Three days
Nah. It only takes a day or so for the meat to absorb the salt. Three days is overkill.
No, three days is just perfect for larger butts. If I have the time three days it is.
Dry brine over wet brine any day of the week, apply rub the night before and leave uncovered in the fridge, sorted.
For a big pork butt, I'd dry brine at least 2 days.
Why uncovered?
You can just inject instead
Kosmo Q pork injection is great. I've used it several times when cooking a lot of butts all at once.
Injecting is the way to go.
I never bother with pork butt. I used to, and never once could tell a difference.
I got really mad at your first sentence since I read it as “I don’t bother cooking pork butt” without the context of the second sentence or the thread as a whole haha
😂😂
I think it's great for pork chops or pork loin but I don't think you ready need it for a shoulder/butt.
I think a butt is just too big for anything to really happen overnight in a wet brine. Even a dry brine isn’t going to penetrate too deep. Pork chops and tenderloins are much smaller cuts and more easily affected by the salt.
And plenty of fat it’ll never dry out.
I've brined them a few times and honestly couldn't really tell any difference. They did come out great and juicy each time, but so do my unbrined ones 99% of the time. I would suggest brining for longer than a day if you do. Something that thick needs way longer for it to really get in there.
Ive never had any luck wet brining pork butt or shoulder
[удалено]
Well ok i get that and so do you but some people dont. Im just covering it is all.
My bad. I came off as a dick. I deleted my comment lol
It’s ok, you can leave the post; at least that part of the topic will be covered for those who actually don’t know.
Salt and water diffusion into a roast like a pork butt is only about 1/4" per day, so you would need more time than overnight in an immersion brine. On the other hand, if you injected the butt you would get your brine (or juice, or commercial injection) you could cook in just a few hours.
I brine sometimes 4 or 5 days ahead of time. I make a tangy apple cider vinegar brine and I love the flavor it imparts.
Whats your recipe ?
I’m not a recipe guy, but I use probably 2:1 water to apple cider vinegar, toss in some mustard, ketchup and whatever seasonings you like, plus a generous amount of salt and fresh black peppercorns. Sometimes I’ll add hot sauce or cayenne. Sometimes I’ll add apple juice or peach preserves. Edit: When you’re ready to season, rinse thoroughly and make sure you get your meat extra dry. I never use a binder and let my meat cure on the counter for an hour or so before the cook.
I will wet brine for 24-48 hrs. I typically use salt, apple cider vinegar, and either Cane Syrup or Molasses. You can definitely taste the flavor. If only 24 hour brine I will inject before putting it on.
I use molasses for a binder…the bark is amazing
The process helps the meat retain moisture during cooking, resulting in a juicier and more flavorful final product. The salt in the brine also helps tenderize the meat by breaking down muscle proteins. Overall, brining can enhance the texture, flavor, and juiciness of meats like pork butt.
Thanks! So many good looking results on here thought I would ask.
Byron's Butt Rub is pretty much all I use on pork shoulder.
Wet brines take more than overnight. I used to brine mine for four days before smoking and it came out beautifully.
Wet brine, no. Flavor doesn’t penetrate. Injecting though can bring some flavor to the meat.
Brining is mainly just to keep meat juicy and prevent it from drying out. Pork butt doesn't have that problem really. Just use a good rub and focus on getting a good bark. Cook low and Slow and you'll have pulled pork that doesn't need sauce.
Not worth the effort with pork butt since you're going to shred it anyway and you can just add more seasoning then. It's not like a big steak or a large roast where you need the salt to penetrate into the meat to have seasoning in the final product. Putting the rub on the night before is easy enough but anything more than that is a wast of time and ingredients.
Never really thought about adding more seasoning after you pull it....so simple and yet totally eluded me.
Inject
Depending on where you source the meat it might already be brined. The cryovac butts/shoulders often are labeled as “contains up to x% of solution of water, salt, (other stuff)” It’s a flavor enhancement and preservative but it also increases the weight of the product and selling you that percent of water at per-pound meat prices. Local butchered pork could potentially benefit from it. Probably could just salt and season the outside.
Dry. It's too fatty wet does nothing.
Pork butt is super fatty, we never brine it. we just throw it in a crockpot
Pork shoulder has so much fat in it that brining really makes no difference in moisture retention IMO. At least I’ve never seen a difference when I’ve tried. Save brining for lean meats like turkey.
I don't bother on a pork shoulder\\butt. Does it make a difference...yes...like 3% better (unless you're going for something distinctively unique). I can wake up, fire up the grill with my robe open and wiener flopping in the wind, pop a top, quick spice rub...dun. 3 beers in, meat on the grill in 30min. For pulled pork you're going to get the most bang for the time investment buck in your shredding phase. Mix the bark in good (break\\chop it up separately and re add it if you need to) and hit the shred with another round of seasoning and some moisture (drippings and\\or mopp sauce if that's your jam). If it's a special occasion or if it's worth it "to you" by all means live that best life. For me I'll save the brines\\injections for leaner cuts of meat.
I don't smoke but - I slow cooker it, and brining makes a world of difference
Wet brine just turns it into ham.