Question for the "Q" perts

Now that I am somewhat retired and time on my hands I'm going to give smokeing a try. I've been a griller all my life, only use charcoal with a wood mix never used gas. My question is do you brine your Boston Butt or shoulder before doing the dry rub thing? Recently I've been brining all my pork before grilling with great success. I just don't know with the long smokeing prosess if this was nessesary. Thanks, chow Jim

Well, I don't claim to be any sort of expert, but I've never brined these cuts. If you choose a cut with the right amount of fat content, the meat should self-baste, keeping it moist and allowing some of that dry rub to infuse it.

I'm with Fred! I do the home-brew dry-rub and let'er rip!
Both Pork Butts and Beef Brisket do well with the 'Self-lube' system of Low and Slow and let the fat do the work for you.

No need to brine. On a related pig pork cut topic, does anyone inject? (Insert Joke Here) It doesn't seem to make much sense to me, but I've never tried it, and I'm wrong a lot.

Vayo con Queso

Brining is good. Injecting is good. I just don't do any of it. I do however always remove the membrane from the back of the ribs.

go to this site it is the best BBQ site on the web
http://www.barbecuenews.com/ brining works well for chicken too I don't brine butts I use dry rub & yellow mustard like competetion teams do.

I'm with the "no-brine" crowd, at least in regard to a Boston Butt or pork shoulder. IMHO, the best bet for these cuts is a thin film of mustard, or some other tangy dressing of similar viscosity, with a layer of dry rub gently but firmly massaged into place over the dressing. The dressing, in addition to adding some flavor, acts as a kind of "glue" to hold the dry rub in place. Let 'er cook low and slow and you'll have some mighty tasty pulled pork at the end of the day.

Enjoy!

Buddy

Dry Rub is the way to go. Some pork has already infused with brine, up to 14%.Always check the food facts on the lable or befriend your local butcher. Keep on "Q"ing!!!

ok here's how we won people's choice at okeechobbee for pork.
frozen picnic not butt
dry rub
4 hours at 145 to 165 using pecan and oak mix
kick pit to 215-225 range and hold that for 12 hours remove and crutch for 1 hour.
pull,mix a little dry rub in, mix a little sauce in (AND NOT THAT SICK SWEET STUFF THE JUDGES LOVE EITHER!!!!!!! GOOD SAUCE!!!! THE KIND MAKES YER TONGUE SLAP YER CHEEKS AND WHAT MAKES YOUR TONGUE DO THAT IS YOUR AFFAIR!!)
by the way i do this every friday saturday and sunday for our business.
technique worked on a rusty trusty bullet. works the same on southern pride and cookshack sm150 and fec100 models
jack
2 greyhounds....smokin!!!!!
ps. and yes the meat is frozen hard as a rock. at the 6 to 8 hour mark the internal temp will be the same as a defrosted piece of meat. the only difference is the exterior on the frozen one will stay below 145f longer which gives you a greater smoke ring. gives killer ring on brisket too

quote:

Originally posted by prisonchef

ok here's how we won people's choice at okeechobbee for pork.
frozen picnic not butt
dry rub
4 hours at 145 to 165 using pecan and oak mix
kick pit to 215-225 range and hold that for 12 hours remove and crutch for 1 hour.
pull,mix a little dry rub in, mix a little sauce in (AND NOT THAT SICK SWEET STUFF THE JUDGES LOVE EITHER!!!!!!! GOOD SAUCE!!!! THE KIND MAKES YER TONGUE SLAP YER CHEEKS AND WHAT MAKES YOUR TONGUE DO THAT IS YOUR AFFAIR!!)
by the way i do this every friday saturday and sunday for our business.
technique worked on a rusty trusty bullet. works the same on southern pride and cookshack sm150 and fec100 models
jack
2 greyhounds....smokin!!!!!
ps. and yes the meat is frozen hard as a rock. at the 6 to 8 hour mark the internal temp will be the same as a defrosted piece of meat. the only difference is the exterior on the frozen one will stay below 145f longer which gives you a greater smoke ring. gives killer ring on brisket too

Frozen? Damn, now I've gotta try that this w/e. Guess that's why I hang around here.

laststand,
i posted those directions on the cookshack site to help some guys who were having trouble getting a smoke ring on the electric commercial models. i stumbled upon the technique due to an emegerceny order for 40 pounds of pulled pork,20 pounds of brisket and some ribs. my food purveyor only had a little fresh and a lot frozen. thank god i got 8 taylor remotes. was a long sleepless nite setting up but i noticed the thermo cross over starting at 6 hours. WIDE AWAKE AT THAT ONE. HELL CRACKED A BEER AND SETTLED IN TO WATCH AND RECORD.
thought it was just a freak thing so redid it 3 more times. all three times same results. guys at cookshack who have tried it said they got similar results.
guess it's just one more nail in the coffin of the stickburner myth. pellets and electric (oh heck even my gas southern prides) can not only duplicate the stickburner taste and look but far exceed it for less cost (work is another thing. those notes and staying up are way worth something) and is duplicatable everytime if ya got the notes
use it in good health
jack
ps. still think the whole deal is how long it takes the exterior to hit 145-160. ran the technique by my health inspector during an inspection and he has no problems with it due to smoker pit heat and the enviorment (smoke) is not conducive to bacterially growth

Prisonchef,
So is it primarily a means of achieving a better smoke ring? If so is that really important in terms of flavor? I know it's a factor in a lot of competition, and may be important for commercial reasons, but I've read a lot of guys that say it's really just a flash thing that doesn't have much to do with overall flavor.

One way or another I'm doing some brisket this w/e. Can't wait.

Where are you located. If I'm ever out that way I'd definitely stop in.

Vayo con Queso

lastand,
yep you got it but some guys have customers who demand it even tho we both know it has such a tiny affect on flavor. the ring on pork will taste hammy just like the ring on brisket will remind you of corned beef but both are only in a tiny way.
hell stop in we are at the st augustine farmers market every saturday from 8.30 to 12.30. would love to have you. you dont have to buy anything just stop in. but if you do buy something that goes into our restaurant fund. figure by the time i am 65 i can buy one cash money!!!!
jack
ps. if you are doing your 1st brisket get a full packer. they are forgiving like a picnic or butt is.flats are a whole new beast but i feel sure you could do one of those no problem
jack

I'm in MD, but have a sister and her family in Tampa, we keep threatening to get down there at some point, and St. Augustine looks like a potential break spot. I'll definitely keep it in mind. Also may be doing some chili cook offs in FL next year so anythings possible.

I've been working on brisket for a while. Never had an awful one, just haven't quite got where I want to be yet. Also limited to a fairly small offset cooker so the time is also a factor in terms of really large cut. Probably go with another flat this w/e, along with a couple corned beefs to try a little home grown pastrami. It's mostly up to Sam and whats in his meat case this week.

Thanks,
John

quote:

Originally posted by Jimeats

Now that I am somewhat retired and time on my hands I'm going to give smokeing a try. I've been a griller all my life, only use charcoal with a wood mix never used gas. My question is do you brine your Boston Butt or shoulder before doing the dry rub thing? Recently I've been brining all my pork before grilling with great success. I just don't know with the long smokeing prosess if this was nessesary. Thanks, chow Jim

Hey Jim, This is part of a post I did in May. Smokin Okie is a mod on another forum as well as a comp cook. I inject with this sauce for some added flavor, I sprinkle it on the butt while pulling. I also recommend that you add some rub while pulling.

John

Smokin Okie's Pulled Pork Baste & Serving Sauce (makes about 5 cups)

4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoon dry mustard
4 tablespoon brown sugar
3 bay leaf
6 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne (I sometimes use Hungarian Paprika)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (the secret ingredient)

Heat all of the ingredients in a nonreactive pan (the acid in the vinegar will react with some pans be careful) Bring it to a boil, reduce and simmer for 15 min. I make extra and put it in the fridge and it should last for a couple of months. But it's never around that long. When I put some pork in food saver bags, I'll put some of this sauce in there with it -- when I reheat the pork it tastes just like the first time.

Thanks folks for all the advice and recipes. Just waiting for the rain to stop to give it a try, now I know how those people in Seattle feel nowonder they drink so much coffe there, hot toddies for me, keeps the dampness out of the bones. The brine question was due to the fact that the big pork producers have made the pig so lean it's almost ready for a heart lable on the package. I do brine the chops, always come out tender and suculant. I never tryed or thought about brineing chicken, I almost always use Bell & Evans or Empire much tastyer than Perdue {imo} but I'll give that a shot also. Thanks again, Chow Jim

I have a Weber Bullet. I have had it for a year and have cooked Butts, Ribs and chicken on it. Brisket is in my near future. I cannot say enought about this little cooker. I fill her up, light her up, and she hardly needs tending to all day. Ribs are my favorite. Pulled pork comes in second. And chicken is given a new life with smoke!

I usually slather my Pork Butts with plain old yellow mustard, straight out of the squeeze bottle. Give it a real rub down, so it's nice and yellow. Then I sprinkle the rub on, all over. Wrap it in plastic wrap, and leave overnight in fridge. Smoke it low and slow. You will have a nice "bark" on it, and you will not taste the mustard. Make sure you wrap your butt in foil for at least an hour, after you take it off from heat. Let it rest....this will keep the juices in the meat, not running out on the cutting board. Gosh, I'm making myself hungry....I'd better git.