OT: Boston Butt
- Thread starter ronpolk
- Start date
This is pretty much the standard by which all others are judged. Smoke to about 160 and then wrap to 195. Something that I tried and got rave reviews was I injected with the Tony Chacheries garlic butter that I use for turkey's and it was unique and everybody complimented it. I mostly just cut my BBQ sauce with Apple cider vinegar so that it is thin enough to inject and use that. It gives me the flavor I'm ultimately going for anyway.
I need to try injecting one as well. I normally rub the outside with olive oil (not much, just enough for the rub to stick) then use either a homemade rub or Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust. I also put it in a vacuum sealed bag and let it sit in the fridge overnight prior to smoking.
For those that inject with apple juice, cider vinegar, etc., what measurements do use for each?
For those that inject with apple juice, cider vinegar, etc., what measurements do use for each?
I was reading yesterday someone saying don't vacuum seal, it keeps the flavor out. Something about the vacuum creates a loss of pressure outside the meat which hurts it's ability to draw it in, also said don't vacuum smoked cheese while it ages because the smoke won't permeate as well. No idea if true. I use a similar injection, though sometimes add beer and always a little bite, chili powder, red pepper, etc.
There may be some truth to that, but I've always had luck with vacuum sealing. It seems like it jump starts the flavor absorption process by forming a tighter bond between the rub and the meat.
I know it is too late but, I do not inject. I like to baste my butts. I use a water and apple cider vinegar base for my baste and add my rub to it and bring to a boil. I cook it low and slow basting every hour or so till it gets to 165-175 then sometimes I rap it with foil and sometimes I don't. Wrapping it just speeds up the cooking process to me. When I wrap it, it seems to make the bark soft, sometimes I like that sometimes I dont. I will cook till it gets to at least 200 if I am going to pull it. I like the natural taste of the fat in the pork, I do not like to cover it with an injection. That is how I like it but as they say different strokes for different folks. Also, I use no sugar because it seems to give a burnt taste to me, I use a heavy salt and pepper blend. When you mix that wonderful bark in with the rest of the pulled meat it really incorporates the flavor throughout.
I've done this a couple times and very much like it. I just started smoking stuff about a year ago, so I'm still trying to figure out what I like best. I do agree with you that wrapping it seems to make the bark soft, which is not bad. Just a preference of mine to have it kinda cruncy.
With a big butt I'll wrap it for a while to get over the plateau, but unwrap again at the end, it hardens the bark back up. I sometimes add more rub here, and you get awesome crunchy thick bark. Too bad it's luring rain and I can't even fire upthe grill.
Careful letting it sit over night. If you have a lot of salt in your rub and injection, you will start to cure the pork and get a hammy flavor. My injection isn't overly salty so it is fine over night alone. I add the rub the next day only a couple hours prior to smoking it.