I'm thinking of smoking a pork butt on the 4th. This will be a first for me for this cut of meat. I've decided to inject for the first time also.

My question is, what to inject? I've seen about everything recommended, and there are some commercial injectables also.

Do you just inject some brine concoction? Some people recommend fruit juices, like apple or orange. Why wouldn't you inject your BBQ sauce rather than add more flavors?

Does anyone inject beer, or other alcohol based fluid?

Lastly, why inject at all? Does it really add anything, or is it just more BBQ smoke & mirrors.

Injecting will add moisture .Alcohol will help tenderize as would any acid.
You started to talk about one thing then BBQ sauce ?

Pork is complimented by fruit.I would use one or more - pineapple ,lemon,orange .The acids in them would help tederize and pineapple also has enzymes that do the same. I would NOT use BBQ sauce in addition. Keep it simple ,smoke + fruit is enough.

I don't inject pork butts often - just not necessary, in my opinion. I tend to keep it pretty much "old-school" as I did here:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...dj-vu_topic4102.html

Having said that, if you want to give it a go, I highly, highly recommend naranja agria, which should be very easy to get where you live.

Here's a write-up that I did on the stuff, with pix of a rib cook that I did with it; the same ideas apply to pork butt, maybe even moreso than ribs:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...ucatn_topic2145.html

Looks great T.

I'm thinking about injecting a mix of Espiritu del Ecuador, Ole - Salsa de Aji con Maracuya, and my wife's BBQ sauce. I'm not sure what I'll end up with, but it should have a "whang" to it. I'll mop the butt with what's left before I wrap it for the final few hour cook.

Sounds pretty dang good - if I remember correctly, it would be a really nice mix of spicy and sweet, with some good tartness, too?

I say go with it, it's out of the box and should be a great Latin-American barbecue. I'm guessing it should be a very nice injection for complimenting the pork. The only caution that I'd offer is that the sugar in the fruit "might" blacken as the cook progresses if used as a mop. This can be mitigated somewhat by mopping more toward the end of the cook, making it more of a baste or glaze. Early on in the cook, you might want to simply mop with some oilve oil that has some added seasonings or spices of a complimentary, Latin theme - toward the last couple-three hours, the Salsa de Aji con Maracuya could probably be added without risk of blackening.

[edit]Whoops - I see that you did mention mopping with it toward the end - my bad![/edit]

I could be wrong about the above - it's just a guess - but I've had something similar happen once. The truth is, even if it blackens, it will still taste good and the flavours should come through - it's more of an appearance consideration than anything else.

I'm interested in seeing how this ends up ~ post results when you can, and if you get the chance for a photo or two, that'd be great, as well. The more I think about it, the more I like the concept ~

The "blackening" thing does have me worried. I may back off the mop. I may just inject and then use as a glaze at the end.

My greatest disappointment the past month or so is that I haven't been able to get that great mahogany color shown in your photos. The taste is there but the color has been too dark. I've been backing-off on the temperature and wrapping earlier. I think I'm getting there.

I expect a darkish pork butt. I want a good bark. I'll probably take a look at it every hour or so during the cook, and just time my wrap better.

My plan going in to this cook is eight hours at 250.

No shortage of Latin-Americans at this shindig. Ecuador, Argentina and Venezuela are well represented, with a little Texas and New Mexico thrown-in.

What I found interesting about the Venezuelans and Argentines is that they aren't much into "hot". They seem to like their "spicey" mild. The "sweet" angle should work for them.

Kensco that is my problem also. I did follow the directions from the youtube video's on franklins bbq. I made my best rack of ribs every last weekend. I did brisket this weekend. The brisket was my best ever but in stills needs some work. Also I picked up a grill and meat thermometer. Reads the grill temp and meat at the same time and it was a real eye opener. My bbq needs to run hotter to get the area the meat sits to 250.

Ken - some (hopefully) helpful thoughts....

quote:

I may back off the mop. I may just inject and then use as a glaze at the end.

This could help - the most effective mops I've seen have had an oil base and a lack of anything sugary, since it is the carbonisation or over-caramelisation of the sugar that causes the blackening. The enxt ribs or Pork shoulder roast that I do, I'm going to experiment with a mop consisting of olive oil, beer. some simple spices and either soy sauce (for pork) or worcestershire sauce (for beef). Mops should be relatively thin, and my experiments will reflect that.

The idea of using the salsa de aji as a glaze toward the end (the last half hour or 45 minutes is a good one - I recommend three or four thin layers, giving time between each layer to dry and "bake on," rather than a single heavy layer right at the end.

quote:

My greatest disappointment the past month or so is that I haven't been able to get that great mahogany color shown in your photos. The taste is there but the color has been too dark. I've been backing-off on the temperature and wrapping earlier. I think I'm getting there.

I don't know for sure, but it seems to me that three of the biggest things that have helped with the colour are a) the use of paprika in the rub, b) starting the cook in the "low" temperature range 220-230 while finishing in the "higher" temperature range (250-260) and c) applying the right amount of sugars (mop and/or glaze) at the right times at the right temperatures. Item "c" is the most difficult, because it's nothing I really can set down in stone or explain - it's just an instinctive thing. I think you're on the right track. With ribs, I wouldn't foil at all - with pork shoulder roast, I personally don't foil but I think your idea of foiling earlier is sound.

quote:

I expect a darkish pork butt. I want a good bark. I'll probably take a look at it every hour or so during the cook, and just time my wrap better.

If wrapping, an earlier wrap should help preserve the colour that you have and also give time at the end (after un-wrapping) to allow the bark to re-develop a bit. The mositure of wrapping will soften the bark, but when you un-wrap it and set it back in the heat for an hour or so, it will re-develop. The best barks I have gotten on butts have been from not wrapping, but the trade-off is that the bark will be darker. One way to help with this is to keep a close eye on the cooking temperatures of the pit and having the meat sitting in an area that doesn't catch the radiant heat from the source - this is true even if the temepratures themvselves are relativeley stable in the pit. In my pit, the farther away from the firebox (up to a point), the better the colour seems to be, being too close to the fire darkens it, even if the temperatures (near and far) are close to the same.

I realise that some of this might seem contradictory, but it seems to work. The one thing I know for sure is that for a better bark, the less moisture that is on the meat during the later stages of the cook, the better it should be. This is why I let my water pan go dry (or remove it) during the latter half of the cook. It is good at the beginning, to help formulate a nice smoke ring and smoke penetration - but after the emat reaches 140 degrees internal or so, the benefits tend to level off and/or decrease.

Those are some random ideas that will hopefully yield some results.

Ken - another thing to consider; it's not a problem, but something to be aware of:

I have never injected butts or picnic shoulders (pork), but I have injected a couple of briskets and chickens. In those cases, the meat seemed to cook somewhat faster and be ready sooner. This might help with the colour, since the meat won't be in the heat for as great an amount of time. It might also make foiling unnecessary (since the idea of foiling is to cook the meat with internal moisture), which should help with the bark.

Just some random concepts - the next butt or picnic shoulder that I get for pork, I'll probably try injecting and see how it affects the cook....

I'll pull the water pan halfway through the cook. I'll try 225 for the first four hours, and the last four hours at 250.

Like "Z", I bought a thermometer (wireless digital) when they went on sale at Cabela's last week. You can clip it on your belt and it reads 100' from the smoker. It has an interesting statement under "Helpful Hints". No. 3 - "If using the probe with the grill cover closed, only use medium or low heat". I call 250 degrees; LOW. Hope I don't destroy the thermometer the first time I use it.

It is interesting what "Z" found regarding temperature variations. I suspect I have the same issue. I do place my meats as far from the fire box as possible and on the lower rack.

Kensco:

That sounds like a very nice accessory if it stands up to the heat. Let us know how it works and if so, where to get one.

I use my dry rub with apple juice for injecting as well as the mop. The mop is a juice and vinegar base with stone ground mustard.
I have played around with it and still like to tweak it.
coues

Lavaca

The thermometer came from Cabela's. I never think of Cabela's when I'm looking for BBQ accessories, but they have a great selection of all things related to outdoor cooking, including rubs and ready-made injections. My wife saw the advertisement in the free newspaper they throw here. She thought it was a great price at $30. Of course I then also walk out of Cabela's with a hamburger patty press, a hamburger grill basket, and a meat injector, so I guess you could say the thermometer cost me $80.

Ken - looks like you've got a solid plan, and the thermometer is a huge help. I usually have a probe thermometer at meat level, then check the meat when I know that it is close to done, or if it should be done.

One thing to keep in mind, the probe in the meat should be in the thickest part, not touching any fat or bone. The probe keeping track of the pit temperature should be at the same level as the meat and not be touching any metal. With my thermometer (a simple Accu-Rite with one probe), I usually run the probe through a potato, which can be set next to the meat at grate level:



Sometimes I run the probe through a corner of the meat so that it is sticking out at the same level, but I like the potato better, as it can be moved around if necessary to check temperatures at otehr areas in the pit.

The pork butt turned-out great. Got off to a strange start. My iPhone alarm didn't go off, so I got rolling an hour late. The first light I turned on blew a bulb. I thought I was jinxed. I stayed with 250 from the get-go to make up a little time. Three and a half hours into the cook, the butt looked right, very dark, and the fat-cap split. I wrapped it and went another four hours at 250. Rested it another 30 minutes, after checking the meat temperature and finding it at 195. I was able to pull the bone out with two fingers of one hand. The flavor was there. Family members were well pleased, and well fed.

I think the next time I'll forego the injection, and shorten the cook by an hour, maybe start at 225 'til the wrap, and then bump it up to 250 to the finish. (I'll confirm the finish with the temperature probe.)

I meant to take photos, but got caught-up in the action and forgot.

An added bonus, the daughter and son-in-law announced they will have a little guest arriving in late February ready for the next 4th of July celebration. Their first.