Question on injecting

[damnfingers]

I know it's normal to inject before smoking/cooking but has anyone ever tried injecting during the "rest" period?  It seems to me the meat is more amenable to absorbing liquid at that time...when I inject a raw slab of Boston Butt the injection doesn't seem to do much except ooze out the injection hole when I push the needle in and inject a little bit further away.  It seems like it would take less injection liquid also...just curious but I think I may try it.

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[gregbooras]

I know it's normal to inject before smoking/cooking but has anyone ever tried injecting during the "rest" period?  It seems to me the meat is more amenable to absorbing liquid at that time...when I inject a raw slab of Boston Butt the injection doesn't seem to do much except ooze out the injection hole when I push the needle in and inject a little bit further away.  It seems like it would take less injection liquid also...just curious but I think I may try it.

I have never done this, but I have seen others use this method.

The trick when injecting is to cover the hole you just injected with a finger and then do the next injection

Greg

[SuperDave]

I know it's normal to inject before smoking/cooking but has anyone ever tried injecting during the "rest" period?  It seems to me the meat is more amenable to absorbing liquid at that time...when I inject a raw slab of Boston Butt the injection doesn't seem to do much except ooze out the injection hole when I push the needle in and inject a little bit further away.  It seems like it would take less injection liquid also...just curious but I think I may try it.

I have never done this, but I have seen others use this method.

The trick when injecting is to cover the hole you just injected with a finger and then do the next injection

Greg

Greg, does this limit the number of injection spots to the number of free fingers?  LOL!  How about plugging each hole with a sliver of garlic clove?  If one is waiting until the end of a smoke to add liquid, something like Jeff Philips' finishing sauce is worth consideration.  He has a recipe for a thin, vinegar based finish sauce to add moisture to pulled pork.  I usually pull my pork butt in a foil pan that allows the meat to be coated in its natural juices. 

[TmanEater]

How many injection points do folks typically use here on a various pieces of meat (e.g. brisket, pork butt, etc..)? I have an injector with two tips also, one with a tip that only pushes liquid through the tip and another that has holes in the sides of the needle.

[gregbooras]

How many injection points do folks typically use here on a various pieces of meat (e.g. brisket, pork butt, etc..)? I have an injector with two tips also, one with a tip that only pushes liquid through the tip and another that has holes in the sides of the needle.

Injection at 1" increments, one hole at the end of the needle.

Greg

[Limey]

+1 on Greg's comment. If you use the multi hole needle with solids at all in the marinade it will plug up in my experience.

[DivotMaker]

Gene, try brining a Boston butt and you won't have to worry about injection.  Juciest pulled pork you'll ever have, and no need to inject!

Brined Butt for Pulled Pork

[damnfingers]

Tony (DM) - I have tried brining and agree it was good BUT (😀) not as good as the injected butt I did yesterday.  I went ahead and injected it with Tony Chacere's Cajun Style Creole Butter before cooking and let it sit in the refrigerator for 18 hours in a rub I'd found in a book my wife had got me, "Slow Fire".  I had tried the rub once before and thought it was too salty so I modified it a bit and this time it was perfect.  I coated the butt in a mixture of mustard and Cattleman's "Tangy Gold" before I rubbed it.  The butt took FOREVER to cook, missed supper, but I was able to take it out just in time to let it sit for 30 minutes before I had to pull it before I went to bed. It was the juiciest butt and the best tasting pulled pork I've managed to cook yet...it was hard to stop nibbling and it tasted just as good cold when I sampled it this morning.

[Carp210]

Very interesting pork butt.  I would love to see you do a detailed write up with your modified rub recipe, cooking times and of course a lot of photos. If not this time maybe on your next butt.  I'm drooling just thinking about it.

[DivotMaker]

Good input, Gene.  I use Tony C's injections a lot, but never have on a pork butt.  I'll have to try it...still going to brine, though.

[damnfingers]

Carp...I'll do that next time...probably in a couple of weeks.

[grogorat]

Any suggestions on what brand of injector to buy?  I'm assuming stainless steel is the way to go but I'm not sure which one to buy.
I see Grill Beast(?), Bayou Classic, and some others.  Not sure if I want to spend $$$ on the grease gun type.

[SconnieQ]

Do you have a farm supply store in your area? In Wisconsin, we have Farm & Fleet. Go there and buy the biggest syringe they carry (used for injecting livestock).

[DivotMaker]

Any suggestions on what brand of injector to buy?  I'm assuming stainless steel is the way to go but I'm not sure which one to buy.
I see Grill Beast(?), Bayou Classic, and some others.  Not sure if I want to spend $$$ on the grease gun type.

I have a KitchenAid kit I got at WallyWorld.  Works great, and has 2 size needles.  I think it was about $14.

[grogorat]

I'm in suburban Houston so no on the farm supply store access without having to drive to the outskirts.  I'll probably just order it from Amazon.  The Bayou Classic is around $16, I think.