Brined Pork Butt for Pulled Pork

[Perkolater]

Welcome John!
I would never attempt to speak for Tony but as today is Friday you need to get that butt brining

No dumb questions here and I'm sure you'll get it right but you can skip the Instacure without  supplementing added salt.  The recipe amount is "one size fits (almost) all" so your 6 lb butt will be happy.  I think the main goal is you have enough volume to keep whatever size cut of meat you have, completely submerged in the brine.  Time wise, you could probably get away with brining for a little less time but IMO it won't adversely impact the butt to leave it in there the full time.  I normally do mine overnight or longer and sometimes thats 10 hours sometimes 14.  Rinsing afterwards removes the excess salt.  One thing many people find on smaller cuts of meat is that the smoking time may actually take longer so use a good thermometer and allow a little extra time if possible.  If it finishes early, then follow Tony's guidelines on wrapping and holding in a cooler packed in towels.

Good luck and let us know how it comes out!

 

[volscrazy65]

Welcome John!
I would never attempt to speak for Tony but as today is Friday you need to get that butt brining

No dumb questions here and I'm sure you'll get it right but you can skip the Instacure without  supplementing added salt.  The recipe amount is "one size fits (almost) all" so your 6 lb butt will be happy.  I think the main goal is you have enough volume to keep whatever size cut of meat you have, completely submerged in the brine.  Time wise, you could probably get away with brining for a little less time but IMO it won't adversely impact the butt to leave it in there the full time.  I normally do mine overnight or longer and sometimes thats 10 hours sometimes 14.  Rinsing afterwards removes the excess salt.  One thing many people find on smaller cuts of meat is that the smoking time may actually take longer so use a good thermometer and allow a little extra time if possible.  If it finishes early, then follow Tony's guidelines on wrapping and holding in a cooler packed in towels.

Good luck and let us know how it comes out!

Thanks Nimrod.  I've read that here on the forum several time about smaller cuts may take longer.  I don't understand that at all.

 

[azbohunter]

So I decided to try a brined BB and I put it in the brine bag and fridge about 3PM, if I decide to try to put into the smoker before I got to bed, what is the minumum time that will be adaquate for the 8#er. I know that is a subjective question but if I say 10 hours will that be enough time for the brine to work its magic?

 

[jpowell]

I do 13hrs usually for butts

 

[azbohunter]

I do 13hrs usually for butts

that would be 4AM.........guess I'll go to bed and get up at 5AM and in SI 3 by 6 then hope that it is a 12-14 hour smoke and not 16  Next time plan ahead a little better (note to myself)

 

[jpowell]

10hrs should be fine too if in a hurry

 

[SuperDave]

Rule of thumb that I’ve always heard is an hour per pound in the brine. That being said, I’m usually in the 12 hour range myself.

 

[SconnieQ]

If time is limited, cut the brine time short, and give the time to the smoke/rest. A well-brined undercooked or under-rested butt is not what you want. Remember, it is perfectly fine to smoke a butt without brining. There's lots of fat in there to keep it moist. If you are starting your smoke at 6 am, you might be eating pretty late, or might not have much time for a rest. A couple hours or more wrapped in foil, a towel, and into a cooler to rest does wonders. You can rest for 5-6 hours no problem.

 

[azbohunter]

Thanks for all the input, I have decided to just get up early and get it in the smoker asap. Not actually planning it for dinner tommorrow but leaving for a 3 day camp/fishing trip and it will be meals while camping. That probably leaves me room I hope by getting it in no later than 6.

 

[SconnieQ]

Thanks for all the input, I have decided to just get up early and get it in the smoker asap. Not actually planning it for dinner tommorrow but leaving for a 3 day camp/fishing trip and it will be meals while camping. That probably leaves me room I hope by getting it in no later than 6.

Oh yeah, you're fine then.

 

[azbohunter]

Got the BB in SI 3 at 5:45AM after rinsing well and adding liberal coating of yellow mustard and Jeff's Rub. Made foil boats for the chunks, 3 oz of cherry and 3 oz of hickory, added apple juice to the foil water pan and turned the Auber on and walked away!
At 9:20 things seem to be going smooth, only thing I have noticed is the difference in temp in the unit itself. The Auber is set at 225 and holding as expected, the probe located near top, center, rear. Also have a Maverick 732 hanging in the interior near front left corner below the shelf the BB is on. Innitially there was about 30 degrees difference in temp with the probe below meat and closer to heating element being the hotter of the two. That difference is now about 25 degrees and the IT of BB is 153 on one and 149 on the other after nearly 4 hours. I would expect as meat comes closer to set temp of 198 the differences in temp in the SI 3 will even out. 

 

[SuperDave]

Looks good Dick.  Is it getting close or resting already? 

 

[azbohunter]

183....I'm resting. Hopefully yet tonight

 

[old sarge]

Enjoy the rest while the meat climbs out of the stall!

 

[azbohunter]

Perfect timing, pulled it out at half time of the Sun Devils-Wildcats BB game. Double wrapped in heavy duty foil and and a blanket and into the cooler until after the game. I will try to remember to take a picture of the finished product before and after pulling. I will say this, I was afraid it was going to fall apart trying to get it on the foil. Expectations are high..Go Devils

 

[old sarge]

Tell me you pinched a piece of the bark before putting it to bed.

 

[azbohunter]

Nope...no cheating but now that it has rested for an hour or so I pulled it, put some finishing sause on it and put it in the fridge. Gonna make great sandwiches while I'm camping/fishing the next three days. I do have to say my wife and I both had a few samplers, she said it was as good as any that I had made before, it is good, very moist, very tender and plenty of bark. Some parts were quite firm and there were spots that were almost too soft I thought, but I would guess that was the meat. I bet there won't be any left over when we get home
Thanks for the help along the way!

 

[old sarge]

Congrats on a good smoke. Looks real tasty. I’ve never done a brisket or a butt that was 100% intact when it got wrapped. Somehow a small piece always managed to ‘fall off’. Right tasty stuff.

 

[SuperDave]

What did your total cook time end up being?

 

[DivotMaker]

Awesome job, Azbo!  I just never get tired of brined butt success stories!