Inject with Butchers and dry brine?

[goosebr160]

I'm cooking a 12lb pre trimmed choice brisket on father's day. I'm planning to inject with Butcher BBQ Prime Brisket Injection. Should I also dry brine? Or will that make it way too salty? Also, how early should I inject and or dry brine?

[Gunderich_1]

goosebr160 I have only injected once and and it wasn't as popular as my brisket without injection so I haven't ever done it again. I follow the Franklin method since he is probably one of the best on briskets and I have to say I have been very pleased with the results. I simply use salt and pepper and garlic powder right after I trim and then put it on the smoker. I am going to follow this thread to see what others have to say. Once you make your decision please let us know how it turns out. I am very interested in learning new and better ways of cooking brisket. Thanks!

[fzxdoc]

Butcher's Prime Brisket Injection has a lot of salt in it, so if I use it, I don't dry-brine goosebr160 . Only once did I lightly dry brine and also use their Prime Brisket Injection, and the brisket was just on the edge of being too salty.

I have injected and let sit in the fridge 1 to 10 hours and don't notice a difference with the longer times. In general, though, I like to follow Butcher's instructions of injecting, waiting 4 to 6 hours, drying well, then applying the rub.

I inject in 1 inch intervals, parallel to the top and bottom surfaces of the meat, along the grain of the meat instead of the top down checkerboard pattern that Butchers BBQ uses in their video. I feel like I get better coverage that way and it's less messy, but YMMV.

Here's a goofy schematic of how I inject:



I also like putting the brisket in a 2 gallon bag and injecting through the open end of the bag to keep the overspray from hitting me and the kitchen walls.

Have fun with that brisket!

Kathryn

[Troutman]

I advise against the use of prepared products period (alliteration?). I’m not suggesting there are any product safety issues but my Dad spent 50 years in the food production business and I learned that products that "enhance" your taste buds do so largely through the use of salt and/or MSG. If you want to inject, do some research and come up with your own recipe leaving out the salt. That way salt brining becomes controllable by you and your tastes avoiding altogether what you’re concerned about.

[vandy]

I have only done one full size brisket that I injected with just beef stock then dry brined with kosher salt for about 24 hours then all I did was add black pepper as my rub and put it in the KJ. I have the Butchers injection on hand but I did not use it because I was afraid it would be too salty. I think it turned out perfect as far as the salty taste goes and I also did not use the recommended 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pound but instead used probably less than 1/8 teaspoon per pound.

[fzxdoc]

I like to use Butcher's BBQ products, especially with brisket and chuck roast to help hold the moisture in. I figure it's sort of an insurance policy.

As with all things, a light hand is a good idea. I don't use Butcher's Prime Brisket Injection any more, preferring to dry brine and then inject with a mixture of their phosphate and my own homemade (low salt) beef stock. That way I know how much salt/flavoring/additives are going into the meat

Here's what Doc Blonder says about phosphates:
Phosphates are a couple of times more powerful (at the same concentration) than salt holding moisture in, and slightly better at tenderizing meat. They can be overused, leading to mushy texture and a metallic taste. I prefer to dry rub in order to control the amount, and give them a few days to diffuse in a large brisket. Or inject, and wait a few hours. Follow the manufacturer's directions closely.

And here's what Meathead says:
Many competition cooks like to inject with a product called Fab B Light or Butcher BBQ Brisket Marinade, both moisturizers, tenderizers, and flavor enhancers...Some traditionalists think this is way too Barry Bonds and are repulsed by the idea. The results speak for themselves. They are winning. A lot.

Meathead is a brisket injector type of guy, judging from his brisket recipe, but a lot of folks, like Jerod, are proud to say they've never injected a brisket. The choice is up to us, which is just how I like it.

Kathryn