Pork Shoulder- Injection or Not?

[Jon Solberg]

Question are you doing a whole shoulder or a butt??

Shoulder I’m going to juice. Butt I’m not.

[MattTheGR8]

I like the boost in flavor and juiciness I get from an injection, but good pork doesn't need much. Similar to HorseDoctor I don't like the the flavor of the commercial injection products, at least when used full strength. Instead, I mix about 1/3 of the recommended amount with apple juice as my injection.

Also, I second RonB's note of caution about your cooking time. You may very well find that 8-9 hours isn't enough and you'll have some very hungry friends and relatives eating a late dinner. Better to start it earlier than you think necessary and let it get some extra rest than to have it done late.

[jerrybell]

I don't inject butts or briskets. Dry brine overnight then dry rub right before it goes on the smoker.

[Nate]

I usually inject and use chris’s Recipe or a variation of it. I use white sugar.

[EZCUSE]

The plan is to just do the butt (8-9 lbs), Yoder YS 480 pellet smoker, Cherry/Pecan pellets, running the temp of smoker at 225 degrees, wrap in foil when internal temp of butt is 160 and smoke until 195. The plan is for it to take an hour per pound.

[DWCowles]

Good plan but I like to wrap after the bark is at my liking which is usually around 175/180

[Nate]

I have doubts about it taking an hour per pound cooking at 225.

[Steppy]

I never inject and the pork always comes out moist and tender

[Karon Adams]

I'm not a fan of injecting. a good slow smoke and a good bark makes the meat as moist and delish as you need. injecting creates pockets of stuff but it really can't infuse the whole thing. that's why competition folks inject at multiple points.

Me? I LOVE my meat straight off the smoke with the natural juices as they come flavored with the rub. And while I love my sauce, I never use sauce straight off the smoke. I don't need it.

[Thom Emery]

Sure injecting can make those white meat muscles much more tasty
Chris Lillys injection is a great place to start
Google injection videos there is a trick in how you do it
Enjoy !

[EdF]

I never inject - too lazy, and dryness tends not to be an issue. But I have been known to add a little of this into the mix when it's pulled.

https://importfood.com/media/zoo/images/samp1001-0613-1m_18fd712ff1fd03ce3275bbf0491d21f5.jpg

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I don't inject pork butts, never found the need. I have been considering it, though, and am doing my first butt this weekend in probably 6 months. I was considering injecting it, but I just don't know.

I think if I do, it's just going to be a simple injection of a little veg oil, some salt and some Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning. More importantly, I'm thinking of cutting my butt into 2 or 4 sections to speed the cook and have additional bark.

I dunno, my plans usually change by the hour. lol

[MeatMonster]

No inject for me, although a water pan in my GMG for larger cuts of meat is a must! Did a really big full pork shoulder the other day (alongside a brisket), dry brined 24hrs, rubbed at t-minus 4hrs and it was fantastic, see the pic, that was a big 6kg full packer brisket on JB GMG to give you a sense of the size of the pork cut.

Perhaps one exception, wher e you are injecting to enhance flavour? If that's a thing?

20180316_171156.jpg

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Just curious - why the need for the water pan. I mean, I know it's a debated topic, but I've never used one, and from a scientific standpoint, I can't really wrap my head around the benefit. What differences have you noted with or without?

[MeatMonster]

Primarily Its about better bark, it's a pellet smoker so I think I get better smoke adhesion with a pan in. Call me superstitious too, but for a 12-14hr cook it makes me feel better knowing I am doing everything to max moisture and tenderness, even if the science is wrong! LOL.

[Argoboy]

There is post in this forum called turbo pulled pork where the pork was injected with apple juice and cooked at 325F and I have done this twice with good results. That is now my preferred method due the good results and time savings.

[Spinaker]

I don't inject. Makes to much of a mess and I don't really notice any difference. Even when I use Butcher BBQ"s Pork Injection.

[Hardage]

I do inject. I use apple juice with a bit of imitation butter flavor and a 1/2 tsp of Accent. I smoke on a Yoder 640 with the butt in a pan using pecan pellets and a smoke box with pecan pellets. I spray at the four hour mark with a mix of 1/3 white wine vinegar, 2/3 apple juice, and imitation butter about every 45 minutes. Use a water pan for sure as well! I do wrap at around 170 with a slather of brown sugar, rub, honey, and apple juice to make a consistency of syrup. Take it to around 190 then unwrap and let it go to around 200 then pull it, cover it, and leave it alone for about and hour sitting covered in a cooler or your oven with it off of course. Then gather the crowd for the pull! I use a good bun like the Pretzilla pretzel buns and top with a bit of Carolina style vinegar sauce I make then add a few dill slices. Makes all the difference in a so so sandwich and a great one. It's the small things that add up!

[vandy]

I usually do inject. I have used anything from just apple juice to a mixture of apple juice, rub and white wine vinegar. I have also used Butcher BBQ Open Pit injection which amps up the flavor with just a little heat as far as the flavor is concerned. The meat is more moist when I do inject and to me keeps it from drying out too much if the meat stalls for a long time. It has been a long time since I cooked one without injection so I think I will do the next one without just to see though since it is hard to remember what it was like without.