Have been trying to smoke and cook good pork for a year or so now. Question is. Most of the pork that I buy locally in Virginia Beach has with Brine of some type. Seems like when I tried to salt it ahead of time. It becomes way too salty. I’m not a fan of salt and keeping less of it our family. ...
skip it it with basic grocery store stuff??
Smithfield and Swifts brand is norm around here.
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If it is already brined, then no salt. I don't think you can make a blanket "don't salt it if it comes from the grocery store" comment though. None of the pork from my local grocery stores is brined. If you don't like it brined, find a good local butcher or Costco. Costco's meat is excellent. And read the label.
Last edited by pkadare; November 1, 2019, 05:25 PM.
With the others here, if its injected with some sort of salt solution, as much chicken and pork seems to be, skip the dry brine, and just put your rub on right before smoking. I've used commercial rubs with salt right before smoking such meat and had great success - you just don't need to dry brine and let the salt penetrate overnight on the pre-brined stuff.
Most of the meat I buy now from Sam's or Costco has no added salt, but I know a freezer full of butts I bought last year at Kroger were injected (still have one in the bottom of the freezer).
That said, the advice I seem to have seen on here for turkeys says that if it is pre-brined and is under 200mg of sodium per serving, you can still benefit from dry brining. If over 200mg per serving, skip the dry brine.
Yes, check the Nutrition Facts label. It is your sneak peek at the included salt. 200mg or less, salt as normal. 300mg skip the salt. In between, use your best judgment. YMMV, this is but a rough guide.
I skip those injected when I can. Around here Smithfield does Tyson does NOT, so I purchase Tyson. My reasoning is I know the exact amount of salt that is going into the product. Up to 12% means 0.1% up to 12%.
I rarely dry brine ribs, just maybe put the rub on a few hours before it goes in the smoker. Butts get dry brined even if I'm using a salty rub, since it's a big ol' hunk o' meat and can take it. Luckily the vast majority of commodity pork around here is not brined or injected, I think just Tyson and some Smithfield are, Farmer John, Swift Premium, and the stuff in unbranded cryovac I get from the Mexican market around the corner are not.
I'd skip any kind of dry brine on brined/injected pork, and think about not even using a salty rub on ribs.
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Bone in butt. 8lbs. Food lion. .99 per lb. minimal fat cap. Trimmed most. Good rub with Memphis dust. Gonna try complete in smoker. No crutch unless I have to. I’m gonna do math on yield and sodium, etc. . Try and update later. Gonna check yields. Good looking butts.
Butt, not seen many butts (pig I’m talking about). that don’t look good. Especially when when rubbed well before doing. Got to get up to early to start process. I’m going to get the this stuff down one day. I am one slow typing individual. Thanks people
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