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Stop my Meat Injector Madness!

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    Stop my Meat Injector Madness!

    Hi, I'm not talking turkey. I just bought an injector for a brisket and it came with a jar of Creole Butter liquid. I was reading a post about a pork shoulder that had dried out, that wasn't wrapped. I've also, obviously, read about adding liquids to a wrap before faux cambro and the pros and cons.

    One of my thoughts tonight was why not inject pork? I can prepare by making pork stock (usually hard to find). But wait... why not inject EVERYTHING!

    What are the inject fluids / meat pairings that are particularly good, and more so which are absolute no-no's? Are there meats and cuts that should never be injected? Will my sausage explode?

    I gotta know...


    #2
    For me injecting a pork butt usually isn’t as much about flavor as it is about brining. I usually don’t have any room in my fridge to just let a PB hang out brining for 3-5 days... So injecting becomes an efficient way for me to get salt penetrated deep into the meat. I don’t inject so much liquid and use so many flavors in the injection that it becomes any sort of dominant profile you get for the end product.

    Some folks do inject ribs, chicken pieces, etc... I just don’t think you are going to get as much out of the effort you are going to put into doing it compared to just dry brining... Unless it is some sort of crazy mad scientist flavor bomb you are trying to accomplish.

    As far as what to inject with... well... Apple Juice is always a favorite for a lot folks with pork, beef broth/stock for beef, etc... It all just depends on what you are trying to accomplish and what the meat is. My PB injection has apple juice, water, worcestershire, SALT, and sugar.

    As far as don’ts I would say vinegar as it can break the meat down and you could end up with mushy meat. I’m sure others would disagree.

    When I wrap to finish cooking i put just a little liquid in the foil as it helps to braise the meat which is ultimately the benefit of wrapping. Save those juices, strain them, and pour it back over the finished pulled pork for some magic!

    As for the dry pork butt... probably just needed to cook longer to finish breaking down the collagen and fats.

    Then again I could be wrong.
    Last edited by Nate; August 3, 2018, 04:29 AM.

    Comment


    • EdF
      EdF commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks!

    #3
    I used to inject all the time, after years I've noticed it does little(if anything) for flavor or moisture as long as it is cooked right. Anything besides salt isn't doing you any favors. You may think injecting a big spoonful of rub and apple juice is helping your flavor, but just like the outside of the meat doesn't allow penetration, neither does the inside of the meat..most of it will leak out during the cooking process or sit in a pocket until you pull it and mix it in. Nate is right, it is more of a brine than anything. I've taken first place in pork at a competition and didn't inject anything. I also took 17 out of 75 teams with an injection, I got perfect scores for taste and appearence, but the injection I made had Pineapple juice in it, and i got marked down for the meat being mushy. From my experience, if you want to inject anything, I'd do a simple salt water solution. But a lot of cuts already come packed with salt water, so keep an eye on that. After all these years, crazy rubs and injections, experiments and tests, the best pork I've ever had wasn't injected with anything, and was pounded with Coarse Salt, Coarse pepper and a tiny bit of Garlic and Sugar.

    Comment


    • EdF
      EdF commented
      Editing a comment
      I never inject, but I like hearing people's stories and experiences. You never know!

    • JGo37
      JGo37 commented
      Editing a comment
      I got the injector for brisket. Then I thought... who knows?

    • Bubbadub
      Bubbadub commented
      Editing a comment
      Yeah for sure, I've toyed with so many things over the years..thats the best part, finding things that set you apart from others. It eventually just seemed more trouble and money than it was worth. But to each his own..I'll eat it either way lol

    #4
    Pork shoulders have a ton of fat so I agree injecting would only do any good as a brine. Brisket is another story, especially the flats. The use of phosphates in particular help retain moisture and MSG (if you’re into that) does provide a flavor component.

    Ive done both and wouldn’t fall on my sword one way or the other, but I’ll stick with injecting brisket.

    Comment


    • Bubbadub
      Bubbadub commented
      Editing a comment
      For sure buddy, to each his own. What do you inject your Brisket with..if it's not a secret anyways lol

    • Troutman
      Troutman commented
      Editing a comment
      I’ve used Butchers, Kosmos Q, but lately just mix bone broth with phosphate and skip any seasoning..

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