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Should You Brine Pork Butts -- SIDE by SIDE Taste Test - Overnight Smoked Pork Butts on Pellet Grill
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- Опубліковано 13 лют 2024
- Should I brine my pork butt? That’s what I had been wondering lately after seeing videos about brined smoked pork butt, so we decided to do a side-by-side comparison and taste test to see if brining pork shoulder before smoking it on the pellet grill really makes a difference. The results were a little bit surprising!
We started with a homemade apple cider brine for pork butt, and brined the pork in the fridge for about 10 hours. Then, we seasoned the two pork butts the exact same way with our homemade Texas Rub, and smoked them overnight on the Lone Star Grillz Pellet Grill at 225 degrees F.
These smoked pork butts were some of the best pulled pork that we’ve ever made… but did the pork butt brine really make a difference, and is it worth the extra effort? Watch to find out!
@lonestargrillz #pelletgrill #lonestargrillz #smokedpork #pulledpork
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That was a great deal at Costco. I picked up 6 of those and chose the lowest weight on each pack that I could find to maximize the savings on that extra $8 off per pack. If i had a 3rd freezer, i would've bought more! Pork butts are so versatile. A couple days ago I smoked 6 of those butts all at the same time, about 50lb worth. Turned half of it into carnitas, and left the other half with just the salt & pepper rub, then portioned it out and vacuum sealed it all into 2lb portions. I love pulling out a pouch, defrosting it in the pouch with sous vide, and dumping some into some bbq beans, tacos, burritos, nachos, or just about anything really. It still comes out super tender and juicy when defrosting it that way.
Very Very well said...the heating by sous vide is the key
Or use them to make homemade Italian sausage also really good
Poultry, yes, but no on a pork butt. I do add a "finishing sauce" after pulling. I also dust it with some additional rub when adding the finishing sauce (the rub used on the pork butt, not what's in the sauce). 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, 1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning, 1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper, 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes. Lightly heat the ACV and dissolve the brown sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and it's ready for use. I use a condiment squirt bottle to apply, just squirt some on as you shred. You can also put a little on as the pork is plated up. Additional dusting of rub is optional but worth trying. The finishing sauce recipe came from a BBQ forum about 20 years ago. Posted by SoFlaQuer back in the day (Giving credit where it is due). I've been using this ever since. Similar flavors to what your brine had, but no waiting and if you don't use it all, the squirt bottle will save the remainder in the fridge for a while. Great on reheated pork also!
I've never been a pellet guy. Always a diehard stick burner guy but I'm an old broke down porch hound now and can't cut/split wood any more. But watching your videos Have helped teach an old dog a new trick. I'm saving up for a pellet smoker. I brine everything, these days, in 5 gallon pickle buckets from Firehouse Subs.
Completely understand...Pellet Grills get a horrible bad wrap based on the theory that stick burners are so much better...and while the gap is there....technically has advanced tremendously...the gap has closed a lot...not saying its the same....not at all...but way better...and also the pellet companies have got better as well...100 hard woods...etc...all that being said a pellet grill can offer fantastic flavor and being very versatile as well...cheers to your new adventure
Great video doing this recipe tomorrow. your accent is nostalgic to me growing up in Alabama
Thanks so much...appreciate ya
Great cook! No difference between brine and no brine shouldn’t surprise since pork butt smoked is always full of natural flavor. Thanks for taking the time to do a side by side. I’ve visited a well known bbq joint that doesn’t even use a rub. When they serve pulled pork a shake of seasoning and or sauce is optional.
Wow....not sure if im that brave...maybe the basics of salt and pepper..but thats what make the world go around...sure they are successful doing what they do...cheers
@PelletsandPits salt pepper and garlic is all the butt needs.
Yup, Costco's double packed pork butts are definitely boneless! I really wish they sold bone-in as singles, but alas no. This video is rather timely to me because I was recently thinking exactly the same thing brining one. I'm 7 minutes into the video and I already predict the brined butt is going to be superior. But we shall see... At this moment you are placing them on the top rack ... You folks in TN get some great thunderboomers! Wow, I'm really surprised you came to the conclusion you couldn't detect a difference. GREAT VIDEO, you saved me time and money Neal and Amy!!
My Costco only has 2-pack boneless pork butts. Sam’s has bone in individual butts.
Yea great comparison, i just took 2 butts from Costco and cut them into country style ribs seasoned them with Montreal chicken seasoning and cooked it on my blackstone griddle it turned out awesome.
Outstanding comparison, Neal!! Thanks for doing this!!
Glad you liked it!
Very nice! I use dry rubs and inject apple cider the night before a cook. Everybody wants a plate to take home. Have to hide some so I can have leftovers. Pork shoulder done right is always a crowd pleaser. Thanks for the demo brother!
Here's a thought if you want to try a different experiment with a pork butt. Cure it with a ham brine for a week and make pulled ham.
yeah great idea...definitely will put on the list...cheers
They both looked awesome Neal, definitely enjoyed the comparisons as always! Well executed. Cheers brother 🍻
Glad you enjoyed it
I was thinking about brining. Thanks for doing this. Very helpful!
That was a great cook Neal! Never thought of brining a pork butt. Glad you did a comparison. The results speak for themselves. The bark was amazing on both. I attribute that to the LSG and the flavor profile of the pellets. I use Bear Mountain pellets as my go to. I’d be using some of the leftovers for some Brunswick stew! Amazing results! Cheers brother!
Greet video, I loved it.... Now I would like to see the difference in betwixt the "Wet Brine VS Dry Brine" would be very interesting to see the results.
Great idea...
They both look so delicious, and pulled so nice!
Thank you for the air fryer recommendation. Much better than my oven like you said being at 150 instead of 170. Thank YOU!
Absolutely...cheers
The timing on this one couldn't have been more perfect! I just bought a bone-in pork butt last evening, was debating doing the brine or not - I don't think I'll bother. Still gonna brine my turkeys though, like you guys - too good. Thanks for doing the test and sharing the results!
Hey absolutely great timing...we honestly could not tell...
I've done bone in and boneless many more times and I've not ever had a bad pork butt my mother's uncle owned a pig farm and ran a BBQ shack in NC back in the day and she said they never noticed a significant difference either.
Ahh...thanks bud...i was surprised....I really thought it would have hindered it...but...good for sure
Awesome-this site is always on point and always factual!
👊👊
Neil and Amy, very informative video. Thanks for doing that. Always wondering about brining a pork butt. I think the real winner on this whole deal is a Lonestar grill. I can’t wait to get mine. Thanks again. Cheers.🍻
Dry brining is the way to go. Much better results.
The brined bark is a little darker, but both look perfect
I always do a three day brine on my pork butts. I don’t use vinegar or hot sauce like you did. I use salt, brown sugar, garlic heads, peppercorns, bay leaves and quartered onions. After two days of brining, I inject the brine to ensure complete penetration. I always cook at 225.
If you don’t mind, can I have the exact amounts of each ingredient? I’d like to try this out.
I agree with your final statements… I’ve tried brining and then smoking and honestly I didn’t see that much difference. I believe the reason brining is so effective on turkey and chicken is all about the fat content. They are so much leaner than the pork butt. Great video as always.
Great idea...cheers
The very first pork butt I ever smoked, I brined 8 hrs and injected then shoved pieces of garlic and apple at the injection sites. It was do good but I used apple cider and hot sauce no vinegar.
A couple of thoughts.....One, I think the LSG is the true difference in your cook. Not sure you can get a better cook from a pellet grill. Secondly, allowing the butts to sit in their own juices and let the meat absorb it back into itself kept you from not being able to tell the difference. This was an awesome presentation....thanks for doing it. My only issue is that you are convincing me more and more that I need a LSG in my life. LOL! Thanks again!
Looks good to me. I do love though to pull the bone out just to see how tender it is sort of satisfying lol. I try to find Turkey's that have not been brined but I feel like its fairly hard unless I get one from the butcher which typically is really pricey at least in my neck of the woods.
Love the comparison. Great bone pull!! 🤣
ahahahah came out clean for sure...
Another tasty good lookin’ cook! Nicely done mate!
Thank you kindly
I only brine lean cuts such as poultry or pork loins. Larger fattier cuts are pointless. I make the pulled pork egg rolls all the time. I usually make them 2 ways. A southwestern version with black beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeños, cheese, and, southwest seasoning in the filling. I make a chipotle sauce with chipotle peppers, sour cream, a touch of mayo, and a touch of seasoning in a blender. The other version is Asian with julienne veggies. Top it with Bachans Asian sauce. I usually make a large batch and freeze them. They reheat in an Air Fryer extremely well.
Geeze that sounds fantastic..we actually saved some pulled pokr just for something similar...thanks
I live in SoCal and the butcher at the Costco I shop at says they only sell boneless pork butts. I also have an LSG pellet grill. I use Lumber Jack pellets mixed 50/50 with LSG wood chips. Awesome smoke and flavor. I highly recommend you try the LJ pellets if you can buy them locally.
What favor of pellets do you use? I just got a pellet smoker and I’m sure it’s going to be different than old drum smoker
as of now they are not locally and highly on my list to buy...along with another brand....knotty wood...i have heard good things about em...
@@dllanzy
I like to use hickory and oak pellets that I mix with the oak and hickory wood chips from LSG. The pellets themselves have pretty good smoke flavor though. I also like cherry and pecan but LJ has many more pellet flavors.
@@PelletsandPits
Try going online and ordering Knotty Wood pellets through Home Depot. I've seen them available on their site.
@@s.taylor5029 yeah I got the LJ Apple ones. I haven’t cooked with them yet
Wet brining chicken and turkey is a must, but pork doesn't seem worth the effort. And I think a dry brine on thick beef makes a huge difference (very hard to salt brine thin steaks). But I am just talking about salt here, I swear all the flavors added don't seem to be worth the effort for brines. Same with the injections I've tried. They usually just add hours to the cook time while they steam out of it. Rubs are basically the same way on anything thick.
I'm no expert, but I am a smart guy, and I will say that when I got my pellet smoker 5 years ago, and followed all the recipes online at the time, I thought almost all of them sucked (while still tasting good, lol). Basically, they were all competition smoking recipes are designed just for that, competition, one or two bites with max flavor... but if you eat the rest of it, as in a normal meal, the flavors become overwhelming. 3-2-1 ribs... waste of time, use a thermometer to know when to wrap and then remove. Granted, digital thermometers are kinda new and I am sure most of these recipes were designed before it was easy to get a temp.
BTW, I will by trying your prime rib horseradish sauce next week. It looks rather good. Thanks!
I completely agree 1500 percent with all that....cheers
Try a pork loin roast and see if it makes a difference. I'll bet it will on a leaner cut. Great video. That LSG is a dream grill.
will do...thnaks
If you're using a pellet oven, you're not even really smoking anything, you're baking, so there's really no way to mess up your meat, because you messed it up the second you threw it in your oven.
hahahaha ...oh boy here we go....got on of them in the comments...maybe watch more than one video before making assumptions...
The pork shoulder's that already have the bone removed like these, instead of tieing them up with butcher string, cut them into smaller pieces (4-5). You'll end up with way more bark (flavor) and they'll cook a lot faster.
I’m all about low and slow for pork butts and brisket. I’ve experimented for years and years with hot and fast but we like the finished product better when cooked 220-230. Putting a packer brisket on shortly🤤. Those butts look amazing!!!
going to do pastrimi soon...
@@PelletsandPits ready for that!
I would never do a wet brine on anything but poultry, as the salt is the only thing that can penetrate, but I've done pork butts with and without dry brining, and dry brining is much better. I literally just salted one to dry brine for 2 days about 20 minutes ago, it's in the fridge now. I will dry brine it a little over 48 hours with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, then season with salt free rub(s) Friday night and smoke it overnight.
Something else on the list....thanks
@@PelletsandPitsoh no! You’re gonna have to make some more pulled pork. So unfortunate. Ha ha
Dry brine overnight or up to 36 hours is the best pork butt hack ever.
I do overnight 200F for 13 hours (no spritzing), 250F to 180F internal (no spritzing), wrap and raise 300F, pull at 203-208F (probes like butter), and rest at least 6-10 hours in warmer @140F. spritzing early = bark does not set properly, and can always add water pan.
great system...
I think I might try that Hickory/Mesquite/Oak blend.... that should nave a pretty bold profile, especially on the LSG.
You know...i have tried many many combinations and so far...i hate to say...i just cant tell...i really cant....between b and b...pit boss and bear mountain...even the flavors...its just so hard to tell...what you say
@@PelletsandPits I have a unique perspective on smoke. All smoke 'tastes' the same to me. It just has different levels of 'intensity' and different aromas. It's like salt. You can tell when something has no salt. You can perceive small differences in the flavors as the salt level increases, but it still, while amplifying the surrounding flavors, tastes like salt. Pellet smokers notoriously have a bad rap for not producing ENOUGH of a smoke profile. I dont' necessarily agree with that, but I do tend to use pellets that are made from more intense smoke profile woods like Hickory. The hickory/mesquite/oak blend shown on that Bear Mountain bag caught my attention because it lists three of the boldest smoke potentials in the bbq world.
@@ManCaveMeals well said
This was a great comparison👍 I'll probably dry brine my next pork butt, since it seems easier for me to handle.😊
That seems to be a common answer which actually surprises me as well...only thing left to do....try it out
Good stuff! I buy these at Costco all the time, more often than not for sausage. This is one big shoulder cut in half, probably to aid in bone removal, although there is always a larger side. You may not have noticed but one side has considerably more fat and marbling. Not sure how this affected your comparison, prob not much, lol.
.
We will find out soon
But I bet it's way better taste 225 temp
Pork butt is also plain soft meat without brim
Ha ha ha - I smoked one today on my pellett smoker ( no brine- although I WILL try it) but the Que That was amazing !
Hey thats great....thanks bud
Love your guys work,keep it coming. But got a question,
Why didn't you put some spice rub on the inside?
Because typically the bone is in and thats not an option...trying to keep the most fair or honest way about it..i felt like I didnt want to jeopardize the interior because of the brine...that by no means its not a good idea to do if given the chance....just trying to be balanced
I dry brine, but you do you. Bone in what I love for pork but. I do not smoke boneless; I use it for sausage.
I thought you lost your mind when you said brine a butt. But that was a good comparison and well worth the watch.
hahhaah Thanks bud...cheers
The very first time I ever did a pork butt after getting my smoker was that same package from Costco. I had no idea they weren't bone in and I was a bit worried because all of the videos and recipes I'd seen were bone in. Turned out just fine in the end but I do think I prefer the bone in. Never done one side by side with a boneless. Maybe that's a good experiment for you Neil.
U don’t a video on foil boating and wrapping pork butts or briskets? To compare the meat and the barks?
I can do it...most of my videos previously have been butcher wrapped...even on my other channel The Flat Top King...i just recently started the foil boat after someone asked me to try it out...I did and liked it....
I’ve heard good things about Bear Mountain pellets
Yeah readily available at my Academy...I like em
Awesome video thank you! As a consumer getting a great price on meat is always great. I raise hogs and I can’t even feed mine for what you can buy for at a store.. something to think about…if possible try to buy local raised produce or meat when possible please support local farmers large or small
Where are you located
I’m in Nepal, (northeast pa)
Try using foil pans maybe a better option instead of foil good job
Every pork butt I have gotten from Costco has had the bone removed. I don’t recall ever seeing a bone in butt there.
Never tried brining butts, have always wonder why people do that. Wish Pit Boss had pull out grates.
Yeah...that would be a great addition...I personally wish they would have an ash clean out system...I hate breaking it all down all the time just to clean out the pot...
Same here. Some of the new ones have the ash cleanout, I know the Savannah does
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
? Answered. Thanks
chicken liver gizzard and intestines tasty for me sir also cow tripe and intestines
We love some fried liver and gizzards...sure do...cheers
looks good
TY
Excellent bark! Great bone separation! Tastes like pork! 😁Okay, I'm ribbing ya, COUNTRY STYLE!!!! 😆
I did boneless once cuz the price was right, but I like the bone-in just because it gives me that extra layer of satisfaction pulling out a clean bone! Tastes great to me either way. I haven't tried brining yet, but have done marinade injection. I have mixed feelings about it. Anyway, great video, and all that pork - down the hatch! Oops, I suppose you've heard that before!!! 🤣
ahhaahh Many many times...
Costco only sell Boneless. I go to BJ's for bone in. I think Sam's Club sells bone-in.
That was great, never brined butt, but gonna try it.
BRIIIIIIONEEE. BREYEN. Not bron.
I’m a wet brine fan. I feel like when I don’t wet brine more fat is rendered out into the foil pan I have beneath, where if I wet brine more of it is held in the meat and less fat is in my foil pan. 🤷🏻♂️
Now thats interesting...wasn't on my mind and hasn’t been brought up...Thats something I didnt notice...thanks for commenting...
Where do I find this brine recipe?
I wonder if brining makes less of a difference the longer a cut of meat is cooked? With turkey generally looking at 3 hours and change, but maybe a longer cook tempers the flavor a bit with all the rendering that is going on. Regardless, I would consume either of what you cooked greedily.
great question....
Ah yes, I see that you also purchase items without reading the entire label (boneless). I do that way too often lol 😂
hahahahaha I am horrible at that....
Now I want pulled pork ❤
I always brine my pork butts with salt, water, apple juice and molasses. I learned this from Alton Brown 15 years ago and hve never found anything I like better. There is definitely a flavor difference and the smaller the butt the more pronounced the flavor. I have found it is pretty much a waste of time to inject a pork butt that you are going to brine for 24 hours.
I myself have never brined my pork butt, but I have heard of people doing it.
Dude, you poured the water in the pot wrong! Ya gotta pour in a circle. Dang get it together. Keep it up and laugh at the haters!
ahhahah no kidding....
People say the glass is half empty and others say the glass is half full. I say the glass is refillable
How was the pellet consumption on the overnight?
about 1/3 left
Not a clever way to inject. My personal opinion is: I don't brine but I often inject. I don't think smoking pork requires over about 8-10 hours. I do like to finish it off foil wrapped with some juice.
The only season that penetrates meat on an overnight brine is salt. I always salt dry brine overnight.
The bone only matters if you are finish cooking sous vide and saving the pork stock. A 10 lb butt produces 3 cups of super gelatinous stock sous vide for 24 hours at 165 after a 3 hour pre smoke at 275 but your bark will suffer if that is a desired outcome.
Seems like you spot on...I can only say one thing...i dont agree with the top part..."only season penetrates is salt"...I understand the idea....but when you the same brine and do it on turkey or chicken... even a pork loin....you get flavor...not just salt...why would you add cider, bay leafs, onion, garlic. orange peel, dried herbs...etc...all that flavor creates a unique brine that drives flavor into the meat...they flavor is definitely notable in poultry and loins...
@@PelletsandPits It's not my opinion, food scientists have proven salt is the only thing to penetrate all of the rest stay within the outer 1/8 inch. Even using vacuum marinating .
@@jstaffordii still doesn’t explain the flavor difference in poultry.
Dry brine the wet brined
Hammered that one home big time. Both pork butts looked great but the extra time to brine didn't help that time. If the two of you don't think there was and taste difference that's good enough for me. As for all those looking to argue or start an argument you told them to do it their way because you are doing it your way. If that's not acceptable then wish them a Merry Christmas like the little girl did when she hollered in her childhood voice "May KISSMASS" and the whole church laughed and her Mom well what could she do??
Dang now I'm really hungry
What is in the spritzer at the 10:15 mark?
Apple cider vinegar
@@PelletsandPits Thank you sir!
Buys a package that says Boneless pork butt then is surprised there’s no bone.
yeah...100...called a mistake...I just assumed...
@@PelletsandPits You should do a side by side test on bone in vs boneless to see if it makes that much of a difference between cook times, flavor, and moisture retention. Love what you do, brother. Keep it up.
Good video neil like Rickey Nelson once said " you cant please everyone so you gotta please yourself " ( the song is called " garden party " ) great song . Thank YOU FRANK FROM MONTANA . YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY OPTIONS ARE LIKE A&$#@¥%¢ EVERYBODY HAS ONE....
ahhaahahha thanks bud Hey do you do any salmon fishing up your way...
@@PelletsandPits some times ice fishing when the lakes freeze up when the salmon spawn . Fish and game raise the limit to 35 fish per person. Reason being after they spawn under the ice an die in spring time when the ice melts EVERYTHING that eats meat comes to the smell ex. Skunks , raccoon , fox , coyotes mountain lions , bears etc, etc . THANK you for your response. FRANK.....
You said poured wrong 🤣🤣🤣
KISS don’t reinvent the wheel
just a test...
👍🤛🙏😎🦅🇺🇸
TY
LeBron = LeBrine
No Good???? Ahhahaha
You don't taste the difference cause your brine time was too short...I never had a issue with over brining too long....just watch your salt content. Long brines makes a huge difference in my opinion.