Brined Pork Butt for Pulled Pork

[NDKoze]

Awesome! It is hard to mess things up with Tony's brine/butt recipe. The cool thing is that you can use the brine as the base and then get creative with the binder and the rub to change things up a bit.

[DivotMaker]

By the way Tony, it was reading this post that prompted me to try pork shoulder in the first place. Even though I switched out the salt with Tender Quick, you got me started on this path, so thank you. The results have been so good I am doing buts #8 and #9 this weekend, with everyone clamoring for more!

So glad it's working out for you!    You're very welcome!

[Smokster]

Almost 4700 views of this post is a true testiment of the popularity of Tony's great brine recipe. The results are fabulous.

[DivotMaker]

Almost 4700 views of this post is a true testiment of the popularity of Tony's great brine recipe. The results are fabulous.

Wow - I really hadn't even noticed that!  I never thought, growing up, that my "15 minutes of fame" would be a pork butt brine! Hahahaha!!

[TmanEater]

Well, I've created two batches of brine from DM's recipe for a couple of 7.5 lb pork butt's. I slightly modified the recipes by using Morton Tender Quick (1 cup) in place of the instacure and salt. I also threw in a little Thyme and Rosemary just for the fun of it. The brine batch's will chill overnight in my garage since it's like 20 degrees outside here now. Figure I'll start the pork butt brine swim tomorrow morning and let it go for about 10-12 hours (this seem about right to you experts out there?). Then, I was going to pull them from the swim and pat dry, rest in fridge for an hour or two, apply mustard and rub, wrap in saran for at least 4 hours and toss in the smoker very early friday morning (i.e. 1-2am) for a dinner on friday night. Does 10-12 hours cook time at 225 sound about right for a couple of these 7.5 lb butt's in the smoker together? I also only have one meat probe now so I'll have to use one as the gauge for the cook.

[DivotMaker]

Tony, I can't attest to the substitution of Tender Quick, but I think others have done it.  Your plan sounds solid, except I would recommend a good rinse when they come out of the pool - you want to get that excess salt off the surface.  Also, no real need for any kind of "rest" out of the brine.  Rinse, dry, rub, and into the smoker!  Easy peasy!

[TmanEater]

I have about 15 pounds of boston butt probably around 7.5 each one. What do you recommend for the cook time. I'm planning to invite company over friday night around 6pm. I would like to time it so it's just starting the resting process around 2-4pm. Recommended pull temp for rest is 190? 200?

[NDKoze]

I always start my butt smokes around 12:00am-1:00am and it works out really well. I think if you start smoking around midnight and pull at 195 you'll be good.

If for some reason they get done early, you can drop the smoker temp down to 140 when the meat internal temperature hits 190-193 and let it rest in the smoker until 4:00. Since the smoker is insulated so well, it will retail its internal temperature for quite a while (even in the cold Midwest temps), and the carry over will take it pretty close to 195. At 4:00, double-wrap in foil, and let rest in the smoker for 1-2 hours with some towels on top. Then pull at 5:30-6:00 to pull the meat.

Or you can pull the butts from the smoker at 195, double-foil wrap, and let rest in the cooler for up to four hours and then pull.

[TmanEater]

Dual Pork Butt's now in the SI2 at 12:20am. Temp set @225. Outside temp is a COLD 0 degrees and falling. Looking forward to some nice pulled pork sandwiches tomorrow night.

[DivotMaker]

Any updates, 18 hours in, Tony?

[TmanEater]

Why yes I have an update!


15 lbs of Boston Butt (2 - 7.5lb butts) were brined for ~16 hours, rinsed off, pat dry, coated with Famous Dave's rib rub, and started in the smoker at 12:20am with IT 42º @ 0º outside temp. At 7:40am they were IT 163º @ -8º outside temp. Outside temps continue to chill during today to around -10º or -15º (according to my vehicle temp sensor). I had to leave work a few times to come check on the smoke (good excuse even if it wasn't that necessary). Sure wish I was done with my HeaterMeter project so I could just sit and work drooling while watching the cooking charts.... Anyway, I pulled the butt's at 5:15pm when they reached 193º IT. So, it was about a 15 hour smoking process. And with that perfect pull time of 5:15pm they were double wrapped for a 1 hour rest. Friends arrived around 6:00pm and we were devouring pulled pork around 6:30 to 6:40. Friend told me it was so good that he ate enough to put himself into a food coma! I have to agree that it was so good I couldn't stop myself from pigging out!

Best part is that I have plenty of leftovers this time. Even after giving some away to friend's! Attached are my lovely pictures...


Gregg, Thanks for the spot on recommendations for when to start the smoke. It worked out PERFECT!

[NDKoze]

Well, it sounds and looks like it came out perfect. The pics looks awesome.

Nice job!

[Barrel99]

Great job! That meat looks very moist as well. I haven't tried brining the butt yet, but it will be the next time I smoke one.

[NDKoze]

Great job! That meat looks very moist as well. I haven't tried brining the butt yet, but it will be the next time I smoke a one.

Once you brine Arnie, you won't go back.

[DivotMaker]

Sorry for the late reply, Tony!  I was a little "off the grid" yesterday!  Those butts look FANTASTIC!  You just can't get them to look that beautiful without the brine with curing salt!  Presentation is a big part of how people respond to food, and seeing that pink (although fake) smoke ring just screams "BBQ!" in people's minds!  Really nice job!