I was inspired by, "Wonderful pulled pork", posted by okie smokie, Aug 19/'18, in the Traeger section, so I tried a version of it... No molasses, instead I used DARK brown sugar* (highest molasses content)..Here is how it went:

 Meat - 8+LB shoulder, bone in thin fat cap.

 BRINE - Of all the shoulders I have done, none were brined. They have been good to very good, IMO... The brine ratio is 1/2LB each, sugar* and salt to 1 Gal. water, well dissolved. I used pickling salt.  I was able to cover the shoulder using 5 cups of brine..Soaked 12 HRS, removed and patted dry then added the rub ~ 1HR prior to going onto the pit.

 RUB - Memphis Dust. Recipe online.

 Meat Placement on the Pit -  On a rack, fat cap down, in a pan. No liquids added.

 Cook Temp - Set 275º.  The grate temp averaged just under 260º.

 Cook Time - Exactly 14 HRS

 Done Temp - 198º. Probed like soft butter - everywhere.

 Wrapped in double foil and into a cooler (NO ICE) for 1 1/2HRS.

 Pulled and sauced using a home brew bourbon sauce.

 How was it? My best to date. Moist beyond belief, and had a slightly distinctive positive new taste that is new to me. Not salty at in any way... I always sample during the pulling operation prior to saucing, so my evaluations are comparable.

 This is a sample of one, and may not hold true for future cooks. I believe brining was the difference and plan on going this route in the future. The cost and effort is minimal..

 Thanks okie!

 

Thanks for posting! Will have to give this a try!

SurfAndTurf

I can make this even easier for you. 

Skip the brine.  Apply kosher salt at the rate of 2.5g/lb.  Wrap in plastic wrap, set in fridge for 24 hrs.  Take out next day (no need to rinse), apply what your favorite "sticking" agent is (I use Worcestershire)  apply rub and cook.  I get great results, it's not salty AND you don't have to manage all that brine. 

I can make this even easier for you. 

Skip the brine.  Apply kosher salt at the rate of 2.5g/lb.  Wrap in plastic wrap, set in fridge for 24 hrs.  Take out next day (no need to rinse), apply what your favorite "sticking" agent is (I use Worcestershire)  apply rub and cook.  I get great results, it's not salty AND you don't have to manage all that brine. 

I like this idea, dry brine a butt! Do you use a rub with no additional salt?

Good to hear John. Thanks for the feedback.

I can make this even easier for you. 

Skip the brine.  Apply kosher salt at the rate of 2.5g/lb.  Wrap in plastic wrap, set in fridge for 24 hrs.  Take out next day (no need to rinse), apply what your favorite "sticking" agent is (I use Worcestershire)  apply rub and cook.  I get great results, it's not salty AND you don't have to manage all that brine. 

I like this idea, dry brine a butt! Do you use a rub with no additional salt?

Yup, that is correct.  The Memphis Dust he references is a salt-free rub, which is made for this process.  I use it all the time, works great!

CJ - would you please clarify on the dark brown sugar.  Where did you use it?  The brine, or added to the rub?  No "binder" for the rub?  Just making sure I understand how this cook went given your very positive evaluation of how the cook went.

Thxs,

The dark brown sugar was used in the brine. No binder.

I can make this even easier for you. 

Skip the brine.  Apply kosher salt at the rate of 2.5g/lb.  Wrap in plastic wrap, set in fridge for 24 hrs.  Take out next day (no need to rinse), apply what your favorite "sticking" agent is (I use Worcestershire)  apply rub and cook.  I get great results, it's not salty AND you don't have to manage all that brine. 

I like this idea, dry brine a butt! Do you use a rub with no additional salt?

Yup, that is correct.  The Memphis Dust he references is a salt-free rub, which is made for this process.  I use it all the time, works great!

can you share the recipe as the one i saw online has salt in it

The Memphis Rub I used follows;

 3/4 C Firmly packed brown sugar.
 3/4C White sugar.
 1/2C Paprika.
 1/4C Kosher salt.
 1/4C Garlic powder. I use Granulated.
 2T Ground black pepper.
 2T Ginger powder.
 2T Onion powder.
 1t Rosemary powder. I used almost 2.

This works very well on pork and poultry- low indirect heat. If used over an open flame, not so good. It burns (sugar).

T= table spoon. t= tea spoon.

That is the one I saw online

I can make this even easier for you. 

Skip the brine.  Apply kosher salt at the rate of 2.5g/lb.  Wrap in plastic wrap, set in fridge for 24 hrs.  Take out next day (no need to rinse), apply what your favorite "sticking" agent is (I use Worcestershire)  apply rub and cook.  I get great results, it's not salty AND you don't have to manage all that brine. 

I like this idea, dry brine a butt! Do you use a rub with no additional salt?

I dry brine my pork butts all the time. No danger of doubling up on salt for us because I use our own rub which is equal parts refined and brown sugar with a small bit of chili powder. If there's sodium in that, it's such a small quantity I'm not concerned about it.

This is what I use:

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup American paprika
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ground ginger powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons rosemary powder

You can find it here: https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/spice-rubs-and-pastes/meatheads-memphis-dust-rub-recipe

While thinning out the freezer, I came across two rather large pork butts that I vacuum packed last winter. Having read this post, I think I'll try this method for my first cook since June. My only variations will be to use a mustard/Worcestershire binder for the rub and wrap with foil in a pan at 160° IT. I made the Memphis dust per the recipe above but next time I'll use granulated brown sugar, the normal stuff is too moist and does not mix or spread well.

While thinning out the freezer, I came across two rather large pork butts that I vacuum packed last winter. Having read this post, I think I'll try this method for my first cook since June. My only variations will be to use a mustard/Worcestershire binder for the rub and wrap with foil in a pan at 160° IT. I made the Memphis dust per the recipe above but next time I'll use granulated brown sugar, the normal stuff is too moist and does not mix or spread well.

The wrap is the best change I've made to my butt smokes.  The stall is due to the heat energy from the burning pellets being used up to vaporize water.  Wrap the butt, air tight, in foil and you reduce—if not totally eliminate—the stall.

Hey CJ....thanks for starting this thread.  I have not brined a shoulder/butt before smoking, so getting the ideas on both the wet and dry brine from others has been great learning.

One other step that did intrigue me:

Pulled and sauced using a home brew bourbon sauce.

Family secret, or another recipe you can share? Thanks!