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[Bentley]

I was asked to put this up.  It maybe a little more then Basic, but I think some of the steps you can just not use and it will be pretty Basic.  I am going to do it over the next couple of days!

I have never been one to scrutinize Pork Shoulder.  I have used the famous Kurobuta (Berkshire Breed) at a Ridicules $6/lb., to Swift, IPB and Smithfield brands at .99 cents/lb and I can discern no difference.  If you can tell a difference, use your preference.

Boneless or Bone in?  Again, for me, no difference.  It is all a factor of what is cheapest or on sale for me.  This is a bone in.

[Bentley]

There is not a lot of prep for me.  The person who asked me to do this thread has given me a few points to touch on and I appreciate that as, I am never quite sure what to include.  There was a 1/2 inch thick, 8x8 patch of fat I trimmed off the underside of this.  Also, I was asked to address what we think maybe the lymph node, some times mistakenly referred to as the butt gland!  As you can see by the pictures, the butcher got all but about 1/2 inch of it!  Checked underneath where it was and it looked good!

[Bentley]

Here is where I will venture off the "Basic" plan.  When I 1st started competing in 2003, I used to brine my pork.  For the 1st time in 14 years, I am going back to that. 

I will usually use a 6% brine.  That is 1 gallon of water and 1 cup salt and 1 cup sugar.  Usually I will not brine anything longer then 12 hours with a 6%.  I wanted to brine this butt for 48 hours, so I am doing a 3%.  And I am doing a little bit of a twist.  Then next few steps you can either skip all together or use all or parts of it.

I have 1 gallon of water, 1/4 cup table salt, 1/4 cup Koshar salt, 1/2 cup Gatorade, 2 Tbs. Sodium Phosphate.  The Phosphate is for flavor transmutation and moisture retention.

[Bentley]

We will brine this butt for 48 hours, then since the sodium phosphste is already in the brine, we will inject the butt with about 10% of the brine, doing it right in the brine vessel so that there is no mess. 

Will be back here in about 2 days and we will continue.  I take direction real well, so if you have suggestion, please make them!

[Ross77]

I noticed on the label that it already has a 12% solution of pork broth and salt. Will brining make it too salty?

[pmillen]

We will brine this butt for 48 hours, then since the sodium phosphste is already in the brine, we will inject the butt with about 10% of the brine, doing it right in the brine vessel so that there is no mess. 

Are you injecting brine that the butt has been soaking in?

[Bentley]

Yes!

I was just thinking about this.  As soon as Kristin get out of the kitchen I am going to and then put it on the Memphis for an overnight cook.  It is to be 16° tonight, so I will have a new record for the next time that question is asked!

And It never dawned on me that the Sodium Phosphate would be in a brine solution, I was fully cognizant that I would be injection Gatorade ( I like that citric acid component in pork) but had forgotten about the brine part.  As I said, I hope that folks will be able to take from this... How To...what they feel they can use.  I know it is not a traditional Basic, X, Y and Z format...but I am to lazy to start again!

[Bentley]

There is no such animal for me, and this is going to go to family...so!  And I maybe wrong on this, but I think the science of it says it will still reach an equilibrium even if it has been enhanced!

I noticed on the label that it already has a 12% solution of pork broth and salt. Will brining make it too salty?

[Bentley]

I may not be the one to do these from here on out...Hey cured pulled pork!  Right, back to the lesson.  48 hours and after being injected with the brine/sodium phosphate/Gatorade solution and it looks like this.

[Bentley]

We do not BBQ much in this household, therefore w do not have BBQ rubs!  So I took 1 cup of Dark Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup of Kosher salt, a Tbs of Black Pepper, 1/4 cup of Gatorade powder and 1 tsp. of each of these seasonings.  Ended up with about 1 1/2 cups of rub.  A coat, about 1/2 cups worth of molasses and then all the rub.

[Bentley]

I was going to wrap and put on about 10pm...But I figured what the heck.  Most folks think low n slow is anything from 12-20 hours.  I figured we would smoke this at 200° for 6 hours, then BBQ this at 250° for 12 hours...and in the morning, probably pan and foil for a couple of hours to mellow that bark.  Will make that call in the morning!

[Bentley]

After 6 hours at 200° on a blended pellet.  Just turned up to 250°.  We will see how it looks in the morning!

[cookingjnj]

Looking pretty good Bentley.  Thanks for the play by play.  Looking forward to seeing how it looks in the morning.  Gnight!

[Bentley]

Here is a good lesson for the beginner.  I turned this up at 10pm, then 2nd guessed myself at Midnight before I went to bed and turned it down to 225°.  I knew I was gonna sleep in and ask Kristin to check it in the morning.  At 8:30 I think she said it was around 170°, when I just checked it at a little after 10 it was 175°.  So was my pit running true in this 16° weather?  I don't know cuz I did not moniter it or the IT of the meat?  Lesson, don't 2nd guess your cooking plan!

Nothing hurt, it is in pan, foil and Gatorade.  Did turn it to 275°, will see where we are in 90 minutes!

[Bar-B-Lew]

Based on my experience with my Memphis, I suspect your pit was running pretty close to set temp because you did not have the lid open frequently.  I rarely monitor the pit temp on my Memphis because of its reliability when set at a temp and lid not being opened.