To Brine or not to Brine..........

As a side note, I have read Brining 101, but it does not speak to Pork Shoulders, so If anyone can specifically address that, much thanks.

I'm certainly not an expert on this topic.. Russ or Tom or others will likely weigh in. However, brining can be used for flavor or for water infusion to keep meat from drying out (like bird breasts). I'd think that a butt would have enough of both to not bother with it. I've cooked a bunch of them and did nothing more than rub them and put 'er in the smoker at 225� for the prescribed time.. ("it's done when it's done)

I'm not expert either, but I have done shoulders with and without brining (mostly simple water and salt.) I don't really think that I can tell a difference on a shoulder.

Try a simple brine of pickling salt and molasses and enough water to cover. 12 hours should do it, then put on a rub without salt, and with cayenne, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, etc., brown sugar optional.

Smokin' is the resident brine expert,but I go along with the guys above.

Now in MIM competition,where you show the judge your shoulder on the grill,they inject virtually everything.

The rest of the time ,we can add flavor with mixing rub and sauce in ,as we pull the pork.

I have seen Alton Brown,that I do enjoy,brine butts on Food TV.

I sat through a class from Byron Chism,who is a top butt cook and CIA graduate,and he extolled brining.

He cooked butts,brined and unbrined,for us to sample.

I don't know if he still does them brined,or not.

I don't know if I will ever bother.

Like they said above,try one of each and let your friends taste test for you.

Not that I'm the expert on Brining, but I did stay at Holiday Inn last night.

The problems with butts and shoulders is mass. There is SO much mass that it's hard for a brine to take hold. A simple brine and put the butt in, really doesn't do much. In a few hours (like for a contest) the brine doesn't have time to do anything.

That being said, if you inject the brine, it has a better chance of penetrating throughout. Then all you're really doing is pumping it up as brines are supposed to replace the water inside the meat. Injecting doesn't give the internal water a place to go.

An injected brine will work and add flavor and tenderize the meat somewhat, that's why all the companies are injecting brines (salt/water solutions).

I'd say inject the brine, add double the amount of flavor and see what happens. Double you ask? Trust me, normal brines don't work on a butt/shoulder, but if you double the flavor, it has more a chance of coming through.

I'll let you decide about the flavors, that's the fun part.

Your Resident Brining Guy.

Russ

Thanks to all for the replies. I did find Alton Brown's recipe, and I have used a few of them before.They all turned out well, so I think I will give it a try. Since I have the time to do it, I will also give the injection method Smokie mentions above a "shot". Again, I appreciate the advice from all, and especially to Tom, who made me go look up the definition to "extolled" !!!! lol