Pulled pork - inject brine AND immerse in brine?
Aiming to do a pork shoulder for pulling. In the past I've made an apple juice brine and immersed the joint for up to 24hrs. I bought an injector. Would it be overkill to inject the brine AND immerse it for say 12hrs? Or should I only do one?
Best Answer
Frankly - if you're aiming for pulled pork, brining at all isn't really necessary. Brining is most beneficial for lean pieces of meat because it helps the meat retain moisture and prevents a lean cut from drying out during fast cooking.
When slow-cooking a pork shoulder, you're going to wind up with very (deliberately!) overcooked meat fibers with much of their moisture squeezed out. The apparent moisture comes mostly from rendered fat and collagen converting into gelatin, which aren't really affected by brining; they are functions of the long and slow cooking process.
If you like the flavor that the brine introduces, then you can sure keep it, but given the other processes involved, I would not expect any difference in brining method to produce a noticeable difference in your pulled pork.
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Can you brine and inject a pork shoulder?
You can inject pork with any kind of brine or marinade. Injecting your pork will infuse the meat with flavor from the inside out. It's a great way to keep your meat juicy and tender as it cooks. If you're cooking a pork roast for for pulled pork, we would recommend injecting it.Should you brine pulled pork?
Yes! A brine will keep your pork shoulder or pork butt moist. If your pork shoulder is known to dry out on the smoker, a brine can make all the difference. You will need to brine your meat for several hours before cooking.Should I brine or inject pork shoulder?
Should I brine or inject pork shoulder? Both! A brine helps a piece of meat retain moisture while also adding flavor. An injection can help tenderize meat while adding flavor.Why do you put apple cider vinegar in pulled pork?
Many pitmasters swear by cider vinegar as a marinade ingredient. In fact, in some recipes, the pork is soaked in vinegar alone for several hours before cooking. The purpose of this technique is to tenderize the meat. The vinegar will start to break down the proteins before the pork even hits the smoker.Traeger Apple Juice Brined Pulled Pork
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