Looking to make vinegar-based pulled pork, brine or inject?

[Roundy]

I didn't realize I needed to brine the butt, looking for an opinion on maybe injecting a weakened (salt) brine solution to speed up the process. Also always looking for suggestions on a great recipe/process.

 

[Slimpicker]

Who said you needed to brine a pork butt???
I've done hundreds of lbs of pulled pork over the years, never once brined one.

Now I use a vinegar based "finishing" sauce that is the BEST way to add flavor to the pork once pulled.

 

[Roundy]

I remember seeing your recommendation for the finishing sauce and it sounded interesting,

MAKE A FINISHING SAUCE!!!! that takes care of all your juicy meat needs!!!


1 Cup Cider Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 good squirt of Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Course Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Warm the Vinegar up enough so that it dissolves the Sugar well. Then add the remaining ingredients.

Randomly squirt this over warm freshly pulled Pork, then kind of mix it up with gloved hands. This adds very little heat (despite the Red Pepper) and mellows out the stronger, gamier parts of the Shoulder. The Vinegar also helps break it down even more for some REAL juicy pork.
If you've never done Pulled Pork with a "Finishing Sauce" before, you're in for a real treat!!!!

While I'm being sacrilegious... I'm really kinda a salt, pepper, garlic seasoning guy. Are the rubs really necessary or just how it's done?

 

[Murphy's Law]

Pulled pork is one of my favorite foods to come off the Traeger and I have never brined.

I do love a good hot vinegar sauce for the finished product though!

 

[Slimpicker]

I'm really kinda a salt, pepper, garlic seasoning guy.

That's fine, you don't HAVE to rub with anything special, ribs are done with SPG all the time, what's the diff, eh?

I would think about a mustard rub first to help the SPG stick to it and make a good bark, the darker and harder the better.

 

[Roundy]

Thanks for all the input, it is welcome and duly considered.
Slimpicker - I see you list a knife sharpener in your signature, I just bought a Worksharp Mk2 power belt sharpener for about $80. Unbelievable how easy it is, to have a literally razor-sharp knife now.

 

[KraZ440]

Pork butt is very forgiving, so experiment away. The is no one right way, but there may be several popular ways. Find what you like and enjoy the journey along the way.

 

[TheGrumpyGriller]

Pulled pork is one of my favorite foods to come off the Traeger and I have never brined.

I do love a good hot vinegar sauce for the finished product though!

And depending on what you put on it (even if just SPG), you can make multiple finishing sauces and see what you like best

 

[Slimpicker]

Pork butt is very forgiving, so experiment away. The is no one right way, but there may be several popular ways. Find what you like and enjoy the journey along the way.

And depending on what you put on it (even if just SPG), you can make multiple finishing sauces and see what you like best

 

[GrillMeister]

Just smoke your pork butts as usual and make a good vinegar based finishing sauce. Here's mine.

Directions Take a 1/2 liter (16.7 oz) bottle of water. Pour the water in a glass, drink the water. Using a funnel, add the following ingredients to the bottle.

3 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoon turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
1 teaspoon ground Chipotle Pepper
1 teaspoon ground Cayenne Pepper
Top off with Heinz apple cider vinegar (use the real stuff, not flavored).

Put cap back on and shake till sugar and salt dissolve. Let stand as long as possible, at least 1/2 a day, but the longer the better. Poke a hole in the cap with a clean nail and you have a squirt bottle.

 

[Roundy]

I do think you guys are onto something with the pork butt, cook phase to get it tender and juicy. Then add flavor once it is shredded in the bowl. I kinda like the idea of one pork butt cook giving me two or three flavor profiles. I see an Asian sauce as my next endeavor. Maybe a take on the midwest horseshoe, mmmm cheese gravy.