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I've got a ten pound butt I want to smoke next week and I was wondering if anyone knew if it would be a bad idea, for any reason, to soak the butt in some hard cider before applying the rub.
Specifically, I want to use either Woodchuck Amber or 802.

Medic218 wrote:I've got a ten pound butt I want to smoke next week and I was wondering if anyone knew if it would be a bad idea, for any reason, to soak the butt in some hard cider before applying the rub.
Specifically, I want to use either Woodchuck Amber or 802.

Did one last weekend. Didn't use any soak. Dried it, rubbed it with my rub recipe, kept overnight in reefer, smoked it 7.5 over oak, wrapped it in foil for 2 hours more in a 200 degree oven.

Mrs. Anygun and I have been eating it all week. Yummmm. Brisket this weekend.

Use whatever you like. It is, afterall, your butt.

Anygunanywhere

" kept overnight in reefer"

You use reefer as a dry marinade?

I knew it had medical uses, but never heard of it being used in cookery - wait, I forgot about the infamous Alice B. Toklas brownies...

Abraham wrote:" kept overnight in reefer"

You use reefer as a dry marinade?

I knew it had medical uses, but never heard of it being used in cookery - wait, I forgot about the infamous Alice B. Toklas brownies...

Well, he did say he was gonna 'smoke it'.

As for soaking in hard cider, why would you want to waste good hard cider?

Seriously, I use a spicy brown mustard rub with someone pecan seasoning and just let it sit in the REFRIGERATOR over night, then slow smoke over a combination of hickory and apple.

If it adds to the flavor f the meat I wouldn't consider it a waste of the cider.

Not sure about the cider, but I cooked a pork loin once that stuffed with Pineapple and then stuffed the loin in the pineapple shell.

Looked real nice, but the meat turned out to be the consistency of pate. Did not taste too good.

I assumed it was the acid in the pineapple that caused the muscle tissue to break down.

"Reefer" is naval terminology. All you ganja heads only got one thing on your mind.



Anygunanywhere

Medic218 wrote:I've got a ten pound butt I want to smoke next week and I was wondering if anyone knew if it would be a bad idea, for any reason, to soak the butt in some hard cider before applying the rub.
Specifically, I want to use either Woodchuck Amber or 802.

No, it is not a "bad idea", if that's the flavor you want to add....
I'm sure there's a purist that would find something to criticize about it, but, they don't have to eat it if they're so uppity about it.

Another option that I've had some success with is to smoke the butt to finish temp, then wrap it with foil. As you are wrapping it, spray it liberally (small "L" ) with a mixture of oil (I use light olive) and apple cider vinegar, such that the excess liquid is collected in the bottom of your foil and wrapped inside with the meat. Then put it back in the smoker (no need for more smoke at this point) for an hour. Reduce the temp if you're worried about overcooking, but, if you've done it right to this point there's nothing to worry about. Then 1 to 1.5 hours in an insulated cooler to rest. Pull (remove fat) and enjoy. Adds a nice cidery flavor to the meat.

Last Friday: ~8.5 pounds (pre-cooking), 11.5 hours, Mesquite-smoked.
Prep: Rinse, pat dry, lightly coat with spicy brown mustard.
Rub: Salt Lick Garlic Rub (I usually make my own, but, I had this in the cupboard)



Can you smell that?? Mmmmmmmmm.

ddstuder wrote:Not sure about the cider, but I cooked a pork loin once that stuffed with Pineapple and then stuffed the loin in the pineapple shell.

Looked real nice, but the meat turned out to be the consistency of pate. Did not taste too good.

I assumed it was the acid in the pineapple that caused the muscle tissue to break down.

I had a similar issue when I used kiwi as a marinade. I got the idea when my job had a "taste test Tuesday" for kiwi and handed out cards with fun facts about the fruit, one of which was that it could be used as a marinade for the most tender, best tasting meat ever. Well that's not entirely true, it was tender in that mushy potted meat type of way but it completely killed the taste in a way that no amount of spices could bring it back. I would never recommend using any acidic fruit as a marinade.

If you're marinading meat with an acidic liquid, 30 minutes maximum, then cook.

Interesting idea cooking it in the pineapple shell. For how long did you marinate before cooking?

Much like we stopped saying French Fries and started saying Freedom Fries, we need to change the name Boston Butt into something else, like say Delightful or something..., but Boston, ugh...

(I lived there once for a very small time - man they talk funny - paakh ya cahh ovah they'uh - shudder, but they do have wonderful seafood)

Abraham wrote:man they talk funny - paakh ya cahh ovah they'uh - shudder, but they do have wonderful seafood)

I smoke my butt with a dry rub that includes brown sugar, paprika, a little cayenne, garlic, salt, pepper and a few other things. Then I use a mixture of 50% apple cider vinegar and 50% dark rum to baste it using a spray bottle every 30-45 minutes. I use a mixture of oak and either mesquite or hickory. Then I use a finishing sauce which is more apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and a little red pepper flake. I squirt the finishing sauce on it as I pull it. Makes a big difference in the final flavor!

ddstuder wrote:Not sure about the cider, but I cooked a pork loin once that stuffed with Pineapple and then stuffed the loin in the pineapple shell.

Looked real nice, but the meat turned out to be the consistency of pate. Did not taste too good.

I assumed it was the acid in the pineapple that caused the muscle tissue to break down.

If you go to a La Michoachana or La Azteca & get your pre-marinaded fajita meat, it is soaked using some canned pineapple juice in a blue can & some dry powder sprinkled over it. This meat is incredibly tender once cooked, yet very much not pate like. Some of my most favorite meat to cook! All the hard work is done, add heat, bam, done. I don't eat fajitas out anymore because of it. For $25 at the meat market, I can feed 6-8 for the cost of a dinner for two . . . and it be better! ;) (yes, that's typical with any grocery situation, but . . .)

"I smoked his butt" means "I fired him" in constructioneese. (An obscure English Dialect spoken mostly by Carpenters, Electricians, and Plumbers)