Pork shoulder in the brine/how long?

[Whisky Fish]

In answer to your brine/smoke absorbtion question. I do know that all the fish smokers claim that forming a pelicle(lettiing the exterior dry)( making a sticky, tacky, glossy surface after brining) makes for better smoke absorbtion. I'm thinkin this may support your experience.Waiting till evening to smoke should do the trick. I think your plan is a good one.

[williamzanTzinger]

Well considering the feed back, i decided to experiment when the food is just for me. these shoulders need to be perfect so instead i just rubbed them tonight and theyll have almost 2 full days to marinate then Ill apply a bit more rub and just smoke them at 210 for what ever zillion hours it takes to allow for maximum smoke.
wrapped and put away now.All the cracks are jammed full of rub, hunky again
and rich im finally out.


The cheap injector i had blew a gasket in minimal time and have neveer replaced it

[Richtee]

All the cracks are jammed full of rub, hunky again and rich im finally out.

Don't worry... I have more :{)

Man..that's alot-o-meat! Pretty big party/doing eh?

[cmcleod4]

No disrespect to the others on this forum but most of the responses I've read have been incorrect. I recently watched a series on the brining process on youtube that fully explains the process and the science behind brining. Despite what most people think, brining does not occur through osmosis. It occurs through a process known as simple diffusion. Osmosis is the movement of water from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration through a semi-permeable membrane. That is not what occurs during brining. Please watch this 4 part series for yourself and anyone else that wants to know the science and process behind brining. Here is the link for part 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heGtIrRihMw

[cmcleod4]

Actually brining doesn't occur by osmosis, it occurs by diffusion. When salt is dissolved into water it breaks into a positively charged sodium ion and a negatively charged chloride ion. Sodium ions are predominantly what affects flavor by seasoning the meat while the negatively charged chloride ions are what allow brined proteins to uptake more moisture. The sodium and chloride ions will diffuse throughout the meat much like heat does through cooking. Just like heat will flow from hot areas to cold areas, sodium and chloride ions will flow from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration. Negatively charged chloride ions will diffuse into the muscle fibers. The chloride ions will then repel one another causing the fibers to move further away from each other and allowing the muscles to take on more water. This is why a meat can absorb more water in a salt solution than just soaking it in plain water.

[Richtee]

No disrespect to the others on this forum but most of the responses I've read have been incorrect. I recently watched a series on the brining process on youtube that fully explains the process and the science behind brining. Despite what most people think, brining does not occur through osmosis. It occurs through a process known as simple diffusion.

Interesting. Altho to most folks it's either toe-mato/ta-mato or just a moot point..they just want a moister hunk of meat.

I find it fascinating tho. The membrane part never did sit quite right with me, but I'm not a chemist/physiologist. My brines were developed based on a mix of published data and empirical information, and I guess I just accepted that they work thru osmosis- not really caring if that was correct or not.

[tenacious bee]

Interesting. Altho to most folks it's either toe-mato/ta-mato or just a moot point..they just want a moister hunk of meat.

I find it fascinating tho. The membrane part never did sit quite right with me, but I'm not a chemist/physiologist. My brines were developed based on a mix of published data and empirical information, and I guess I just accepted that they work thru osmosis- not really caring if that was correct or not.

Sometimes it's more important to know what time it is than how the watch works.

[Richtee]

No disrespect to the others on this forum but most of the responses I've read have been incorrect.

I hope this was not a "drive by".

[jwbtulsa]

Just as an FYI, USBBQSUPPLY has a pork injection called pure pork power. I have used it a number of times with great success. It's great with lean cuts like loins. I've smoked whole loins with nothing short of super moist meat. We use Rich's brines on all lean cuts of pork as well as poultry. Best product I have found nationwide.

[Richtee]

Just as an FYI, USBBQSUPPLY

Incidentally... Tim had given me some advice while I was developing my products. And I'm a customer of his as well.