should i brine a pork butt or not

[iconoclast]

to address to original post pork butt may certainly be brined and should be if smoked (for a time) at lower temperatures (I understand this is in the hot smoking forum). A brine is after all a curing method; using a rbine with cure#1 would let you safely dry and/or smoke your butt for hours at lower temps, allowing time for smoke to penetrate deeper. Cure#1 imparts a specific red color and flavor found in cured meats which many feel go hand in hand with smoke.

capicola, baleron and a boston butt ham are examples of cured, smoked and cooked butts.

Having braised many a pork butt I agree that it is yet a juicy cut which can take a lot of abuse before turning dry and wouldnt necessarily require a brine simply to add moisture.... and obviously makes some fine bbq without the extra steps =)

[mhiykmeel63]

About the only thing Ive done on mine is spray it with apple juice. It must do something because my girlfriends mom requests it everytime we get together. Anyone else use it?