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Brining Pork Shoulder before Smoking

by Steve
(Roanoke VA)

Is there a benefit to brining pork shoulders prior to smoke-cooking them? I have not brined pork shoulders in the past. I just use a good barbeque rub, then smoke the shoulders for 1.5 hours per pound at about 225 degrees, and they turn out delicious. But I wonder if brining would make them even better.

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Brining Pork Shoulder before Smoking

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starstarstarstarstar 		store bought smoked ham
by: Anonymous

how long can I keep a store bought smoked ham in the refrigerator that is unopened.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Taste & moisture
by: Anonymous

Brining brings three things to the table:

Flavor from the brine ingredients.

Moisture (the salt encourages the meat to absorb a little of the brine via osmosis).

Perhaps a bit of pre-tenderizing, but that's debatable. If you're cooking right, tenderness shouldn't be an issue anyway.

Some people will tell you brining makes pork "cottony". In the end, it's a matter of personal taste.

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