Maple Brined And Apple Smoked Pork Butt Recipes

SMOKED APPLE PORK BUTT

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and sage in a small container. Measure 1 tablespoon of the dry rub mixture into a large container that will fit the pork butt. Refrigerate remaining dry rub.
• Mix apple cider, 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate, 2 tablespoons honey, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke into the large container to make marinade.
• Score top of pork butt in a checkerboard pattern. Inject some of the marinade into the bottom, sides, and top of the pork butt. Place pork in the container with the remaining marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
• Combine whiskey barrel wood chips, apple wood chips, 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate, and water in a large resealable bag. Seal and let soak, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat an electric smoker to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Fill smoker box with wood chips according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Remove pork from marinade; rub mustard and 1 tablespoon honey evenly on top. Coat pork butt heavily with dry rub. Place fat-side up on a rack.
• Place the rack in the smoker; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for medium or 170 degrees F (77 degrees C), 4 to 6 hours. Add additional soaked wood chips halfway through cooking time.
• Place pork butt fat-side up on a large platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through resting time.

MAPLE SYRUP AND APPLE CIDER BRINE FOR PORK RECIPE

Steps:

• Stir the hot water and salt together until the salt is dissolved. Add the apple cider, maple syrup, and peppercorns. Cool to below 45 F. in the refrigerator.
• Trim any excess external fat from the meat. Submerge the pork in the brine in a large bowl or small crock; make sure the meat stays under the surface during curing by using a heavy plate to weight it down. Refrigerate the pork in the cure.
• The chops should take 4 to 6 hours in the brine; the tenderloin, 6 to 8 hours; and the loin, 1 to 2 days. (Bone-in pork can take a day longer in the brine because of the bone, which gives it a larger diameter.) If marinating for a day or longer, stir the brine daily and turn the pork occasionally. Recipe Source: by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly (Houghton Mifflin) Reprinted with permission.

MAPLE-BRINED AND APPLE-SMOKED PORK BUTT

Steps:

• Combine water, 2 cups maple syrup, and salt in a large pot; stir until brine is evenly combined, about 2 minutes. Add pork butt to brine; refrigerate for 2 hours 45 minutes.
• Soak wood chips in a bowl of warm water while pork is brining.
• Drain wood chips and place in the smoker. Place grill rack on top. Remove pork from brine and place on grill rack in smoker, discarding brine.
• Turn smoker temperature to 280 degrees F (138 degrees C). Combine apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a clean spray bottle.
• Cook pork in the smoker, spraying every 45 minutes with vinegar spray, until internal temperature of pork reaches 195 degrees F (90 degrees C) to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C), about 12 hours. Transfer pork to a cutting board and slice or shred.