Chef's Table

Blind Pig-Injected Smoked Pork Butt

Injecting a pork butt with IPA, to marinate it from the inside out with the flavors of citrus and hops. This Blind Pig-Injected Smoked Pork Butt is so delicious!

CourseEntrée | Main, Family Style, Lunch, Main Dish, Pork
CuisineAmerican, BBQ, Beer Cuisine
Cooking Beer StyleAmerican India Pale Ale | IPA
Pairing Beer StyleAmerican India Pale Ale | IPA, Brut IPA
SeasonalFall Seasonal, Spring Seasonal, Summer Seasonal
Food SectionGarlic, Pork
Cooking MethodSmoking
BreweryBeer Advocate, Russian River Brewing Co.
KeywordCooking with Beer

Servings	Prep Time
8guest	15minute

Cook Time	Passive Time
10 – 16hour	24hour

Servings	Prep Time
8guest	15minute

Cook Time	Passive Time
10 – 16hour	24hour

Ingredients

IPA Beer Injection Ingredients:

10ounce IPAsuch as Russian River Brewing Co. Blind Pig
2each garlic, clovespeeled and grated on a Microplane Zester | Grater
1tablespoon Home Brew Chef All Purpose BBQ Rubrecipe here

Pork Butt Rub Ingredients:

5 – 6 pound pork shoulder or Boston butt, bone in
1/2recipe Home Brew Chef All Purpose BBQ Rubrecipe here

Serving Sauce Ingredients:

1recipe IPA Mustard Sauce for BBQrecipe here

Instructions

IPA Injecting Directions and Technique:

Begin by placing the IPA, garlic and Home Brew Chef All-Purpose BBQ Rub in the pitcher of a blender. Blend until the garlic is smooth to prevent the needle of the Bayou Classic Injector from clogging. Fill the syringe with the marinade. Take the pork butt and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place the butt into a large casserole pan. Begin mapping out the bone. Starting on the opposite side of the bone, inject the meat with the marinade by plunging the needle into the flesh, then pull the needle to the surface of the meat (using the same hole) and inject the needle at a different angle. Repeat this technique, using the same hole at four different angles. Repeat this process throughout the butt until all the marinade is used.
Now sprinkle the rub on the outside of the meat and coat evenly. Rub lightly, so as not to push the marinade out of the pork. Wrap the pork butt in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours before smoking, to allow the IPA to marinate the meat while the spice rub cures and flavors the meat. This will yield the best results and set your everyday pulled pork from this one.

General Smoking Instructions:

Remove the swine from the refrigerator at least two hours before placing it to the smoker, allowing the meat to come to room temperature.
If you have a wood-fired smoker, start two pounds of charcoal in the coal box. In a medium-sized bowl, add 3/4 a pound of wood chips or chunks, and top with enough water to cover them, letting soak for 30–45 minutes. Place a water (or beer) pan under the grill rack. This will help maintain a moist environment, making for a juicy barbecue. The coals are ready when they start to show a light layer of white ash on the surface. Add the prepared meat above the water pan. Adjust your air intake and amount of coals to keep the temperature between 225°F | 107°C and 275°F | 135°C, depending on what is being cooked. Check the coals, adding more charcoal and soaked chips/chunks periodically (usually every 45 minutes to an hour) until the meat is done.
Place the butt into a smoker and smoke at 250°F | 121°C for 10 – 16 hours. Use mesquite for the base heat and add fruitwood chips that have been soaked in either water or beer to the smoker. The internal temperature of the leg should not go beyond 205°F | 96°C. Once done, remove from the smoker and let the butt rest for 30 minutes, covered with aluminum foil. Put on some clean rubber gloves and pull the meat apart. If the crust (or “bark”) is too crispy to pull apart, use a knife to cut it into smaller pieces and then mix it back into the other meat to distribute the flavor. Serve and enjoy!
This pulled pork can be served as is, or you can add a few different Beer BBQ sauce: IPA Mustard Sauce into the pulled meat for more of a North Carolina-style barbecue.
Another option is to add some of the Smoked Porter & Tomato Barbecue Sauce for more of a Kansas City spin. Place on a plate or a bun, and enjoy.