How to Brine a Boston Butt
- 1). Dissolve salt in warm water. Use 1/2 cup kosher salt or 1/4 cup table salt per quart of water. You'll need 1 qt. of brine for each pound of meat you have.
- 2). Dissolve sugar in the saltwater brine, if you choose. Use half as much white granulated sugar as you did salt.
- 3). Add flavorful aromatics to the brine, if you want. A bundle of fresh herbs, some lemon rind, cloves of garlic or a few slice of ginger will infuse flavor into the meat.
- 4). Place the brine in the refrigerator and allow it to cool completely.
- 5). Place the Boston butt in a container large enough to fit the meat like a stockpot, zip-close plastic bag, or a refrigerator's vegetable storage bin. Choose a container with a lid, or cover it tightly with plastic wrap once filled.
- 6). Pour the brine over the Boston butt. If the brine doesn't completely cover the meat, make a solution of 1 cup of water to 2 tbsp. of kosher salt or 1 tbsp. of table salt.
- 7). Allow the pork to brine refrigerated for three to five days, depending on its size. Discard the brine once the meat is finished.
