Brown Sugar an Alternative to Foil

Teltum said:

I think brown sugar acts like a natural foil.

So there is moisture on almost all cuts of meat we smoke. These "juices" when put on a smoker at or above 225 will evaporate. So if we disolve brown sugar on the serface of the meat in the meat "juice" when placed in a smoker part of the brown sugar rub will begin to caramelize (106C about 225F). Since it is in a fluid state will allow smoke to pass into the meat.

Then as the heat begins to dry the sugar juice mixture, polymerization then occurs that has a tendancy to become a more ridged substance as the water is removed.

This also makes sense in that it will help prevent smoke from further entering the meat and help prevent over smoking.

Since it is "sticky" the small amounts of smoke (carbon) will attach and give a more smoky flavor. After time there will be a carbon build up on the meat (the black color on the surface) that will also act to protect the meat from the drying effects of heat, the loss of natural renderings and act a thin layer of insualtion.

Once the meat is done cooking during the rest peorid the renderings will rehydrate the suger and soften the "bark."

Just one more thought on the great foil debate.

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El Ropo said:

I'm firmly in the camp that believes moisture comes from within the meat as it renders. Foiling, mopping, spritzing, using sugar of any type in the rub is just "extra". SPOG, and maybe a little paprika and or chili powder is a great all around rub (no sugar).

Cook the meat till it's fully rendered, and it's moist n juicy. I think a proper amount of rest is more important than brown sugar in the rub.

Over smoking is avoided by proper fire control. I save all the money I would of spent on foil and put it towards more/better meat.

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Wampus said:

Yeah, in fact, I'd bet (although I've never done it) one could take a pork butt right out of the cryovac, plop it in a smoker with a pan under it and smoke it until it's probe tender (at WHATEVER pit temp) and when it was done, you'd have lots of moisture, drippings, juices (whatever you wanna call it) in the drip pan. Cooking, in fact, removes moisture from the butt.

I think the only thing that adding ANY seasoning to the outside of the butt does is help with bark (primarily the salt does this) texture and flavor, but absolutely adds NO moisture to the meat. The marbled fat, connective tissue breaking down and meat itself, once rendered, does this. I inject butts, not to add moisture, but to impart flavor to the inside of the butt. Juicy butts are acquired by proper cooking and not seasoning me thinks.

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