Why do/don't you spray your meats ??

When I got started, a lot of the recipes I used (mostly out of Raichlene's "How to Grill" and "BBQ USA") instructed to spritz with apple juice or apple cider vinegar every hour or half hour.

I never considered much about the "why". I always assumed it was to help impart flavor and keep the meats from drying out. It makes sense that would be why.

Now......it's really out of laziness or trying to leave the lid down as long as possible that I don't spray. Plus....since I stopped spraying and still noticed that the meats were NOT dried out.....I don't see the point.

Kind of like mustard slather to hold the rub on. I don't do it now, because I've found that the rub sticks without the mustard, so I skip this step.


I'm sure that spraying does help impart some flavor to the meats, particularly on ribs or chicken parts, but on large cuts? butts or brisket? I doubt it.

Perhaps, but I'll just rely on my rub and the smoke to do the flavoring from now on.

I did it at first with most of what I would cook however I only do it with ribs now and with brisket its a 50/50 depending on my mood. Personally I think it adds way to much time to a smoke and I don't see that much of a difference when doing it. I have a bone in picnic that has been going since 8pm last night that has not been touched since it when on last night. No flipping, turning, basting, spritzing and only one look after 12 hrs! I'm thinking it will be just fine. Vince B

If a person has a good insulated smoker I don't see the need in spraying. When I had my chargriller (with no modifications) spraying helped because the unit didn't hold heat/humidity well. But my Stumps doesn't have that problem. There is plenty of moisture in the chamber throughout entire cook.

From a moisture perspective, sprays and mops are most useful when you're not wrapping in foil. Once the bark is set, they help keep the surface hydrated during long cooks. The steam inside the foil will do this, so it's a moot point if you wrap.

You can also use them to layer flavors. A flavorful liquid is mopped onto the meat, and then the heat from your fire reduces the liquid leaving the concentrated flavors. You can control the intensity by the number of times you mop during the cook. The more you mop, the more layers you'll have.

Lots of people like to spray with apply juice because the sugars caramelize, and leave a really pretty color (especially on pork) with a hint of sweetness.

PLUS.....

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if it's about moisture, wouldn't putting a water pan in the cooker help hydrate the environment too? If I'm really concerned about moisture, I'll do this, but typically I'm not.

As has been stated before on this forum.....having a lot of meats in the cooker helps with keeping a moist cooker chamber. If you can't to this, use a water pan.

Spritzing requires opening the cooker. And as we all know......
"If you're lookin, you ain't cookin'!"

IMO, spraying adds no value.
opening the cooker adds no value.
save the money you'd spend on juice and buy beer instead.

I spray because:

1. To build another flavor layer over the rub.
2. To keep meat surfaces moist, as I do not wrap in foil.
3. To augment the chamber moisture level.

A mixture of apple juice and soy sauce for color , flavor, and moisture.

I don't, mainly in the interest of keeping the cooker closed. I ain't precious it about though, I may go back to doing it at some point.

I think it should be important to mention that a highly developed palate may or may not be able to taste the "layers" of spritzing/spraying while food is on the smoker, the chances of a person who is eating because they're hungry actually being able to peg the fact that you spray or don't spray are absolutely zero. If I spray every 30 minutes of a rib cook and don't sauce them, then my mouth will pick up the apple juice I've used, but once sauced, the gig's up. Just my opinion.

I have mopped using "Texas style" sauces on beef and enjoy the extra flavor. However, if I am making pork shoulders, I do not see how an little extra liquid on the surface can make much difference. Salt, pepper, some rub and smoke (via low and slow) and that is all.

In the past, and for the most part now, I do not spray. I prefer to leave the lid down, and I prefer to have moist air in the cooking chamber throughout the cook. I do not believe that opening the cooker aids in this goal, as the hot air will rise and evacuate the chamber the minute I open the cooker. This causes variations in cooker environment, the more often you do it, the less consistent your cooking is. This leads on unreliable results. I set chamber moisture by use of water pans or water cans to evaporate moisture into the chamber, which will prevent surface drying.

That being said, I have been messing around with a new spray on sauce, which does require I open the chamber, and I have been getting drier ribs as a result, with notable hardening of the bark, which is counter intuitive, but, was exactly what my experience suggested might happen. I still am working with that spray on sauce, as I believe the results in terms of taste and appearance are superior. But, there is also no doubt in my mind that the opening and closing is creating changes in chamber moisture and temperature in my small cooker that are not acceptable at this time.

In a larger cooker, at lower temperatures, with more thermal mass and a lot more meat, this may not be an issue, as the moisture and heat are more effectively controlled by the thermal mass of the metal and the amount of meat a larger cooker can hold. Since I cook in a kettle, getting even a little out of range can cause me to have to chase temperatures, not a good thing.

who says you have to open the lid to spray anyway

barbefunkoramaque said:

who says you have to open the lid to spray anyway

Click to expand...

Automatic misters like a hydroponic set up?

barbefunkoramaque said:

who says you have to open the lid to spray anyway

Click to expand...

I do, as spraying onto the top of my kettle has failed to produce acceptable results and makes my lid sticky.

I don't spray because am lazy. That is also the same reason I don't foil. This applies to my butt and ribs. I don't sauce my ribs either, rub only. If I ever turn out a dry product I may change something. But since I have learned my cooker ( UDS), this seems to be working for me. But, I did mess up my fair share of 'q in the learning process.

Wampus said:

When I got started, a lot of the recipes I used (mostly out of Raichlene's "How to Grill" and "BBQ USA") instructed to spritz with apple juice or apple cider vinegar every hour or half hour.

I never considered much about the "why". I always assumed it was to help impart flavor and keep the meats from drying out. It makes sense that would be why.

Now......it's really out of laziness or trying to leave the lid down as long as possible that I don't spray. Plus....since I stopped spraying and still noticed that the meats were NOT dried out.....I don't see the point.

Kind of like mustard slather to hold the rub on. I don't do it now, because I've found that the rub sticks without the mustard, so I skip this step.


I'm sure that spraying does help impart some flavor to the meats, particularly on ribs or chicken parts, but on large cuts? butts or brisket? I doubt it.

Perhaps, but I'll just rely on my rub and the smoke to do the flavoring from now on.

Click to expand...

on the money

landarc said:

I do, as spraying onto the top of my kettle has failed to produce acceptable results and makes my lid sticky.

Click to expand...

Who says you have to even get the top of the smoker wet?

On second thought, I do foil my butts...after they are done I foil and let them rest in a cooler for at least a hour. I do the same for the ribs if I need to hold them for some reason, but that doesn't happen very often!!