To mop or not to mop, that is the question

BDAABAT · Feb 1, 2011

Would appreciate the feedback of the experienced folk here. I'm new to smoking and have been reading whatever I can. There seem to be a WIDE range of opinions on mopping for cooking butts or brisket. Does it really make a difference? Or, is it one of those things, like basting a turkey in the oven, that probably doesn't make any objective difference in the final taste or moisteness of the bird?

Ideally, would love to be able to do an objective assessment... Use two identical cookers, two butts or briskets from the same vendor that are the same weight and prepared the same way and cooked at the same temps for the same amount of time (or at least to the same predetermined internal temperature) with one piece of meat mopped and the other not, then tasted by a panel of judges who were not aware of the mop status of the meat who rendered an objective assessment (at least as objective as possible) of each piece of meat.

Unfortunately, my grant to support the study didn't come through. :becky:

So, instead of a controlled experiment, would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks!
Bruce

1_T_Scot · Feb 1, 2011

I don't on Brisket or Butts.

BBQ Grail · Feb 1, 2011

Mop floors...not meat!

RAZORBACK JIM · Feb 1, 2011

1_T-Scot...I don't think that was the question!

BDAABAT...I don't see a big difference in moping and not...however, it depends on the temp you are cooking at. High, maybe....low no.

Jim

Mister Bob · Feb 1, 2011

Open pit, mop.
Closed cooker, don't mop.

gtr · Feb 1, 2011

I used to mop but stopped within the past year. I see no need to go back to mopping - there's been no difference in tenderness and juiciness. If you're layering flavors, that may be a reason to mop.

Open pit, mop.
Closed cooker, don't mop.

Makes sense to me.

BBQ Bandit · Feb 1, 2011

No mop... spritz on ocassion if in the mood.
Inject before going in smoker.

PDXsmoker · Feb 1, 2011

BDAABAT · Feb 2, 2011

Seems to be a theme here....
So, are there other tips/tricks for keeping meat more uniformly moist, aside from injecting?

The butt I did this past weekend was tasty, but there were two spots around the edge of the butt that were a bit dry...dry enough to be more difficult to slice. Or, is this just what happens sometimes during prolonged cooks?

Btw, the cook this past weekend was a Boston butt, injected and rubbed, cooked in a closed cabinet style propane cooker. Total cook time was ~14 hours and internal temps got to 175 in the meat before I had to bail. Cooker temps were generally in the 230 range for most of the cook time...minus a temp control issues initially.

Thanks!
Bruce

early mornin' smokin' · Feb 2, 2011

I spritz my butts and ribs towards the end with something sweet and vinegary with a little heat. No mop, you risk breaking the crust, dragging rub, all bad things. As said before, keep the mop for the floors!

barbefunkoramaque · Feb 2, 2011

Only [auto selfmoderator™ - "people that choose to" ] mop their meat, creating a ****ing piece of [auto selfmoderator™ - "differentiated"] out meat and [auto selfmoderator™ - "increasing cooking time"] by being a colossal [auto selfmoderator - "maverick"] in the process. These type of people should be [auto selfmoderator™ - "given wide berth to do as they wish because its a free country"] in hot [auto selfmoderator™ - "splooge"--- primary overload--- warning-- computer program overload].

You know I am just about ****ing [auto selfmoderator - "perfectly fine"] with [auto selfmoderator™ - "pertinent questions"] like these.

And another thing the situation regarding [auto selfmoderator - undisclosed issue] is totally a cluster [auto selfmoderator ™- "coital"] too.

[auto selfmoderator ™-ssssssssssssssssssssssszzzzzzzzzzzzzztttt]

jeffjenkins1 · Feb 2, 2011

I never mop butts or brisket whether I do them hot or cold.
I don't even mop ribs, occasionally I glaze them in the final 15 minutes or so. Everything is dry until I am ready to eat it.

However, if you like to mop, mop!

Jeff

barbefunkoramaque · Feb 2, 2011

I have decided to write a fair edict on mopping gleamed from the opinions over the years on this board and taking history into consideration.

SmokerKing · Feb 2, 2011

jeffjenkins1 said:
I never mop butts or brisket whether I do them hot or cold.
I don't even mop ribs, occasionally I glaze them in the final 15 minutes or so. Everything is dry until I am ready to eat it.

However, if you like to mop, mop!

Jeff

ditto

Redheart · Feb 2, 2011

I think mopping, spritzing etc are choices based on flavour profile creation and what type and how well constructed your smoker is. When I had a cheap offset I mopped and spritzed, but now with water smoker I don't except when it is part of the flavour profile I am looking to create.

Mister Bob · Feb 2, 2011

IMHO, when you've rubbed your meat (no pun) and/or brined, marinated, injected or otherwise added your unique combination of flavors, and it's cooking away in a nice moist temperature controlled environment (like your closed cooker) why the heck would you want to open the door, drop the temperature and lose moisture, just to add yet another ingredient and try to add moisture (that you just lost by opening the door)???!!! I truly believe it's counter productive. If you think you need more flavor, use a finishing sauce at the end!

jestridge · Feb 2, 2011

sometime I will spray ribs if I think of it.

rescue_ranger · Feb 2, 2011

After a couple of hours seting in the smoke for the ring/flavor I will wrap or pan and wrap the meat in foil for a bit and then spritz with some apple cider during the final cooking but it all depends on what I am cooking and the method I am cooking it "butt" (ha ha ha) I am a tried and true slow and low stick burner
thank you very much
RR / Mike

KnucklHed BBQ · Feb 2, 2011

I never mop - all you do is drag all the rub right off the meat, and then you have to wash that farking mop when you're done... what a PITA!

If anything it's an occational spritz on ribs, nothing on butts or brisky's during the cook.

Now, I do find it beneficial to spritz butts or briskets right after the rub is applied to "activate" the rub... tihnk about it, you've just added a bunch of dry ingredients to the outside of the meat, in order for them to impart full flavor, they need to be rehydrated - a little bit of juice or even water will get that process started - makes a difference on the bark too IMO...

Grafixgibbs · Feb 2, 2011

I spritz whenever I add wood. I like the way it makes the bark taste. It doesn't effect the flavor of the pork inside the bark just that outer shell.

To mop or not to mop, that is the question

is one Smokin' Farker

is One Chatty Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Full Fledged Farker

Babbling Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Babbling Farker

Knows what a fatty is.

is one Smokin' Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

barbefunkoramaque

Guest

Babbling Farker

barbefunkoramaque

Guest

is One Chatty Farker

is one Smokin' Farker

Babbling Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

rescue_ranger

Guest

Babbling Farker

is one Smokin' Farker

Similar threads