# What are some mixtures for spray bottles



## kevinb21

Hi I'm new to smoking and I was wondering what are some of the best mixtures for ribs, roasts, briskets?


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## creolesmoker

New to smoky myself all I've used so far is a mixture of apple juice and apple cider vinegar equal parts. So far it keeps the meat moist throughout cook but I'm open to other flavor profiles.


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## chef jimmyj

Welcome to you both! Most of us Don't Spray, Baste, Mop or even open the smoker except in the last hour of a cook to check for tenderness.

Pros...You get to put a little extra flavor on the meat.

Cons...1)Every time you open the smoker you add 15-30 minutes, depending on smoker, to your cook time. Temp has to recover to                        proceed.

           2)On top of opening the door adding time, Spraying or Mopping adds MORE time to the cook! All that liquid is going to evaporate                  and as it does, Evaporative Cooling, what you feel when you are sweaty on a hot day and you sit in front of a Fan to cool off,                        sucks heat out of the meat. Cool the meat and it takes more time to get cooked.

           3)Most here are Bark Sharks! That dark brown crust on the meat is the best part. Spraying inhibits a nice crusty Bark forming.

           4)Spraying, etc, does nothing to keep the meat moist. It evaporates before it soaks in. Injection or Brining for Poultry is the only                        way to add liquid and moisture

          5) Basting only makes a difference in a High Heat cook of large hunks of meat. Basting a Whole Pig or Lamb on a spit over a                           400°F Fire. Lets the interior cook without burning the Skin.

Spraying, Mopping, etc in low and slow smoking is pretty much a technique that has been passed on from the days, generations ago, of Open Pit or Open Fire cooking and smoking over high heat. Totally unnecessary but that's what boys watched Dad do for a hundred generations so it continues. Nothing wrong with experimenting for yourself, but when an all night 16 hour Pork Butt Cook turns into 20+ hours tending a fire...Remember this post...JJ


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## SmokinAl

I use apple juice for spraying or a mix of apple juice & BBQ sauce for mopping.

Al


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## joe black

I'm with JJ,  I never spray meat.  I add a little apple juice when I wrap a butt.  I sauce/glaze ribs for the last 1/2 hour.  But, I never spray or mop.

Good luck,   Joe.


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## kevinb21

Thank you all smoking ribs as we speak. First time


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## smokeymose

I'm with JJ & Joe.  I'll add a little juice when foiled and mop a bit of sauce on when I unfoil (as in ribs), but that's it...


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## gary s

*Good morning and welcome to the forum, from a hot day here in East Texas, and the best site on the web. Lots of great people with tons of information on just about  everything.*

*Gary*


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