# Mopping meat while smoking???



## rb66102 (Feb 2, 2014)

I have some "Scarbelly Wings" that I am going to be smoking soon. They seemed a little dry last time. Does anyone spray a mop sauce on smoked meat as it cooks? I understand the urgency of getting the door opened and closed as quickly as possible, but I would like them to be a little more moist on the outside also. Thank you....


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## seenred (Feb 2, 2014)

Yes, I often spritz a mop on ribs, butts and brisket.  But I've never even thought of mopping wings while smoking, and they always come out great.  I'm wondering how yours are coming out dry...do you inject the sauce into the wings before cooking?  Do you coat the wings in the sauce before putting them in the smoker?  How long are they in the smoker?  What cook temp?  Just spitballing here, but those are some factors that could have an effect on moistness.

Good luck!  Let us know how they turn out.

Red


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## rb66102 (Feb 2, 2014)

Thanks Red,

I have an electric MES. The water pan is pretty shallow, although I always use it. I inject the wings, then add some seasoning onto the outside. The rack that is right on top of the water pan, seems to come out most moist, but the one all the way on top (four racks) comes out the most dry. They seem very flavorful, but still not as moist as I would like them.

I set the smoker to its max. temp. 275 and they go for two to three hours.

I've considered putting them into a foil covered pan with a little flavored beer mixture in the pan with about an hour to go. And just so you know, I'm sure you could probably tell, I am all new to smoking, but have always wanted to get good at it. So I am always happy to take advice and constructive criticism if it helps me the next time

Thanks,

Ron


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## joopster (Feb 2, 2014)

I did them last night and they were not dry at all.  I ran the temp around 250 for 2.75 hours.  Of course I am on a charcoal brinkmann and not a MES so maybe a MES user will chime in...

I injected and coated with Tony Chachere's.


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## seenred (Feb 2, 2014)

You didn't mention what you season the outside of the wings with.  What I like to do is make up enough of the sauce to inject them, then have enough left to heavily coat all the wings and let them marinate in the sauce in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours before smoking.  

Here's a link to a thread I posted using this method a while back:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/140872/reds-wings-no-really-daves-wings

Red


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## rb66102 (Feb 2, 2014)

It was just a basic meat rub (paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder etc.). It may be the marinating that is the problem though. Don't think I did it last time. I just mixed an Olive Oil/Injectable Butter mixture and dumped it all over them, and in the fridge they went for a couple of hours. I will let you know how they come Out.

Ron


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## cliffcarter (Feb 2, 2014)

rb66102 said:


> Thanks Red,
> 
> I have an electric MES. The water pan is pretty shallow, although I always use it. I inject the wings, then add some seasoning onto the outside. The rack that is right on top of the water pan, seems to come out most moist, but the one all the way on top (four racks) comes out the most dry. They seem very flavorful, but still not as moist as I would like them.
> 
> ...


I cook wings at 300° for 30 minutes, give or take. IMHO you have dry wings because you are over cooking them.


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## bamafan15 (Feb 2, 2014)

I did some wings on my MES30 and did nothing other than put a rub on them. I put them on 275 for about 1:45 and they were very juicy. 













image.jpg



__ bamafan15
__ Feb 2, 2014


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## venture (Feb 2, 2014)

I used to mop and spritz.

I don't any more.

Every time I open the pit, I set my cooking back by ? so many minutes.

Low and slow takes care of all that for me.

Others mop and spritz.  No problem with that.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## rb66102 (Feb 8, 2014)

30 minutes? Seriously. I've never seen a recipe that calls for less than a couple of hours, 'at least'. I actually did a Google search and I think I saw one that went for 1 1/2 hours in a smoker. So you actually get chicken wings cooked all the way through in 30 minutes? Wow....


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## rb66102 (Feb 8, 2014)

cliffcarter said:


> I cook wings at 300° for 30 minutes, give or take. IMHO you have dry wings because you are over cooking them.


~~30 minutes? Seriously. I've never seen a recipe that calls for less than a couple of hours, 'at least'. I actually did a Google search and I think I saw one that went for 1 1/2 hours in a smoker. So you actually get chicken wings cooked all the way through in 30 minutes? Wow....


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## cliffcarter (Feb 8, 2014)

rb66102 said:


> ~~30 minutes? Seriously. I've never seen a recipe that calls for less than a couple of hours, 'at least'. I actually did a Google search and I think I saw one that went for 1 1/2 hours in a smoker. So you actually get chicken wings cooked all the way through in 30 minutes? Wow....


Yes, more or less, at 300°, also more or less. I also remove the tip(nothing to eat there) and separate the forearm and bicep before cooking them. Chicken wings fried in oil are done in 10-12 minutes, why should wings done at my temp take more than 30 minutes? IMHO chicken wings do not need to be "smoked" at low temps, they gain nothing from it. The OP cooked his wings for up to 3 hours at 275, that is a time and temp for cooking spatchcocked chicken, ergo his wings were dry.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 8, 2014)

I'd say that the temp on your upper rack is probably more than the ones on the lower rack. The only way to tell though would be to place a remote therm on each rack. 

I do several batches of Scarbelly wings a month and never have dry wings. I am using my mini-WSM and cook at a higher temp than you can. But even when I smoked them at lower temps they were always good and moist.


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