What do you use

[Greg Rempe]

I use straight apple juice!

[Uncle Al]

Believe it or not, I spray with a mixture of Diet Coke, a little canola oil and worcestersire sauce. It has a really nice profile. Thats during the cook. After the cook I don't spray.

Al

[Larry Wolfe]

Combination of Wolfe Rub, Vinegar and Apple Juice.

Nothing here during the cook unless I have to go in for something else ~ Then I'll spray with AJ. After pulling, nothing. Sometimes a quick spray of AJ after reheating.

[Kloset BBQR]

This is a great time to add a thin vinegar based sauce to the pork for flavor and moisture.

[Rich Decker]

This may be long. I use a larger off-set cooker and cook mostly competitions or large catering gig's. My cooking style is often dictated by the turn in time or serving time.

I cook butts in the hotter area of my pit till they get to about 150* to 160* internal temperature. At this time I move them to the coolest area in my pit.( I used to try to get as even temperature throughout my pit and I still do if cooking large amounts, but now I like and use hot spots to my advantage) I believe cooking the butts and briskets longer through the "Platoe" range gives a more tender moister product with nice texture. After they cook to about 180* internal I foil them, thats right I foil them. I do this for a couple reasons, first the foil protects them from too much smoke. At this time in the cook my basket is getting low and I have to add 5-6 logs to build the heat up. This bitter white billowing smoke will add a nasty flavor to the bark.After the smoke cleans up I put my ribs on. The foil also makes the bark more moist and tender. I turn in chunks of meat and like the bark softer.The meat I turn in usually comes from around the bone, I stay away from the long muscle that some slice.

I used to add apple juice to the foil but after reading the ingredients in the juice I now use apple cider. I simmer the cider with a little rub mixed in. I don't know how much rub I use but it's about a cup of rub to a quart of cider. I also use this when I foil ribs but thats another story. I put around 1/4 cup in each butt and double wrap in foil and cook till they pass the wiggle test. When they do I rest them in a Cambro container.After the rib turn in I remove the resting butts from the foil and save the "smoke stock" I chill and remove the fat and that becomes the base for what I add to my butts. I also use a Piedmont sauce.When I cater I don't use sauce I serve it on the side.

With my ribs I use the smoke stock and cut it about 1/2 with sauce and glaze the ribs. As the diluted sauce get used up I add sauce to the mix till near the end it's just about straight sauce.I make sure the sauce is warm when I use it. I use a sauce like The Slab's sauce.

When the boxes are just about to be closed we glo-wax them with a similar mixture with corn syrup added.

Sorry this is so long.

Rich Decker

Originally Posted by Smokehouse

Rich,
I appreciate your sharing all that. That's good info.

Smokehouse

Yeah, me too! Thanks!!

[Woodman]

Vaseline!

[BigGQ]

Ditto...thanks for sharing.

[BigGQ]

Originally Posted by Bob T

I hope your not talking about Woodman's suggestion!
Thanks to all for your sharing of info. I just use plain apple juice after I pull, sometimes mixed with rub, but was just curious....

:lmao: :lmao:

[Rich Decker]

Originally Posted by Smokehouse

This is not exactly what you're asking, but I cooked briskets and boston butts this weekend for a company meal later this week. For various reasons, I foiled all of them during the cook and added apple juice before sealing. After the cook, I poured the juices off, chilled it and removed the grease. I pulled the pork, added some of the juices I had reheated and vacuum-packed it all. I'll reheat in boiling water for the company meal.

Smokehouse

Thats pretty close to what I do. I put the "jelly" in the bottom of the bag and fill with pork. When I cater I vacuum pack 5 pound packages and freeze. I have found a 5 pound bag fills a 1/2 foil pan and are very easy to reheat on site.

In my earlier post I said to add too much rub to the cider. I think I actually use about 1/4 cut to a quart.

Sorry,
Rich Decker