Apple Juice Spraying Duration? New 22.5!


 
B

BBrock

New member
1st time smoking with the WSM! I have a pork shoulder and a brisket on the 22.5 right now. I am wondering how often you guys spritz with apple juice during the cook. I know I will lose 15 minutes +/- each time I remove the top so I want to maximize moisture and minimize cooking time as best I can. Thanks!
 
I don't feel spritzing adds much to your flavour profile and slows things down to much. I don't spritz.
 
Just lift the lid straight up enough to do your thang. You'll barely lose any heat that way.

Edit:
I missed the timing question. When I used to do it I used FAJC with a shot of bourbon about every 15-20 mins. I got away from that like the others, but since this is you're first time try it and see what you think.:wsm:

Tim
 
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Like the guys above, I think with what your cooking and the rub/marinade your using it tends to give to many different flavors. With my porks I do a stronger rub and apple juice just mixes up the flavors. With turkey though a mild rub with apple tastes good.
 
I don't spritz my larger cuts of meat. Ribs yes, pork butts no. They take long enough to cook I don't like to interrupt the process.
 
Spritz 30 minutes and 1 1/2 hours after putting ribs on. No spritz on anything else, and water does just as good as apple juice.
 
i used to spritz but gave up rather quickly. soggy bark is not my thing and i noticed no differance with or without except the mess when spritzing.
 
I don't spritz large cuts of meat either. I've spritzed ribs and I am not sure there is any benefit.
 
I would just keep the lid down and let the meat cook. What you are doing is only applying moisture to the surface and once your meat goes into the stall it will sweat shedding excess moisture. I don't think you are adding anything to the end result of the cook.
 
I sign on with the majority....

Even low smoking temps are above the boiling point of water. And since most store bought "apple juices" are mostly water anyway, I feel that most of the spritz evaporates away and provides little or nothing to the taste of the finished product. Mixing in any type of oil with apple juice or vinegar will only give you a coagulated liquid that doesn't mix very well and may clog your sprayer. I suggest using a mop or baster, instead of a sprayer, with a heated solution of canola or olive oil, apple cider or light brown sugar, and a bit of apple cider vinegar, and a touch of rub.
 
I'm in the same boat. In my experience, spritzing butts and briskets with AJ is a total waste of time, btu's, and juice.
 
I have found the reverse to be true on my WSM 22.5.... If and when I lift the cover I don't lose temps, so much oxygen enters the smoker, that temps sky rocket to over 325 almost instantly. Then I have to close all four vents, and force the temp back down (careful not to choke the fire completely) to about 250. Then re-open the top vent to half, & one lower vent (away from the wind) to about 3/16" open (very small crack), and let her smoke.

I never could understand some posts I have read on this site, when they declare that their smoker has all the vents open, and temps only reach some 250 degrees. I'm forced to cook (starting at 200) with the top vent half open, two lower vents (towards the wind) closed, and the remaining vent (away from the vent) closed to within a 3/16" crack (folks, that is small), plus an empty water pan. Even with those settings, My temps are still right at 255/265 (ET732 grill measure). I have never been able to achieve that low & slow 225/230 cook....
 
I did at first, but rarely anymore. Sometimes, if foiling ribs, depending on the tenderness when unfoiled, I may spritz if I need a longer cook, but if they are close, I just mop on some sauce and glaze. Losing temp, in my experience, is not a concern. First off, the meat temp is not going to drop because the hood is off 30 seconds or so, and secondly, my wsm comes back up very quickly to temp. I worry if off too long as the cooker will spike up with too much air flow........................d
 
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