Bourbon BBQ Spritz
Truly a great bourbon BBQ spritz that will keep low and slow cooked meats from drying out. Use this spritz on brisket, pork roasts, and ribs. The bourbon adds a nice liveliness but will not overpower the flavor of the meat. Please note that we developed this recipe using Four Roses Bourbon. But, please feel free to use your bourbon of choice.
What is the difference between a BBQ spritz and a mop?
Pitmasters far and wide have used some form of liquid to keep their low and slow barbecue briskets, ribs, and pork roasts from drying out. They did this in one of two ways. The first is the mop, and the second is the spritz. So what is the difference between these two?
- Spritz: Typically, a BBQ spritz is a simple combination of apple cider vinegar and apple juice. Some Pitmasters use apple juice only. You can also add bourbon, honey, broth, or soy sauce to this combination.
- Mop: Traditional barbecue mops contain a liquid base like apple cider vinegar or apple juice but can also include brown sugar, maple syrup, seasonings, and even barbecue sauce. Mops can be thicker and are usually applied with a mop brush.
When to use a spritz:
There is a lot of grumbling in the barbecue community about whether or not to use a spritz. However, the type of cooker you’re using is a good determinant of whether or not you need a spritz in the first place. If you are using a water smoker to smoke a brisket, the chances are that you will not need a BBQ spritz at all. Why? Because water smokers produce more humidity, which will keep the meat moist inside the cooking chamber.
However, if you are using a pellet grill or offset smoker, you’ll notice that dry patches will appear after a few hours. This is a good indicator that you need to apply a BBQ spritz.
Please note that if done properly, applying a spritz or mop DOES NOT wash off the rub on your smoked meats.
Spritzing usually happens during the second half of cook time
When spritzing meat, keep a fair distance from it. The object is to create humidity, not assail your smoked meats with a targeted shot of spritz. If you choose to use this recipe as a mop, gently dab the liquid on with a mop brush.
What you’ll need to make bourbon BBQ Spritz:
- Bourbon
- Apple juice
- Real maple syrup
- Soy sauce
- Onion powder
- Allspice
How to Make a BBQ Spritz:
- Place all ingredients into a saucepan, and let the bourbon BBQ spritz mixture come to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Remove from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to clean kitchen-safe spray bottle and use. Keep your spritz warm (not hot) during the cooking process.
Bourbon BBQ Spritz
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup maple syrup the real stuff
- 1/4 cup bourbon Four Roses
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a low simmer until the brown sugar has melted through; 2-3 minutes stirring often. Remove mixture from heat and let the mixture cool for 20 minutes.
- Pour spritz mixture into a clean spray bottle.
- To use: spray meats during the latter stages of the cooking process and right before wrapping meats.
- You can make this spritz up to 5 days ahead of time. Simply bring it to room temperature before using it.
Nutrition
Someone needs to let everyone know – a regular spray bottle you get from your local grocery store will clog i three pumps if you don’t strain the mixture.
Thanks for your comment. We specifically built this recipe to avoid that problem. The only spices are very finely ground and the whole mixture is cooked on the stovetop to make sure that it will pass through the typical store-bought spray bottle.