Anytime you have a big cut of meat that needs some added moisture while it cooks in the smoker, reach for this BBQ mop sauce. It’s a sweet and savory bourbon and brown sugar sauce that is perfect for pork of all kinds. Cane syrup is boiled sugar cane juice and molasses is what you get when the sugar granules are removed to make granulated sugar. It’s not quite as sweet as molasses but has the same flavor profile. We all know that The Carolinas take their barbecue seriously, so it stands to reason that they have more than one classic sauce.

Mop Bbq Mopping Brush, 18 Inch Large Grill Handle Basting Mop Bbq Mopping Brush, 18 Inch Large Grill Handle

I do not recommend using seasoned rice vinegar, as the additional flavor will overpower the sauce. You can alternatively substitute distilled white vinegar as well. Water Now we know the technicalities of what goes on when we mop and spritz our meat. But in real terms, how does this affect the outcome? Boil. Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil while whisking well to allow all the sugars to dissolve. It adds a different flavor profile than apple cider vinegar and helps to round out the flavor of the sauce.

What is Mop Sauce?

The bottom line is this: Mopping and spritzing is not a barbecuing requirement as some make it out to be. But there is a whole world of flavors and textures to experiment with if you do decide to give mopping and spritzing a try. Over-spritzing or mopping can result in a less crispy crust, as you will be replacing the moisture lost to evaporation. And if you don’t mind the severity of the vinegar, you can have it as a finishing sauce too. Here are some of the ingredients you need to whip up a batch. Mop sauce is applied with a BBQ mop (or a literal kitchen mop for cuts like Whole Hog) and the sauce is liberally slathered all over meat while it cooks. The sauce helps to keep the meat moist to help it develop a gorgeous bark without drying out. Do I Need to Use a Mop Sauce?

BBQ Mop Sauce — What is it? What Does it Do? Plus 4 Favorite

If you’re up to it, you can make your pulled pork from scratch different Malcolm Reed’s pulled pork recipes. People prefer injecting to help get moisture and flavor inside the meat where rubbing alone can’t work. If you are cooking at high temperatures over a short time, mopping or spritzing will not have a great effect on the cooking time at all. Now that you know a real secret to great briskets and pork butts, it’s time to give one of them a try. If the mop has a lot of tangy flavor from vinegar, it can play well with a sweet rub on the meat. Creates Bark You need a saucepan or a pot that is at least 2 quarts for this recipe. I like to use a pan because I find that the sauce will come to a boil faster, but a pot is also perfectly fine. Wire whisk

Cooking a certain cut of meat to a specific degree of doneness has a bearing on the answer to this question. If you want the most tender, juicy meat, the best mop sauce included some vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar. However, the addition of some oil and sugary liquids to your mop or spritz sauce will aid in the browning of the meat’s surface.

BBQ Mop Sauce Recipe - Tara Teaspoon

Tip: Refrain from washing down the meat with the mop, but instead lightly apply it to keep it moist and to layer on the flavor. 7. Lexington Dip Sauce The beauty of mopping or spritzing is that it is a fairly straightforward process, and it will not cost you the earth to get the equipment together to give it a try. Like almost everything when it comes to barbecue, there is disagreement about when you should mop or spritz and how effective it is. If this recipe is a little too large, you can halve or quarter the ingredients to make a smaller batch.You can use a silicone brush or a baster to apply the liquid. It is however recommended that you use a barbecue mop instead. For the simple reason that this prevents from brushing away the rub. Some pitmasters prefer to spritz as they feel this won’t disturb the surface of the meat as much as mopping would. Bear in mind, if you spritz then flip the meat immediately, you will lose some of the rub you have put on the surface of the meat. Similarly, if you use the liquid you marinated the meat in as a sauce, you will again spread microbes onto the meat when you mop it. It has a very thin consistency and is best used to mop barbecue during the cooking process – especially the famous whole hog barbecue that Carolina is known for.