Mop sauce

[robmet1015]

Since I am new with the Smokentaor...do people still use mop sauce every hour or so on the ribs or is that not needed any more?

I have not read about mopping during smoke .. in both books.

Thanks.

[amelliott]

Ok, I had the very same question. I just purchaced a smokenator with hovergrill for my 26" Weber. To try it out, I smoked a large 8 lb + butt on the hovergrill with two whole racks of pork spare ribs on the main grill and hovergrill. I didn't use a mop sauce and it came out wonderful. I started smoking at 7:00 pm on Sunday July 3rd and finished at 10:30 the next morning. I basted the butt and ribs with spicy mustard and then covered generously with a store bought pork rub. I put the meat on and didn't touch it for 15 hours! I took the meat off and wrapped in foil and put in a cooler for 1 hour. The bone slipped out of the butt effortlessly and completely clean. I didn't need a fork to pull the pork. I just used my hands and it pulled apart easily. Most methods would cause this meat to be very dry after 15 hours. This meat was very moist. Even the ribs which I wouldn't have smoked as long but they were under the hovergrill so I smoked them until the butt reached about 185. To me, with the water smoker, there is no need to mop. The moisture is maintained by keeping the temp between 200 - 250 and keeping the humidity up. I stirred coals and replace water every hour +/-. One thing I learned was that when you stir the coals, try to work them toward the center under the water pan. This keeps the water rolling which helps with the humidity. After a few hours, I would add a few coals almost every hour and a few hickory chunks every couple of hours or so. I used hickory wood chuncks and Kingsford brickets. Basically, my first try went smoothly. I came close to falling asleep which would have been bad so I recomend a plan to stay awake if you pull an all nighter like I did. I'm definitely sold on the Smokenator. Good luck.

FYI, a mop sauce probably wouldn't hurt anything and may add flavor depending on what you use. But is it necessary to keep the meat moist with the Smokenator? I think not. Hope this long winded explanation helps.