The vinegar spritz debate: Game changer or waste of time?

Last month at a competition in Memphis, I tried spritzing my pork butts with apple cider vinegar every 45 minutes. The bark came out darker and crisper than anything I've done in 15 years of smoking. But a buddy of mine swears it's just extra work and claims the vinegar does nothing for flavor that a good rub won't handle. Has anyone else found a real difference with spritzing, or is it mostly about keeping the meat moist in a dry smoker? I'm leaning toward keeping it in my routine, but I'd like to hear from folks who've tested both ways side by side.

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taylor123d ago

Started testing this exact thing last summer with two identical shoulders, same rub, same smoker, same wood. The spritzed one had this deep mahogany color that made my neighbors stop and ask what I was cooking. But here's the weird part, I also tried spritzing with plain water on a brisket and got almost the same bark. So now I'm wondering if it's more about the moisture hitting the meat surface than the vinegar itself. My buddy says I'm just chasing ghosts, but I've got a whole jug of cider vinegar in the garage that says otherwise. Keep doing it if it makes you happy, that's what I learned from 20 years of grilling.