My old neighbor in Austin showed me a weird trick for keeping ribs moist

About three years ago, I was smoking some baby backs and they kept drying out near the end. My neighbor, a guy who competed a bit, came over and told me to spritz them with a mix of half apple juice and half apple cider vinegar every 45 minutes. He said the vinegar helps the bark set and the juice adds a touch of sugar. I tried it the next weekend and my ribs came out way juicier than before. The bark was still good and the meat pulled clean off the bone. Has anyone else tried mixing something into their spritz besides just apple juice?

3 comments

3 Comments

alicemurphy10h ago

Makes sense. I started adding a splash of bourbon to my apple juice spritz. The alcohol seems to help the flavor stick to the meat better than just juice alone. It gives a really nice, subtle smoky-sweet note without being too strong. You gotta be careful not to overdo it though, or it can get bitter. Just a couple tablespoons in the bottle does the trick.

claire_davis3146m ago

Reminds me of the time my buddy tried to make a "bourbon glaze" for ribs by basically just reducing a whole bottle of cheap whiskey in a pan. The entire apartment smelled like a distillery fire and the end result tasted like someone mixed barbecue sauce with regret. He still gets teased about it at cookouts.

anna4911h ago

Honestly, that just sounds like a good way to waste decent bourbon.