Don't be afraid to apply BBQ sauce before smoking

[tnthudson]

From bbq.about.com

Most of the things we call barbecue sauce contains sugars. Sugars burn at a temperature of about 265 degree F. If you are cooking above this temperature then the sugars in a sauce will burn and add a bad flavor to foods. Since smoking is typically done at much lower temperatures then you don't have to worry about adding barbecue sauces to meats during their smoking times. You might get some caramelization of the sugar but it won't burn and it won't cause you any real problems.

Some of you purists / gurus in BBQ-ing probably wouldn't dream of using BBQ sauce while smoking, but from a beginner/mild intermediate BBQer's standpoint, I've smoked quite a few boneless breasts on my Big Green Egg, using soaked mesquite chips and brushing alot of store-bought BBQ sauce on beforehand. If I keep the smoker temp. at 200-250, those things are GREAT when they come off. Just some info. for any beginning smokers out there...

 

[Nasty90]

I like to smoke too, I put a little malt vinegar in my basting sauce when using the smoker.

 

[Molson]

We cut out sauce with cherry coke for chicken, makes a great basting sauce. But we don't apply it until the last 45 mins or so. We butter and rub the chickens first.

 

[SeeGars]

I prefer to leave meats unbasted when on my smoker as I prefer to get the smoke to penetrate as deeply as possible.

 

[floating]

Sauce?!? please please NO. rubs rubs rubs. please buy a pre-mixed rub. or if you know your spices and herbs, mix your own. the salt in the rub, penetrates the meat and helps keep the meat moist. i kno, salt? moist? but yes. dont sauce your meats til about 10 minutes befor they come off the grill. marinateing over night is good, and encouraged. but a good dry rub is worth its weight in tin (not gold because rubs are pretty cheap to make). BBQ sauce aint bad for noobs, but not before you grill, only about 10 mins before you stop grilling.
Oh, and noobs, please let your meats rest for some minutes before you start butchering them. and please find out what "with the grain" means.

 

[flyweed]

yep...die hard smoker here...NO SAUCE on smoked foods..you are just putting a "barrier" on your meat that blocks what the smoke is suppose to do and that is penetrate the meats. dry rubs only....you can mist the meat during smoking with some apple juice or applecider vinegar..but don't put any sauce on until it's time to eat.

Also..a green egg is a grill, not a smoker to us purists.

 

[MyBad]

We use a rub then a "mop" on most things, but I do like to sauce ribs once in a while.

 

[Molson]

yep...die hard smoker here...NO SAUCE on smoked foods..you are just putting a "barrier" on your meat that blocks what the smoke is suppose to do and that is penetrate the meats. dry rubs only....you can mist the meat during smoking with some apple juice or applecider vinegar..but don't put any sauce on until it's time to eat.

Also..a green egg is a grill, not a smoker to us purists.

I don't know how you define yourself as a "purist" lol, but there are many of us professionals that use eggs for smoking, both in competition and catering. I've used a ceramic cooker once at the Jack as we couldn't get our units down there, it did a helluva job with some cherry and apple chunks (I avoid the chips).

A green egg can be a smoker, and an awesome grill.