My brother-in-law kept telling me to spritz my pork shoulder with apple juice, not water

I thought it was just extra work for no reason, but after trying it on my last cook, the bark stayed way softer and the flavor was better. Anyone else have a simple trick they fought against that actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

allen.terry27d ago

Ever try the foil boat method instead of a full wrap? I was sure it was just a fad, but it gave me the best bark I've ever had while still keeping the meat from drying out. Felt a bit silly bending foil around a hunk of meat for no clear reason, but the results shut me up.

bell.lily27d ago

My last brisket was a 14-pounder from Costco, and I tried the foil boat for the first time. I was so sure the bottom would dry out, but it stayed perfectly moist while the top got this dark, crunchy bark. It felt like cheating, honestly. I won't go back to a full wrap now.

faith50417d ago

Funny how often the simple, weird-sounding advice ends up being right. My dad swore by putting a cup of water in the microwave when reheating pizza to keep the crust soft, and I fought him on it for years. Turns out he wasn't just being fussy. It's like we're wired to doubt the easy fix until it proves itself. What's a trick you finally gave in and tried?