I spritz sometimes and sometimes I just don't fool with it. I want it to be a hands off kind of thing. Other times, it's cherry juice and grape juice mixed 50:50 and I as well as others can definitely tell a difference in flavor. Some of the flavor and sugars do stick and it affects the outcome no doubt.
Whether I spritz or whether I don't does not affect the bark on the meat that I cook.. maybe I'm doing something else along the way that remedies that problem but I can tell you that the bark is good regardless and is not soft in any way. I can say this of a certainty when using the ECB, the
WSM, the GOSM, the Bradley, the
MasterBuilt and my big wood fired horizontal offset on a trailer.
The only time my bark is soft is when I wrap it in foil or cover it in some way so that steam is able to play a part in the tenderizing process.
I can only refer to how things affect me when I am cooking.. I certainly cannot speak for other folks' experiences.
As far as cook time.. if low and slow is the game that I choose to play then time is of no concern most of the time. I have always been aware and ok with the fact that every time I raise the lid I am probably adding about 10-15 minutes. That's just more beverage and more time in the lounge chair.. maybe an extra nap if I'm lucky
I understand the concern that's been raised however I just don't see it as a concern and based on my personal past experience and what I have logged, I will continue to spritz anytime I'm in the mood to do so. It just works great for me and I would be doing myself a disfavor
in some instances to cut out that step.
I'm just speaking of my personal experience.. if your experience is different then by all means do what works for you. That's what makes this so fun!!