A marinade spray bottle is the tool you reach for once the meat has been on the kamado for hours. During long cooks the outside dries out faster than the core cooks through, and that's where a thin liquid helps: apple juice, stock, vinegar or a diluted marinade. This bottle from Grill Fanatics produces a fine mist, so you spread the moisture without rinsing away the crust you've built up.
Why a marinade spray bottle for long cooks
Meat that cooks low and slow keeps losing moisture to the warm air inside the kamado. A thin film of liquid on the surface evaporates and cools the outside slightly, which lets the crust form more gently. Bonus: smoke particles stick better to a slightly moist surface than to a dry one.
- Spreads moisture as a mist, not puddles on your grate
- Smoke sticks better to a slightly moist surface
- The lid only opens briefly, so you lose little temperature
- Also handy for oil on vegetables or a thin layer of sauce
- Handy for ribs, pulled pork and brisket that need hours
How to use it
Fill the bottle with a thin liquid and only start spraying after the first hour, once the crust has set. After that, every three-quarters of an hour is enough. Hold the bottle about thirty centimetres away and work quickly: the shorter the lid is open, the more stable your temperature stays. Want to get flavour deeper into the meat rather than onto it, use the marinade injector instead.
Care
Rinse the bottle and nozzle with warm water right after use: sugary liquids gum up the sprayer as soon as they dry. Let everything dry apart. Other tools for the barbecue can be found under BBQ tools, and the rubs and sauces to use with it are in our flavourings.
