Mop Sauce for Ribs [Easy BBQ Spray]

BBQ mop sauce is the key to automatic BBQ smokiness. A good sauce will keep pork ribs moist and flavorful, even after hours in the charcoal smoker. Find out how to make the best mop sauce for ribs with our easy BBQ recipe.

Frying sauces like Texas or Carolina scouring sauce are great because they’re thick and heavy enough to stick to the surface of the ribs. This helps deliver more flavor than a beer or apple juice spray and gives your BBQ ribs a nice finish.

Texas mop willow

Texas Barbecue is known for beef and a simpler approach to seasoning. The same tiny approach has traditionally extended to BBQ sauce. Many Texas pitmasters have used sauces that look more gravy-like and lack thickness and sweetness. On the plus side, their mop sauces contain a healthy amount of hot peppers, spices, and even recycled beef fat.

Carolina mop sauce

As we’ve seen with so many of our BBQ ribs recipes, pork goes best with something sweet and a touch of sour. This is where Carolina Scouring Sauce comes into play.

Unlike Texas barbecues, North and South Carolina sauce recipes contain a solid vinegar base and a hint of sugar. This pairs perfectly with pork ribs , as well as pulled pork and Boston butt. Add a touch of warmth and we’re ready to go.

Quick tips

1. For best results, use this sauce on bare meat that has not been seasoned with a dry marinade. This allows the sauce to work the flavor better into the meat and penetrate the meat without the barrier of the seasoning.
2. If you want to add more sweetness to the process, try adding 1/4 cup of apple juice. This should help add a little more flavor and is great if you’re also grilling with applewood chips.
3. Some grilling pros suggest swapping it out for white distilled vinegar instead of welcome apple cider vinegar. Each ingredient works well, so it just comes down to personal preference.