I dont foil mine first either. I am a believer in a good sear with a good bark will keep moisture in the meat. I also think that the meat is either moist or not. You can dry out a moist piece of meat, but some pieces are just dry to begin with due to having a fraction less fat in the animal. I think the only way to guarantee a moist piece of meat is to inject it with similar juice to its own (chicken stock or broth for pork, and beef for beef). Otherwise, I've found constant mopping and turning to produce a bark that seals in whatever moisture the meat contains.

what size we talkin here?

really anything from a pork loin , pork backstrap(tenderloin) , pork shoulder, bone in chop, or something like a beef tri-tip roast, brisket, etc.. I dont really do this on steaks unless its a lean cut like a top sirloin.

sorry MoH, that didn't really answer your question. I'd say anything thick enough that the time to bring the center to temp would possibly dry out the outer parts of it.

What type of smoker do you have tooge?

Tryin to put some shit together in my brain for an experiment.

a few months ago I got rid of my offset stickburner and got the 22 inch weber smokey mountain. Love it. SOB holds 225 to 250 for 8 or 9 hours with no additions.

Actually... the food science guys say a high-heat sear actually makes the meat lose more moisture. For moisture retention, you're better off at lower temperatures.

That said, I like a good sear, so I'm willing to let a little of that moisture go.

for clarity. You have a ten pound bone out loin. how many times an hour do you mop?

I'll mop that about every half hour or so. With the sugar in my mop (apple juice), I have to watch to make sure it doesn't get too black, but usually thats not a problem.

Why would you have a bone out loin? The bone adds a ton of flavor.

I've read that as well, but I'm with you. I don't dispute alton brown, but my experience is that a leaner piece of meat is best seared then mopped, and a fattier piece of meat is best slow cooked and mopped.

I saw the AB show, but first read it in Cook's Illustrated. They actually did it with a pork butt, if I'm not mistaken.

For me, lean meats are starting to go into the sous vide and then finished on the grill. Fattier gets smoked. :D

cause bone ins are 50#s plus.

so apple juice over cider vinegar?

whats that word?