fuel and the bark
 

So do you get the same bark using coal, gas, or electric smokers? I thought I heard one time that you dont get a good bark from electric smokers. Thanks.

I have never owned an electric smoker but I think the bark has been the same between my old gas, charcoal, and stick burner.

I've got an el-cheapo-brinkman I get wonderful bark

I have used a bunch of different smokers (gas, electric, charcoal, sticks & now, pellets) and I think that the bark, or lack therof, depends on the amount & type of rub more than anything else.

I concur...:cool:

Thanks, that makes sense

ditto. on the rub .temps can change the bark as well as indirect or direct heat

I don't recall getting any bark with the 1st electric smoker I owned, seems like the smoke just sits on the outside of the meat. I do know that salt/ brine will give a nice smoke ring. I have a Ole hickory CTO which can burn on gas, propane, lump and have even tried charcoal. So far the lump and charcoal gives a better ring, but I've only burned wood chunks in the propane mode for about 5 hrs. After talking with a few BBQ'ers using the gas mode, they smoke for more then 10 hrs. Gas is easy as far as set it and forget. I plan on smoking some pork and brisket this week in the gas mode, I'm shooting for a 10-12 hr smoke and hope to see a nice smoke ring.

I think it would depend if you have a water pan in the smokers. Electric could be dry heat, while burning gas or charcoal produces moisture. In stickburners you have plenty of airflow, but in gravity fed smokers or kamado style smokers there is so little airflow it can effect how the bark forms. I have to cook a little higher temps in kamado smokers to make up for this increase in moisture.

The rub ingredients will impact bark formation as well, but i have noticed a distinct difference in my barks when cooking on different cookers.

Same same. Sugar makes bark and it will burn if to hot and heavly applied.