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My butt is too dark. Help!!

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DeepElemCue

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So I'm seeing all of these butts with a deep red bark. I am at a loss. IS it do to the rub? Do they wrap at a color rather than a temp. Mine always goes black (no matter what the sugar content is in my rub). The taste and moisture content is always there, but I want that color too!! Any thoughts?
 
What smoker are you using and what fuel?

I don't get the black color and i don't wrap, just smoke to around 200* I do use olive oil prior to my rubs though.
 
Fwismoker said:
What smoker are you using and what fuel?

I don't get the black color and i don't wrap, just smoke to around 200* I do use olive oil prior to my rubs though.
Click to expand...

UDS and usually some Kingsford mixed with oak/apple/cherry
 
DeepElemCue said:
So I'm seeing all of these butts with a deep red bark. I am at a loss. IS it do to the rub? Do they wrap at a color rather than a temp. Mine always goes black (no matter what the sugar content is in my rub). The taste and moisture content is always there, but I want that color too!! Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

You can wrap when the desired color is achieved. Check your cooking temperatures as well.

I cook at 245 and smoke with cherry, I do not wrap and here is my end result.

butt.JPG
 
Mine always look like a lump of Charcoal but taste so Good. I like Heavy Bark.....
 
What are you cooking on? (edit - just saw your answer) - you getting a good clean burn, i.e. thin blue smoke? Are you using a diffuser? I go back and forth with diffusers - I think my bark is darker without.

Paprika can supposedly burn as well. I will sometimes wrap if I think my butts are getting too barky.
 
Pics? If you are having a issue I don't think is has to do with wrapping
 
Unfortunately I have no pictures at the moment. I have a few comps coming up and I think where I take the biggest hit is the color of my bark. My boxes are good, my flavor profiles are good and the moisture is always there.
 
If you like the color of mine all i can tell you is i cook 275, I let the drippings go to the coals in both the UDS and the mini but use only the steamer diffuser in the mini and similar diffuser in the UDS. My apple was just cut up apple tree branches.

Try the olive oil prior to the rub... i swear by it for ribs, butts, chicken, brisket. I don't think it's the sugar content because i finish my rub with brown sugar.
 
This is one I did using just kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder so I doubt its your rub. Most of mine look like this and im more than happy with them. Maybe you could try wraping once it gets to the color you want
 
Last edited:
Mine always seem to come out black. I use a char-griller offset, start with lump, then feed hickory and cherry the rest if the time.

IMAG0635_zpsf02782da.jpg
 
I believe in order to get a lighter color you need to burn a clean fire. The two cookers I've had that provided the best red colored bark- BGE & WSM. Both have fire below with a diffuser and burn really clean.
 
maybe to much smoke ? i cook at high temps and use s&p over a mustard base and mine come out brown. the thing is is that i use very little chunks, just one or two small pieces and what i do use is just pecan.
 
too much smoke. Thin.....Blue.....smoke.....
My briskets and butts on my offset always looked black. When I switched to cooking on my UDS and started really regulating my temps, using small chunks of wood, WAY better color on everything I cooked.
 
I have found that putting too much rub on a butt will make that happen. Just sprinkle the rub on but never let the view of the meat go away. You should always be able to see the meat, not just the rub. Of course, too hot a fire, direct heat will do that as well.
 
martyleach said:
I have found that putting too much rub on a butt will make that happen. Just sprinkle the rub on but never let the view of the meat go away. You should always be able to see the meat, not just the rub. Of course, too hot a fire, direct heat will do that as well.
Click to expand...

It is not from too hot a fire. I cook at 400 degrees (UDS) and mine are red heads.

Try using lump charcoal and go a little lighter on the rub.
 
I also have had butts that are too dark for my liking.
As said, I went lighter on the rub, and also quit adding wood after the color I wanted was there and just added lump. I also foil some. I run at about 250*-75. They have been better looking since
 
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