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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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12-03-2008, 09:06 PM | #1 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 05-10-06
Location: Overland Fark, KS
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Your thoughts on bark
I'm wondering what everyone thinks about what makes for a really good bark. This is the list of things I came up with off the top of my head that people usually suggest trying to achieve a good bark. If you have any other suggestions, please let me know:
- More sugar in your rub for more carmelization. - Using a slather before putting rub on (and do you have a specific slather other than yellow mustard that you believe makes bark better for a particular reason?) - Letting rub rest on meat overnight and adding another layer before cooking. - Using a spritz/mop while cooking (any specific kind you think makes bark better for a particular reason?) - Using a coarse textured rub, a fine textured rub, or a combination of both. Thanks for any and all suggestions, they are greatly appreciated.
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Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified? Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards! Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh. |
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12-03-2008, 09:28 PM | #2 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 11-11-07
Location: Gone
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need to know what it is... brisket or the other thing those southerners make... Joke
Lets say it brisket... I have tried all that stuff above (well it was maybe 20 years ago) and the one thing that hands down makes a good bark is not mentioned in your list and in fact those things you list were never part of the process for the bark found on the meccas of Texas BBQ long ago and to this day. Maybe you could say number 5 helps and some of the others help out Specifically 1-4 and maybe 5 (#5 I use but its a 3 stepper) are all ways to MIMIC the real way to make a good bark... I have already made a a video on it...you remember Chris. A caveat about my choice of the word Mimic. I used to use one of those NBBS things long ago and some other cheap smokers... i could never plop a packer in one of those without wrapping so I had to use the other techniques because of the limitations of my smoker. Just because I can produce a moist brisket at high temps that's tender with a hard crispy bark does't mean I could do the same thing on your smoker. You may have to resort to tricks to get the same or close to end result.
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Popdaddy is Dead - 1933-2011 - Pitmaster T is a free agent Last edited by barbefunkoramaque; 12-03-2008 at 10:05 PM.. |
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12-04-2008, 05:41 AM | #3 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 11-27-08
Location: Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines
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What is the one thing missing from his list?
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James Kuya's Kitchen - my culinary adventures in the rural Philippines IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller Equipment: Weber Kettle, Stainless GOSM, Green Super-Fast Thermapen Equipment Wish List: Smokehouse, Backyard Brick Pit with Lechon Spit |
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12-04-2008, 06:39 AM | #4 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 04-02-07
Location: Warren, Vermont
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The best bark I have had was on brisket in Lockhart, Texas. Kreuz's rub is mostly salt with cracked pepper and what looked like a small amount of paprika and garlic powder. Not any sugar in there at all as far as I could discern. Smitty's bark might have been a bit better and tasted very similiar.
I have no way of knowing for sure, but I belive the secret is more in how they smoke meat than the rub itself.
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Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle |
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12-04-2008, 06:54 AM | #5 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 02-11-08
Location: Texas
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If you wrap, don't and do the full cook naked at 225. You will get the bark you want. You might want to wrap after you pull and let rest to soften it up a bit.
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PitBull Lyfe Tyme 20 Old Country Trailer Pit W/Upright Smokey Mountain-Webber Kettle Kamado-Campfire-Rocket Stove I take nothing for granted. I now only have good days and great days. |
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12-04-2008, 08:03 AM | #6 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 09-23-07
Location: North Side of Chicago Illinois
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That's always worked for me. Also during the resting I add a little cider to the pan to create some steam to soften the bark a bit...
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Jeff CBJ# 23376 Stockcar BBQ Race Fast, Cook Slow, and Enjoy Life! If it don't come off a smoker, it's just a side dish! Lang 60 Patio (The Mistress), Black Stainless Lang 36 (Little Princess), Large BGE (Ramona), Big Green UDS (Cottage Cooker), Brinkman SnP Pro (Little Bubba-Retired), 8 Burner Gasser, 3 - 22.5" & 1 - 18" (circa 1975) Weber Grills, & a Weber Smoky Joe. |
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12-04-2008, 08:34 AM | #7 | |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 11-11-07
Location: Gone
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Quote:
Yes don't wrap. Don't check on it. (which includes basting) And if your stuff is drying start cranking up your temps with each brisket there after (235-245-255-265-275-285+) til you reach the maxium smoking temp for your smoker without sacrificing tenderness. THIS IS WHY I SUGGEST EVERYONE TRY A FOIL WRAPPED OVEN BRISKET AT 280 FIRST BECAUSE THATS THE TEXTURE YOU WANT TO EMULATE WITH THE HIGHER TEMPS I do mine in pans with a little beer TOO, cider is fine whatever, as long as that flat is resting in it A BIT or on the point of another brisket if you're doing more than 10 and run out of space. Kreuz, Smittys, Blacks, Muellers, elgin. taylor southside all do briskets in 6 to 8 hours... some... I heard 4 once from Louie Mueller but I think he was pulling my leg. But if it could be done... that guy could do it. Thirdeye does a great bark and he setS the ring in with a lower temp at first then cranks it up.... not as high as I do, but higher than most. I have adopted his starting point for an hour or so with good results. If you're leary about cooking high the whole way.... just cook it high til the plateau and then divide your high with 225 and meet in between. Two vids if ya ain't seen em. No jokes about my dull ass knives... end of the season LOL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQCeX...B51071&index=3 six minutes in I show my Bark and again here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG1oW...eature=channel one hand dull knife cutting.
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Popdaddy is Dead - 1933-2011 - Pitmaster T is a free agent |
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12-04-2008, 08:57 AM | #8 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 08-14-06
Location: Rockwall, TX
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Videos are always cool man!! I dig your set-up!
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12-04-2008, 09:37 AM | #9 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 05-10-06
Location: Overland Fark, KS
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I didn't mean to make it sound like rub was the key for bark. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Also, just so you know, I have my own method I like (and it is nekkid), but I am gathering these ideas for a bark experiment.
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Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified? Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards! Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh. |
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12-04-2008, 09:44 AM | #10 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 05-10-06
Location: Overland Fark, KS
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Also, the target meat will likely be pork, since barbefunkoramaque brought that question up. The reason it will likely be pork is that it is the easiest to test with smaller pieces of meat that turn out like the larger pieces. If I quarter a butt, it cooks basically the same as a whole one except for the total time. I can't do this with brisket.
so if you have something you think is magical for pork, or if already mentioned suggestions will not work for pork, please share.
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Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified? Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards! Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh. |
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12-04-2008, 09:56 AM | #11 | |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 11-11-07
Location: Gone
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Quote:
Oh no no no buddy, remember like I said and also wrote you in PM, it will depend on your smoker... I can do stuff in mine that would dry out a brisket in another smoker so those tips you list make be ways to immolate a full uncovered cook. The slather for instance is a good example. I have used that. Its a trick of time... slathers and sugar will create a crust quicker, which if you foil, you will need that time back. Pork butts though... slather, rub and fat down then flip half way and ignore. i pan those too for other reasons.
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Popdaddy is Dead - 1933-2011 - Pitmaster T is a free agent Last edited by barbefunkoramaque; 12-04-2008 at 06:08 PM.. |
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12-04-2008, 10:49 AM | #12 |
Found some matches.
Join Date: 11-25-08
Location: rockville md
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That's a great question. Especially with butts and brisket, the taste of the bark can be pretty bland (for me) except for the pepper taste/heat. After 8 plus hrs in the smoker, that tasty rub pretty much gets neutralized I've found no matter how much you put on.
Any one have any good experiences with basting (beyond just apple juice spray?? |
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12-04-2008, 11:33 AM | #13 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 03-07-05
Location: the best day ever
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Brisket or butt, I get my bark the same way. I use a mustard slather and my rub is typically 1/4 to 1/3 sugar. Cook at around 225* for as long as it takes. I'll spray (really more of a mist) with apple juice at what I guesstimate the mid-point of the cook-time will be and only after I'm sure the bark has set-up. Does no good to wsh the rub away. I do not foil while cooking.
I pretty-much always get good bark
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12-04-2008, 05:41 PM | #14 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 03-15-06
Location: Battle Creek, MI
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Quote:
JimT
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12-04-2008, 06:05 PM | #15 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 11-11-07
Location: Gone
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You're right... and it could be why NO ONE is arguing yet.
A good bark must be both a bark(crust), penetrate the meat, AND have a good, non-carbon or sooty taste. It should start as Black to Umber in color and give way to a deep, deep, deep red with a good smoke ring (not heat ring) behind that.
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