How To Get A Deeper Smoke Ring?

[Kenny Rogers]

I have never used TenderQuick and I get deep dark smoke rings.

1 - Put the meat directly from the refrigerator into the cooker. The more time the meat stays under 140 degrees in the smoke, the better. The reaction that causes the smoke ring stops somewhere near that temperature.

2 - Give the brisket a light spritz right before it goes in the cooker. Damp meat produces deeper smoke rings than dry.

3 - Make sure there is good airflow in the cooker. Keep your exhaust vent wide open and cook with a small hot fire. Wood and charcoal contain nitrogen, which combines with oxygen in the air to form nitrogen dioxide. A small clean burning fire allows more NO2 to pass across the surface of the damp meat, which reacts with the water to make nitrous acid. It's this nitrous acid that penetrates into the meat and reacts with the myoglobin in the meat to produce that nice pink color that looks so pretty but has no effect on taste.

4 - I have heard that charcoal briquettes produce more nitrogen dioxide than lump, but I haven't tested that theory. I cook brisket strictly with lump charcoal with 5 or 6 wood chunks scattered throughout.

Here's a great article that explains the process in great detail. http://thehogblog.com/?p=1295

Here are a few briskets I've cooked using the methods above, not one with TenderQuick! Good luck!

Some mighty fine lookin meat you got there!

 

[CarolinaQue]

Any body have any scientific data about the ring stopping in the 135*-140* range? The article Kenny provided does a great job of explaining what is going on at certain temps, but I didn't see any thing that suggested that the ring stopped forming at those temps.

As far as the OP...how much salt is in your rub? I've noticed that lower salt rubs don't produce as deep of a ring IMO.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

A Huge Thanks to All! Talk about info overload (In a Great way) This is it. I will be reading all the links posted and this thread again.

I'm thinking the fire might have something to do with it now. I light very few coals with the minion method and it takes some time to get to temp. I also use water in the pan. I will also put the meat on as cold as possible and go low up until 140-160*. I do use K-salt and will moisten the meat before loading the WSM.

What a Great site.

 

[Bigmista]

If you didn't live in Louisiana I'd tell you to add moisture but I'm sure you have enough humidity in the air. Humidity helps with smoke ring. Why is it important to you? Just a stickler for appearance? Smoke ring has nothing to do with flavor.

 

[Kenny Rogers]

Do you use COLD water in your pan?

 

[Happy Hapgood]

If you didn't live in Louisiana I'd tell you to add moisture but I'm sure you have enough humidity in the air. Humidity helps with smoke ring. Why is it important to you? Just a stickler for appearance? Smoke ring has nothing to do with flavor.

Thanks for the reply Bigmista. Amen on the humidity factor. We're getting our 2 weeks of Spring before the heat and humidity really start. After looking at all the great pic's here, I was wondering how they do it.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Do you use COLD water in your pan?

I do Kenny or sometimes luke warm.

 

[big brother smoke]

No TQ needed:becky:

 

[Kenny Rogers]

I do Kenny or sometimes luke warm.

The colder the water, the longer you can smoke at lower temps. Some people pit ice in their waterpans...

 

[El Ropo]

I get a pretty massive smoke ring just by putting the meat on as soon as the coals are lit.

You forgot to post a pic of what the exhaust smoke looked like. We have to cover all the bases here, as we are the BBQ scientists from hell!

I know that if I dump an expensive hunk of meat on a cooker, I'll wait for TBS before starting.

If you go to youtube, and search for bbq, it'll show thousands of cooks started with white billowy smoke. Many of these folks are wearing $100+ chefs' uniforms, yet they suck at bbq. Not how I do it.

The youtube folks also talk about soaking their wood, and you can see the nasty results in their videos.

Stick around here to get better info.

Did I mention this forum is the best of all time? Guess I just did. :biggrin1:

 

[Happy Hapgood]

You forgot to post a pic of what the exhaust smoke looked like. We have to cover all the bases here, as we are the BBQ scientists from hell!

I know that if I dump an expensive hunk of meat on a cooker, I'll wait for TBS before starting.

If you go to youtube, and search for bbq, it'll show thousands of cooks started with white billowy smoke. Many of these folks are wearing $100+ chefs' uniforms, yet they suck at bbq. Not how I do it.

The youtube folks also talk about soaking their wood, and you can see the nasty results in their videos.

Stick around here to get better info.

Did I mention this forum is the best of all time? Guess I just did. :biggrin1:

Read my post above. You Guys simply Blow me away with all your knowledge!

 

[campdude]

Like the others have said. Start at a lower pit temp and ramp up over the first hour or two. Also, start with cold meat. I've never noticed a difference in hot or cold water in the pan to start. In both of these pics, the meat was cold when put in at about 225-230* and the pan water was hot tap water.

 

[nrok2118]

Ive never understood the "more smoke ring". I run my wsm with some blue K and some chunks of whatever I can get my hands on with an IQue110. I let my meat sit out while prepping. I even wait till my fire evens out and smoke is minimal. Yet if I dont foil I end up with this:

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Ive never understood the "more smoke ring". I run my wsm with some blue K and some chunks of whatever I can get my hands on with an IQue110. I let my meat sit out while prepping. I even wait till my fire evens out and smoke is minimal. Yet if I dont foil I end up with this:

OK, now this is what I do not understand. nrok, What temp do you put the meat on and what at temps do you smoke? I do close to the same thing.

 

[nrok2118]

those ribs were cooked at 260-275 unfoiled for about 4-5 hours. I get the meat out, rub it up (these were just salt and pepper) and let it sit out while I get the fire ready. They even sit out for up to an hour as my fire settles in. I wait till Im up to temp to put them on. Like I said, Ive NEVER had a problem with smoke rings

 

[Happy Hapgood]

those ribs were cooked at 260-275 unfoiled for about 4-5 hours. I get the meat out, rub it up (these were just salt and pepper) and let it sit out while I get the fire ready. They even sit out for up to an hour as my fire settles in. I wait till Im up to temp to put them on. Like I said, Ive NEVER had a problem with smoke rings

Thanks nrok. I've got a brand new plan from this thread. Hope to post results :-D

 

[MICHIGAN SMOKE]

Some mighty fine lookin meat you got there!

...that's what she said

 

[Lake Dogs]

Any body have any scientific data about the ring stopping in the 135*-140* range? The article Kenny provided does a great job of explaining what is going on at certain temps, but I didn't see any thing that suggested that the ring stopped forming at those temps.

As far as the OP...how much salt is in your rub? I've noticed that lower salt rubs don't produce as deep of a ring IMO.

I'm still searching, but yes there is. It's been 3 or 4 years since I saw and read it, but it's out there. I think Patio Daddio sent that link.

 

[Pitmaster T]

That's it? That's your karate kid advice?

LOL, J/K. I appreciate all the wisdom you provide for us T, but... Really? sea salt? Kosher will do the same thing from my very limited experience. :icon_blush:

I learned how to do que right by taking your advice, but it seems I just had to go out and buy some expensive and rare sea salt. Hehehe. :boxing::boink:

I MUST LIKE YOU BEACAUSE I AM TYPING THIS TWICE!!!!!

I guess its a good thing because I can edit the off color stuff out.

They say that RINGS are not judged. Well that is like a naked perfectly proportioned oiled up olive skinned 18 year old girl sitting on your bed after you scribbled all over her and she is freshly shaved and she asks "what is my best feature" and you look at her boobs and say "your eyes babe" and she gets all mad at you cuz you looked at her boobs.

Remember, I don't compete anymore so I look at this from a different way... even though I can modify things at any given time. The other posters hit every point so I felt the best I could add would be a salt that had nitrates in it.

I think the big one is temp control. My video of course does not show this mostly because when I do 30-40 briskets or so the pit can't help take a while to creep back up to 270. When I do one at 270 from start to finish I do not get much of a ring. So the advise to put a cold brisket on a cooler pit is solid advice.

They also say rings have nothing to do with flavor which is true but the elements it takes to get there contribute to flavor. I purposely for the last 3 years smoke the first 2 hours at 220 or below. I get a good ring but I get a DEPTH that people say is missing with hot and fast style. After 2 I crank it up to 270 until I hear the meat.

as far a ribs..... RIBS PINK ALL THE WAY THROUGH I COMPLETELY HATE!!!!! I don't hate the people that like it... I hate the meat. Its gross and, LOL anyone serving BBQ up North to this day STILL gets the dumb arse that insists its not cooked. LOL For ribs I thrown them on at 270 and they have no choice but to get that contrasting red ring. I am not saying either is right or wrong... its just preference. Some of us who have a partial ring in their ribs probably would like to see a girl like Taylor Swift all oiled up and ready for action completely nude on a hammock where you can stick it through the lacing of the rope while those who like pink all the way through their ribs may like to watch Wilford Brimley and Ricahrd Simmons all oiled up and at it.

 

[Pitmaster T]

I think I need my Barbefunkoramaque password back