Good brisket,but no smoke ring ??

[deejaydebi]

For some reason electric smokers don't convert the wood to charcoal and produce as much NO2 as propane. NO2 is what causes the rings. If it tastes good don't worry about it!

The smoke rings is caused by nitric acid building up in the surface of meat, absorbed from the surface. This nitric acid is formed when nitrogen dioxide from wood combustion in smoke mixes with water in the meat. Basically it is a chemical reaction between the smoke and the meat.


Some people cheat, coating meat with Morton's Tender Quick, will load up the surface of the meat with nitrogen dioxide and give you a great smoke ring. Because of the prevalence of this kind of cheating, smoke rings are no longer taken into consideration in barbecue competitions.

 

[zapper]

It could have been one of several things or nothing at all, who knows? I use a Brinkman Electric bullit and almost always get great rings. But I also really throw the wood to it. I have use chips and chunks, soaked and dried, foiled and right on top of the element straight from the bag with no help at all.

What I think that I may have learned.

If you use chips they go faster than chunks
I don't think that soaking actually makes the wood smoke more or last longer. I think it just postpones the time that the wood starts to smoke.
I don't think that foil does anything except make it eaiser to clean.


At the start of a smoke, Toss in some small chips to get you rolling at the same time that you toss on the larger chunks, the time to add more wood is before it quits smoking not afterwards, the trouble is that it really only smokes best just before it goes out! Go figure!


To be honest, smoke rings are great for the pictures, but the pics in the original post look just great with out a ring!

 

[squeezy]

I have never used Morton's Tender Quick so I am flying blind. I suspect most tenderizer/preservative products are salt based (sodium) so perhaps the salt in most rubs etc. is enough to cause or enhance the formation of the smoke ring. This brings me too the conclusion that to BBQ it really doesn't matter what the heat source is ... wood smoke is all that is required to produce the ring.
Did I lose anyone?

 

[reflect]

I relate to what you are saying. I asked this same question a month ago and this is what I was told by Jim Minion and others...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ead.php?t=3826

Debbie nailed the technical explanation to a tee.

Paul I do stand by my comment about last weekends smoke. I reviewed your posts and I love the rings I see on your product. I also saw that you run three propane based smokers, no GOSM being apples to apples but basically the same. It made a very noticeable difference to me. The only change was adding a few lumps of charcoal for me. I am not saying it is the sole solution though by any means. I normally go for the thin blue smoke. I ditched the GOSMs wood box and use a baking pan. Normally on butts I keep the temps around 200 degrees until the meat hits 140. Then I bump it to 225. I normally put a rub on it. I smoke it with the fat cap up. I have tried different shelve levels thinking that might make a difference but it didn't. I have tried smoking with a solo piece of meat and with a fully loaded smoker. I just never seem to get the ring I got with an offset smoker. If you can see anything I am not doing with or missing above please let me know (as you seem to have it down to a tee from the pictures).

I always want to improve and this boards always helps me reach the "next" level. I love this place :).

Take care,

Brian



Take care,

Brian

 

[squeezy]

I do think it has a lot to do with the rub ... I read a post recently, where the guy said that he doesn't put it on ribs the night before because it 'comes out to hammy' ... I did 5 racks of BBs recently with rub applied night before ... had a deep ring. I'm thinking the salt/sugar mixture in the rub is starting to brine the meat ... 'cause I thought mine was a bit more hammy (not neccessarily a bad thing)

What rub recipe do you use?
I don't see anything wrong with your method.

 

[gypsyseagod]

i seem to get a decent smoke ring on most things- even when cooking w/ wood i throw a few damp mesquite infused briquetts on the fire on occassion(when i stop seeing the thin blue). even last nights ribeyes had a ring(was too hungry to get pics) but i'll repost this pic- if it looks like this on the outside,the inside will be good too. http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w...illpork005.jpg

 

[reflect]

Mine :).

I won't give quantity but here are the ingredients...

Paprika
Garlic Powder
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Brown Sugar (Dry out first)
Onion Powder
Dried Oregano
Dry Mustard
Cayenne
Sea Salt
Chipotle Powder
Ground White Pepper

This is the same rub I used when I had my offset.

Take care,

Brian