How do I get more smoke flavor...?

ljumstot9718 · Apr 13, 2014

Been happy with look, shred and tenderness of our boneless pork butts, but not as much smoke flavor as I'd like. We use hickory, oak and some apple and smoke till meat is 150 internally. We use a Super Cooker smoker. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ATTACHMENT=1264]Pulled pork (1,444k. jpg file)[/ATTACHMENT]

kc5tpy · Apr 14, 2014

Hello. You might re post this in the pork forum for more responses. Others may have different opinions but here is mine for what it's worth. I am not a big pulled pork fan but you should smoke that butt anywhere between 225 and 300. Most folks take a butt to an IT of 190-200 for pulling. That should give you a deeper smoke flavor. Also, are you using a good quality therm to measure chamber temp and IT? You can also catch the drippings from the butt and add some back into the pork after pulling. Hope this helps. Keep Smokin!

Danny

gary s · Apr 14, 2014

Question are you using pellets, chips, chunks or splits ? and how much?

Gary S

plj · Apr 14, 2014

You can shred pork thats been cooked to an IT of 150? I cant. I have to get the IT above 190 to shred, 200-205 is about best IMO. At 150 my wife would be saying "when are you going to put the meat in the smoker?" :biggrin:

If you're only getting up to 150 I"m guessing you're cooking for 3-4 hours. I'd say that more time with a very light smoke (Thin Blue Smoke) is the most likely answer based on the limited info you provided, I smoke butts for about 12-14 hours at 225 degrees to an IT of 205.

Lets get one other obvious reason for no smoke flavor out of the way: you're not wrapping the meat in foil before you put it in, right?

ljumstot9718 · Apr 14, 2014

Sorry, need to be more informational...we use chips mostly and roll the smoke until the meat is 150 at which time i(I have been told) it no longer takes smoke, we usually foil and or wrap from then on until internal temp is 195-200, then cool down under a big blanket or in coolers before shredding. I am wondering if my issue is the chips just not giving off the depth of smoke flavor I want. Should we switch to pellets or pucks? Meal we served today went awesome, everyone else loved it, I am more critical of my own work. Thanks for your help so far!

gary s · Apr 14, 2014

Another question what type smoker do you have ? If it's a charcoal type try wood chunks or some splits. I have found that chips burn up pretty quickly.

Gary S

gary s · Apr 14, 2014

I smoked Baby Backs last Thursday, I used lump charcoal and two splits of hickory for my entire smoke. Now the first split I used was pretty big, and the next was avg. size. My family and myself really don't like a heavy smoke flavor, Mild and light is what I shoot for.

Gary S

foamheart · Apr 14, 2014

If you like your end result except want more smoke, add more wood. Smoke meat longer. If and when you get creosote, you've gone too far.

kc5tpy · Apr 14, 2014

Hello. Chunks will deliver more smoke but may raise temp. There is a school that says 225 for low and slow. I am not of that school. I have achieved the same results at 300. I hear members grumbling in the background.

I have also heard/read about meat not taking on smoke after an IT of 160. I don't know the science behind that but I continue to add smoke until I wrap, IF I wrap. Just my way. Bark on a butt to be pulled is desirable but in my opinion it can be too black and too "burned". I know this is sacrilege but there it is. I don't use rubs and such. I try to use quality meat and let the meat and the smoke stand on it's own. I also don't "pull meat", I slice it. I see no need in spending 10-14 hours smoking a piece of meat only to tear it apart and stick it in a bun. Smoke some bologna and be done with it. These are only my opinions and others will have views of their own. Smoked pork butt taken to an IT of about 165 and allowed to rest and the sliced is a thing of beauty. Well there it is. I am a heretic!! I also mean no disrespect to you. These are only my opinions and not the only way to go. I am sure others will give great advice and you will forget this old fool. I wish you well. Keep Smokin!

Danny

foamheart · Apr 14, 2014

Help!!!! I am stuck in a time warp!!!!!!!!!

Lets do the time warp again!!!

It's just a jump to the left And then a step to the right

With your hands on your hips You bring your knees in tight

But it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,

Let's do the Time Warp again!

ljumstot9718 · Apr 14, 2014

We use chips in a cold smoker which feeds into cc, we get the tbs we want but have yet to get bark we want. Guess we need to smoke longer or find a way to apply more smoke.

ljumstot9718 · Apr 14, 2014

Thanks, and I totally respect your opinion. We are just learning and having fun meanwhile. It's out there and we will find it. And it's fun to eat the "mistakes"

gary s · Apr 14, 2014

O-K my bad, I didn't realize you were using a cold smoker, WE are going to have to find you a member who is familiar with Cold Smoking, Sorry !!

Gary S

foamheart · Apr 14, 2014

Hoping not to get warpped again..................

Cold smoking is very different from warm or hot smoking due to the inability to open the pores of the meat prior to applying the smoke. Many people here cold smoke foods such as bacon. Its takes much much longer to get the meat to stake any smoke. Cold smokers may take 20 30 40 hours of smoke, whereas a warm smoker trying to maintain between 110 and 130 will do more smoke in 6 hours. There is a slight texture difference but to me its not enough to justify a weeks smoking IMHO (but that's just my opinion), a day in smoke, night rechill, a day in smoke, a night rechill, etc.....

Bark is the caramelization of the sugars used in nearly all rubs. Its used to encapsulate the meat to hold the rub and to help retain moisture. If you are not going to raise your temperature I doubt you'll see bark. You have to cook the sugar.

Bearcarver · Apr 14, 2014

It appears to me you said you are using a cold outside smoke generator, and sending it into your smoker. Did I get that right?? Maybe not---I'm getting old!!

If that's the case, and you want good smoke flavor, give it light to medium smoke from the beginning to about 165* IT. Then wrap it up in foil & take the IT up to 200* or 205* IT.

Then take it out and let it rest in a cooler with towels for at least an hour. Then it's time to pull it apart.

Meat will take smoke at all temps, maybe better between 100* and 140*, but if you want good smoke, make it light to medium as long as you can.

NEVER give it heavy thick smoke, not even for a short time. That can give you a bitter creosote flavor.

Also, I use Hickory all the time, because like you I like a good smoky flavor.

You can Double check how you're doing a Pork Butt, by going to the bottom of this post, click on "Bear's Step by Steps", and then choose "Smoked Pork Butt".

Bear

kc5tpy · Apr 14, 2014

Hello. Whoa up here! We are talking apples and oranges here. He says he is taking the butt to 190-200 but then talks about cold smoking. The 2 don't match. You can't reach 190 IT cold smoking.

Am I dumb as a rock and missing something here? The best way I know to resolve this is to ask Ljumstot9718 to post his EXACT procedure step by step and pictures will help. We will be glad to help but things just don't add up. More info please.

Danny

Bearcarver · Apr 14, 2014

Check Post #11-----He said he uses a cold smoker to make smoke, and sends it into the cc, which I assume is a hot smoker.

That's why I answered like I did in #15.

Bear

kc5tpy · Apr 14, 2014

Hello Bear. You know I would never dispute your advice! I am getting a bit confused here. I am SURE I am dumb as a bag of rocks but I am getting confused as to his ACTUAL process. I didn't originally read post 11 that way BUT after a re-read I can see were you are coming from. I do believe that if an actual step by step process is posted we will better be able to help. Pictures would also be helpful. Just my worthless opinion.

Danny

Bearcarver · Apr 14, 2014

KC5TPY said:
Hello Bear. You know I would never dispute your advice! I am getting a bit confused here. I am SURE I am dumb as a bag of rocks but I am getting confused as to his ACTUAL process. I didn't originally read post 11 that way BUT after a re-read I can see were you are coming from. I do believe that if an actual step by step process is posted we will better be able to help. Pictures would also be helpful. Just my worthless opinion.

Danny

Absolutely, a whole Step by Step would make it easier, but meanwhile people were making it look like he was trying to get to 190* IT by cold smoking.

There's no way he was trying that.

He said in the beginning he uses a "Super Cooker" and then later he said from cold smoker to cc. I have no idea what a cc is, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt by saying it appears as though he's making smoke in some kind of a cold smoker, and sending it into a "cc" or a "Super Cooker".

He can clear this up, but by now he might have had enough.

Bear

ljumstot9718 · Apr 14, 2014

Gary s it's hard to explain so bear with me, we have an old Super Cooker on wheels that has a gas burner from end to end, we can dial the temp down as low as 160 if we want to by :droolregulating the gas and apply smoke via smoke Ventura unit (home built) thru a small hole in the end of the cooker, sorry I don't have any pics of the cooker, anyway, the smoker unit puts out wonderful tbs but we have to generate more smoke or change something to get more flavor. I will try to get some pics but the weather tomorrow is supposed to be nasty here. I think though, that our chips are just not cutting it.

How do I get more smoke flavor...?

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