Getting the right amount of smoke for taste

[smallz]

Hello everyone, I am looking to understand smoking meats the best way. Do you have any tips on how much lump wood you are using for cooks? Just backyard smoking here but would like to learn a little on when to stop burning wood and when too much smoke over takes the taste.

Just looking to understand the process better than what I have been doing. Thank you

 

[chef k-dude]

Trial and error, really. And a matter of personal preference. I dont mind a strong smoke flavor but my wife prefers more of a hint of smoke. I've had to learn to back off on the smoke levels because of her preferences.

As you can see here, some people want smoke on nearly everything. It would not surprise me to see someone smoking strawberries and blueberries here.

You have to play around with methods, woods and level of smoke to find where your preference lies. There is no set level or amount of smoke you are "supposed" to have, except there is that "smoke ring" many strive for on certain meats. Makes a pretty picture but also could be too "smoky" for some people. Some chefs put foods in a pan covered with foil or plastic and just flood it with a smoke gun (looks like some sort of a weed pipe thing!) for a short time. Same with some cocktails...just a whiff.

Because I dont smoke meats all the time, when I do, it's really special and different. When I had the "smoke everything" bug, it became less so. To each their own and you have to find out what's yours.

 

[JC in GB]

It also depends on the style of smoker you have. I felt that the Masterbuilt electric I had never gave me enough smoke flavor even using a pellet tube. I have had smoked meat from a wood only smoker that was very good. My charcoal smoker I have gives the widest range of smoke profile I have tried. I find that 1 wood chunk per hour or so gives a very pronounced wood flavor note. You will have to experiment to dial it in based on your smoker type. My $0.02

JC

 

[Smokin Okie]

Depends upon the smoker .

 

[thirdeye]

Every smoker has a different draw, and as far as smoke goes, most times less is more better. Just because flavor wood chunks are 3" X 3", that might be too large. Don't be afraid to size them down.

 

[smallz]

Every smoker has a different draw, and as far as smoke goes, most times less is more better. Just because flavor wood chunks are 3" X 3", that might be too large. Don't be afraid to size them down.
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Nice tip, thank you!

 

[SmokinEdge]

What kind of smoker are you currently running and what is the main fuel?

 

[smallz]

What kind of smoker are you currently running and what is the main fuel?

Just picked up my first smoker. It is a Masterbuilt gravity fed. Using charcoal and either apple or oak wood chunks. Have done 2 different days of ribs. The first was light on the smoke taste and the second was a lot heavier. I am just curious what serious smokers shoot for. Is there a standard on ribs for getting a good smoke ring? I know everyone just goes by their experience but being a novice, is there a balance between heat and smoke? Or when starting the meat, do you just get as much smoke going at the beginning? Or plan on a mild smoke throughout the whole cook?

 

[Smokin Okie]

Just picked up my first smoker. It is a Masterbuilt gravity fed. Using charcoal and either apple or oak wood chunks. Have done 2 different days of ribs. The first was light on the smoke taste and the second was a lot heavier. I am just curious what serious smokers shoot for. Is there a standard on ribs for getting a good smoke ring? I know everyone just goes by their experience but being a novice, is there a balance between heat and smoke? Or when starting the meat, do you just get as much smoke going at the beginning? Or plan on a mild smoke throughout the whole cook?

You have to find what you like. Smoke is just another seasoning, like salt or pepper.

 

[whistlepig]

Different woods give different flavors. I've tried a bunch but cherry works best for me.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Hello everyone, I am looking to understand smoking meats the best way. Do you have any tips on how much lump wood you are using for cooks? Just backyard smoking here but would like to learn a little on when to stop burning wood and when too much smoke over takes the taste.

Just looking to understand the process better than what I have been doing. Thank you

The process of smoking meats and creating a smoke ring or getting meat to intake smoke lasts until the stall temp which is an internal meat temp right around 160F. At this point the meat effervesces or perspires with internal juices, at that point smoke stops penetrating the meat. Some people stop smoke at this point, some just stop smoke and others wrap the meat, which again stops smoke on the meat. Still others do not wrap or stop smoke they cook “naked” the whole cook, and while smoke no longer penetrates the meat the smoke will layer on the surface building a more smoky bark on the meat.

Cook temp matters for smoke. Running 225F on the smoker takes longer time to reach stall temp than running 250 or 275F again the lower temp builds more smoke and potentially penetrates more because of longer time to stall. However many here, myself included, prefer running 250-275 pit temp because finish time is more predictable. Smoke profile is perfect.

Wood choice plays a huge part. The fruit woods like apple and cherry are more mild, nut woods like pecan and oak are a little stronger but still mild. Hickory is a standard smoke profile and works well on most meats. Mesquite is one of the stronger smoke profiles and more pronounced. Also don’t be afraid to mix mild and stronger woods to creat your preferred smoke profile. Mine personally is pecan mixed with cherry for most everything, but if I really want to bring the smoke flavor I go to mesquite.

Never use kiln dried woods, always source and use woods that are naturally seasoned. Kiln wood burns faster and has a lower smoke flavor.

Maybe these points will help. But smoking meats is really an art although there is a lot of science involved, the final product is the result of your artistry. So yes there is a learning curve to fit your personal taste preferences, but play with different woods and also different charcoal and briquettes, they all cook differently and taste different.

 

[smallz]

The process of smoking meats and creating a smoke ring or getting meat to intake smoke lasts until the stall temp which is an internal meat temp right around 160F. At this point the meat effervesces or perspires with internal juices, at that point smoke stops penetrating the meat. Some people stop smoke at this point, some just stop smoke and others wrap the meat, which again stops smoke on the meat. Still others do not wrap or stop smoke they cook “naked” the whole cook, and while smoke no longer penetrates the meat the smoke will layer on the surface building a more smoky bark on the meat.

Cook temp matters for smoke. Running 225F on the smoker takes longer time to reach stall temp than running 250 or 275F again the lower temp builds more smoke and potentially penetrates more because of longer time to stall. However many here, myself included, prefer running 250-275 pit temp because finish time is more predictable. Smoke profile is perfect.

Wood choice plays a huge part. The fruit woods like apple and cherry are more mild, nut woods like pecan and oak are a little stronger but still mild. Hickory is a standard smoke profile and works well on most meats. Mesquite is one of the stronger smoke profiles and more pronounced. Also don’t be afraid to mix mild and stronger woods to creat your preferred smoke profile. Mine personally is pecan mixed with cherry for most everything, but if I really want to bring the smoke flavor I go to mesquite.

Never use kiln dried woods, always source and use woods that are naturally seasoned. Kiln wood burns faster and has a lower smoke flavor.

Maybe these points will help. But smoking meats is really an art although there is a lot of science involved, the final product is the result of your artistry. So yes there is a learning curve to fit your personal taste preferences, but play with different woods and also different charcoal and briquettes, they all cook differently and taste different.

Thank you. That helps me understand things a little better.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Meathead at Amazingribs.com, has done a deep dive into smoke. Its worthy of your time.

Smoke

I ran across this video the other day, its from TRoy Cooks, who was an early influencer on YouTube.

He bought a hanging kit for his 22 WSM and did a comparison to his Pit Barrel Cooker. He hung ribs. Everything was the same, except he put three chunks of hickory in the WSM and two in the PBC .

To get to the point and save ya from watching the entire video, I've got it set to when he's comparing the finished ribs. He liked the WSM ribs better.

But me, I thought the WSM ribs looked way over smoked and the smoke from the WSM did not look very clean to me. Just by appearance, I would go with the PBC. He said the WSM produced smoke for the entire cook, while the PBC quit smoking at about 2 hours in.

Some people like the flavor of charcoal/chunk. Others like a lighter cleaner smoke that comes from wood in flame.

Taste is very subjective.

The color of the meat tells me how much smoke the meat has taken on. And I gotta disagree with SmokinEdge , I don't think smoke penetrates meat very deep, if any at all, I think it sticks to the surface. And I think meats continue to take on smoke for as long as they're exposed. I think people should wrap, when the meat has taken on the amount of smoke they prefer.



.

 

[Smokin Okie]

And here, I've got it set for him spritzing the ribs. Look at how much smoke comes out of each cooker, and what color the smoke is .

Course the question is, how could one cooker have far more smoke than the other ? IMO, its air flow. The WSM is more efficient, to run it at the same temp of the PBC requires less air, which produces smoke from smoldering wood chunks. The PBC runs more air through the cooker and thus, it burns cleaner. I own versions of both cookers.