Low and slow...the myth.

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Boy, I hate to step into the line of fire here but to me, smoking meat is all about adding smoked flavor to the meat, rendering fat into the meat and break down connective tissue while ending up with a quality finished product. I just can't see how you can get good or thin blue smoke at 300 plus degrees. The other argument I have is that the more time the stuff lays in the smoke the better penetration of flavor will be achieved. Now you hot and fast guys may be under the assumption that meat takes no more smoke after a certain few hours or am I not correct? Are you saying that your hot and fast is BETTER? Or what is the exact argument here? If you are just arguing for the sake of arguing then take it to one of the forums that encourage that crap. I love this forum for being helpful and not drama filled back biting bull. Have a nice day. 

I really think your post above is just stoking this fire (no pun intended).

My original post in this thread was just simply stating what temps I normally cook MY meals at. I should have had the foresight to just stay off of this topic based on how the original poster started the conversation to begin with.

I'm making a prediction that this thread will be locked before long...

I'm moving on.
 
And good cooking to the rest of us.
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Yes sir, but i hate it when i smell like cook!
 
I radiate my Q low (30%) and fast + liquid smoke. Can't tell the difference in the end product.
 
I am not sure what the discussion is all about.

There are a couple of things you can't change, does not matter who you are.

1. As long as there is moisture in the meat, you can't make it go hotter than 212 F, Hot or low.

2. Once that temperature gets to 212F, the physics law of thermal conductivity takes over, You can never make heat travel faster than the conductivity of meat, or anything else. Conductivity of a material is a constant, can't be changed. You can't make it fast or slow.

So what is Hot and Fast? Low and slow?

dcarch
 
Found this in Wikipedia. Seems to fit this discussion.

Cold smoking can be used as a flavor enhancer for items such as chicken breasts, beef, pork chops, salmon, scallops, and steak. The item is hung first to develop a pellicle, then can be cold smoked for just long enough to give some flavor. Some cold smoked foods are baked, grilled, steamed, roasted, or sautéed before eating. Smokehouse temperatures for cold smoking are typically done between 20 to 30 °C (68 to 86 °F).[5] In this temperature range, foods take on a smoked flavor, but remain relatively moist. Cold smoking does not cook foods. Meats should be fully cured before cold smoking.[5]

Hot smoking exposes the foods to smoke and heat in a controlled environment. Like cold smoking, the item is hung first to develop a pellicle, then smoked. Although foods that have been hot smoked are often reheated or cooked, they are typically safe to eat without further cooking. Hams and ham hocks are fully cooked once they are properly smoked. Hot smoking occurs within the range of 52 to 80 °C (126 to 176 °F).[5] Within this temperature range, foods are fully cooked, moist, and flavorful. If the smoker is allowed to get hotter than 185 °F (85 °C), the foods will shrink excessively, buckle, or even split. Smoking at high temperatures also reduces yield, as both moisture and fat are "cooked" away.

Smoke roasting or smoke baking refers to any process that has the attributes of smoking combined with either roasting or baking. This smoking method is sometimes referred to as "barbecuing", "pit baking", or "pit roasting". It may be done in a smoke roaster, closed wood-fired masonry oven or barbecue pit, any smoker that can reach above 250 °F (121 °C), or in a conventional oven by placing a pan filled with hardwood chips on the floor of the oven so the chips smolder and produce a smokebath. However, this should only be done in a well-ventilated area to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Seems like the majority of us here are "smoke roasting or smoke baking."
 
Sounds to me like the thread itself was baiting an argument.





There is no right way, there is no wrong way, there is no myth, and the best smoked food is what you are most happy with. What you do and enjoy is great, but maybe what I do and enjoy is different. There is no one perfect way.  Oh and low & slow or Hot and fast are myths?  Its good to know that after 1000's of years that Myron is the answer to smoking.





Enjoy your smoke.

This. I've tried 225 and just could not get good results. My B-i-L from Texas moved here and tried to do his chicken and Brisket low and slow but again with poor results. I usually stay between 250 and 275 but have gone up to 300. We think it may just be this part of the country that requires the different temps. But I agree with the above. As long as you like it, good. The rest is just discussion.
 
Endless, mind numbing discussion.

I don't see why people are so passionate about defining things and that their method is the end all be all best. I say screw it! Life's too short to argue about the why's and if's, just do what works for you and enjoy the results. If you don't get the results you want, do it a different way.

If everyone smoked the exact same way, there would be no need for forums like this and it'd be pretty boring.
 
 
 
Sounds to me like the thread itself was baiting an argument.
  
There is no right way, there is no wrong way, there is no myth, and the best smoked food is what you are most happy with. What you do and enjoy is great, but maybe what I do and enjoy is different. There is no one perfect way.  Oh and low & slow or Hot and fast are myths?  Its good to know that after 1000's of years that Myron is the answer to smoking.
  
Enjoy your smoke.

This. I've tried 225 and just could not get good results. My B-i-L from Texas moved here and tried to do his chicken and Brisket low and slow but again with poor results. I usually stay between 250 and 275 but have gone up to 300. We think it may just be this part of the country that requires the different temps. But I agree with the above. As long as you like it, good. The rest is just discussion.
It's a good thing that we discuss topics such as this.

Why under "identical situations", same meat, same smoker, same temperature, same cooking time, will work perfectly for some, but not for there other. Because there is always some conditions that make the condition not identical.

Conditions such as what is the relative humidity, which controls how fast your meat dries out and lowers the surface temperature. How big is your piece of meat, how often you turn your meat, how high up is your meat from the heat source, etc. etc. 

dcarch
 
Well, I love these sorts of debates. It gets people involved who normally don't tell you the why of what they suggest you do. I find it hard to accept advice from someone who suggests something based on their assertion that that is the way we've always done it, or that's the way we do it around here.

If you really want to get my goat, just say something like, "Do it this way, that's how most of the people on here do it." I actually had someone tell a newbie this after I had suggested to the newbie (who had asked for ideas) something different that I had done that turned out great.

But, debate is good. Is there a right or wrong way? Maybe, maybe not. But I'm still interested in hearing everyone's side and their reasoning behind it.
 
Wow, touchy subject!!! I have done it both ways and I think I prefer the hot and fast. I have cooked a lot of BBQ for a lot people. With no complaints. I sell them so when I'm doing 40-50 slabs on a Saturday for the game I can't take forever. I know the argument and I understand. But they love it and they pay well for it!! It has a good smoke ring and flavor. I believe there is more than one way to produce good tasting BBQ!!!
 
I agree. I even go a little hotter on my brisket and ribs. Myron Mixon always preaches hot and fast is just as good as low and slow, and I'm a believer. Myron's certainly got the credentials to back up what he says.
I so agree! I was a low and slow guy until I went to his school this past Feb. Been hot and fast since....I'm sold. Easier, quicker same smoke flavor...may even be better.

Butts, brisket and chicken 325

Ribs 275
 
 
I so agree! I was a low and slow guy until I went to his school this past Feb. Been hot and fast since....I'm sold. Easier, quicker same smoke flavor...may even be better.

Butts, brisket and chicken 325

Ribs 275
If you get the same smoke flavor and you aren't burning the meat, why not hot and fast? I did my last butt at 280 with no problem. It was much faster and didn't stall for long before it took off again. It also eliminated the need to foil if you don't have time for a 12-18 hour smoke. The bark was cultishly good, too.
 
If you get the same smoke flavor and you aren't burning the meat, why not hot and fast?

I use the slow-n-low time as an excuse to not do anything else except enjoy beers.

Wife: "Can you do [insert any home repair task here] today?

Me: "Oh sorry honey... I have to keep an eye on this smoker, I'd love to [insert mundane task here], but I have to keep an eye on this fire..."

If I'd lose that excuse I don't know would I do!
 
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