Where is the smoke ring?

[baker2828]

I just bought a gourmet electric Brinkman smoker just because I wanted to try it out. I have the little red charcoal Brinkman, and a Chargriller wsfb, but I really needed for personal satisfaction an electric one. (Yeh right) I did two racks of bb ribs and used 3-2-1 and man were they tasty, I used hickory chips in aluminum foil near/not touching the element and got plenty of smoke for the first 2-3 hours. However, when I was eating them I noticed there wasn't a smoke ring? Is that common? I cooked a brisket and ribs two weeks ago in my chargriller and had a great smoke ring. Anybody got any ideas on why I didn't get it with the electric one? Ribs were good though and had plenty of smoke flavor.

 

[x-factor]

I used to use the brinkmann electric myself and noticed the same thing. Now that I have the CGSP I get a much better smoke ring. I think some of it could be the difference of using the wood chunks over the wood chips, maybe giving it a longer thicker smoke. But this is just a thought I had since I noticed the same thing you did.

 

[sumosmoke]

Baker - even though you got some smoke for the first 2-3 hours, what kind of smoke was it? Was it TBS or big puffy white stuff? Do you happen to recall if you did anything different between this smoke and the brisket, where you had a nice smoke ring? Just curious to see if we can help ya, but it does sound like the smoke chips burned up pretty quickly and you didn't have anything but the charcoal heating your ribs.

 

[baker2828]

Yeh,
Let me clarify first. I cooked these ribs on an electric smoker = no smoke ring.

I cooked last week (Brisket and Ribs) on a charcoal chargriller.

The smoke was a nice thin blue smoke, since I did the 3-2-1 I only needed the smoke on the electric smoker for the first 3 hours.

The question is how come I didn't see a smoke ring on my electric smoker when I have no problems on the charcoal smoker?

Sorry for the confusion, not the greatest typer.

 

[ibsmoking]

Hello Baker, I think i've seen some other theads on this same subject, some of the folks where putting a few pieces of charcoal and said that it helped with the smoke ring. I'am sure someone will be along with more info.

 

[placebo]

Electric smokers will not produce a smoke ring unless you add some charcoal to the wood tray.

 

[fatback joe]

The smoke ring is just a chemical reaction and the wood chips in an electric smoker don't produce enough nitrous oxide develop a good ring IMO.

The charcoal (which has plenty of chemicals) give you enough NO to form the nitrous dioxide and the nitric acid which combines with the myoglobin in the meat to give you the pretty pink color.

Either way, if you add a briq or two of Kingsford with your wood chips, you will get a better ring if that is what you are looking for when using your electric.

 

[baker2828]

I appreciate everyone's answers and will try that. I don't have to have the smoke ring the taste is whats important I was just curious why it didn't appear and I know if I ever have a question about smoking meat somebody will know about it.

Did learn a lesson though, I should search other threads before I post as there was a thread already about this exact topic some of you replied to that as well. Thanks for those of you that were willing to respond again and give me instant feedback.

 

[richtee]

Here ya go Baker
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...40270#poststop

 

[baker2828]

Great thread and tremendous amount of detail. Thank You for directing me towards this.

 

[richtee]

Yer welcome. I'm attempting to be SMF's mythbuster...LOL!

Actually, Meowey had cited the article I had, before me. I was too dense to know about it tho. Sigh.

 

[bbq bubba]

Wrong!!!
I originally learned how to smoke on an electric ECB, ya just gotta use chunks and enough of them!
Smoked backstrap...




Pulled pork...



Chuckie...

 

[placebo]

Ok well I'll just shutup now and let the experts advise. Sorry for mis-informing.