Cold, Rainy, Snowing and no Smokering!


 
T

Tony Hunter

TVWBB Pro
I am not a very happy camper!
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Let me tell you why. In the past, I have had problems getting a smoke ring on my meats using lump. Well, today is no exception. I know, most people say, to heck with the smoke ring as long as the food tastes great. Ok, the food tastes great, the texture is good but no smoke rings! No, I am not going to throw it out - I have to eat luch at work all week!
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But I am, none-the-less, mad as a toothless dentist!

I used Royal Oak - again!!! :? I used hickory chunks and apple wood - and plenty of it! I thought I might get a heavy smoke flavor (and I did) but I did not want to err on the side of being stingy with the wood - hey, thats what cold, rainy, snowy spring days are for right?
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Lastly, my WSM temp was rock steady for 6 hours straight at 225* (thats 240* in the WSM lid).

The chicken and the fatties got done in 4 hours... man they look good. The chicken was a bit smokey but I anticipated that. And I did not expect it to have a heavy smoke ring because it was boneless and skinless and would quickly reach 140* before a smoke ring could form; however, there was a very slight smoke ring but nothing send a note up to heaven and tell momma about!

The fatties looked as if they had not been smoked at all! They tasted great but no smoke ring. Then there is the ribs - cooked 6 hours no foil at 225*. Tender - Check! Tasty - Check! Moist - Check! Smoke Ring - Not a chance!
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Pictures of the Cook

So, somebody tell me what the heck is up with cooking with lump! I never have this problem with Kingsford - but I despise the Kingsford ash!
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I want to use lump but if I can't get predictable outcomes I get antsy! I like consistency and predictability and if I have to use... gulp.... Kingsford to get that then I guess I have no other choice.

Tony
 
It could be the photography and not the cooking, but it looks like your meat is rather dark which makes me ask - are you sure your thermometer is accurate? Also, do you leave it lower than 225º for a while or do you jump right up to that temp? Maybe you need to hold a lower temp for awhile.

Also, dark seems to indicate a lot of sugar in the rub. Not sure of this, but maybe the saltier rubs yield a better smoke ring?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jerry N.:
It could be the photography and not the cooking, but it looks like your meat is rather dark which makes me ask - are you sure your thermometer is accurate? Also, do you leave it lower than 225º for a while or do you jump right up to that temp? Maybe you need to hold a lower temp for awhile.

Also, dark seems to indicate a lot of sugar in the rub. Not sure of this, but maybe the saltier rubs yield a better smoke ring? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Therm is working great - I boil test frequently to make sure.

I do use brown sugar splenda in the rub because I am on the Atkins diet and I use no salt at all in the rub because I have to keep my blood pressure in check. I know the meat is dark because of the splenda but it is that way when I use Kingsford Briquettes and I always get an excellent smoke ring.

Also, I put the meat on right out of the fridge and while the smoker is heating up so that it can be exposed to the smoke as long as possible while the meat temp is below 140*.

I think you may be on to something with the lack of salt though. This could be a problem that I am forced to live with if that is the case.

Tony
 
Tony,

I use lump exclusively and have no problem getting a smoke ring.

My rubs do have some salt, but not as much as many others are accustomed to.
 
I cook with Royal Oak lump and a piedmont water pan. The smoke ring is less pronounced than when I cooked with briquettes. But to me the smoke ring is like grill marks on a steak, if the taste and texture is right the rest does not matter.
 
I don't think your issue is with lump or briquettes; they provide the heat but very little smoke. It's more likely the amount of smoke wood you use. A chemical reaction occurs between the meat pigment and the nitrogen dioxide, a byproduct of the burning wood; this creates the ring. It can be created artificially for that matter; but that's another story. Here's a good article by Joe Cordray a Meat Extension Specialist at Iowa State University. He explains it all. http://www.geocities.com/senortoad/SmokeRinginBarbequeMeats.htm
 
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