Getting more smoke?


 
S

Steven Rice

New member
Hi all, had my first cook over the weekend with the 22 WSM. Did pulled pork, baby back, and a turkey bone in breast. The turkey was great, ribs were phenominal. The pulled pork was pretty dang good, crazy moist. The problem is, how do i get more smoke? I'm here in kansas city and we like our barbecue with a super thick smoke ring. I just can't seem to get a good bark and smoke ring on the pork. Any tips? I went through probably 15 hickory chunks during the cook, it was running almost entirely on wood. Still not a lot of smoke flavor. The ribs had it. Just not the pork.
 
I live just and 1 1/2 hours south if you in the corner of Kansas. I had the same problem with my first smoke on the WSM this weekend as well. I also understand where you are coming from with the smoke ring. I had issues with temps right at first and had my WSM extremely hot. From everything I have read you want to keep the IT of the meat below 140 for as long as possible and to start with meat right out of the fridge to create the smoke ring. Things like the fat cap or bacon can also inhibit the smoke ring from forming. What temp did you have the WSM at when you put on the meat? I also have read the smoke ring is not a product of the wood smoke its more a reaction to the proteins in the meat and the combustion that causes the smoke ring.
 
I cooked around 200-215 for 7 hours. The ribs and turkey were the second cook technically. I'm wondering if. The shiny new grill allowed radiant heat to reflect up and seal the meat? Still tasty. I was using an $80 wal mart mini offset smoker. Was getting such good results that people are giving me meat and buying my wood to smoke stuff for their parties. Needed more room for the expanding requests, so I bought the wsm. Hope I can get it to.perform.
 
I've never really had an issue with smoke rings or smokey flavor. I usually use apple and cherry and hickory. alot of wood on the turkey I'd think would be a little much. I usually put my meat from fridge to grill. I would think 15 hickory chunks would be overkill. I'd try bumping up temps some. Butts I like to do 225-250, ribs 275, turkey 250 (I don't eat skin), chicken 350. I don't know if this really helps smoke ring or not though.
 
Hi, Guys. Also here in Kansas City, been cooking on my WSM since 1983, always close to 225 degrees and only add enough soaked wood chips to cover the first hour or so of the cook.
Always have a ring and depending on the wood, a good smoke flavor.
What prep or rub are you using on the pork?
 
I know many will say that the chunks on top of the lit coals will produce all the smoke required, but I too thought there was a need for more. Here's what I do......

I fill the the charcoal ring about 1/3 full, then sprinkle some wood "chips" around on top. Then put another 1/3 in the ring, sprinkle some more chips. Fill it up, add the lit, and place the chunks on top. When the charcoal burns down, it hits the chips and additional smoke is released. (I match the chip wood to the chunks).

It may or may not have any added "smoke" benefits, but at least I feel better about it.
 
seal the meat
Click to expand...
Nothing 'seals' meat.

The smokering is a chemical reaction. It has nothing to do with smoke flavor.

Smoke flavor is achieved by smoke, of course. As long as it is present the smoke will stick to the meats' surfaces. (It does not 'penetrate' or 'absorb' as one often reads.) Its flavor, then, becomes a product of surface (where the smoke flavor is) relative to the interior portion of the meat (where the smoke flavor isn't). On thinner cuts like ribs there is a tighter ratio of surface to interior; with butts the ratio is wide as there is much more interior than surface. Pulling the pork and mixing it all together can make for a less smoky result. Increasing the smoke on the butt's surface can help, as can simply leaving the bark in larger pieces than the chopped or pulled meat. One can also add smoke by adding a component that contains it during pulling, like smoked paprika, chipotle, or a finishing sauce containing either, and/or by adding the juices from the rested meat.
 
Wow, -15- chunks of hickory for one cook!!!! I use 3-4 fist sized chunks max and that is only for briskets and butts.
 
Smoking without water in the pan will give you a significant stronger smoke flavor. Also, although you most certainly want seasoned wood, you might try finding some wood that has a little more moisture than store bought chunks.

Sounds to me, though, that you've just gotten used to a very heavy smoke flavor off the little offset. You'll find that although a lot of folks like that for butts and brisket, you'll always have a few that are totally turned off by it and refuse it, especially if you smoke poultry or ribs with the same smoke. Less is more, and my goal in a long butt or brisket cook is to smoke LONG, not heavy.
 
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