No Smoke Ring With Stoker?

[Jim Cranford]

Just wondering if anybody else has had this issue. Here's what I think is happening.
I start my 22.5 WSM with the Minion method. Add couple of chucks of wood then add the meat immediately.
I allow the temps to raise slowly (all intake vents close) and prevent the Stoker to run until it naturally reaches 220 or so.
My thinking here was that this would allow the meat to stay under the 140 mark for the longest period.
The problem is that I believe that I'm staving the unit of oxygen.
By using this low and slow increase in temperature I'm not getting the fire hot enough to creating enough NO2.
Any thoughts.

 

[Amir]

I let stoker bring up my ceramic smoker up to temp. Using that method I get the smoke ring. Have you tried this system?

 

[Benny A]

Jim,
I let the stoker bring the temp up. I recommend you only light 5 or 6 coals and place them close to the fan. The fan will then light up enough of the coals until the target temp is reached.
I usually set a lower target temp, wait for the stoker to reach it and then put the meat in (and wood chunks too). When the temp comes back up, I reset the stoker to my actual target temp and let it go.

Good luck, Benny

 

[LarryR]

Never had a smoke ring issue except w/high heat cooks. I throw a hand full of lit on the top of my fuel and wood chunks, put meat on, turn on Stoker and walk away. Next time I touch her is to check for "doneness." Never had an issue.

 

[Russell Y]

Smoke Ring I

Smoke Ring II

Unless you are shutting down the WSM you should be getting enough oxygen. Factors for a smoke ring include - age and temperature of meat, humidity in the cooker and amount of nitrogen in the wood.

The larger WSM could take longer to build up the humidity needed for the smoke ring (compared to a 18").

 

[RobM (YankeeRob)]

What are you cooking???? Assuming it's pork or brisket:

You need to look for TBS or "thin blue smoke" before you add your meat. This can be achieved quickly using high quality lump charcoal such as Wicked Good.

Look at the color of smoke and not the temp before you add your meat. The color and the temp will tell you when it is time to add the meat.

You did your homework in noting that the smoke ring formation stops at 140. Here's what we do in the comps:

Trim to 1/4 inch fat and place back in the cooler. inject with Butchers or some other brine. Sprinkle with rub and place on the smoker. Add it cold on the smoker after applying more rub. Cook until 160, foil, baste and then take it out at 190. Unfoil, baste and crisp the pork/brisket up. Allow it to steam down 10 to 20 minutes and slice/pull and serve.

Seemed the judges liked it this year.

-rob

 

[Amir]

I have to try that with my brisket Rob

. Never been able to get that to be tender like pork.

Do you change the temp when you uncover it? Or stay at ~230?

 

[RobM (YankeeRob)]

We cook our main meats at 250. I try to get 8 pound butts and we do full briskets. (flat and point). Here's the complete process we use in the comps:

5:00pm Trim briskets to 1/4 inch trim, inject with 1/2 quart Butcher's, sprinkle with Slabs.com Wow-up-your-Cow, wrap tightly with saran wrap, place on ice.

11:00pm Bring smokers up to 200 using lump, fistful of hickory, fistful of oak, fistful of maple OR cherry.

12:00pm Remove brisket (and butts) from ice, unwrap, place on smoker fat side up, raise temp to 250. Brisket on top shelf, Butts on bottom.

6:00am Flip butts and brisket to fat side down. Baste with slather sauce. (Newman's Steak Sauce + Beer for cow. Maple KC Style sauce for pig)

8:00 OR when internal temp of meat is 165, wrap in 2 large sheets of heavy duty foil. When you place the meat on the foil flip it fat side up. Pour in 1 cup marinade, sprinkle with rub and wrap. Brisket goes on bottom and pork goes on top.

10:00am OR when internal temp of meat is 190, remove from smoker. Open foil and allow it to rest 10 minutes. Flip fat side down, baste and sprinkle more rub. Place in a hot box or Cambro.

11:00am Baste/slather pig and cow. Sprinkle with more rub. Remove from foil. Place back on smoker fat side up at 250 to allow to crisp up bark.

12:00pm remove meat from smoker, allow to rest for 10 minutes tented with foil.

12:10pm Remove point from flat, baste, rub, place pig and cow back on smoker.

12:40pm Remove pork and allow to rest.

12:45pm Slice pork "cones", money meat and pull the section next to money meat. Sauce with maple/butter finishing sauce.

1:00 presentation for pork, remove cow from smoker and allow to rest.

1:15 Slice point burnt ends. Slice flat. Baste in butter/steak sauce (Johnny's Au Jus)

1:30 Brisket presentation.

I was taught this method from a team that took 43rd out of 119 in the American Royal Invitational last weekend. As you know, to be in the invitational, you need to have won Grand Championship in at least on contest for the year. This method also got us 1st place brisket and a $350 check at the Roc City Rib Fest in Rochester, NY this year.

-rob

 

[Amir]

I guess that is great evidence for why you all are in competition circles and I am not

. That is quite a process! I will give it a try for my next brisket. Thanks a bunch.

Sorry OP for hijacking the thread

.