Smoke penetration


 
R

russell swift

TVWBB Super Fan
How much smoke from a couple chunks of smoke wood (apple, pecan, oak, etc.) actually penetrates a piece of meat? Let's take a pork butt for example. Does the smoke only penetrate into the outside bark or can it penetrate deeper into the muscle? Trying to settle a debate here....
 
I'm no scientist... but from flavor... you really only get smoke flavor on the outside of the meat. Maybe penetrating about as far as a smoke ring - 1/4 inch at most, I'd say.

But, once you pull and the outside parts mix with the inside bits, the whole lot tastes like smoke.

But... if you were to somehow take a piece from the center of a butt after it's finished without it touching the outside, I don't think you'd notice much if any smoke flavor.

but... that's just my unscientific thought...
 
The smoke ring will stop forming when the meat reaches and internal temp of 140-150 degrees, but the smoke penetration of the meat will continue as long you add wood, and will penetrate deep in the meat. My pork butts have smoke taste all the way to the core. I am not a scientist type either but I do know what I have experienced.
 
Quoting our own Doug D of several years ago, smoke is deposited on the meat, not absorbed into the meat ... whatever
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Paul
 
Close, Paul, but allow me to elaborate:

Big T, my friend, I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one, and chalk your perception up to wishful thinking. Smoke is deposited on the meat at a minimum, and is adsorbed onto the outer layers at best. Check your Merriam-Webster for the definition of adsorption.

With ribs, we have no problem getting the taste of smoke throughout, as we have no real mass to contend with. With a butt, we get the smoke to the interior when we pull the meat and distribute the smoky exterior parts to the tender, juicy interior.

What you say about smokering formation is exactly true-- it stops after about 140°. But, visually, you can see that, chemically, the effect of smoke penetrates no deeper than about 3/8 of an inch maximum.
 
With that in mind, is it possible to oversmoke a butt if the smoke can't penetrate that deep?

I've only done 2 at this point, so I wouldn't know.
 
Good question Jay, but a hard one. Most of the folks who sample my Q tend to like the smoke flavor to be mild and I prefer stronger smoke. But in reality too much smoke can make the bark bitter in my opinion.
 
I'll run with that one - most definitely YES - you can indeed oversmoke any piece of meat. It's more difficult to oversmoke in a WSM as opposed to a stick-burner, but trust me - you can oversmoke large or small cuts of meat in a WSM to the point that they're practically inedible.

Robert tells me that those are the ones that we don't talk about in polite company.

My schnauzer Cassie refused offered bites of the really oversmoked stuff, and she eats ANYTHING. Not overcooked - just oversmoked. Blech.
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Keri C, still smokin' on Tulsa time
 
Being a convert from a stick burner to a wsm a while back, I can attest to "oversmoking" meat.

Less is more IMO , if there is too much smoke you'll have a hard time getting flavor out of the wood because it's over powered by the smoke itself.

You could not have told me this a year ago using my old stick burner philosophy.

Now that my bbq is more balanced....it keeps everyone happy instead of just me.

I can now differentiate somewhat between taste changes between different woods.

I look at wood now as a seasoning in itself. Too much....not good

Too little.....then bland.
 
I think the important thing to remember is that smoke flavor is subjective. In other words, it depends on what you like. I like a lot of smoke flavor, others like really mild smoke flavor and there are those in between. My point is, to those who like really mild smoke flavor even the in between is oversmoked to them. So, you will just have to cook to your taste then make adjustments according to the crowd, family or friends you are cooking for.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
Hey Tony, Nice to see you back. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks,

I have been very busy. My twin girls are going to IU this summer and fall, so I been getting them ready to put me in the poor house!
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I guess I am going to have to sell a lot of Q to help pay the tuition!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rita Y:
Just hope they don't get married at the same time!
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Rita </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

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Tony, did you open your "Q" joint yet or are you selling on the side? Was planning to go to Carmel to judge but they have enough. Maybe next year
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
Tony, did you open your "Q" joint yet or are you selling on the side? Was planning to go to Carmel to judge but they have enough. Maybe next year </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Paul,

No Q joint yet - but seriously in the planning. Marion County is pretty strict on restaurant rules and regs, so I have some planning and preparation to do. In the meantime, I am selling Q on the side.

I dont think I will be at Carmel this year because I plan to go and check out Memphis In May. I plan to go down on Friday and come Sunday. It sounds like a plan so far so I think its going to work. If something goes wrong I will be at Carmel helping Bucky McOinkums.

Also, I plan to attend the CBJ class that is going to be held in Indy this month. I want to judge several comps this year but I plan to compete in Grand Rapids and Madison, IN.
 
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