WSM Minimal Smoke Ring Theory


 
Anthony Hunter

Anthony Hunter

TVWBB Fan
So I know it's a dangerous prospect, but I was thinking today! ;)

I have been irked to no end with the inconsistent, minimal, and in many cases, no smoke ring on the meats that come off the WSM. When ever I smoke indirect on my Aussie cheapo grill, I always get a very nice and pronouned smoke ring 100% of the time. When I cooked on my offset (Chargriller Smokin' Pro) I always got a very pronounced smoke ring 100% of the time. Heck, when I cook brats on my super-cheap, table-top, generic smokey-joe clone, I get a smoke ring on them 100% of the time. But on my WSMs, I can almost empty a bag of wood chunks into them and still get no, or a very slight smoke ring. What's up with that? :mad:

Well, I think it's as simple as what I call Perimeter Smoke Flow. What this means is, in the WSM, if the top vent is wide open, as it usually is, smoke does saturate the meat by hovering around in the cooking chamber, at least not long enough to have a deep penetrating effect. Instead, the smoke that comes up from the bottom, is quickly drafted upward, and mostly around the perimeter of the cooking chamber, and then quickly out of the top vent where all of the smoke accumulates in the lid, until it is forced out of the smoker by the draft. This means that very little smoke meanders around inside the cooking chamber at the cooking grate levels, penetrating the meat, and creating that hovering smoke effect that helps create a pronounced smoke ring.

In kettles and grills doing an indirect cook, this is not a problem because the smoke comes up from the beneath the cooking grate, surrounding the meat, and filling the cooking chamber before exiting the top vent which is likely not wide open. This environment baths the meat in smoke, and this is why we always get a nice smoke ring when cooking on them.

The solution to the WSMs' minimal smoke ring problem should be resolved by:

1.) Ensuring a very tight seal of the cooking sections.
2.) Ensuring that the charcoal door has a very tight seal.
3.) Closing the top vent during to cook to 50-75 percent.

This should create an environment inside the cooker, where smoke is literally rolling around trying to find an exit. Because the top vent is not wide open, the smoke will hover in the cooking chamber at the cooking grate levels, until it is inevitably pushed out by the draft.

I am going to be putting this theory to the test this weekend, and I am very excited about my expected results. We'll see! :D
 
Ha ha ha sorry but I think you're very confused on what causes a smoke ring do some research and smoke ring isn't even something judged in bbq competitions because it's a chemical reaction nothing else .. Smoke doesn't cause the " smoke ring " ..
 
Colby R said:
Ha ha ha sorry but I think you're very confused on what causes a smoke ring do some research and smoke ring isn't even something judged in bbq competitions because it's a chemical reaction nothing else .. Smoke doesn't cause the " smoke ring " ..
Click to expand...

Colby, No, I am very aware of how a smoke ring is formed. That's not the issue. The issue is that you need smoke to form the smoke ring. No smoke, no chemical reaction. this is the issue my theory addresses in the cooker.

As far as the smoke ring not being judged, that is totally not true. One of the categories of judging is "Appearance". I know what the rules say, and I also know how subjective judging is. A beautiful smoke ring enhances the appearance, and makes the judges freakin' hawngry! :D Yes, you get points for that!
 
Well I suppose it's a reaction between the myoglobin in the meat and gases in the smoke but I think it has a lot to do with the amount or concentration on myoglobin at surface of the meat
 
Colby R said:
Well I suppose it's a reaction between the myoglobin in the meat and gases in the smoke but I think it has a lot to do with the amount or concentration on myoglobin at surface of the meat
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Yes, I agree - I think. It sounds like you are basically saying what my premise suggests, which is, the meat has to have exposure to the smoke for the ring to form. My theory suggests that the meat is not getting enough exposure due to how the smoke flow out of the cooker.
 
Just for the heck of it, try this little experiment...

On one of your pieces of meat, make sure it is nice and cold but not freezing. Take it directly from the refrig to the wsm. See what happens. Oh... also make sure there's no fat layer or connective tissue (silverskin) nor oil preventing the migration of the oxides of nitrogen (as given off during combustion of wood products) into the meat.

Or... just for kicks... put a rub containing Morton Tender Quick on one of the meats and cook it in the oven. Unless the cooking temperature is not overly hot, you should have no smoke but will have a smoke ring. Think nitrates and nitrites.

And, no ! I have never taken the smoke ring nor the absences of a smoke ring into consideration when judging.

Bob
A current and very active kcbs cbj and tc.
 
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Hey Tony, curious to see what happens! Good idea that i think is worth a try.
I find i tend to get a better smoke ring when i use lump vs. briquets
also I think you would want to make sure you set the top a little more open then the bottom vents to ensure a clean burning fire.
that's my 2 cents, good luck and and I can't wait to see what happens!
 
I've never had a problem with smoke rings. Sure, sometimes the ring is more pronouced than other times. For the past several years I cooked on both the 18 or 22.5 inch, been involved in many on line forums and never heard any one saying the WSM inherently has a problem with smoke rings. I don't belive Tony that your lack of a smoke ring is due to the design of the WSM, but something else? How many cooks have you done?
 
When I started using my 18.5 I used the water pan and got amazing smoke rings on everything I smoked. After I switched to an ATC ( BBQ Guru) The smoke ring was very much diminished. I attributed that to the fact that I was no longer using the water pan.

Moisture is very important for the formation of the smoke ring. Here's an article with everything you might want to know about smoke rings.
http://http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_the_smoke_ring.html
 
FWIW: I use the upper vents in coordination with the lower vents to control heat. Without water in the pan it is the only way I can get into some lower cooking temp ranges. I always have the lower vents closed more than the upper to ensure I have a positive chimney effect but I have closed it as much as 50% when the lowers are barely cracked open, or one or two are closed completely and the third is barely open. I'll be interested in seeing if closing the vents more will result in a bitter taste on your food. I recommend using water and not using water in the pan to document the differences in your smoke ring result as well.

I normally wait until I have a clean burning fire (no visible smoke) before I add food to the smoker. Then I add my smoke wood one piece at a time. Normally, I only use two or three pieces. I believe less is more when it comes to smoke. I use it like a strong spice -- very little -- to avoid the ashtray effect. This way, I know all the smoke coming from the top vent is from my smoke wood. While I am waiting on the fire to burn clean, I'll prep the food. So by the time the fire is ready, the food is probably in the 50*F range and goes on a cooker that is +200*F. I'll be interested to see if you do it in different ways and see the resulting smoke ring.

I am also a KCBS CBJ and know not to judge on a smoke ring... but it's a beautiful thing none the less. :) Like I said, I'll be interested in the results of the experiment.
 
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So you guys got me thinking. I have a gas smoker that I get a nice smoke ring. My WSM I hardly get any smoke ring. Which gets me thinking (Ouch), the only thing I do differently is, I use a water pan in my gas smoker. Dpo you guys think that makes a difference? Next time I do ribs or a shoulder, I am going to use the water pan in the WSM.
 
A smoke ring is not a function of how much wood you put in the smoker. The ring is a function of meat temperature, humidity, and smoke. Once the meat is to a particular temperature, the smoke ring stops forming. Putting meat in straight from the refrigerator helps because it stays below that temperature for a longer time.

Smoke ring stops forming at 140F, but the meat will still absorb smoke flavor.

Here is another article - http://www.grillmaestro.com/explanation-of-the-pink-smoke-ring.htm

Cold meat, water in the water pan and and 225 degrees should get you a good smoke ring. Oops almost forgot, you need wood also.

Russell
 
Keep trying Tony. You will get a smoke ring. :wsm: I get really nice smoke rings using my 18.5 WSM. I know without a doubt its not the WSM. Lots of good suggestions from people on here. I use water in the pan, don't add wood until the food is on. I want wood smoke not charcoal smoke.
 
Bob Bass said:
Just for the heck of it, try this little experiment...

On one of your pieces of meat, make sure it is nice and cold but not freezing. Take it directly from the refrig to the wsm. See what happens. Oh... also make sure there's no fat layer or connective tissue (silverskin) nor oil preventing the migration of the oxides of nitrogen (as given off during combustion of wood products) into the meat.

Or... just for kicks... put a rub containing Morton Tender Quick on one of the meats and cook it in the oven. Unless the cooking temperature is not overly hot, you should have no smoke but will have a smoke ring. Think nitrates and nitrites.

And, no ! I have never taken the smoke ring nor the absences of a smoke ring into consideration when judging.

Bob
A current and very active kcbs cbj and tc.
Click to expand...

Please more details about EVO stopping ..... In the end inhibiting smoke ring!!!!!!
 
Below is a pic of a partial brisket flat I cooked.
The smoke ring is not wide, but pretty pronounced, IMO.
Cooked top rack, no pan, nothing between meat and fire except space, on a not very well sealed 18.5 wsm.
more smoke ring discussion here

IMGP9268.JPG
 
Bob Correll said:
Below is a pic of a partial brisket flat I cooked.
The smoke ring is not wide, but pretty pronounced, IMO.
Cooked top rack, no pan, nothing between meat and fire except space, on a not very well sealed 18.5 wsm.
more smoke ring discussion here

IMGP9268.JPG
Click to expand...

That's just beautiful! Too pretty to eat... at least until after the pic was taken! :D
 
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