Smoke Ring?

War_Eagle_2244 · June 2012

Any tips you guys can give on getting a better smoke ring? I did some baby backs yesterday with BGE lump & Hickory/Apple chunks that I soaked overnight. The ribs were on the grill for about 5 hours and there was hardly any smoke ring. Alos did a butt for about 16 hours with the same result. Pic of the ribs is attached. TIA

stike · June 2012

Dont let the meat warm up before going on. That seems to be the culprit most times.

BOWHUNR · June 2012

stike nailed it. Have your meat as cold as possible when it goes on as it will only take smoke to 145*. Therefore, the colder the meat when it starts, the bigger the window to take smoke. Also, I have found that cherry wood tends to form a more vivid smoke ring.

Mike

War_Eagle_2244 · June 2012

Interesting...I will have to try that next time. I had them sitting on the kitchen table for a good hour before they went on the Egg,

tnbarbq · June 2012

Is it possible that by soaking the wood so long that there was more steam than smoke? Just a thought. I don't soak wood chunks.

BOWHUNR · June 2012

@ War_Eagle. Soaking the wood is a waste of time. I'm pretty sure that the Whiz has a study on his site that proves this through science, but I can tell you through many hours and cooks that it does nothing but delay good smoke early in the cook where you want it.

Mike

stike · June 2012

when you soak, you need to drive off the water so that it will smolder. as you said, you're delaying the smoke.

since the smoke ring only forms up to around 140 (surface temp, where the smoke ring is), the longer you delay the start of smoke, the warmer the meat, and smaller the window. tha'ts the logic behind the cold meat vs. warm meat idea too.

keep in mind that meat will 'take' smoke whenever smoke is present. beginning, middle, end. the smoke ring is unrelated to the smoke flavor.

as for soaking/not-soaking. in most cookers (gassers especially) you need to soak, or your chips will burn (actual flames) quickly, and flare up.

you can't get woodchips/chunks/twigs to burst into flame in the egg because it is airtight. once the air comes in thru the vent, up thru the burning lump, there's no extra oxygen (or very little).it's been consumed. and so anything flammable on top will simply smolder when in contact with the coals, even though they are 1000+ degrees.

if you are running at moderate to higher temps, they'll burst into flame when you open the lid, like fat will (flare ups) or like a flashback can. but only when they get a gulp of fresh air to fuel their burning. shut the dome and flare-ups, wood chunks/chips, flare up, will go out.

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