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Smoke ring troubles? Centex can help.

Did a brisket last night with 50/50 salt and pepper and I added a little, and I mean very little, pink salt (the curing kind, not the Himalayan kind). Crazy "smoke" ring. So, if you really feel like you need a smoke ring for a comp or to impress your buddies, add a little curing salt to your rub and you'll have a smoke ring like this.......

imageimage

The brisket was really good but I'll put my bad Byron's briskets up against salt and pepper any day.
Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • More pics
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    :-B that sir looks like a smoke ring


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • pkaboo1
    pkaboo1 Posts: 115

    Great smoke ring, good job.

     

     

    Snellville,Ga.
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    Holy smokes.
    Dunedin, FL
  • That looks like you brined it in beet juice.
    Flint, Michigan
  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    Nice looking Brisket, great job.

                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • :-B that sir looks like a smoke ring

    But it's really a nitrite ring :). I never get very good ones so I thought I'd play a little and was pretty surprised by how fat the ring was with how little pink salt I used. I probably wont do it again but was just thrown it out there since so many people ask. I think Nola threw it out there too but just wanted to confirm that it works.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    Looking good :)

    I'll have to try bb butt rub next time, a little butt rub makes everyone happy.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Salt lick does that. Their brisket sucks.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • Black_Badger
    Black_Badger Posts: 1,182
    edited July 2013
    Damn cen-tex, smoke ring or no that looks awesome. There's a reason you're the brisket guru round these parts...



    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
  • Salt lick does that. Their brisket sucks.

    It really does.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Will Saltpeter give the same result? The Mrs. keeps that around all the time.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102

    Tjcoley said:
    Will Saltpeter give the same result? The Mrs. keeps that around all the time.
    Potassium nitrate - yeah, not as well, since the nitrate needs to convert to nitrite first.  Don't use it!  It might not even be food grade.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    :-B that sir looks like a smoke ring

    But it's really a nitrite ring :). I never get very good ones so I thought I'd play a little and was pretty surprised by how fat the ring was with how little pink salt I used. I probably wont do it again but was just thrown it out there since so many people ask. I think Nola threw it out there too but just wanted to confirm that it works.
    Yeah, I used a little in the rub on my last brisket.  I got a nice little smoke ring, nothin' that big!  The ring is exactly the same as one created by smoke - no taste difference, just a different source for the nitrite.
     
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
    Yet another winning briskly.  I think I read somewhere that chilling it in the freezer for a bit helped smoke ring formation bit I haven't tried it myself 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    That looks like you brined it in beet juice.
    That's it exactly....
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Deckhand
    Deckhand Posts: 318
    Throw one briquette in with the lump... the binder material helps with nitrate formation... or so I've read... Won't change flavor, though.  
  • caliking said:

    Yet another winning briskly.  I think I read somewhere that chilling it in the freezer for a bit helped smoke ring formation bit I haven't tried it myself 

    I've don't it and it didn't help. Water pan does though. Moisture is key if you aren't taking it with added nitrite.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Deckhand said:

    Throw one briquette in with the lump... the binder material helps with nitrate formation... or so I've read... Won't change flavor, though.  

    Haven't tried it but I've read that too. The binder is usually corn starch. Not sure the science behind that.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • @#!*% cen-tex, smoke ring or no that looks awesome. There's a reason you're the brisket guru round these parts...



    It looked better than it was. Im in a bit of a slump actually. It's because the last 3 I've done have all been different. As long as I stick to my normal deal (bad Byron's and Post Oak) I'm in good shape. I still like to play around so occasionally I chase new things but none of them are as good as when i do them with BB and Oak.


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • bccomstock
    bccomstock Posts: 338
    CT, I recently did a brisket that came out great.. I was going to use some Bad Byron's, but I went with John Henry's East Texas Brisket Rub instead.  I did, however, use a couple of oak chunks based on your previous recommendations on the forum.. And I agree that oak is perfect for brisket.

    :-bd
    LBGE
    MS Gulf Coast - Proud member of the Who Dat Nation!
    My Not Frequently Updated Basically Dead Blog: http://datcue.wordpress.com
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    Throw one briquette in with the lump... the binder material helps with nitrate formation... or so I've read... Won't change flavor, though.  
    Haven't tried it but I've read that too. The binder is usually corn starch. Not sure the science behind that.
    My guess is that it would have to be Kingsford because they include sodium nitrate as one of their "ingredients".

    The Naked Whiz
  • My guess is that it would have to be Kingsford because they include sodium nitrate as one of their "ingredients".

    That makes perfect sense. I'm pretty sure I first saw that on your site waaaaaaay back in the day when I first got my egg. 


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777

    My guess is that it would have to be Kingsford because they include sodium nitrate as one of their "ingredients".

    That makes perfect sense. I'm pretty sure I first saw that on your site waaaaaaay back in the day when I first got my egg. 


    Saw the trick of the briquette?  Nope, I hadn't heard of that.  If you mean that Kingsford contains sodium nitrate, I'm one of many places that have quoted the letter Kingsford sent out listing the "ingredients".

    The Naked Whiz
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,951
    edited July 2013
    CT, I recently did a brisket that came out great.. I was going to use some Bad Byron's, but I went with John Henry's East Texas Brisket Rub instead.  I did, however, use a couple of oak chunks based on your previous recommendations on the forum.. And I agree that oak is perfect for brisket.

    :-bd
    glad it worked out. John Henry is fine too. I like BB but several are similar. I really think the post oak is as important as anything (although I used a chunk of Alabama Red Oak that @Shtgunal sent me a few weeks ago). The red oak was good but I prefer post (white oak) on brisket.

    I stole the brisket from my neighbor at 10pm (with permission), had no oak chunks so I used the Red Oak he sent me and I was out of bad Byron's so I used Salt and Pepper. 

    For such a mash up, it turned out pretty good!

    My neighbor (who donated the brisky) and I took it out on the boat all day yesterday. All and all, a pretty good little Sunday.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • GQuiz
    GQuiz Posts: 701
    CT, you got me so hooked on Bad Byron's, I've added it to eggs for breakfast and put it in Ramen noodles. Tomorrow night, it goes in the grilled chicken breast.

    XL BGE; Schertz TX by way of Stow OH. #egghead4life
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,951
    edited July 2013
    I will forevermore call this method the "Ryan Braun" and I will deny using anything other than salt/pepper, smoke, and my god given talents to create badass smoke rings. And I will destroy you if you dare to say otherwise (even if it's obvious and printed above that I cheated.........I will destroy you)




    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Destroy....image
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    The "Ryan Braun" method name is apropos.  (clapping)
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • The "Ryan Braun" method name is apropos.  (clapping)
    I think that one will stick. It hope it will become as ubiquitous as FTC. Like :"Yeah, I "Ryan Brauned" it. Turned out awesome".


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX