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Will starting a brisket at 225 grid temp produce a larger smoke ring?

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New2Q
New2Q Posts: 171
in EggHead Forum
I've read that smoke rings form better when 1) the meat is below 140 and 2) the meat is kept moist.  If this is true then would I be better off starting my brisket at 225 for 3 or 4 hours with a water-filled drip pan before bumping the grid temp up to 250 to finish the brisket off before it dries out?  I know I could use curing salt filled with nitrites to increase the smoke ring but I don't want to "cheat".
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
    edited November 2013
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    I have read that the colder the meat is when put on the grill, the wider the smoke ring, so just above freezing would likely give the deepest smoke ring.  It looks nicer, but really doesn't add to flavor.  If I recall it has been removed as a judging category from most competitions. 
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • rsmith193
    rsmith193 Posts: 219
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    Smoke ring will depend on several factors. The meat will take in smoke until it gets to about 125º. It is best to put it in as cold as possible (just above freezing is great). The type of wood will change the smome ring and the color of the meat. For example, I use Cherry for my chicken, because it turned the meat pink 2 judges said it was under done ( the tan le captain was called and was deemed fully cooked and judged. 11th out of 29). Tha age of the meat will also change tye smoke ring. We on the competition zide don't get judges for smome ring, because it can be done using incjection.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,961
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    No. I have a few threads on here dealing with this. I never get smoke rings......but I think my Briskets are ok. I can get a smoke ring any time I want by adding stuff to my rub though. Best smoke rings I've ever had were on stick burners. Best I've ever had on the egg (non-enhanced) have been done in coastal climates. Water+smoke+brisket=smoke ring.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
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    Thanks guys.  Cen-Tex, it appears humidity is why the coastal cities make good smoke rings:




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  • FatMike
    FatMike Posts: 464
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    The smoke ring is actually caused by nitrogen dioxide NO2.  Stick burners produce a lot of it which converts to nitrous acid and colors the myoglobin in the meat. Its all about the combustion not the smoke itself.
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    No...
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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
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    If you put a cold piece of anything into any kind of heat source it creates condensation? Isnt that the reason to keep the meat as cold as possible? So the meat condensates assisting in the smoke ring?

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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,961
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    hondabbq said:

    If you put a cold piece of anything into any kind of heat source it creates condensation? Isnt that the reason to keep the meat as cold as possible? So the meat condensates assisting in the smoke ring?

    Good thought but not the way it really works. I have proof.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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