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Is there a secret to getting a good smoke ring?

Is there a secret to getting a good smoke ring in ribs, brisket, pork butt, and chicken?
How do you guys do it?
XL owner in Wichita, KS
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Comments

  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    Don't pull the meat from refrigeration until smoke is ready to go,
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    The smoke ring develops at temps up to 120. you must have smoke, moisture, and temp of meat below 120. As stated above, cold meat at the start will prolong the zone at which the ring will occur. Once the meat reaches 120, the chemical reaction will no longer occur. You will be able to add smoke flavor with continued smoking, but not the pink ring. Remember, smoke, moisture and temp. Enjoy the ride.
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168
    Ring is for show (but is visually appealing)... and I have also heard of the 140*F cut-off.  Smoke will adhere to the meat as long as there is a temperature differential between the meat in the BGE and the generated smoke regardless of temperature.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Springram
    Springram Posts: 430
    It seems that the length of time it takes to hit 120* or 140* (I always heard of the higher) makes a difference. Although I like to Turbo cook, if I have time, I like to smoke at 225*  for maybe a the first couple of hours. Then ramp up the temp. I get great smoke rings.

    Of course, keeping the meat cold until ready to put into Egg helps a lot.

    Springram
    Spring, Texas
    LBGE and Mini
  • jccbone62
    jccbone62 Posts: 248
    Thanks guys, I will keep this in mind for my future cooks.
    XL owner in Wichita, KS
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    Just takes practice man. If he can do it surely you can

    Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • jccbone62
    jccbone62 Posts: 248
    lol....
    XL owner in Wichita, KS
  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
    I've done my last two batches the turbo method, and I didn't get a ring. I got plenty of smoke flavor, though. So I imagine there is something to starting slow.
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
  • SteveWPBFL
    SteveWPBFL Posts: 1,327
    I've heard that rings are no longer part of the judging criteria on the competition BBQ circuits because it can be induced in 'artificial' ways, other than smoke (nitrates?).
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    I've heard that rings are no longer part of the judging criteria on the competition BBQ circuits because it can be induced in 'artificial' ways, other than smoke (nitrates?).
    Yup.  I hear that's not "evaluated".  But the way it looks as well as tastes has gotta have some feng shui on the judges. 
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    We just had some big wig bbq competition held in our town yesterday. Just missed signing up to be a judge!! You only have to sign up and show up early so they can tell you what good bbq looks ad taste like. Myron Mixon is always fussing about judges not being legit judges on BBQ pitmasters. Really wish I'd been able to eat bbq all day uesterday.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • lump is notoriously bad for producing smoke rings. Real wood is much better. If I want a good smoke ring, I'll put like 8-10 chunks of Oak in instead of 2-3. It tastes exactly the same but more wood (not lump) makes for a better smoke ring. I've also seen that crappy kingsford actually puts off a nice smoke ring. I think even on Naked Whiz (not 100% sure that's were I saw it) someone said to throw a few briquettes in with your lump if you want a better ring. My nephew did a brisket on a WSM for the super bowl with kingsford and wood chips and that damn thing had a 1/2"  thick smoke ring that was bright red. The brisket sucked but it looked awesome :)


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414

    lump is notoriously bad for producing smoke rings. Real wood is much better. If I want a good smoke ring, I'll put like 8-10 chunks of Oak in instead of 2-3. It tastes exactly the same but more wood (not lump) makes for a better smoke ring. I've also seen that crappy kingsford actually puts off a nice smoke ring. I think even on Naked Whiz (not 100% sure that's were I saw it) someone said to throw a few briquettes in with your lump if you want a better ring. My nephew did a brisket on a WSM for the super bowl with kingsford and wood chips and that damn thing had a 1/2"  thick smoke ring that was bright red. The brisket sucked but it looked awesome :)



    Your nephew sounds like a red headed stepchild. Did some remember to beat him with a hose for bad brisket?
  • lump is notoriously bad for producing smoke rings. Real wood is much better. If I want a good smoke ring, I'll put like 8-10 chunks of Oak in instead of 2-3. It tastes exactly the same but more wood (not lump) makes for a better smoke ring. I've also seen that crappy kingsford actually puts off a nice smoke ring. I think even on Naked Whiz (not 100% sure that's were I saw it) someone said to throw a few briquettes in with your lump if you want a better ring. My nephew did a brisket on a WSM for the super bowl with kingsford and wood chips and that @#!*% thing had a 1/2"  thick smoke ring that was bright red. The brisket sucked but it looked awesome :)


    Your nephew sounds like a red headed stepchild. Did some remember to beat him with a hose for bad brisket?
    nah. He's a good boy. He's 21 so he's just learning. I ate it with a smile. It was better than most but they overcooked it and it fell apart. His buddy was committed to doing it for "20 hours" even though I told them to do it by temp not time. The WSM didn't have a reliable thermos so they just left it in for 20 when it was probably done in 12. It was a smoky hunk of meat though and many beers were had by all. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    ah, the ignorant bliss of youth. I have to drink to get it back.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited March 2013
    ah, the ignorant bliss of youth. I have to drink to get it back.
    Damn, I thought it was the ignorant bliss of age, seeing as I've forgotten everything that I previously thought I knew..... and as Dad always said "Beer makes you smart". 
    Don't know what temp rings form at, what I do know is cold meat plus low and slow temps plus some good smoke wood = pink ring. (sounds like an STD)

    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Skiddy, I am itching to find out why too.

    Uh oh..... TMI
  • Skiddy, I am itching to find out why too. Uh oh..... TMI
    Man, I am green with envy.......gotta run........eeeew


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    ah, the ignorant bliss of youth. I have to drink to get it back.
    Damn, I thought it was the ignorant bliss of age, seeing as I've forgotten everything that I previously thought I knew..... and as Dad always said "Beer makes you smart". 
    Don't know what temp rings form at, what I do know is cold meat plus low and slow temps plus some good smoke wood = pink ring. (sounds like an STD)

    I remember too much useless information, and I forget people's names 5 minutes after we're introduced.   As dad used to say, a dog's main job is to take the blame for anyone in the family that farts.

    I'm exhausted.  Stick a fork in me, I'm done.  Just prepped a brisket, curried pork roast, deboned two turkeys and prepped them, made 35 pounds of two different types of sausage, diagnosed my neighbor's AC (locked rotor), engineered a rotary bushing with a buddy who's a machinist - bushing is for the yard TV project (full exposure to elements in a GoPro like custom box).  And I drank waaaayyyy too much.  So I ramble.

    The souse vide will be running the next three days. 
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • lump is notoriously bad for producing smoke rings. Real wood is much better. If I want a good smoke ring, I'll put like 8-10 chunks of Oak in instead of 2-3. It tastes exactly the same but more wood (not lump) makes for a better smoke ring. I've also seen that crappy kingsford actually puts off a nice smoke ring. I think even on Naked Whiz (not 100% sure that's were I saw it) someone said to throw a few briquettes in with your lump if you want a better ring. My nephew did a brisket on a WSM for the super bowl with kingsford and wood chips and that damn thing had a 1/2"  thick smoke ring that was bright red. The brisket sucked but it looked awesome :)



    Wow, not so sure about this opinion Cen-Tex.

    We smoke with oak lump all the time and never have a problem getting a good smoke ring.image

     

    -SMITTY     

    from SANTA CLARA, CA

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    You get plenty of NO and CO with any wood fire that's in a "reducing" state - O2 limited - what's going on in a low n slow in an egg.  That's *not* a fire that's burning full blast hot with an excess of O2.   You might get a little more NO and CO (components that react with the iron in myoglobin that make the red smoke ring) with a wood vs charcoal fire, but you're both right.  Buuurrrp. To much fire water so must be obnoxious late nite science guy. ;)
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,951
    edited March 2013
    lump is notoriously bad for producing smoke rings. Real wood is much better. If I want a good smoke ring, I'll put like 8-10 chunks of Oak in instead of 2-3. It tastes exactly the same but more wood (not lump) makes for a better smoke ring. I've also seen that crappy kingsford actually puts off a nice smoke ring. I think even on Naked Whiz (not 100% sure that's were I saw it) someone said to throw a few briquettes in with your lump if you want a better ring. My nephew did a brisket on a WSM for the super bowl with kingsford and wood chips and that damn thing had a 1/2"  thick smoke ring that was bright red. The brisket sucked but it looked awesome :)



    Wow, not so sure about this opinion Cen-Tex.

    We smoke with oak lump all the time and never have a problem getting a good smoke ring.image


    Smitty- not saying it can't be done. Just saying its not the norm with most egg users. consider how many times on here you see people say "why don't I get a smoke ring". It's way more common than not with eggs and lump. My nephew had a ridiculous smoke ring on a bad brisket. I'm sure a guy who owns an egg dealership and runs a fest knows how to get a killer smoke ring and make a killer brisket. I just don'th think its the norm. I CAN but I have to add more wood. I've done all the tricks to get them but they do not come naturally for me with just lump and 1 or 2 chunks of wood.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    CT - it's probably because you cook them at 300F.  The fire isn't as "starved" for O2 as it is running really low like a incense burner.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • SMITTYtheSMOKER
    SMITTYtheSMOKER Posts: 2,668
    edited March 2013

    The Egg is our secret weapon, although we recognize that a brisket is a very tough cook. 

    We cook with a couple of small chunks of wood, no big secrets here.

     

    I think one of the problems an Egger has is trying to cook a brisket flat instead of a whole packer.  The smaller cut doesn't stay in the "magic temp" zone long enough to produce a nice smoke ring. JMHO

     

    -SMITTY     

    from SANTA CLARA, CA

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    @nolaegghead,

    I read "souse vide" and I thought "sousa vita"

    Good Salado idea... talk about ghetto blasters.

    image 
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    @Eggcelsior - if those guys were in one of our ghettos, they'd be BBQ alive (unless they were in a brass band).
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    edited March 2013
    @Eggcelsior - if those guys were in one of our ghettos, they'd be BBQ alive (unless they were in a brass band).
    Damn. The Santeria and Voodoo runs deep in New Orleans. No wonder you guys throw beads at Mardi Gras. Not dudes trolling for boobies, babalawo's are just dispensing elekes.
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    @nolaegghead,

    I read "souse vide" and I thought "sousa vita"

    Good Salado idea... talk about ghetto blasters.

    image 
    If they were wearing kilts......
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!