Last week I bbq'ed two boneless pork butts and had great smoke penetration
and flavor 1/2"+ smoke ring. This week I did two more butts and had almost
no smoke ring and very little smoky flavor 1/8"- smoke ring.

They were treated the same with the same rub and handleing. The only
difference was that within the first hour of q'ing the second set of butts
the q'er temperature spiked well into the "to hot " range for a while.
After this temperature spike I kept it at lower temps for the rest of the
cooking time.


I use a modified ECB with the original thermometer and usualy try to keep
the temperature between "low" and "Ideal" and use only apricot wood as fuel.
The mods to the ecb are attatching the legs to the fire pan so the smoker
body lifts off the fire pan so you don't have to unload the entire unit if
you have to have top access to your fire.

I think this early temperature spike sealed the outer surface of the meat
preventing fuller smoke penetration. What do you think?

Dan

"dan" wrote in message
I think this early temperature spike sealed the outer surface of the meat
preventing fuller smoke penetration. What do you think?

Dan

Dan, I think the second set, instead of being sealed, merely got hot too
soon and stopped absorbing the smoke. As I understand things, the smoke
ring is caused by chemicals in the smoke condensing onto the surface of the
meat and reacting with meat components. That's why a lot of people try to
increase their smoke rings by putting the meat on the smoker right out of
the reefer, instead of letting it warm up to room temp. I have heard that
meat stops absorbing any smokey components after it reaches about 140.

Your second batch went over 140 much quicker than the first batch and,
hence, had much less time to absorb the goodies that make the smoke ring.

John in Austin

Your second batch went over 140 much quicker than the first batch and,
hence, had much less time to absorb the goodies that make the smoke ring.

John in Austin

Ok
That makes sense. It was starting to sizzle a little. But still to much heat
to soon.
The one thing that I wonder is why some people recomend allowing their meat
to warm up out side the refriderator before q'in it if it causes the outside
to heat up faster, limiting smoke penetration.

Dan

The one thing that I wonder is why some people recomend allowing their
meat
to warm up out side the refriderator before q'in it if it causes the
outside
to heat up faster, limiting smoke penetration.

Dan


I think it's a holdover from steak grilling. You get a much nicer steak if
you let it come up to room temp before grilling. Same thing with chicken,
tho you need to be careful, obviously. Most of us were veteran grillers
before we ever got into the low and slow game.

Also, putting the meat on cold is a rather recent revelation to some of us
here. I know it is to me. The empirical results are pretty convincing,
however.

John in Austin

I thought it was because creosote condenses out on cold surfaces? Yeechy!

"JakBQuik" wrote in message
...


The one thing that I wonder is why some people recomend allowing their
meat
to warm up out side the refriderator before q'in it if it causes the
outside
to heat up faster, limiting smoke penetration.

Dan


I think it's a holdover from steak grilling. You get a much nicer steak
if
you let it come up to room temp before grilling. Same thing with chicken,
tho you need to be careful, obviously. Most of us were veteran grillers
before we ever got into the low and slow game.

Also, putting the meat on cold is a rather recent revelation to some of us
here. I know it is to me. The empirical results are pretty convincing,
however.

John in Austin

I thought it was because creosote condenses out on cold surfaces? Yeechy!

"JakBQuik" wrote in message
...


The one thing that I wonder is why some people recomend allowing their
meat
to warm up out side the refriderator before q'in it if it causes the
outside
to heat up faster, limiting smoke penetration.

Dan


I think it's a holdover from steak grilling. You get a much nicer steak
if
you let it come up to room temp before grilling. Same thing with chicken,
tho you need to be careful, obviously. Most of us were veteran grillers
before we ever got into the low and slow game.

Also, putting the meat on cold is a rather recent revelation to some of us
here. I know it is to me. The empirical results are pretty convincing,
however.

John in Austin

dan wrote:

Last week I bbq'ed two boneless pork butts and had great smoke penetration
and flavor 1/2"+ smoke ring. This week I did two more butts and had almost
no smoke ring and very little smoky flavor 1/8"- smoke ring.

They were treated the same with the same rub and handleing. The only
difference was that within the first hour of q'ing the second set of butts
the q'er temperature spiked well into the "to hot " range for a while.

Bingo. I was talking Q with a distant cousin in Mississippi
a few weeks ago, and he observed that the proteins "close up"
as they start to heat up, so it's important to maintain a
relatively low heat at first, after I'd mentioned that meat
doesn't seem to take much smoke after an hour or two.

I can't help but wonder if this isn't a key element of HiQ -
a slow start followed by the higher cooking temperatures.

Cheers,
Dana

dan wrote:

Last week I bbq'ed two boneless pork butts and had great smoke penetration
and flavor 1/2"+ smoke ring. This week I did two more butts and had almost
no smoke ring and very little smoky flavor 1/8"- smoke ring.

They were treated the same with the same rub and handleing. The only
difference was that within the first hour of q'ing the second set of butts
the q'er temperature spiked well into the "to hot " range for a while.

Bingo. I was talking Q with a distant cousin in Mississippi
a few weeks ago, and he observed that the proteins "close up"
as they start to heat up, so it's important to maintain a
relatively low heat at first, after I'd mentioned that meat
doesn't seem to take much smoke after an hour or two.

I can't help but wonder if this isn't a key element of HiQ -
a slow start followed by the higher cooking temperatures.

Cheers,
Dana

dan wrote:

The one thing that I wonder is why some people recomend allowing their meat
to warm up out side the refriderator before q'in it if it causes the outside
to heat up faster, limiting smoke penetration.

One thing I've read is that smoking meat too-cold can
promote the formation of creosote on the meat itself.

Cheers,
Dana

Dana Myers wrote:

dan wrote:

The one thing that I wonder is why some people recomend allowing their meat
to warm up out side the refriderator before q'in it if it causes the outside
to heat up faster, limiting smoke penetration.

One thing I've read is that smoking meat too-cold can
promote the formation of creosote on the meat itself.

This subject is well covered in the FAQ, with comments by Danny
Gaulden and others. Smoke flavor does indeed penetrate cold meat
better, but there is the attendant risk of creosote deposition on the
meat. If one wants to take advantage of the greater smoke penetration
into cold meat, it demands an exceptionally clean-burning fire,
probably one where the wood has been preburned to coals prior to
adding it to the pit.
--
Andy Williams

Dana Myers wrote:

dan wrote:

The one thing that I wonder is why some people recomend allowing their meat
to warm up out side the refriderator before q'in it if it causes the outside
to heat up faster, limiting smoke penetration.

One thing I've read is that smoking meat too-cold can
promote the formation of creosote on the meat itself.

This subject is well covered in the FAQ, with comments by Danny
Gaulden and others. Smoke flavor does indeed penetrate cold meat
better, but there is the attendant risk of creosote deposition on the
meat. If one wants to take advantage of the greater smoke penetration
into cold meat, it demands an exceptionally clean-burning fire,
probably one where the wood has been preburned to coals prior to
adding it to the pit.
--
Andy Williams

Andy Williams wrote:


This subject is well covered in the FAQ, with comments by Danny
Gaulden and others. Smoke flavor does indeed penetrate cold meat
better, but there is the attendant risk of creosote deposition on the
meat. If one wants to take advantage of the greater smoke penetration
into cold meat, it demands an exceptionally clean-burning fire,
probably one where the wood has been preburned to coals prior to
adding it to the pit.

I could not agree more.

Cheers,
Dana

On 14-Jul-2004, "JakBQuik" wrote:

"dan" wrote in message
I think this early temperature spike sealed the outer surface of the meat
preventing fuller smoke penetration. What do you think?

Dan

Dan, I think the second set, instead of being sealed, merely got hot too
soon and stopped absorbing the smoke. As I understand things, the smoke
ring is caused by chemicals in the smoke condensing onto the surface of the
meat and reacting with meat components. That's why a lot of people try to
increase their smoke rings by putting the meat on the smoker right out of
the reefer, instead of letting it warm up to room temp. I have heard that
meat stops absorbing any smokey components after it reaches about 140.

Your second batch went over 140 much quicker than the first batch and,
hence, had much less time to absorb the goodies that make the smoke ring.

John in Austin

I'm baffled as to why Dan's meat took on such a minimal smoke ring. I generally
cook at temps much higher then are generally accepted here, except from a
few like TFM®, Big Jim and lately Jack Curry who may (or may not be) a recent
convert. My posts to ABF showed some brisket cooked at 275° to 325° for six
hours for the tip and seven for the flat. (The flat was in a cooler zone then the tip)
brick142, 'Brisket Tip), and brick145, 'Brisket Flat'. I can repost of you need to see
them.

About the only thing I can add about the temperature thing is that the temp at
the meat can be very deceiving unless you have a probe right at the meat location.
My dome temp rather then being hotter then the grate level is actually much cooler
by as much as 50° depending on the position on the cooking grate.
--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")

M&M wrote:
I'm baffled as to why Dan's meat took on such a minimal smoke ring.
I
generally cook at temps much higher then are generally accepted
here,
except from a few like TFM®, Big Jim and lately Jack Curry who may
(or may not be) a recent convert. My posts to ABF showed some
brisket
cooked at 275° to 325° for six hours for the tip and seven for the
flat.

I'm wonderin too since I still get a nice smoke ring when my barrel is
runnin hot (+325°F).
--
-frohe
Life is too short to be in a hurry

M&M wrote:
I'm baffled as to why Dan's meat took on such a minimal smoke ring.
I
generally cook at temps much higher then are generally accepted
here,
except from a few like TFM®, Big Jim and lately Jack Curry who may
(or may not be) a recent convert. My posts to ABF showed some
brisket
cooked at 275° to 325° for six hours for the tip and seven for the
flat.

I'm wonderin too since I still get a nice smoke ring when my barrel is
runnin hot (+325°F).
--
-frohe
Life is too short to be in a hurry