No bark or smoke ring

[SMOKE FREAK]

Your post on Chucky inspired me to do a chuck roast later this week. I'm going to marinate it in enchilada sauce and then pull for tacos. I will let you know how that turns out!

Seriously interested in how this turns out...Neat idea...

[Bearcarver]

Your post on Chucky inspired me to do a chuck roast later this week. I'm going to marinate it in enchilada sauce and then pull for tacos. I will let you know how that turns out!

Sounds Mighty Tasty!!

Bear

[Conumdrum]

I don't see anyone marinating a brisket or chucky for the smoker. Spice it overnight or don't and get it in the smoker. I never have marinated a chunk of beef to smoke it. I'm sure others have. Just spice it and let it smoke, let the smoke do it's job. Marinating beef might change the outside texture/chemical mix of the beef and you won't get that smoke ring or the bark you are looking for. Marinating for sure changes the exterior of the meat in chemical ways. Might want to read up on that at amazingribs.com. There is science involved. No matter if others say they invented it first, LOL. You need to know.

Why not try simple first? Rinse, dry, salt and pepper, put it in the MES and let it roll to 200f IT? Then add your enchilada sauce when you make the dinner. KISS method as you figgure it out.

[Conumdrum]

Actually, no it isn't. It is made by nitrogen dioxide which is a by product of combustion of wood OR natural gas and propane.

Most barbecuers use either wood chips or logs to generate smoke when cooking. Wood contains large amounts of nitrogen (N). During burning the nitrogen in the logs combines with oxygen (O) in the air to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen dioxide is highly water-soluble. The pink ring is created when NO2 is absorbed into the moist meat surface and reacts to form nitrous acid. The nitrous acid then diffuses inward creating a pink ring via the classic meat curing reaction of sodium nitrite. The end result is a "smoke ring" that has the pink color of cured meat. Smoke ring also frequently develops in smokehouses and cookers that are gas-fired because NO2 is a combustion by-product when natural gas or propane is burned.
http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=298


Just to clarify . . .



are you talking about smoke ring as in the pinkish color that you see in the outside edge of slices of finished product like this . . .



or bark which is the flavorful crust which forms on the outside of the meat?

Dave

Thanks. Another quote/link like mine from a scientist. It's exactly what I said from another source. It's from scientists. No matter where from.

Your quote doesn't mention the difference of smoke from different sources. I guess you haven't read the link I posted, its many pages long or refuse to believe another information source, like the difference between the Sunni and Shite religions. They are hard headed too.

It's not directly from a original source at Smoked-Meat.com, it's a quote/link.
We have no quoted scientists here on this site.
Thanks for ensuring we don't have any original scientific content about smoking meat.

The internet has many sources, you pick.

Quote from your quote:

"A smoldering fire without a flame does not produce as much NO2. Consequently, a cooker that uses indirect heat generated from the burning of wood typically will develop a pronounced smoke ring."

An MES does not burn the wood. It smoulders. It uses an electric heater to make heat.

[curious aardvark]

It's an interesting one - I had a real big smoke ring/cured area on the turkey legs I did in the oven the other week.

Which is either a sign my oven needs the burner cleaned, or the gas is a bit dodgy

I'm trying to think if I used to get a smoke ring from bradley.
No idea, but probably not.
You could try using larger chunks of wood - or a seperate smoke generator like an amaze-n.

[DDave]

It's exactly what I said from another source.

No, what you said was this.

The smoke ring is made by the particles in burning wood.

What your source said is this

Blonder has proven that the smoke ring is an interaction between a pink protein in meat named myoglobin with the gases nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). NO and CO are made by the combination of carbon and nitrogen with oxygen during the combustion of wood or charcoal.

Particles are not gasses which is what I was getting at. Both sources say essentially the same thing -- it is the gases that cause the smoke ring. Those gasses are byproducts of burning wood and ALSO byproducts of burning natural gas and propane. Which is why I was able to get a "smoke" ring in this brisket that was cooked on a propane smoker.



And also why Alex got a "smoke ring" on an oven cooked turkey leg.

It's an interesting one - I had a real big smoke ring/cured area on the turkey legs I did in the oven the other week.

Not sure what all the "my source is better than your source" BS is about since they basically say the same thing -- that it is gasses from combustion and NOT particles from smoke that form the smoke ring.

Dave

[Ranchwife]

Seriously interested in how this turns out...Neat idea...

Well, after reading the comments about not marinating the meat, I'm going to do it anyway because I'm just that brave! :) I love marinated meat and know that if I were to marinate it then slow cook it in the oven or slow cooker, the flavor would be amazing. Not only do I want the meat to be smoked, but I want the enchilada sauce to develop some smokey flavor as well. I will most likely rub the meat down with the enchilada sauce, let it sit, then add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I will also spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the pan when I smoke the meat so that it will develop flavor and be wonderful when I add it back into the meat when I shred it.

Just one quick question - once the meat reaches about 165 and I foil it, do I leave the foil on until the meat reaches the desired temperature?

[Richtee]

Yes. And double foil..as there WILL be juice..and you WILL want that juice. So..be careful. And don't run your temp probe all the way thru the bottom. Heh..yeah... I have done that.

[Mark R]

Well, after reading the comments about not marinating the meat, I'm going to do it anyway because I'm just that brave! :) I love marinated meat and know that if I were to marinate it then slow cook it in the oven or slow cooker, the flavor would be amazing. Not only do I want the meat to be smoked, but I want the enchilada sauce to develop some smokey flavor as well. I will most likely rub the meat down with the enchilada sauce, let it sit, then add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I will also spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the pan when I smoke the meat so that it will develop flavor and be wonderful when I add it back into the meat when I shred it.

Just one quick question - once the meat reaches about 165 and I foil it, do I leave the foil on until the meat reaches the desired temperature?

I marinate most everything, you be aight!

[Bearcarver]

Well, after reading the comments about not marinating the meat, I'm going to do it anyway because I'm just that brave! :) I love marinated meat and know that if I were to marinate it then slow cook it in the oven or slow cooker, the flavor would be amazing. Not only do I want the meat to be smoked, but I want the enchilada sauce to develop some smokey flavor as well. I will most likely rub the meat down with the enchilada sauce, let it sit, then add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I will also spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the pan when I smoke the meat so that it will develop flavor and be wonderful when I add it back into the meat when I shred it.

Just one quick question - once the meat reaches about 165 and I foil it, do I leave the foil on until the meat reaches the desired temperature?

Yes---And Any questions you have should be answered in the Step by Step of mine. If not, let me know.

Bear

[chefrob]

ranch wife, i marinate pork for tacos but i use an achiote paste with other stuff......comes out real good........try using foil pans instead of wrapping, holds the juice better and easier to deal with.....and i get smoke rings all the time in my ovens at work........no wood burning goin' on............

[Ranchwife]

Yes---And Any questions you have should be answered in the Step by Step of mine. If not, let me know.

Bear

Thanks! I re-read both your instructions for a chuck roast and a butt roast and didn't see anything about leaving the foil on or taking it off, that is why I double checked.

[Snarlingiron]

I'm ok without a smoke ring. I do want the bark though. So far, I've got the vent completely open and chip loader out to increase air flow.

This is exactly what I do with my MES 40. While they do judge the smoke ring at competitions it is totally irrelevant with regard to flavor. I also have 86'ed my water pan and I always get a nice bark with me MES. I have never been able to develop any significant smoke ring even with the AMNTS on the MES.

[Ranchwife]

This is exactly what I do with my MES 40. While they do judge the smoke ring at competitions it is totally irrelevant with regard to flavor. I also have 86'ed my water pan and I always get a nice bark with me MES. I have never been able to develop any significant smoke ring even with the AMNTS on the MES.

Thanks for the help! Since I'm not going to ever enter any smoking competitions, I'll not worry about a smoke ring. My meat did have more bark this time with the chip loader out.

[Bearcarver]

Thanks! I re-read both your instructions for a chuck roast and a butt roast and didn't see anything about leaving the foil on or taking it off, that is why I double checked.

I believe the last one I just posted the other day said:
5:00PM————IT is 208°—-Remove Chucky from smoker, take to kitchen, Uncover & take pics, Pull Chucky apart.


Bear