Jay: everyone says they know it is good BBQ by the size of the "smoke ring". They never talk about how or why meat develops the pink ring. When you smoke on free flowing smokers for hours, The meat starts picking up Sodium Nitrite from the smoke and develops "the Smoke ring". Some of the old guys on the forum said that if you had to show a smoke ring, just add a very little "Pink curing salt" to your rub. I think I can say that the "pink ring" has nothing to do with good BBQ.