Looking at smokers

Welcome to the forum.

No, electric wood chunk smokers will not produce a SR. The Fast Eddy pellet smokers will produce a moderate SR.

Adding a few charcoal briquettes to the Smokette wood box will also give you a slight to moderate SR.

Here is some info on the whole smoke ring thing. You really don't get a smoke ring with the Cookshack, unless you really want it and work for it. You can add two or three charcoal briquets to get it going. You don't want to use soaked wood or chips in a Cookshack. I personally think it is way overrated. Taste and texture is really the defining factor of all BBQ in my opinion.

"Definition: In the world of barbecue the smoke ring is one of the most sought after properties of smoked meats. It is believed to show that you have done a good job and properly low and slow smoked the meat in question. Is particularly prized in smoked brisket. So what is it?

A smoke ring is a pink discoloration of meat just under the surface crust (called bark). It can be just a thin line of pink or a rather thick layer. A good smoke ring is around 1/4 inch in thickness. The smoke rings is caused by nitric acid building up in the surface of meat, absorbed from the surface. This nitric acid is formed when nitrogen dioxide from wood combustion in smoke mixes with water in the meat. Basically it is a chemical reaction between the smoke and the meat.

So how to do you get the best smoke ring? Opinions vary. Generally water soaked wood produces more nitrogen dioxide loaded smoke. If you really want to make sure you get a smoke ring then cheat. Coating meat with a salt tenderizer link Morton's Tender Quick, will load up the surface of the meat with nitrogen dioxide and give you a great smoke ring. Because of the prevalence of this kind of cheating, smoke rings are no longer taken into consideration in barbecue competitions. "

Max and Larry had some good advice. The only one I’d be weary of is the soaked wood route. Wet wood can lead to creosote build up which can cause the meat to have a bitter taste.

Some circles consider the thickness of the smoke ring to be king. Under “normal” circumstances the Smokette will produce a very thin smoke ring. You have to look for it, but it is there.

When you get right down to it you cannot taste the smoke ring, but you can manipulate it.
Like Larry said a rub heavy with Tender Quick and a couple of Kingsford briquettes can make a descent smoke ring, if that’s what you’re looking for.

I've tested this plenty in CS and you only need to add charcoal. TQ is a fickle thing and I don't recommend that route because you can get some really WEIRD looking pink/ring.

Gosh I've never had nor do I miss a smoke ring. Great smoke flavor however. Think I may try the charcoal just to see the ring.

Always great to see an offset stickburner coming over to the restful life of the same great food-much simpler.

Most of us come out of stickburners,and looked at the same choices.

David makes some of the best stickburners around,so I assume you are used to fine Q.

No,CS won't burn as much wood-or flow as much air as David's cookers do.Klose will lay on a lot of smoke,and a heavy smoke ring.
As the other fine cooks say,you will get the same fine smoked quality eats-but have to work a little -if you are adament about smoke ring.

Agree with Tom.
As a previous owner of large trailer mounted Klose and Oklahoma Joe rigs, I do not miss a smoke ring at all.
The CookShack is so easy to us and you don't have to continually baby and adjusting everything as in all stick burners.
As Smokin' said, if you just have to have the smoke ring, add a few pieces of charcoal.
With or withour the smoke ring, the favor will be the same!