Newbie Questin(s) "Smoke Ring"?

I'm sure others with more smarts than me will chime in, but here's what I've read. The ring doesn't actually come from the smoke but rather from the nitrates carried within the smoke. It has no flavor but is rather a visual thing related to the curing of the outer layers of meat. You can achive this by using Morton Tender Quick as a rub then rinsing it off before your cooking rub. Some also use a piece of charcoal placed on top of their smoke box to achieve this as well as the charcoal contains nitrates. Hope this helps. You won't be disappointed with any of the Cookshack products.

Mule Skinner acts like he has a lack of smarts, but he sure as hell answered that about as perfectly as one could.


Take a look at some of the pics posted here from folks owning a traditional cookshack. There's good food to be had from one. As Mule Skinner mentioned, you can achieve a smoke ring, but it doesn't add any flavor. Of course later on you could upgrade to a FEC100 like he has and you'll get a smoke ring anyway.

Thanks Cronyism, I'm learning from the "Masters".

Thanks guys. I will try your suggestions.

quote:

Originally posted by Mule Skinner:
Thanks Cronyism, I'm learning from the "Masters".

Just remember that a lot of the masters here and at other bbq boards were students not too long ago!

That "pink" of the SR is because it is cured meat; you know red like hot dogs and hams that have been cured.

As stated, it comes from Nitrate/nitrites carried in the smoke.

Because the CS doesn't burn enough wood, to create enough N/N, then you don't get a ring.

And all this because we "learned" growing up to judge good Q by the ring.

You CAN get it by adding a few chunks of charcoal into your CS. It puts off my N/N than just a couple of chunks of wood.

Won't make it taste better
Won't be better Q
But for the guy who doesn't know what it is and has to see one, you can make one.

Because you can artificially create one (take any cure and rub it on a piece of meat) most contests don't allow it to be part of the judging. BUT Judges DO eat with their eyes first and they look for it (not all, but some).

Do a search on Smoke Ring and what out for the fireworks