Stronger smoke taste of leftovers?

I have aslo founds this to be true. I did a corned beef the other day for something different, and it was most definatley smokier tasting the next day. As for the why... dunno! I wonder if it's anything like homemade salsa. It sure get hotter after sitting a few days.

I'm willing to give a thought on it.. dunno if it's scientific or not.. but here goes.

Many cooking shows talk about letting seasonings have a chance to permeate a soup or meat or ?? I love pea soup and turkey soup. Always better the next day.. why? The flavors from the vegetables and spices I add have a chance to migrate from the superficial (surface, liquid) into all components of the soup while in the refrigerator overnight. What about brining. There is an exchange of flavors. The brining takes place cold where flavors have time to permeate the meat. A short 4-24 hours allow the flavors to migrate a certain depth into the meat without having to inject it. This all takes place on a molecular level.. the ions in the brine and the ions in the turkey are trying to reach a balance.

So, what about smoke? We have read in many of the posts about smoke only being able to be taken up when the meat is below a certain temperature. Is it possible that there is chemical/electrolytic action taking place overnight in the refrigerator? Smoke is something. It is something added. It is something that permeates to a certain depth. Lets say that the smoke has had a chance during smoking to permeate 1/4". When we take a bite it seems it is further in than it really is. Left to it's own overnight.. the critical compounds that are added in the smoking process have a chance to naturally migrate deeper into the meat trying to create a homeostasis or balance between the unsmoked and the smoked.

These are my thoughts. I know enough about science to be dangerous. Am I blowing smoke? I dunno.. but it gives you something to chew on.

Most of us, that come from woodburning days,find that being around the cooker all day/night desensitizes our taste and smell at the moment.

After we shower and have something else on our palate,or something else with the meal-the flavor /aroma is much more pronounced.

Also, the discussion about "smokering" added through the chemical process- up to +/- 140�-is not a flavor.

We can "lay on" smoke ,up to a sickening level, at almost any temp.

Just my $0.02

Good theories, everyone.

For some reason, I taste the increased smokiness more on meats with less fat. For instance, when I have brisket or pork butt leftovers, I don't notice the increased smokey taste as much. But if I smoke roast beef or pork loin (not brined), the smokey taste is much stronger on the leftovers than after the first cook.

The roast beef and pork loin were also dryer, leaner meats that I didn't cook to a high internal temp like brisket and pork butt typically are, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Anyone else notice that certain leftover cuts of meat are more likely than others to have an increased smokey taste?