Ok who has experimented with getting a smoke ring out of a smokin-it? My 3D will be here today and I also own a cook-shack Sm-025. I can get a light smoke ring but have never tried the trick of putting in a piece of coal or using the biscuits or anything like that. Just wondering if anyone has tried and have you had any success in doing so? If so what did you do?
Smoke Ring
- Thread starter gunman9
- Start date
RG 2.0
New member
I've never gotten a naturally occurring smoke ring from my #3 but I have faked a few 
Many here use DivotMaker's brine that has #1 Prague powder (pink salt) in it. I do this for Butts and it's mahvelous! For briskets and ribs, I take some Morton's Tenderquick (TQ from here on out) and apply it directly to the meat. For Briskets I apply a light dusting all over it and massage it in. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes (some do it far longer) and rinse it off under running water. For ribs, same procedure really but I don't use as much TQ.
Works for me!
Many here use DivotMaker's brine that has #1 Prague powder (pink salt) in it. I do this for Butts and it's mahvelous! For briskets and ribs, I take some Morton's Tenderquick (TQ from here on out) and apply it directly to the meat. For Briskets I apply a light dusting all over it and massage it in. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes (some do it far longer) and rinse it off under running water. For ribs, same procedure really but I don't use as much TQ.
Works for me!
RG said:I've never gotten a naturally occurring smoke ring from my #3 but I have faked a few
Many here use DivotMaker's brine that has #1 Prague powder (pink salt) in it. I do this for Butts and it's mahvelous! For briskets and ribs, I take some Morton's Tenderquick (TQ from here on out) and apply it directly to the meat. For Briskets I apply a light dusting all over it and massage it in. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes (some do it far longer) and rinse it off under running water. For ribs, same procedure really but I don't use as much TQ.
Works for me!
Ya I'm not a fan of TQ or anyway of producing a fake smoke ring. Just wasn't sure if one has had success putting a piece of charcoal in with their wood to create the atmosphere of a stick burner inturn causing the chemical reaction that gives you a smoke ring from the carbon of the charcoal.
RG 2.0
New member
I say this with all due respect, not trying to start anything at all but if you want a smoke ring, an electric smoker is not the cooker to give it to you. I know some have said that they have gotten one using a piece of charcoal but to be honest, I don't buy it. It's not just the charcoal, it's the environment of actually having a fire burning that charcoal. A piece of charcoal smoldering may (and I doubt it) slightly alter the taste of smoke but it's not going to give you a smoke ring. As for being against TQ, why? It doesn't alter the taste or texture. Even competition BBQ teams do it! It's for looks only, doesn't make the food taste better but we all do like to see it don't we? 
Good luck with your quest for the smoke ring. Let us know what you find that works!
Good luck with your quest for the smoke ring. Let us know what you find that works!
NDKoze
Moderator
We have had threads here where people have tried the charcoal with only minimal or zero success.
Since the smoke ring does not add anything to the flavor it is only for our eyes, why not use the TQ or #1 Cure? This doesn't affect the flavor either from what I have been able to tell.
I think your chasing an idea that you are unlikely to catch while using an electric smoker (any electric for that matter).
If you are opposed to TQ and #1 cure, how about the celery juice that some use for curing? I haven't used it, but just throwing it out there as an option.
Since the smoke ring does not add anything to the flavor it is only for our eyes, why not use the TQ or #1 Cure? This doesn't affect the flavor either from what I have been able to tell.
I think your chasing an idea that you are unlikely to catch while using an electric smoker (any electric for that matter).
If you are opposed to TQ and #1 cure, how about the celery juice that some use for curing? I haven't used it, but just throwing it out there as an option.
RG said:I say this with all due respect, not trying to start anything at all but if you want a smoke ring, an electric smoker is not the cooker to give it to you. I know some have said that they have gotten one using a piece of charcoal but to be honest, I don't buy it. It's not just the charcoal, it's the environment of actually having a fire burning that charcoal. A piece of charcoal smoldering may (and I doubt it) slightly alter the taste of smoke but it's not going to give you a smoke ring. As for being against TQ, why? It doesn't alter the taste or texture. Even competition BBQ teams do it! It's for looks only, doesn't make the food taste better but we all do like to see it don't we?
Good luck with your quest for the smoke ring. Let us know what you find that works!
RG I hear ya. I just didn't know if anyone has actually done. I don't really care about the smoke ring cause I know I always get good smoke on my meat. This is a brisket I did on my A1 Competition Smoker (stick burner). No TQ or anything like that. Just salt and pepper and a lot of love on the smoker lol.
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DivotMaker
New member
Gunman,
Like Jason, I'm not here to start anything. But, the smoke ring has NO flavor, and is purely visual. I absolutely guarantee if put that beautiful briskie in a blind competition with a really nicely-done brisket in the SI, people could not tell you which was cooked in what.
I experimented with every way possible to achieve the visual only smoke ring. Charcoal does NOT work alone. The smoke ring is produced by Nitric Oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), and the chemical reaction in the meat is very similar to what curing salt does (Instacure #1, or TQ).
Here's a pretty good article on the science of the ring, from Amazing Ribs:
Mythbusting the Smoke Ring
Now, I'm gonna give you my 2¢ on the "faux" smoke ring (whether you want it or not): It works great, and people love it, and can't tell the difference (if done properly). Food appeal, with BBQ and all foods, is mostly visual, right? If I walk up to a plate of wonderful-tasting, moist, perfectly cooked brisket, made in an SI, and without a smoke ring, it is NOT going to look as visually appealing as your brisket in the picture. It might actually "taste" better (hypothetically - don't be offended), but it doesn't "look" better...my taste buds won't be salivating as much in anticipation! Why is that? ...Conditioning, plain and simple! Every BBQ joint we've been to, every food mag with BBQ pics, all the comp shows; a smoke ring makes BBQ "look" like BBQ! Does it make it taste like BBQ? ...Absolutely not, because it doesn't have a taste!
So, producing a "faux" ring is not a bad thing, to be shunned by the BBQ snobs. It's all about how it looks and tastes to your eaters! I've given BBQ to friends of mine who are BBQ snobs (big, high $ stick burners), and they couldn't believe what I gave them was from an electric smoker!
This topic has actually been discussed a LOT on here. Do a search for "smoke ring," or "faux smoke ring" and you will literally find hundreds of posts on the subject. Whichever way you go, bottom line is the only way you'll ever get one, in and SI, it with a little help from Mr. Nitrite or Mrs. Nitrate. (And No one will EVER know the difference!)
Like Jason, I'm not here to start anything. But, the smoke ring has NO flavor, and is purely visual. I absolutely guarantee if put that beautiful briskie in a blind competition with a really nicely-done brisket in the SI, people could not tell you which was cooked in what.
I experimented with every way possible to achieve the visual only smoke ring. Charcoal does NOT work alone. The smoke ring is produced by Nitric Oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), and the chemical reaction in the meat is very similar to what curing salt does (Instacure #1, or TQ).
Here's a pretty good article on the science of the ring, from Amazing Ribs:
Mythbusting the Smoke Ring
Now, I'm gonna give you my 2¢ on the "faux" smoke ring (whether you want it or not): It works great, and people love it, and can't tell the difference (if done properly). Food appeal, with BBQ and all foods, is mostly visual, right? If I walk up to a plate of wonderful-tasting, moist, perfectly cooked brisket, made in an SI, and without a smoke ring, it is NOT going to look as visually appealing as your brisket in the picture. It might actually "taste" better (hypothetically - don't be offended), but it doesn't "look" better...my taste buds won't be salivating as much in anticipation! Why is that? ...Conditioning, plain and simple! Every BBQ joint we've been to, every food mag with BBQ pics, all the comp shows; a smoke ring makes BBQ "look" like BBQ! Does it make it taste like BBQ? ...Absolutely not, because it doesn't have a taste!
So, producing a "faux" ring is not a bad thing, to be shunned by the BBQ snobs. It's all about how it looks and tastes to your eaters! I've given BBQ to friends of mine who are BBQ snobs (big, high $ stick burners), and they couldn't believe what I gave them was from an electric smoker!
This topic has actually been discussed a LOT on here. Do a search for "smoke ring," or "faux smoke ring" and you will literally find hundreds of posts on the subject. Whichever way you go, bottom line is the only way you'll ever get one, in and SI, it with a little help from Mr. Nitrite or Mrs. Nitrate.
(And No one will EVER know the difference!)Attachments
DivotMaker said:Gunman,
Like Jason, I'm not here to start anything. But, the smoke ring has NO flavor, and is purely visual. I absolutely guarantee if put that beautiful briskie in a blind competition with a really nicely-done brisket in the SI, people could not tell you which was cooked in what.
I experimented with every way possible to achieve the visual only smoke ring. Charcoal does NOT work alone. The smoke ring is produced by Nitric Oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), and the chemical reaction in the meat is very similar to what curing salt does (Instacure #1, or TQ).
Here's a pretty good article on the science of the ring, from Amazing Ribs:
Mythbusting the Smoke Ring
Now, I'm gonna give you my 2¢ on the "faux" smoke ring (whether you want it or not): It works great, and people love it, and can't tell the difference (if done properly). Food appeal, with BBQ and all foods, is mostly visual, right? If I walk up to a plate of wonderful-tasting, moist, perfectly cooked brisket, made in an SI, and without a smoke ring, it is NOT going to look as visually appealing as your brisket in the picture. It might actually "taste" better (hypothetically - don't be offended), but it doesn't "look" better...my taste buds won't be salivating as much in anticipation! Why is that? ...Conditioning, plain and simple! Every BBQ joint we've been to, every food mag with BBQ pics, all the comp shows; a smoke ring makes BBQ "look" like BBQ! Does it make it taste like BBQ? ...Absolutely not, because it doesn't have a taste!
So, producing a "faux" ring is not a bad thing, to be shunned by the BBQ snobs. It's all about how it looks and tastes to your eaters! I've given BBQ to friends of mine who are BBQ snobs (big, high $ stick burners), and they couldn't believe what I gave them was from an electric smoker!
This topic has actually been discussed a LOT on here. Do a search for "smoke ring," or "faux smoke ring" and you will literally find hundreds of posts on the subject. Whichever way you go, bottom line is the only way you'll ever get one, in and SI, it with a little help from Mr. Nitrite or Mrs. Nitrate.
That brisket looks good! Ya I searched smoke ring and it didn't bring up anything specific to smoke rings for some reason. I'm not concerned with achieving a smoke ring since I do majority of my cooking in my CS and now my SI. I was just curious more than anything if anyone has achieved it without TQ or anything else. I find the salt that I use leaves a smoke ring when cooking with my CS. I use Coarse Kosher Salt, and Apple wood smoked sea salt coarse. I also generally let my brisket sit over night wrapped with rub on it, pull it and let it rest to room temp and hit the bare spots again with run and through with on the smoker.
DivotMaker
New member
No kidding, Jason! Made me hungry too!
All cool, Gunman! If you want it, for eye appeal, you now know how to get a good one, the "faux" (sounds better than "fake"...those French!) way! All a personal preference, but I've found folks sure do like it! 8)
All cool, Gunman! If you want it, for eye appeal, you now know how to get a good one, the "faux" (sounds better than "fake"...those French!) way! All a personal preference, but I've found folks sure do like it! 8)
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