New to smoking

[EdLaCrosse]

Smoke Ring is more a function of the dry rub you use than the smoke. My Masterbuilt Electric delivers a fine ring. I only use dry rubs and rub means you rub it in. Also try dry brining if you want a really good ring.

Interesting. I had not heard that.

I always dry rub and never get a smoke ring. Oh well. The meat tastes fantastic, and that's all that matters to me

 

[cygunner]

Interesting. I had not heard that.

I always dry rub and never get a smoke ring. Oh well. The meat tastes fantastic, and that's all that matters to me

You are right, I have never tasted a smoke ring yet but dry brining (salting) will enhance the ring. Also ring shows better on medium and medium rare meat than it does on well done. And I often get a wifely push back if it's not well done around here.

 

[cajunautoxer]

I started with a reverse flow stick burner. While I enjoyed the task of using a stick burner. I bought a Pit Boss 1100 and never looked back. I don't miss the 15-20 hrs babysitting the fire. While a pellet smoker doesn't give you a heavy smoke flavor you can add some with a smoking tube.

 

[sidebite252]

A smoke ring is caused by Nitric Oxide from the burning wood, pellet, or charcoal. You won’t get a smoke ring in an electric smoker (or I never have) but I can get a monster smoke ring using my Yoder pellet cooker.

I love my pellet cooker but I still have a WSM 22”. It’s just too easy and too good what comes out of that Yoder. Best cooker I’ve ever owned.

 

[cajunautoxer]

Interesting. I had not heard that.

I always dry rub and never get a smoke ring. Oh well. The meat tastes fantastic, and that's all that matters to me

The smoke ring on a piece of meat has to do with the temperature of the meat when it hits the smoker. A brisket that went from fridge to smoker with have a larger smoke ring compared to a brisket that sat out on the counter for an hour or two

 

[cygunner]

Let me tell you about my first smoking experience, the meat kind, not the grapevine kind. We were fresh out of college in the mid-60s and living in Decatur, AL where I was in Jaycees. We put on a tri-county fair and once had the first integrated beauty contest in Alabama. Never saw so many media trucks in my life. After one such production it was deemed that we should "smoke some shoulders". First we needed beer, as a newish member I was not allowed on the beer run (Decatur being in a totally dry county). I was on the smoke crew. Somebody had already hit the treasury and bought the shoulders, mooched them or whatever. Wood, can't smoke without wood. "Big Bob Gibson Barbecue has a whole pile of wood behind the restaurant". So off we go and with lights out (we already had some of the beer) we slipped in behind the darkened palace of epicurean pleasure. Loaded up a car trunk or two with BBG's finest. Boy I hope nobody sees me stealing wood. I will get fired for sure (afterwards we greenhorns were told Bob was an ex-jaycee and said "get the whole pile if you want it"). Out to the fairgrounds we go and upon arrival out come two shovels. Guess who got to dig? God, are they going to kill us and bury us here. I had heard of hazings and initiations but ..... More beer. "Not deep enough, not long enough" intoned the pitmaster, the guy who furnished the shovels. Finally he was satisfied and out came what looked like a chain link gate only very, very blackened. Put it on the hole, whew, we're are going to live after all. More beer. Build a fire with some of the purloined wood but not in the grave, er pit. On the side, when coals had turned white, not red damnit, we shoveled some of them into the pit under the meat that had been placed there. This went on all night ashes, beer, ashes, beer, more wood, ashes, beer you get the picture. It's a wonder we all didn't fall in the pit but about noon the next day the pitmaster (who by the way, hadn't hit a lick at a snake) pronounced the shoulders smoked and we had a big feast with them turning out delicious and the side dishes our wives and families brought out and more beer of course. I only used this method once more for a church social and we didn't have enough beer.

 

[cygunner]

A smoke ring is caused by Nitric Oxide from the burning wood, pellet, or charcoal. You won’t get a smoke ring in an electric smoker (or I never have) but I can get a monster smoke ring using my Yoder pellet cooker.

I love my pellet cooker but I still have a WSM 22”. It’s just too easy and too good what comes out of that Yoder. Best cooker I’ve ever owned.

Your are correct about the chemistry of the smoke ring. It can be enhanced by rub and since moisture is involved in the chemical reaction, dry brining that draws and concentrates moisture will enhance the ring. I did a seared and smoked sirloin recently and dry brining gave me an awesome ring with my Masterbuilt Electric.
There may be something to the smoking complaints with the newer Masterbuilts but my 1.0 version smokes to beat the band even at 225 degrees.

 

[OutlawStar]

A buddy of mine was saying the 700sqin model probably wasn't big enough for common stuff like a brisket or turkey (hoping thanksgiving is at my house this year). You guys think I should go up to the 1000sqin model?

 

[Sam Colt]

 

[Axxe55]

A buddy of mine was saying the 700sqin model probably wasn't big enough for common stuff like a brisket or turkey (hoping thanksgiving is at my house this year). You guys think I should go up to the 1000sqin model?

I'd definitely go bigger. Even if you don't always need the bigger one, you'll appreciate having it on the occasions when you do need it.

 

[cajunautoxer]

A buddy of mine was saying the 700sqin model probably wasn't big enough for common stuff like a brisket or turkey (hoping thanksgiving is at my house this year). You guys think I should go up to the 1000sqin model?

Go with a larger pit. I like how I can do a 15lb brisket and fit a pork butt or 2 racks of ribs

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk

 

[OutlawStar]

Novice question again; the bigger cooking area wouldn't translate into less smoke for example if I'm just making a couple burgers/steaks for me and the girl, would it? Or for smokers is it just a matter of having too much space is better than having too little?

 

[Axxe55]

Go with a larger pit. I like how I can do a 15lb brisket and fit a pork butt or 2 racks of ribs

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk

Mine is large enough to put three large briskets on if needed. I very seldom ever do but one anymore, but it's big enough to smoke enough meat to feed an army if I needed to!

Pictures are being uploaded and I'll add them to this thread shortly.

 

[Axxe55]

Novice question again; the bigger cooking area wouldn't translate into less smoke for example if I'm just making a couple burgers/steaks for me and the girl, would it? Or for smokers is it just a matter of having too much space is better than having too little?

If you are tending the firebox correctly, it won't matter the size of the smoking chamber.

Mine is not small and it puts off a lot of smoke! You'll see here shortly in the pictures of mine.

 

[cygunner]

Once you get going you will find all sorts of things to put in and take up the extra space. I once smoked a bologna. Old joke, pretty good once I got it lit. Kidding, smoking it really turned out nice, amazing flavor. Take the plastic off first.

 

[cygunner]

If you are tending the firebox correctly, it won't matter the size of the smoking chamber.

Mine is not small and it puts off a lot of smoke! You'll see here shortly in the pictures of mine.

The whole thing will fill up with smoke before any comes out the stack. I find it always best to leave the stack damper wide open if it has one. You definitely want your fire/smoke to draw and not condense on the meat. Temperature control not being an issue with electric or a pellet burner.

 

[cygunner]

A buddy of mine was saying the 700sqin model probably wasn't big enough for common stuff like a brisket or turkey (hoping thanksgiving is at my house this year). You guys think I should go up to the 1000sqin model?

I guess my main tip would be find a smoker you like to use, so you will. Obviously there are as many opinions as you know what on here.

 

[cajunautoxer]

Mine is large enough to put three large briskets on if needed. I very seldom ever do but one anymore, but it's big enough to smoke enough meat to feed an army if I needed to!

Pictures are being uploaded and I'll add them to this thread shortly.

My old reverse smoker could do 4 maybe 5. But I don't entertain like I use to

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Axxe55]

The whole thing will fill up with smoke before any comes out the stack. I find it always best to leave the stack damper wide open if it has one. You definitely want your fire/smoke to draw and not condense on the meat.

I use the firebox and the stack dampers to control the heat in the smoke chamber. They are seen in the pictures though.

The main smoke chamber was made from a 60 gallon hydraulic tank. The firebox, made from an air tank from a Mack truck, and the lid supports, are axle U-bolts from a Mack truck as well. The smoke stack, is an exhaust pipe from a Chrysler. The only items I purchased were the thermometers in the lid, the hinges, and the flat strap steel for the lids.

Also a picture of my grill that I made from a water heater tank. Ain't the prettiest grill, but it sure turns out great steaks and burgers!

 

[cygunner]

I use the firebox and the stack dampers to control the heat in the smoke chamber. They are seen in the pictures though.

The main smoke chamber was made from a 60 gallon hydraulic tank. The firebox, made from an air tank from a Mack truck, and the lid supports, are axle U-bolts from a Mack truck as well. The smoke stack, is an exhaust pipe from a Chrysler. The only items I purchased were the thermometers in the lid, the hinges, and the flat strap steel for the lids.

Also a picture of my grill that I made from a water heater tank. Ain't the prettiest grill, but it sure turns out great steaks and burgers!

Looks like way more work than I want these days but that looks like a great smoker. Good stack, nice and tall.