Smoke Ring? Cold Smoke?

[eagvent]

I'm considering upgrading my very old Brinkman to the BDS.  I read somewhere (can't find it now, of course) that the BDS works great but that it doesn't produce a pronounced smoke ring.  I like to see that in ribs and brisket.  I also read that cold smoking is a real challenge.

Comments?  Thanks.

[IKnowWood]

eagvent

Others will chime in on this.  But first, Cold smoking is actually easy, in the right ambient temps.  Those is warm climates have a harder time.  But you can always add some ice in the cabinet to reduce temps. The easiest way is to take the smoke generator off (easy) and use an offset box (like cardboard)  someone will post a link soon.  And a dryer vent to the bradley cabinet.  Its that easy.  Others use just the puck burner for short cold smokes (I do that a lot myself) when ambient temps are not to bad.  Work great for like an hour. 

Now for the smoke ring.  Someone else more versed in the technical chemical processes will chime in.  But from what I gather, the pink ring is a chemical process that changes the color of the meats closer to the surface of the meat as it is reacting with the chemicals released from burning (not smoldering) using carbon materials.  So the flames release some carbon like stuff that is making the color change.  Not the smoke itself.  The bradley uses a clean white smoke from smoldering the compressed pucks, so no actual burning is taking place to create the ring.  So the ring is not a factor of its smoked-ness.  And the bradley actually can apply to much smoke flavor for many tastes.  Me, not yet.

Now, the Bradley Propane smoker, not only uses smoldering pucks, but also uses propane flame to heat the cabinet, as well as the puck smoldering plate.  So I think there has been a little pink on those meats.  Its been about a year and a half since I used my propane bradley to remember.

Hope that helps.

[Caneyscud]

Smoke ring, Schmoke ring.  Lots to do about a smoke ring.  I like them, they are purdy, but they don't make a bit a diff. as to taste.  Try it some time.  Eat a bit of the regular "brown" meat and a bit of the pink meat.  Not fair it you include some of the bark in the pink, meat.  Generally, not a bit of diff. unless the meat was marinated.  At one time it was a badge of honor of a good low and slow cook - as opposed to sprinkling a little smoke salt or liquid smoke on a piece of oven roasted meat and adding some smoky barbecue sauce and calling that barbecue.  The smoke ring is generally thought to be caused by nitric acid or nitrates 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 - you are curing the meat.  Just like you get a redder meat when you cure beef or pork.  Why Bradleys don't produce the ring has to be because there is no flame. 

Supposedly water soaked wood produces more nitrogen dioxide loaded smoke. Charcoal has a lot of the nitrites needed.  I guess the water soaked wood produces more charcoal before the coals than dry wood does.  Coating meat with a salt tenderizer like Morton's Tender Quick, will load up the surface of the meat with nitrogen dioxide and give you a great smoke ring. I don't use the stuff myself on meats, so I can't report if it works in the Bradley or not. Reportedly all you do is put the Morton's on for a few minutes, rinse off, dry and then rub/smoke your usual wayl  Because of the prevalence of this kind of cheating, smoke rings are supposedly no longer a part of judging in some barbecue competitions (yea sure).  According to the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the ring is not allowed as a criteria for judging because it can be chemically reproduced.

Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'

[Habanero Smoker]

To add to what IKnowWood, and Caneyscud. The word "smoke ring" is a misnomer, because you don't need smoke to create the ring. A lot of chefs refer to it as pink ring and it can be produced in a propane or natural gas oven, as long as the meat is uncovered and roasted at a low temperature.

Its my understanding that the burning of organic fuels; wood, charcoal, natural gas and propane gas, produces nitrogen dioxide gas. When that gas come in contact and adheres to the meat's surface it dissolves into nitrous acid. The nitrous acid penetrates the meat, and in turn reacts with the myoglobin to create the pink color. It is very similar to what sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite act, but as Caneyscud already mentions, it has not flavor.

If you like the visual effect, smoke ring (pink ring) can be artificially produced by sprinkling the meat with a small amount of cure; such as Morton's Tender Quick, and letting it sit for a short period prior to smoking. I have never done this, but there are a few threads that mentions this.

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E  to the Forum eagvent!

I think we've beat the smoke ring enough...

I _used_ to have a Brinkmann....
The device has not been invented that can tell you how much better the food is that comes out of my Bradley versus the my Brinkmann -- But I can't remember anyone raving about my 'Q back then.