This is my fourth and probably best brisket, certainly the best bark I’ve had, but there is no visible smoke ring even though the first four hours of cooking was done exclusively with red oak, no charcoal. What gives?
by Reinstateswordduels
36 Comments
UnkemptSlothBear
How smokey was your cook? The ring is cosmetic, if it tastes good that’s all that matters. Smoking with charcoal will almost always give you a decent ring, even if it doesn’t have a strong smoked taste. Something about the byproducts from the charcoal helping that ring along. My guess is using exclusively raw wood is your “problem”.
Crispyskips728
Smoke rings MEANS NOTHING. Dunno why people judge based off of that. Makes no sense
JustACarNut77
A smoke ring is just a chemical reaction nothing more. If you want a really big smoke ring every time just add a touch of fine ground coffee to your rub. It won’t change the flavor but you will have the biggest smoke ring in your life
Kowa-89
Maybe if you share your smoking process, we can help diagnose. Looks great though!
AdAgreeable6192
The cook looks good, don’t worry about the ring.
WhoTFsaidthis
The colder the meat is when you put it on the smoker the more smoke ring you will have. You want smoke ring, don’t let it sit to room temp before you smoke.
Glittering_Map5003
It doesn’t matter
redditflyonthewall
What kind of smoker do you use? I use a propane heated cabinet smoker with wood chunks. I don’t get a ring either. It cooks well and tastes good. That’s what matters to me.
VentureExpress
Smoke ring means nothing and doesn’t effect flavor
DrCodyRoss
This is not my beautiful smoke ring
T3xasLegend
Great cook. Looks really good.
binarybrewmx
The whole meat is the smoke ring bubba
EchoPhi
People get to bent about “the ring”. You don’t have to have one as it is not an indication of anything. Is it delicious is the only thing that matters. Google it.
LoveisBaconisLove
Doesn’t matter. My BBQ tastes amazing and I rarely get a smoke ring. Smoke rings are great for influencers who want clicks, nothing more.
Manymuchm00s3n
What happened after those first 4 hours? What temp did you do the cook at? Did you wrap, if so when?
robbietreehorn
Was your brisket room temp when you placed it in the smoker?
bobafeeet
Don’t need one. That thing looks good as fuck without it dude!
Der_Hamburgermeister
Might need to add a water pan if you didn’t use one
Tsev33
Smoked a flat yesterday. Juicy. Tender. No ring. We loved it
theswickster
Smoke ring has nothing to do with the wood used. It’s a basic chemical reaction that doesn’t actually do anything for the meat outside of appearance.
I would rather have that juicyness over a smoke ring any day! That looks very good to me.
Ecstatic-Wallaby-411
Is your rub sugar heavy?
GlennSeaborg
Add celery juice, celery seed, or celery salt before cooking. These have nitrates that will for sure create a smoke ring.
Amishpornstar7903
Maybe too much sugar in the bark.
macius_big_mf
On next one…hopefully
Minimum-Barracuda911
STOP CARING ABOUT SMOKE RINGS
chad_
Literally doesn’t matter. I guess it just went all the way through. 😬
fredwardofox
Easy cheat for “smoke ring” is rub in a small amount of curing pink salt before you smoke it.
BULL-MARKET
I smoke in a BGE. I have never had a smoke ring. Doesn’t matter what temperature the brisket started at.
FestoonMe
What smoker are you using, electric? If so, I had the same problem. Electric smokers don’t combust the wood fully which is necessary for a smoke ring. Something to do with the type of gas produced with full combustion, you can look it up. Does not affect the taste at all though.
FIRElif3
Yall must of never heard somebody utter “damn that’s a nice ring” before 😂
Illustrious-Echo-734
Plot twist, its alllll a smoke ring.
visivopro
It would appear you don’t have one because the smoke penetrated the entire cut. I.E. too much smoke, or just enough depending on how much smoke flavor you like.
ddlytng
🥖
Forbidden_Donut503
Best brisket I ever had didn’t have a smoke ring.
Edit: I’ve also had a beautiful smoke ring on shitty brisket.
36 Comments
How smokey was your cook? The ring is cosmetic, if it tastes good that’s all that matters. Smoking with charcoal will almost always give you a decent ring, even if it doesn’t have a strong smoked taste. Something about the byproducts from the charcoal helping that ring along. My guess is using exclusively raw wood is your “problem”.
Smoke rings MEANS NOTHING. Dunno why people judge based off of that. Makes no sense
A smoke ring is just a chemical reaction nothing more. If you want a really big smoke ring every time just add a touch of fine ground coffee to your rub. It won’t change the flavor but you will have the biggest smoke ring in your life
Maybe if you share your smoking process, we can help diagnose. Looks great though!
The cook looks good, don’t worry about the ring.
The colder the meat is when you put it on the smoker the more smoke ring you will have. You want smoke ring, don’t let it sit to room temp before you smoke.
It doesn’t matter
What kind of smoker do you use? I use a propane heated cabinet smoker with wood chunks. I don’t get a ring either. It cooks well and tastes good. That’s what matters to me.
Smoke ring means nothing and doesn’t effect flavor
This is not my beautiful smoke ring
Great cook. Looks really good.
The whole meat is the smoke ring bubba
People get to bent about “the ring”. You don’t have to have one as it is not an indication of anything. Is it delicious is the only thing that matters. Google it.
Doesn’t matter. My BBQ tastes amazing and I rarely get a smoke ring. Smoke rings are great for influencers who want clicks, nothing more.
What happened after those first 4 hours?
What temp did you do the cook at?
Did you wrap, if so when?
Was your brisket room temp when you placed it in the smoker?
Don’t need one. That thing looks good as fuck without it dude!
Might need to add a water pan if you didn’t use one
Smoked a flat yesterday. Juicy. Tender. No ring. We loved it
Smoke ring has nothing to do with the wood used. It’s a basic chemical reaction that doesn’t actually do anything for the meat outside of appearance.
https://bbqchamps.com/smoke-ring/
I would rather have that juicyness over a smoke ring any day! That looks very good to me.
Is your rub sugar heavy?
Add celery juice, celery seed, or celery salt before cooking. These have nitrates that will for sure create a smoke ring.
Maybe too much sugar in the bark.
On next one…hopefully
STOP CARING ABOUT SMOKE RINGS
Literally doesn’t matter. I guess it just went all the way through. 😬
Easy cheat for “smoke ring” is rub in a small amount of curing pink salt before you smoke it.
I smoke in a BGE. I have never had a smoke ring. Doesn’t matter what temperature the brisket started at.
What smoker are you using, electric? If so, I had the same problem. Electric smokers don’t combust the wood fully which is necessary for a smoke ring. Something to do with the type of gas produced with full combustion, you can look it up. Does not affect the taste at all though.
Yall must of never heard somebody utter “damn that’s a nice ring” before 😂
Plot twist, its alllll a smoke ring.
It would appear you don’t have one because the smoke penetrated the entire cut. I.E. too much smoke, or just enough depending on how much smoke flavor you like.
🥖
Best brisket I ever had didn’t have a smoke ring.
Edit: I’ve also had a beautiful smoke ring on shitty brisket.
I read this in Frozone’s voice.