Brisket help -MES

[dwiens]

Hey all just had a question for all you MES users. I have done several briskets (7-9lb range) over the past 18 months. Had very good sucess with the overall taste and the tenderness. But my big question is how do you or what would you recommend to get that dark red smoke ring that I see so often on everyones pics. Here is a run down of how I smoke my briskets. Please tell me if I should change anything.

-7-9 lb brisket.
-drain all juices of the night before, tap dry with paper towels
-then coat/rub whole brisket with favorite rub (right now using JB's Fat Boy all purpose)
-wrap in Saran Wrap for 24 hours.
-warm water in the pan and bring the MES to 170*
-set the brisket in and start the smoke
-damper is 1/4 open
-smoke for 10-12 hours, start mopping after 2-3 hours, mopping every hour after till wrapped
-wrap in foild once it reaches 160, place some mop in the foil
-bring to 200*
-rest for hour
-slice
Very tender and great taste but no smoke ring.

thoughts? I appreciate your help!

 

[chadjackson01]

I have only smoked once so far so I am no expert. I don't see where you mention anything about wood?

 

[pignit]

First off you do realize that the smoke ring is just a visual and does not mean it tastes better. There are whole threads describing what creates the smoke ring. I've heard that it isn't possible to get a smoke ring with the electric units but I have had the smoke ring develop in both my brinkman and MES. It could have been the wood I'm smoking with created enough combustion to actually form it. I've heard... but haven't explored... that you can add a small peice of lump to your smoking tray and it will form a smoke ring in your meat. I've never actually tried to get the smoke ring... just found that I ended up with one.

Here is a lengthy explanation as to what happens to form a smoke ring.

Myoglobin is the pigment that gives muscle its color. Beef muscle has more pigment than pork muscle thus beef has a darker color than pork. Chicken thighs have a darker color than chicken breast thus chicken thigh muscle has more muscle pigment (myoglobin) than chicken breast tissue. A greater myoglobin concentration yields a more intense color. When you first cut into a muscle you expose the muscle pigment in its native state, myoglobin. In the case of beef, myoglobin has a purplish-red color. After the myoglobin has been exposed to oxygen for a short time, it becomes oxygenated and oxymyoglobin is formed. Oxymyoglobin is the color we associate with fresh meat. The optimum fresh meat color in beef is bright cherry red and in pork bright grayish pink. If a cut of meat is held under refrigeration for several days, the myoglobin on the surface becomes oxidized. When oxymyoglobin is oxidized it becomes metmyoglobin. Metmyoglobin has a brown color and is associated with a piece of meat that has been cut for several days. When we produce cured products we also alter the state of the pigment myoglobin. Cured products are defined as products to which we add sodium nitrate and/or sodium nitrite during processing. Examples of cured products are ham, bacon, bologna and hotdogs. All of these products have a pink color, which is typical of cured products. When sodium nitrite is combined with meat the pigment myoglobin is converted to nitric oxide myoglobin which is a very dark red color. This state of the pigment myoglobin is not very stable. Upon heating, nitric oxide myoglobin is converted to nitrosylhemochrome, which is the typical pink color of cured meats.
When a smoke ring develops in barbecue meats it is not because smoke has penetrated and colored the muscle, but rather because gases in the smoke interact with the pigment myoglobin. Two phenomenon provide evidence that it is not the smoke itself that causes the smoke ring. First, it is possible to have a smoke ring develop in a product that has not been smoked and second, it is also possible to heavily smoke a product without smoke ring development

 

[dwiens]

I use a variety of different chips of wood. Mainly I use Jack Daniels oak with my smoke

 

[reichl]

I have gotten smoke rings with my MES. If you put 4 peices of charcoal in the wood tray when you start warming up your MES and add 1 every hour of your smoke you will get one. Otherwise you could use tenderquick but that WILL change the taste of the brisket. There is a big thread about it started by DaveNH. If you do a search Im sure you can find it.

Plus you should cook with the damper all the way open. Otherwise you won't get enough airflow and creosote will start to form. Plus you don't want stale smoke touching your food.

 

[reichl]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ght=smoke+ring

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ght=smoke+ring

 

[fmcowboy]

I have been getting smoke rings almost every time on my MES. I use the briquettes and wood chunks. Also get your smoker up to temp and smoking before adding the meat otherwise you will have less time in " the smoke" and less time to develop the smoke ring. Also putting the meat in a little colder helps too, more time in the smoke.

 

[pignit]

I'm gonna post this part again because I think it's important and I hate to see folks out there... newbie or not.... trying to obtain a smoke ring by increasing the smoke.

"When a smoke ring develops in barbecue meats it is not because smoke has penetrated and colored the muscle, but rather because gases in the smoke interact with the pigment myoglobin. Two phenomenon provide evidence that it is not the smoke itself that causes the smoke ring. First, it is possible to have a smoke ring develop in a product that has not been smoked and second, it is also possible to heavily smoke a product without smoke ring development"