Smoke adsorbing temp - Does it exist/what is it?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

ggrib

Newbie
Original poster
Apr 23, 2015
20
11
I am just getting ready to smoke another brisket. Thought I'd browse a bit and noticed a comment from Jeff on FAQ. He  stated " smoke a brisked until it reaches an internal temp of 140 at that temp it stops adsorbing smoke". Yet in his recipes etc, he says " smoke for about 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160.

Question,---- does meat stop adsorbing smoke at a certain temperature? If so, is it the same for all kinds of meat? And for beef is it 140 or 160 or ?????

  And do other things have a "stop adsorbing temperature"?
 
Geez that is probably an impossible question to answer as I am not sure how you would every measure if something is still absorbing smoke.

For instance, If I cook a butt unfoiled with smoke the entire time I don't notice a flavor difference than when I foil after the stall (around 165). That might be because I use a light smoke or it might be because it stopped absorbing smoke.

I know that I have my own preference on what is "enough" smoke time to achieve the flavor I want. I guess it is more of a trial and error thing to figure out what works for you. 
 
It is actually true that it stops absorbing smoke into the meat at about 135. After that the flavor will just accumulate on the outside. Not necessarily a big deal but if you overdo the smoke once the meat temp gets up there you can start getting bitter flavors. It doesnt really matter for a thick cut of meat like a pork butt since there isn't as much bark to meat. For chicken or ribs you can definitely end up with bitter overtones. I usually stop adding fresh wood and just do coals after the meat gets up to that temp range.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky