The article below should answer your question. The amount of smoke is a personal preference thing. My family and I like smoke so I smoke most of the time the meat is in. Some folks like light smoke and only let the meat go 2-4 hours before foiling or moving to an oven. You need to find what you and your's like...JJ
[h1]" It won't take no more Smoke after 4 hours..." HORSE HOCKEY!!![/h1]
There are frequent posts where a Newbie will ask, " How long should I apply Smoke to my Butt? " This will be followed by one or more folks answering, " It won't take no more Smoke after 4 hours. "
Circumstances being what they are living in an Apartment, not everyone is a Fan of the sweet smell of Smoking Meat...
...I know how is that possible!?! Well I am currently in a situation where the use of my smoker is under review because if I am smoking, even on a windy day and the wind blows a little bit of the smoke back toward the building my upstairs neighbor freaks out!
Shhhhh...Don't tell him but the Complex Manager doing the review LOVES Smoked Meat, her Brother is a Stick Burner and her and her husband are learning the ins and outs of their new Bradley...
Any how in an attempt to keep the peace, I have been limiting my smokes to once a month...
...And try to only smoke on days that the wind will blow the smoke sideways rather than back toward the building. I have been mostly getting away with it by smoking when the neighbor is sleeping and up to this point it has been cold in central PA so windows have been kept closed. Sunday I had a piece of Loin cured up for Canadian Bacon and the kids were clamoring for Pulled Pork. The loin had been out of brine for 5 days and I didn't want to lose it and the Butts were on sale at $1.29/lb and I figured it's pretty windy, what the hell I am going for it. I got up a 5AM and fired up the MES and
AMNPS but not wanting to push the issue only put enough Pitmasters Choice to go 4 hours keeping in mind the above statement ,that is so frequently posted. I set a 20" Fan on top of the MES to blow the smoke away from the Balcony and the 20 mile per hour wind was blowing sideways, most of the time. I put the CB and two 7LB Butts in and programmed the MES for 180*F. After Four uneventful hours the
AMNPS burned out, the CB hit 140*F, so it was removed and wrapped. The MES was cranked up to 250*F to finish the Butts...BUT...With no Smoke!
I can't remember how many Butt's I have smoked and have always believed..." IT'S A SMOKER...IF THERE IS MEAT IN THERE. YOU SHOULD BE MAKING SMOKE! " So at a minimum when smoking a Butt I use a Full Load in the
AMNPS and count on 10+ hours of that Sweet TBS to consistently Kiss My Butt...
I was looking at this situation as a Test to see if I have been Blowing Smoke or, the 4 hour folks are correct...
Bottom line, at least in and MES with
AMNPS...The Butts came out with a Beautiful Bark, I didn't foil, with 4 hours of Smoke and 10 hours at 250*F...BUT...They had NO WHERE NEAR the wonderful " Smokey Flavor " that I have come to love from Butts that luxuriate in 10+ hours of Thin Blue Smoke! They were ok but there was a noticeable difference and my Family does not like Too Smokey...
Different smokers and various fuels generate different types, colors and concentrations of smoke and we know out comes will vary. It is important to Practice. Experiment and Learn your smoker to determine how much, how long and what type of Smoke you wish to apply to your meat. But remember, there is no validity to General statements like..." It won't take no more Smoke after 4 hours "... Here is how Smoke Happens...
Smoke is made up of Gasses, some containing Nitrogen, Particles of assorted chemicals, most of which have a pleasant flavor, and some Tars and Oils. As the meat is being smoked many of these Gasses dissolve into the meats surface moisture. Since in the early stages this moisture can move in and out of the outer 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the meats surface we get flavor from these Gasses and in a chemical reaction between the Nitrogen Gas and the Myoglobin, the stuff that makes meat Red and does NOT contain any Blood, we get a permanent color change from red to pink. A Smoke Ring! During this chemical reaction the smoke Particles start building on the surface of the meat. Since they are too big to penetrate very far, the particles only accumulate on the surface with some of the smaller ones being carried an extremely short distance in with the surface liquids. Bottom line is Smoke is made up of many chemicals and gasses. The Gasses can combine with the meat juices, it will Absorb Smoke, and enter the meat until about 140*F(approx. 4 hours) when the muscle fibers contract to the point that very little passes in or out...BUT...The flavorful smoke Particles will continue to built up on the surface, it will continue to " Take Smoke ", as long as smoke is being applied to the meat.
So, no more " Smoke Ring " penetration after 140*F, about 4 hours, but " Smoke Flavor " will keep building until you remove the meat from the Smoker...JJ