Category Archives: FAQs
FAQ: What is a BBQ smoke ring?
Question: I’m heard a lot about this BBQ smoke ring that I am supposed to be striving for. Personally, I’ve been barbequing meats in my backyard smoker for a few years now, and I have never seen any sort of ring on my meat. What the hell is everyone talking about?
Answer: This can be a little confusing at first. Personally, I never knew what a smoke ring was either, until a good friend of mine showed me that I was getting a nice smoke ring almost every time I smoked.
The ring that everyone is talking about can only be seen when you cut into the meat and look a cross-section of the meat you just cooked. It is the light pink coloration that you can see just barely below the outer “crust” of the meat.
Technically, a smoke rings is little more than a chemical reaction between the water in the meat and the smoke in your BBQ smoker. When the nitrogen dioxide mixes with the water in the meat, it turns to nitric acid and builds up where the smoke penetrates into the meat. Read the rest of FAQ: What is a BBQ smoke ring?
FAQ: What is the best charcoal for smoking?
FAQ: We have a charcoal smoker, and for a long time we have been using store-bought brands for smoking.
However, my brother-in-law came over one day and watched me use the store-bought stuff and told me that I should be using better charcoal.
Does it really make a difference? If so, what is the best charcoal for smoking?
Answer: Your brother-in-law is partly right. If smoking is just something you do a couple of times per year and you look at “tending” to the smoker as more of a necessary evil, then don’t stress too much about it.
However, if you smoke more than a few times per year, and you possess the time, curiosity, and commitment necessary to engage in the lifelong pursuit of the perfect smoke ring, then it may be time to step up your game.
Your overall BBQ experience will be better when you use better charcoal, but truthfully, it depends on your dedication to the “art” of BBQ smoking. Read the rest of FAQ: What is the best charcoal for smoking?
FAQ: What is the best type of wood for smoking fish?
Question: I love using my smoker to smoke turkey, brisket, ham and other meats… however, I’ve never smoked fish. I’m very interested in smoking trout or the occasional other type of fish (both caught myself and purchased at the store). What type of wood chunks would you recommend for this?
Answer: Smoked fish is considered a delicacy in our home. Although it can be a smaller meal with fewer leftovers, if you are going to take the time to smoke fish you should certainly do it the right way.
Start out with a good brine for your fish. Using a good brine makes all the difference in smoking. About the only thing we don’t brine is pork ribs (the meat is usually so tender to begin with and the ribs cook fast enough as to not get dried out).
The type of wood you use is a matter of choice, however we smoke our fish with the following types of wood… Read the rest of FAQ: What is the best type of wood for smoking fish?