One of the most cherished attributes of the brisket barbecue is the deep red smoky ring that forms on the outer quarter-inch of meat. Many people have trouble creating the perfect smoke ring, and hopefully the following tips will help.
The most important thing to remember about smoke rings is that in order for them to form, you must have nitrite that comes in contact with the meat. Nitrite is a by-product obtained by burning wood and charcoal.
To facilitate the interaction of nitrite and meat, there are two approaches that are commonly used. The first approach is to lightly coat the brisket with salt a few minutes before it is placed in the smoker. Salt will withstand moisture from meat and create a sticky surface that easily absorbs nitrite from smoke. When using this approach, it is important to use very light dusting with salt and other seasonings. If a heavy layer of dry filling is applied, nitrite will not be able to break through the seasoning layer to interact with the meat.
The second approach to promoting the interaction of nitrites and meat is to dramatically increase the surface area of the meat, filling up with jacquard. This device punches hundreds of small holes into the surface of the meat, allowing the smoke to penetrate even through a thick layer of dry scar.
Another approach to creating a smoke ring is to supplement nitrite from smoke with nitrite from a dry scar. There are several commercial products, such as Morton Tender Quick, which are sold for use in meat preservation. These products contain nitrite, which serves to inhibit botulism in cured meat products, such as dry hams, ham and salami. By adding some Morton Tender Quick to brisket dry rub, you directly apply nitrite to the surface of the brisket.
Some people consider using hardeners, such as Morton Tender Quick, to be a hoax, as they feel that the smoke ring should only be generated by smoke. It has been suggested that it is possible to determine which smoke rings have been tampered with with dry agents, since the ring will be striped and uneven.
The main point to keep in mind when getting the best smoke ring is that you want to increase the amount of contact between meat and nitrite. This can be done by helping the nitrite stick on the brisket, increasing the surface area of the brisket, or directly rubbing the nitrite on the meat.
