The smoke ring is often considered a great barbeque characteristic. Many pitmasters and leading barbecue restaurants achieve this desired trait easily, and that is the goal for many backyard chefs as well. The smoke ring is the pink meat area on the outermost 8-10 millimeters of bacon. It is most often observed in smoked chicken, pork, and beef. More specifically, it is a factor that determines whether or not a smoked (pork) rib, or beef (beef) is cooked well. There is some debate as to whether or not the presence of a smoke ring is actually an indicator of the quality of a finished barbecue product, however, is widely considered to be a desirable characteristic of foreshadows of tenderness and juiciness.
Video Smoke ring (cooking)
Genesis
Pink in meat is usually due to a compound called myoglobin. Myoglobin is usually dark and turns brown when heated above a certain temperature. This is why the perimeter of the steak is cooked darker than the red inside; because the lower temperature of the center of the steak is not enough to cause myoglobin to lose its pigment.
When smoked meat, different processes occur compared to other cooking methods. Organic fuels such as wood and char, when burned, produce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas. When this gas dissolves into the flesh, it reacts with the hydrogen molecule and becomes nitric oxide (NO). NO combined with myoglobin forms a stable pink molecule that does not change shape in heat. The depth of the smoke ring is determined by how much smoke can seep into the flesh.
In the smoker
Fuel source
There are several considerations when smoking the meat that will determine the extent to which the smoke ring will form. However, the most important factor is the fuel source and NO2 source of production. The highest NO2 atmospheric concentration can be achieved in smokers through the use of charcoal briquettes, or wood fires; both capable of generating up to 200ppm (parts per million) of NO2 in the cooking room. It has been suggested that greener wood produces more NO2, but is less suitable for cooking.
Temperature
Cooking "low and slow" is said to be key in the development of smoke rings. This methodology, often cooking at temperatures below 225 degrees F for long periods of time, allows smoke to penetrate the flesh and react with myoglobin before the temperature causes the reaction with it to cause it to become dark. For this reason, keeping the outside of the moist meat through polishing or spritzing is often recommended.
Artificial
The method exists to achieve smoke rings on cooked meat that can be reached outside of smokers (or used when a propane or an electric smoker is used). Soaking or soaking the meat in salt healing is one methodology for healing the outer layer of meat (in the same way as ham is cured) and causing the perimeter of the meat to remain pink throughout the cooking process.
Maps Smoke ring (cooking)
See also
- List of smoky foods
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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