Technique Advice: Advanced Bark Resources, Knowledge, and Tips!

[MonsterDuckMadness]

Hey good peeps! I have been on a major bark tweaking kick lately, and I am looking for your intelligence and resources. I have been cooking for some time, and use Kamado (Big Joe). I'm more than comfortable cooks in general, and have been pretty happy with he bark I am turning out. But I am wanting to do a bit of a science-y deep dive, tweaking one or two factors each cook, to see how the results are impacted. Overall I am looking for blackest of the black, but obviously without affecting precious moisture within.

All that said, what tricks do you use? What tips can you recommend? And, especially, what amazing resources do you know of? I have read Meathead 's awesome article on it here (obviously. what am I an animal?) and Blonder's fantastic piece too, and the T-Roy video, and poked around with Google.

I love the visual that Bonder created that shows the impact of smoke over time. So great! But I also know there's some thinking that higher temp encourages better formation. Obviously you can't do both higher temp and longer times simultaneously. So there must be some witchcraft one can do in there somewhere to get to a happy medium. But anyway, this is the kind of thinking I am looking for.

Thank you all, in advance, for your geniusness!

[tbob4]

Here are a couple of things I can think of: lower humidity in the cooler. I often have a water pan, even in my Kamado. Removing them increases bark. Use a mop with olive oil but don’t mop often. Use a rub with coffee. It seems to impart bark. Don’t wrap.

[MonsterDuckMadness]

Tax Man what kind of coffee do you use?

[tbob4]

I actually just use regular Folgers. When is use coffee in a rub I don’t go overboard with it. I don’t know if it actually adds bark but it does make things dark. I have added oil after the rub process. I usually add a bit of rub with the oil and it acts as a binder. Since you are doing experiments here, make sure you tag me with results. I will be interested.

[Tax Man]

I grind my own beans so whatever I have on hand which is usually a pretty dark roast. I grind it really fine so it mixes well with the other spices in my rub. If you're using ground coffee, I would suggest a dark roast and if you can, grind it finer.

[Donw]

I’ll be interested in what people have to say too.
I personally never wrap anything, but do use pans often with no coverings. I never use a water pan except in my vertical. I trim carefully but heavily and never leave any thin areas that could dry out, especially on briskets. I use all the meat from trimming for other dishes such as stews or making sausages. Now a days all my large chunks of meat are smoked on my Yoder around 275, and luckily I’ve never had a dry piece of pork or beef.
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[bbqLuv]

I followed this thread too.

[MonsterDuckMadness]

Thank you! What kind of color are you getting?

[DaveD]

MDM, it might be instructive if you posted a pic or two of the barks you've been getting so we can see what you're starting from, what you're trying to improve upon.

[rickgregory]

So... I don't think bark is a thing requiring lots of technique. As far as I can tell it's the product of a few things...

First, the rub will affect it. Some sugar in there will cause bark to form more readily. It's not necessary (witness brisket with S&P) but it enhances it slightly.

Second, moisture. Don't use a water pan at or after the stall (early is fine, might even help as smoke likes wet surfaces), don't wrap. Don't pan it with liquid at or after the stall.

Third, temp. I think it's easier to form bark in the mid-200s, like 250-275. But I don't strive to stay at 225 a lot (it's relatively hard on my kettle) and rarely smoke higher that 275 or so.

If you want more bark on something like pork butt, divide large butts in two or three. This doesn't affect the quality of the bark, but you'll have more surface area for the same volume, so when you pull you'll have a higher proportion of bark.

[MonsterDuckMadness]

"This will also be affected by what you're cooking. A 3lb chuck vs a 7lb pork butt, etc."

By "this" do you mean your ability to maintain temp? Or…

[rickgregory]

Time in smoke. A smaller piece of meat will hit the stall etc sooner than a large piece, etc.

[MonsterDuckMadness]

Thank you!!
Okay - sounds like you are in the low temp, more smoke time camp. I read that view a lot, and it makes sense. But I have heard others saying that higher temp (275ish) can help, particularly with color/blackness. I still find this confusing, as smoke time and higher temp seem mostly fairly opposed to each other.

[STEbbq]

Some more ideas here:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/beef-steak-brisket-roasts-prime-rib-etc/1214028-need-help-reproducing-katz-s-bark

[MonsterDuckMadness]

DaveD

[bbqLuv]

Looking good in the BBQ hood.

[Rob whatever]

For briskets, I think the foil boat method helps with the bark. See Chad’s BBQ on youtube for this. I also think using Larry’s instead of or in addition to salt can help with a great bark flavor.

rob

[bbqLuv]

Need a link,

[Rob whatever]

Here you go. Chudd's BBQ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-tXdMW1Z48

[bbqLuv]

TX U
Interesting,