Bark question -

[BFlynn]

I've got a question about bark.

So last week, I had the PBC fired up and smoked a few things.
One was a Nilgai (lean game meat) pastrami, that I was doing SVQ.
Another was a prime chuck roast.
Both are pictured.
Pastrami on the right. Chuckie on the left.
Used big bad beef rub on the chuckie; katz pastrami rub for the nilgai.

The pastrami went on the smoker about 45 mins before chcukie..... But the chuckie had WAY better bark. I should have taken more pictures. The contrast was stark.

This is pretty early into the session, about 2 hours total time. So the pastrami had a head start, but less bark.

What's going on?
Would the marbling / fat content make a difference? That's all I can think of.
Or is the difference due to either curing or sous vide process?

Both are in the same PBC, running a steady 270ish.
Both had the same binder and similar rubs.
Both came out of the fridge and went straight on the smoker.

The SVQ pastramis I've been doing are all tasty and tender but the bark is always lacking.
Here they are before going on the PBC.





The pastrami is already cured and sous vide.
Only thing I have left to try is smoking before the sous vide.

[Jerod Broussard]

If wet cured it has more water to expel thus causing a potentially longer stall and delayed bark development. Doc Blonder provided me that info years ago.

If you are trying to get good bark on something already SV you need to run 300+, especially in a high humid environment like the PBC.

[BFlynn]

That makes a lot of sense!

[BFlynn]

texastweeter
I was wondering about mayo as a binder. I'll definitely try that next time.

[Jerod Broussard]

I use mayo with black pepper mixed in on salmon so it doesn't stick to the grates.