OK, so I've done this a few times and I'm not hating the result but I'd like more smokiness. Pork shoulder, sometimes dry brined, sometimes salted and rubbed right before smoking. Smoking it on a 22" Weber with SNS and usually either pecan or apple chunks. Temps are in the mid 200s. The butt looks good. Pulls easily. But the smoke is very subtle.
Now, I don't want to overpower the meat, but I do want some more influence or I might as well toss it in the oven (well, not when it's 90... but you know). Any thoughts?
1. Keep in the fridge until it goes in the pit. I sometimes put in the freezer since it will only be 5-10 minutes and I want all the chilliness I can get.
2. I load my meat in the pit right before I dump the coals.
3. I put at least one good size wood chunk on the grate where I will dump the hot coals. The hot coals get dumped on that dude and produces some gooooood smoke since they are HOT and I am running all vents wide open to get to temp.
4. I place a couple other wood chunks throughout the unlit charocal.
Yeah this guy came out of the fridge on the the grill. Might not have been up to temp. Maybe I'll run the vents more open, let it float up to 275-300, get a ton of smoke for 20 for 30, then close the vents back down and get the temp to 250ish...
I've been lighting ~10-15 coals on one side of the SNS, dumping unlit coals from there to the other side (basically a snake thing) and placing chunks of wood across the coals every couple of inches. Smoke is usually white and thin or blue and thin.
Did a small butt today and it was OK aside from the lack of smoke. Doing a 4lb Berkshire butt this weekend. Maybe I'll try some hickory and apple
In my experience, Hickory introduces a stronger smoke flavor profile.
There is a balance one must achieve between thin blue & heavier/dirtier smoke.
Nothing but thin blue & you get that light smokey flavor.
Too heavy, and you can get a bitter flavor from the creosote or acid stomach & smoky belches later on.
80/20 Thin/heavier works for me.
Controlling the smoke well = "Pitmaster"
Sounds like you need a stickburner, haha. Actually, don’t be shy with the wood chunks for the entire smoke either. I use them throughout my cooks with the SNS.
I was going to suggest the same (not the stick burner) ... be more liberal with the wood chunks. Also agree with the suggestions to use hickory or mesquite.
Don’t forget to inject and marinade overnight with liquid smoke... also when spritzing with apple juice make sure to add another bottle of liquid smoke to the spray bottle.... that’s what all the pros are doing but they kind of keep it hush hush and won’t ever admit it in public!
Yes - I use hickory on pork and can really taste it - generous big chunks. I use the Weber 22 and put the hickory on the top grate, above the coals, and add whenever it gets totally charred. I also prep after a dry brine with bourbon and maple - that's my current infatuation. I use mesquite too, but with beef. I've tried apple and cherry, and had 'less of a smoke' result from those.
Huh, I've been putting the chunks on the coals and I wonder if that, combined with the wood type etc is causing this. I can see the chunks might be burning through too fast. I guess I'll just have to... do another one. Damn.
I will shortly post how I make liquid smoke, though, as previously stated, I probly use it once in a Blue Moon, mebbe even less than once an eclipse or two...
Smoke likes cold and smoke likes wet. Smoke also likes rough textures.
So, based on the science:
Moar Wood.
Colder Shoulder.
Stronger Wood (though pecan is a hickory, {for all I Carya} so I dunno that that's the problem).
Coarser rub. I've been using 16-20 mesh pepper as the base for my rubs, based on Aaron Franklin's recommendation. Superior smoke adherence according to him.
And maybe an occasional spritz after the bark is set. Should cool the surface enabling more smoke adherence.
OK, dry brining a small, 3lb butt for the smoker tomorrow. Got hickory. Got liquid smoke. Got beer (for me). Thanks for the suggestions... results and pics tomorrow.
Hey man, along with what everyone else said, you can try putting the butt on without any rub. This is actually one of the "down South" secrets I've learned from a friend of a friend of a legend lol But really, get your heat to 225ish (meat takes more smoke at lower temps in the beginning)
Give it about an hour/hour and a half until the meat begins to sweat. Then pull it out and either add your rub, or salt it very liberally with coarse salt. They swear that the meat takes in more smoke when it is relaxed and there is nothing in the way to stop the smoke particles from entering the meat.
After seasoning, let it cruise for another hour or so, and crank your heat up to 275-300.
​​​​​​Also, no matter what you read by competition cooks, don't get caught up trying to "kiss it" with that thin blue smoke. Too much of heavier smoke can produce some bitterness, but you do want some of it, especially in the beginning. The best tasting pork smoke wise I've ever had, was cooked by men who had no regard for thin blue smoke. But just watch it, you don't want to KILL it with the heavy stuff.
Also, try doing a Shank portion with the butt sometime, from my experience fatty and darker meat tend to take in more smoke as well, and a mix of the dark and white meat can't be beat.
Always use your drippings to flavor the meat if you wrap, a lot of smoke flavoring is in the juices as well.
and my last suggestion is to try and stay away from the smoke as much as possible while cooking. You will become desensitized and won't be able to taste the smoke after smelling it all day, just like you can't smell a campfire on your clothes after camping but everyone else can. One way around that is to cook it a day ahead and eat it the next day.
Anyways, those are my best tips besides using a stronger wood. I used to feel the same way, i could never taste the smoke unless someone else cooked it or I ate it the next day. Hope this helps...good luck buddy!
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