You've probably seen it many times in your smoked ribs, beef or even chicken, but you've never wondered what it is.
It is this ring (The ring of the ring is the ring of the ring of the ring of the ring. smoke ring) - The pink area around the surface of the cooked meat is sought by BBQ professionals and amateurs alike. This is an ideal sign that your dish has been cooked at a low temperature, has acquired a lot of tasty smoke, and that the chef has paid a lot of attention.
If you've managed to get a wide ring of smoke, you can congratulate yourself and deservedly boast in any BBQ group around the world!
How does it form?
Muscles contain the protein myoglobin, which is pink in colour. This is what we see when we cut into a medium-rare steak or raw meat.
When wood (charcoal) burns, it gives off gases such as carbon and nitrogen monoxides (NO and CO). These slowly penetrate the meat and react with myoglobin, causing the monoxides to 'lock in' the reddish colour.
The reaction takes place on the surface of the meat being cooked (or smoked), and only as long as these areas are moist and heated to between 60 and 76 degrees Celsius (depending on what you are cooking).
The smoke ring is usually 3mm wide, but can be up to 1.2cm or more with effort
- Bake at low temperature (low & slow).
- Choose a moist marinade.
- Spray, brush, juice, water or marinade on the surface of the meat.
- Place the container of water or juice on the deflector.
- Place the carvings or smoke blocks at the beginning of cooking, not at the end.
- Place the meat on the grill as cool as possible. The ring will be brighter and wider, but the texture of the meat will be slightly affected
Worth noting
- Place soaked chips or pellets on the coals. They give off more NO than dry ones.
- Those who cook with concentrated charcoal (briquettes) or wood will achieve a larger smoke ring than those who cook with regular charcoal. Plain charcoal emits less NO and CO needed for the reaction to take place
- Trim grease from the surface of the meat in contact with the smoke. Fat is virtually free of myoglobin, does not discolour and stops the smoke from penetrating deeper.
- Do not use acid (lemon juice, vinegar, etc.) in the marinade or in the liquid with which you moisten the meat, as it slows down the formation of the ring.
- Choose beef (especially the brisket) for the best view of the smoke ring. It contains much more myoglobin than pork or chicken, so it is here that you will most easily see the reddish area around the surface.
