Smoked meats [Moved from Texas boad]

[Rene]

I'm not sure that I should ask this question, but it's regarding smoked meats. I've been dealing with a few folks lately that seem to think that the smokier the meat is, the better. I personally enjoy lightly smoked meat that is VERY tender. Am I out of it or something? In my opinion, if the food can't stand on it's own, no amount of smoke, marinade, sauce or other embellishment will be able to take over. I hope I haven't kicked myself out of the "hound" category!

[JMF]

Having worked in a BBQ pit down south and having several acquaintances that own BBQ restaurants and are on the competitive BBQ circuit. In my experience I have to say that you are correct. It is easily possible to over smoke meats. Control of smoke and heat are the mark of a good cook. I have seen hundreds of dollars worth of meat at competition and restaurants ruined because of a late night mistake of too much smoke. The perfect BBQ is smoked enough to bring together all the flavors in perfect balance and cooked long enough to render the fat and break down connective tissues, but not so long that it tastes like a campfire, dries out, falls apart, or toughens up again.

Wood and meat are natural products and smoking is an art, as well as a science. Every smoker, piece of meat, and chunk of wood or log is different. It takes practice to learn the quirks of a new smoker. Some burn hotter, cooler, smokier, hold or don't hold a steady temp, etc. The same thing goes for meat. Some is fattier, leaner, of different breeds, or fed on different grains, silage, and grass. These all change the way it cooks, its tenderness, and smoke absorption. Every wood is different. Different types burn with more or less smoke and at different temps. Also the humidity content and age affect it as well. Even the region the tree grew effects how it burns and tastes.

I have been smoking BBQ for a dozen years and I still make mistakes. Case in point was just yesterday. I had some chicken thighs that had marinated in a green garlic, olive, lemon, cilantro paste and was doing a nice 1 1/2 hour indirect BBQ on the Weber with hardwood charcoal. I soaked some cherry chunks from a tree that came down two winters ago. I had been waiting to use this wood for BBQ for awhile and this was the first time I did. I used too much of the wood and had too much smoke. Way too much smoke! The chicken looked gorgeous. All crisp on the outside and golden brown. The inside was perfect, juicy and tender. But the dish as a whole was inedible and after trying a few pieces I had to throw it all out. It was so heavily smoked that I still taste smoke today.

[paulj]

A heavily smoked (and seasoned) meat can still be good - if eaten in small quantities.

paulj

[MPH]

JMF,

I’m acquainted with Rene from the Texas board (we’re both based in the Austin-area). I'm guessing that in part he's asking about smoked meats made in classic central-Texas style: in other words, ‘cue that is seasoned with just salt, pepper, and the smoke. I agree that meat's over-smoked if "it tastes like a campfire, dries out, falls apart, or toughens up again." And I can sympathize with Rene's preference for what he terms “lightly smoked meat that is very tender.”

I was just wondering what your thoughts were on a good amount of smokiness--particularly in something like brisket. What do you like? And what was your experience cooking in this style while you were working in a pit?

Best,
MPH

[Davwud]

You are not out of it. You like what you like. It's simple as that. I make hot smoked salmon. My friend doesn't like it because he prefers cold smoked salmon. He's not out of it either. Just a different palate.

DT

[applehome]

I'm not quite sure about what you mean when you say "...if the food can't stand on it's own, no amount of smoke, marinade, sauce or other embellishment will be able to take over."

In terms of q, the meats used are tough, fatty pieces with lots of connective tissue, and they would not stand on their own. They will always be sauced and flavored - they need the kind of treatment that smoking provides to develop the right texture and flavor. You can braise a brisket and serve it with gravy - but it's not the same thing.

While I agree that you can oversmoke - kinda like you can have too much garlic (some would say not) - I don't think that happens so much when you are doing bbq correctly. The idea is that the smoke is happening simultaneously with the low and slow cooking and that if held to the right temp, with the right airflow, the meat gets done cooking and smoking at the same. People who use electric and gas devices typically have the other problem - undersmoked, because they allowed the meat to continue cooking without any smoldering wood.

But not everything that is smoked is q - low and slow until tender. I have oversmoked fish (trout, salmon) and even duck breasts, to the point that they are right in terms of doneness, but are just overwhelmed by the smoke flavor. Duck is a very strong meat, but somehow, the exact right amount of smoke is important.

[Rene]

I know that tough, fatty meats need to be slowly cooked but I am far from a master of that art. Your analogy regarding garlic has set me straight. It's simply a matter of taste and recognizing how much is too much ... which will differ depending on the palate. (I still think that tough, oversmoked meats are awful). Thanks!