PSA: My pork butt smoke ring went from pale to perfect after I stopped opening the smoker

Honestly, I kept peeking every hour to check the bark on my pork butts for years, and the smoke ring was always kinda weak. Tbh, I left it alone for the full 8 hours this weekend and the difference was night and day, with a deep pink ring almost half an inch thick. How often do you guys check your meat during a long smoke?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lee2mo ago

How many times did you used to open it? I was the same way, always messing with the lid to spritz, and my smoke rings were puny. Leaving it shut is the real secret.

the_joseph2mo agoMost Upvoted

My buddy learned that lesson after his brisket turned out dry as cardboard.

elliot_patel2mo agoMost Upvoted

See that everywhere. People keep checking the rice, poking the cake, moving the seedlings. Letting things do their thing is hard but it works.