My bark has no flavor

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Chenernator

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When I started BBQ'ing, I used to really like the flavor of my port butt bark. Now, it seems I get virtually no flavor at all, whether I'm using my own rub, or Simply Marvelous, Plowboys, etc. I foil on color, cook at 250-275 on a WSM.

How can I get more flavor on my bark?
 
What did you do then that you don't do now?

With pork butt, I never used to wrap, I tried it a few times, but I have found that the bark is much much better without wrapping. Have you always wrapped?
 
Agree with the above.

I used to foil my butts to push them past the temp stall, but I took (I think) Bludog's advice to cook butts above 300 a while back and haven't regretted it. I cook all my butts around 325-350 now and never have to foil to get past the stall. The bark always comes out great. The foil is what makes the bark mushy and can cause it to lose flavor.
 
When I started out, I never foiled. Started foiling and really liked what it did for reducing cook time and moisture content, but that's probably the problem. Would I be correct that it destroys the smoke ring, too? What do you "nekkid butt" cookers do to maintain moisture?
 
Chenernator said:
When I started out, I never foiled. Started foiling and really liked what it did for reducing cook time and moisture content, but that's probably the problem. Would I be correct that it destroys the smoke ring, too? What do you "nekkid butt" cookers do to maintain moisture?
Click to expand...

I'll vote that is where you went different. (not wrong, just..different)

With a butt, don't worry about trying to "maintain" moisture by foiling. A butt is so fatty, you will be hard pressed to actually dry one out to the point of turning it into a chunk of leather.

If you are worried about cook time, try giving a "hot" cook a try like I suggested in the last post. Last butt I did was 8lbs that finished in about 5 hours with no stall. That's a little over a half hour per pound at 325-350.

So ditch the foil and get to cookin'! :thumb:
 
Yeah, naked with lots of rub is the only way to go. I also go a little hotter that in the past due to timing etc... try 275f for happy medium on the time and great tasting bark:)
 
I have also been removing the fat cap before cooking

lots more bark and flavor that does not get lost on the cap.

Makes no difference in the moisture of the meat since there is plenty of fat in the meat already
 
I remove most of the fat on the surface, rub, let cook at 225 to 275 for 8-16 hours. No more foiling brisket or pork butt for me. Ribs still get foil.
 
Great thread and fantastic advice fellas. I've never foiled a butt, but I'll certainly be doing mine about 100 degrees hotter than I am now.
 
IDK the last 6 or 7 I have cooked I have been foiling after 4-5 hrs (cooking 300+)to get the juices. Lots lots good flavor in that juice I can always taste the rub in it. I do drain the foil and reserve the juices I rest the butt neked in a 200 deg oven for an hr then turn off the heat and let it ride down. Once pulled the defatted juices get poured over the pulled meat. Best of both worlds

Butt_zpse40f68fa.jpg

PulledPork029.jpg
 
I live by the rule "foil is intended to be used to wrap leftovers not cook with". Just leave the foil off and u should be good.
 
This has my finishing sauce mixed in it and you can't even see the sauce...but it sure gives the pork great taste!

 
Chenernator said:
When I started BBQ'ing, I used to really like the flavor of my port butt bark. Now, it seems I get virtually no flavor at all, whether I'm using my own rub, or Simply Marvelous, Plowboys, etc. I foil on color, cook at 250-275 on a WSM.

How can I get more flavor on my bark?
Click to expand...
I always thought that the low and slow temps gave better flavor and since hotter fires tend to be cleaner, it makes sense that high and fast temps wouldn't give the smoke flavor that a lower heat would. It's for that reason that I now start the larger cuts such as brisket and butts at the 225 - 235 range and allow the meat to slowly gather smoke flavor for the first three hours.
At three hours I then crank the heat up to the 275 - 300 to finish out the cook and in this way I kinda get the best of both the "low and slow" and the "high and fast" worlds. I usually don't wrap unless the meat is unusually lean and needs extra protection but even then I don't fully seal the foil but instead loosely tent it, allowing steam to escape. The bark turns out great,... sticky, crunchy and flavorful while the meat is succulent and juicy.:-D
 
ButtBurner said:
I have also been removing the fat cap before cooking

lots more bark and flavor that does not get lost on the cap.

Makes no difference in the moisture of the meat since there is plenty of fat in the meat already
Click to expand...
That's a good point! Why waste rub and hours of smoke on something that's just going to get cut off anyway? LOL!
I usually trim the fat on the larger cuts like butts and brisket to about 1/4 inch or less so that it renders and becomes PART of the bark instead of a thick layer of inedible stuff separating the meat FROM the bark.
I love how that thin layer of fat renders and caramelizes to marry up with the rub and smoke creating BBQ nirvana!:-D
 
One observation I made for myself. I wasn't "tasting" the pork and bark like I wanted.

One time after I did the full cook, I took a break. A long hot shower after hours of standing over smoke and then pulling the 18 hour cooked shoulder.

Then came out and WOW. I could TASTE that BBQ like never before. I think I was so saturated with smoke I just couldn't taste it anymore!
:mrgreen:
 
mtbchip said:
I think I was so saturated with smoke I just couldn't taste it anymore!
:mrgreen:
Click to expand...
This is a VERY good point, and doesn't get talked about very often.
I have yet to try this, as by the time my Q is ready to eat, I'm too lazy, (drunk) and hungry to worry about taking a shower.
 
I don't foil either, roll around 300 on Brisket, butt, chicken, and ribs.
 
Last edited:
Chenernator said:
When I started BBQ'ing, I used to really like the flavor of my port butt bark. Now, it seems I get virtually no flavor at all, whether I'm using my own rub, or Simply Marvelous, Plowboys, etc. I foil on color, cook at 250-275 on a WSM.

How can I get more flavor on my bark?
Click to expand...


It's possible you've gotten used to the flavor. Add more salt.
 
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