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Started By
Message
Can someone explain smoking vs roasting to me?
Posted on 11/3/23 at 6:09 am
Posted on 11/3/23 at 6:09 am
So I’m someone who never was much of a cook, but I’m slowly getting into smoking. My expertise is elementary af, but I’m watching lots of YouTube videos and experimenting with my smoker, to varying degrees of success ha
The main thing (and I know, this is probably duh) that I’m getting from smoking is it’s largely figuring out how to keep the smoker at whatever specific temperature for however long to cook the meat low and slow. Now that’s obviously an impossibly bastardized and oversimplified explanation, but it’s all about the low and slow
That led me to wondering what is it in the process that makes the meat breakdown and get so tender. If it’s just the temperature and the time, would you get the exact same effect if you did it in an oven, or is there something unique about the smoke that breaks down the meat tendons? I don’t really use my oven much, and only main experiences were mom’s dried turkey every year at Thanksgiving
If it’s not something about the smoke, why don’t people use the same method for cooking in an oven? Is it not possible to hold temps that low and that long in an oven? Could you cook a brisket in the oven and have its texture be the same, even if there’s no smoke taste (not saying I’d want that, just curious)?
The main thing (and I know, this is probably duh) that I’m getting from smoking is it’s largely figuring out how to keep the smoker at whatever specific temperature for however long to cook the meat low and slow. Now that’s obviously an impossibly bastardized and oversimplified explanation, but it’s all about the low and slow
That led me to wondering what is it in the process that makes the meat breakdown and get so tender. If it’s just the temperature and the time, would you get the exact same effect if you did it in an oven, or is there something unique about the smoke that breaks down the meat tendons? I don’t really use my oven much, and only main experiences were mom’s dried turkey every year at Thanksgiving
If it’s not something about the smoke, why don’t people use the same method for cooking in an oven? Is it not possible to hold temps that low and that long in an oven? Could you cook a brisket in the oven and have its texture be the same, even if there’s no smoke taste (not saying I’d want that, just curious)?
11
Posted on 11/3/23 at 6:30 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
quote:
If it’s not something about the smoke,
It's something about the smoke.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 6:56 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
The only difference between smoking and roasting in the oven is while you are cooking it you are adding smoke flavor. That's it.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 7:00 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
You are making the right deductive logic, but missing the connection. The better analogy would be smoking and braising. Both use a low heat and high moisture medium in order to slowly break down fiber and release gelatin. Roasting is high heat, dry, and fast.
But yes in practice a pork shoulder or brisket braised or smoked can produce similar tenderness, different flavors.
But yes in practice a pork shoulder or brisket braised or smoked can produce similar tenderness, different flavors.
This post was edited on 11/3/23 at 7:14 am
Posted on 11/3/23 at 7:59 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
quote:
why don’t people use the same method for cooking in an oven
One of my favorite things to cook on a weekend is a boston butt slow cooked in the oven - 275 until it hits 200 internal. It pulls apart just like as if it was done on the smoker. Delicious.
Here is a pic of a small BB I cooked that way. Probably only took 6 or 7 hours.
This post was edited on 11/3/23 at 8:08 am
Posted on 11/3/23 at 8:01 am to TigerFanatic99
quote:
The only difference between smoking and roasting in the oven is while you are cooking it you are adding smoke flavor. That's it.
Depending on your smoker, you also get some convection that you don’t get when roasting in the oven. Especially with a stick burner that has a long and large smoke stack.
This post was edited on 11/3/23 at 8:04 am
Posted on 11/3/23 at 8:43 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
quote:
So I’m someone who never was much of a cook, but I’m slowly getting into smoking.
Same here. I just recently learned that too much smoke can be bad.
I was on a mission to get my smoker bellowing as much smoke as possible.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 8:53 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
Its not as much fun to crack open a beer at 5am in the kitchen when you slide your brisket into the oven.
The 5am crack of a beer outside is like the suburban crow of a rooster.
The 5am crack of a beer outside is like the suburban crow of a rooster.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 8:53 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
Several things are different. Smoking adds the flavor of the smoke and a few chemical reactions that are generated by the combustion of the wood that causes the smoke. The main evidence I think is visual as in a smoke ring on the meat especially in beef. There are also flavor profiles that are created in the ring that are not seen in oven cooked meat. I think it is possible to get equal tenderness in both oven and smoker cooked meat, but it is easier to get in a smoker. If done properly both methods can produce a tender inner consistency to the meat and a “crunchy” or crusty outer surface. Again I think it is easier to get this in a smoker. An unpopular opinion is that the use of liquid smoke product will help achieve smoky flavor in the oven. I like to say it is smoky, but not nearly as good as the smoker yields. The last thing I will say is that the kind of wood used makes a great difference, as in oak vs hickory, vs cherry, vs pecan, vs mesquite. Dry seasoned wood vs green freshly cut wood also matters since both produce their own level and flavor of heat, taste, and chemical content b
This post was edited on 11/3/23 at 8:56 am
Posted on 11/3/23 at 8:56 am to Professor Dawghair
What’s on the top? Pineapple?
Posted on 11/3/23 at 9:01 am to MeridianDog
Smoking is just more fun, and yields a better product, to most people. My wife's idea of BBQ is a picnic roast in a crockpot, drowned in BBQ sauce when it is pulled. She oversauces everything. Piles of ketchup on a burger, sauce on bbq, and chicken fingers drenched in sauce. Back when she was working at home, I had bought a Boston Butt to smoke one weekend, but that Friday around lunch time she took the crockpot out to the deck and put it in there and cooked it all day. It was tender, but lacked some flavor you get from smoking. I was happy to come home to dinner being ready, but a little upset she wasted a good piece of meat cooking it like a roast.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 9:10 am to Lester Earl
quote:
What’s on the top? Pineapple?
Nah, it's just unrendered gelatinous blobs of fat.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 9:16 am to Lester Earl
quote:
What’s on the top? Pineapple?
Just scored the fat before cooking. It turns out to be the best part. On the first serving, I take tongs and grab a square, push down, twist and pull out a nice piece of roast with the rendered fat.
This post was edited on 11/3/23 at 9:23 am
Posted on 11/3/23 at 9:37 am to Professor Dawghair
quote:
One of my favorite things to cook on a weekend is a boston butt slow cooked in the oven - 275 until it hits 200 internal. It pulls apart just like as if it was done on the smoker. Delicious.
This sounds great and is the reason why I was asking
I know it’s probably blasphemous to some, but I’m not in love with alllllll the smoke flavor. I like it from time to time, don’t get me wrong, but it can be excessive smelling like smoke and belching up smoke burps for what feels like the next 36 hours any time I try to smoke something
But I love the texture so I keep doing it. I’d love to be able to mix it up from time to time on the flavor side of thing but still get the tender juicy texture
Posted on 11/3/23 at 9:49 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
quote:
love to be able to mix it up from time to time on the flavor side
That's exactly why I do it. Plus the house smells like heaven for a day.
I use the leftovers usually for something like a Cuban sandwich.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 10:08 am to Professor Dawghair
quote:
Just scored the fat before cooking. It turns out to be the best part. On the first serving, I take tongs and grab a square, push down, twist and pull out a nice piece of roast with the rendered fat.
Jesus, that’s just rendered fat?!? I’d assumed it was pineapple too. Def wanna try this.
Any specific run or marinade you do?
Posted on 11/3/23 at 10:17 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
quote:
Any specific run or marinade you do?
I just use salt and pepper. Pretty heavy coating. I've never done it, but you could use a BBQ rub or even a Cuban style mojo marinade I'm sure. I like the simple approach, plus that's what my mom always did so it's a nostalgic dish for me.
Use a shallow baking pan with the roast on a rack so you get some "bark" underneath too.
If the fat isn't crispy rendered enough for your taste when the roast gets to temp, just hit it with the broiler for a minute or two.
It's foolproof.
This post was edited on 11/3/23 at 10:20 am
Posted on 11/3/23 at 11:01 am to BlackenedOut
quote:
But yes in practice a pork shoulder or brisket braised or smoked can produce similar tenderness, different flavors.
Example:
Carnitas vs Pulled Pork
Posted on 11/3/23 at 11:40 am to NolaLovingClemsonFan
The way I understand it is that Smoking usually takes place at temperatures lower than Roasting.
Temperature breakdowns on smoking and Roasting-
Cold Smoking: 70°F-90°F
Hot Smoking: 130°F-180°F
Barbecuing: 165°F-250°F
Smoke-roasting 225°F-325°F
Roasting: 300°F-450°F
These temperatures are of course subjective and may be different depending on your source.
Roasting originally took place on a spit over a fire and modern day roasting takes place in the oven with heated air.
I think another big difference between smoking and roasting is in the final product doneness.
Roasting is usually applied to lean meats where the desired doneness is 130°F-165°F and smoking is typically applied to fatty meats whith the desired final cook temp is +200°F.
There's more to this conversation but I'll leave it for another time.
Temperature breakdowns on smoking and Roasting-
Cold Smoking: 70°F-90°F
Hot Smoking: 130°F-180°F
Barbecuing: 165°F-250°F
Smoke-roasting 225°F-325°F
Roasting: 300°F-450°F
These temperatures are of course subjective and may be different depending on your source.
Roasting originally took place on a spit over a fire and modern day roasting takes place in the oven with heated air.
I think another big difference between smoking and roasting is in the final product doneness.
Roasting is usually applied to lean meats where the desired doneness is 130°F-165°F and smoking is typically applied to fatty meats whith the desired final cook temp is +200°F.
There's more to this conversation but I'll leave it for another time.
Posted on 11/3/23 at 1:56 pm to NolaLovingClemsonFan
quote:
I like it from time to time, don’t get me wrong, but it can be excessive smelling like smoke
When I come in the house after smoking a brisket my wife tells me I smell delicious. So I got that going for me.
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